Aviation Industry Lecture 3 - Airport

Aviation Industry Lecture 3 - Airport

• The lecture covers the airport, airline business, aircraft manufacturers, air freight, aviation and the environment, and future issues
• The course overview includes topics like Introduction, International Aviation, The Airport, The Airline Business, Aircraft Manufacturers, Air Freight, Aviation and the Environment, and Future Issues
• Airport is defined as an area of land or water used for landing and takeoff of aircraft
• Airports vary in size; smaller airports often have a single runway, while larger airports for international flights have longer paved runways.
• Some smaller airports may have dirt, grass, or gravel runways instead of asphalt or concrete. Airports located at high altitudes require longer runways for heavier aircraft.
• HKIA (Hong Kong International Airport) has three runways, each measuring 3,800 meters in length.
• As of January 2020, the OpenFlights Airports Database contains over 10,000 airports globally.
• International airports for international flights often have more conspicuous physical security and require Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities.
• International airports usually have multiple buildings for passenger boarding, cargo storage and loading.
• Many large international airports are located next to freeways or have their own freeways.
• Many airports have rail transport connections (such as light rail lines and mass transit systems) directly connected to the main terminals—for example, AEL in Hong Kong.
• The main functions of an airport include providing safe operation for aircraft and ground transport, facilitating passengers and goods transport by air, and expediting transfer of passengers and cargo from surface transport to air transport.
• Airports are categorized based on their purposes, including Commercial Service Airports (serving scheduled passenger and cargo flights), Cargo Service Airports (major cargo operations), and General Aviation Airports (small aircraft for private or business use), as well as Military Airports.

Airport Components

• What is Airport and types of Airport
• The Multi-airport System
• Airline and Airport Code
• Components of Airport: Airside and Landside
• The Hong Kong International Airport
• Airport as a Business

Airside-Landside Concept

• The airside of an airport is planned and managed to handle aircraft movement around the airport, and routes to and from the air.
• Airside components (Airspace and Airfield) are further categorized:
• Airspace: The area off the ground around the airport for aircraft maneuvers (before landing, after takeoff or transit)
• Airfield: Ground-based facilities at the airport supporting aircraft operations, including runways, taxiways, and aprons
• Runway: Defined rectangular area at the airport for landing and takeoff of aircraft.
• Taxiway: Ground roads for aircraft to travel to and from the runways, aprons.
• Apron: Area for aircraft parking for loading or unloading passengers/cargo, refueling, parking, maintenance
• Landside handles passenger and baggage handling without being near the plane (e.g., check-in, baggage drop, security, emigration)
• Airside focus is on serving aircraft (e.g., fueling, loading, unloading)
• Separating these processes increases flexibility when dealing with changes. Access between airside and landside is controlled, typically by security checkpoints

Airport (ctd)

• Basic requirements of aircraft ground handling include ensuring aircraft safety, reducing ground time, and avoiding delays in handling activities

Aircraft Ground Handling

• Aircraft are parked at stands (bays): either frontal (inner) or remote (outer)
• Basic aircraft ground handling activities: boarding/deplaning, ground power supplies, air-conditioning, compressed air, cargo/baggage handling, Push back operations, aircraft refuelling, catering services, waste removal, water tank refuel, etc
• Example of Boeing 777 turnaround: diagrams showing various support vehicles (electrical, baggage, galley, potable water, lavatory) close to the aircraft

Airport Codes

• Airport codes are used to identify airports (important for communication in the aviation industry).
• IATA airport code: three-letter code commonly known, used for airline timetables, reservations, and baggage handling.
• ICAO airport code: four-letter code, more commonly used internationally, primarily used by air traffic control and airline operations
• Different types of airport codes with examples are given
• List of airport codes for HK, Beijing, and other airports

Air Traffic Control

• Busy airports use an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system where ground-based controllers direct aircraft movements
• ATC responsibilities are divided into Ground and Tower controls
• Ground Control directs all ground traffic, except for traffic on runways, including planes, baggage trains, and other vehicles, and instructs them on taxiways, runways, and parking
• Tower Control controls aircraft on the runway and controlled airspace, uses radar, pilot position reports, and visual observation to coordinate aircraft traffic flow and direct aircraft entering/leaving the circuit

The Landside

• The landside of an airport is for ground-based movement of vehicles, passengers, and cargo.
• The Terminal component is for passenger and baggage handling from landside to aircraft on airside (different terminal types - passengers, cargo, etc are explained.)
• The Ground Access component accommodates ground vehicles from the surrounding metropolitan area, including parking lots and access roads.

This lecture explores the intricate world of airports, highlighting their role within the airline business and the broader aviation industry. It covers various topics including types of airports, runway specifications, and the environmental impact of aviation. Learn about the challenges and future issues facing airports globally.