With an annual growth rate of 5%, air traffic passengers and demand for air transport is expected to increase in the coming years (De Neufville, 2016). Economists further predict that it could triple in 2 decades. Putting this into consideration, airline industry must show commitment to meet the increasing demand for transportation services. While many have opted to increase the number of airplanes with the hope of meeting the increasing demands. However, this is not economically viable considering the fuel and cost implications that comes with many planes. It is therefore recommended that increasing airplane capacity to accommodate more people is the ideal way of solving the demand challenges. Today, Airbus has developed a Super Jumbo that carries up to 800 passengers.
This paper seeks to look at the impact of airport design and the frequency of airport pavements replacement and repairs. It is given that airplane carries an enormous amount of weight, they have long wings for stability and move at high speed. Complication further comes with refuelling model. The weight of the plane has intense pressure on their runways hence constant wear and tear. As such, there are cost implications for repairs and durability. Notably, airport runways have been built on thin concrete that can comfortably accommodate medium weight planes.
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The Frequency of Airport Pavement Replacement and Repairs
Runaway is critical in aiding plane for takeoff. As such, planes take a considerable amount of time on the runways before taking off. Most airports are synonymous with soft runways that cannot support large planes. As such, they are susceptible to destruction of airport structures. The potential disturbance of aero thrust can potentially cause an accident. This, therefore, makes the size and trait of the pavement as a key aspect to consider in airport design management. The runway length challenge can be addressed through the increased length. When length increase is not an ideal consideration, their restriction must come with the size of the plane that the premise can accommodate. In designing a plane, manufacturers should consider the use of compact designs that easily accelerate thereby reducing the distance covered. This aspect is the most proficient in reducing foreseeable accidents and expenditure on expansion.
Pavement lighting of the airport must be improved to accommodate large plane. Lots of lighting are needed to illuminate pavements to avoid accidents and aid navigation (Ahsan et al., 2014). Most of the designed pavements can only accommodate medium planes as such; there is potential damage that large airplanes pose to already set up systems due to their wing sizes and high speed. Moreover, there is a generalized association of narrow pavement with restricted visibility. However, there is the state of the art technologies that can help guide large planes aside from path widening that require more space.
Runways have shoulders that are designed to resist blast erosions, and allowance for maintaining emergency equipment. This is designed to keep periodic passage of planes that deviate from the runways. In most cases, they are made to offer support for medium planes. The weight of crafts is negatively affecting designs. This makes it a principal consideration to redesign pavements that are more durable. Shoulders, therefore, are ideal fitting in the newly modelled plane. Nonetheless, this provision requires constant monitoring for timely detection and corrective measures.
Runway blast pads are designed to reduce blast erosion. At high speed, planes tend to move in a way that exerts more pressure on the pathways. This is further compounded by poor workmanship in the installation of blast pads on larger planes to reduce the damage caused on the ground. Other materials that have been believed ideal for this exercise include cargo and fine materials that potentially damage plane vicinity. It is also recommended that an increased frequency of installed blast pads. Comparatively, the current design requires more test to confirm their efficacy to hold the larger plane. This may require width and length enlargement in line with specifications. Additionally, pads must be designed with materials that can withstand intense weight and pressure.
The designed runways stops are adversely affected by arriving planes. They are made to allow for deceleration during takeoffs. Most of these stops are made in a way that takes effect the velocity-distance analogy. As such, larger planes tend to need more distance, hard, rough and strong surface that comes with friction that aids in stoppage (Hutchings & Shipway, 2017). However, the nature of the surface is always subjected to tear that require more repair works. One of the most critical aspect to reduce this challenge is the development of automated stoppage systems that require less space for halts. Additionally, there is need to design the surfaces with concrete that create more friction for stoppage of large crafts.
Effects on Taxiway and Apron Separations
Taxiways are synonymous with airport transport industry. As such, taxiway becomes a principal consideration in designing the airports. For airports, taxiways are paths that airliners can move to and from during flights, it creates a connection with the aprons, terminals, hangers and other accessories. They are created using asphalt, concrete, and grass in airports that accommodate smaller planes.
Most existing designs are made with features that may not support large planes. Large planes have large accommodative wings that easily interfere with the safety of the other taxiways. Additionally, the ways have widths that are designed to accommodate a single plane. Adjustments are therefore needed to accommodate larger planes. Nearby taxiways give the impression of separations to avoid incidences of wing collision. Airport authority must strictly adhere to clearance specification. It is notable that most airports lack room for this kind of specification. Expansion of taxiways is ideal for new and large craft (Simon, 2009). During construction works, designers and contractors must show commitment to have separation standards. An aptly installed monitoring system should consider the fusion of modern technology for efficiency.
In narrowing down to taxiway shoulder, just like was discussed in the case of runways, this shoulder equally helps reduce instances of blast erosion and engine problems. Ideally, most of the newly designed large planes have engines that are hanging on their wings. In most instances, the produced blasts go beyond the shoulders of the taxiway. This has a potential damage to signage, airport lighting and any equipment within the vicinity. As such, it is ideal to create wider taxiways that may help in the prevention of destruction of facilities near the plane or the plane itself. It is however wise for engineers to make plane engines that automatically put off while taxiing on the airport surface.
Taxiways are likely to be adversely affected by an increase in wheelbase dimensions of planes. It has been established that problems often arise when circumventing corners. In most instance, a method for determination of radii curves is deemed ineffective. To compound to more challenges, more complex methods have been considered for use. Either way, large planes have challenges negotiating corners within the taxiways. Two known procedures could solve the challenge. One of the widely used is Judgmental when on the steering, it gives pilots enough opportunity to maximize the space. Another viable method is keeping the planes at the center of the Taxiway. The mentioned methods when concisely used can help keep large planes on their tracks
Separations and specifications of the taxiways are critical. It has been noted that large planes potential damage is existing taxiways even though they have a designed subways, aprons and terminals to guide the planes. Today, a number of airports have programmed systems which allow planes to move on small spaces. However, in a virtual sense, it is not possible hence the difficulty in management. The ideal case to solve this stalemate is to have few planes at any given point. This potentially causes traffic jams and difficulty in air traffic controls. Ideally, one of the best solutions is computerization of the flow program. As such, airport authorities will have more control on the system which enhances security.
Incoming large planes are likely to disrupt holding bays and the taxiways (Atkin, 2013). Ideally, airports should hold plane shortly before commissioning their departures. Accommodation of large planes can only mean the expansion of the existing planes which is not economically viable with cost implications that come with such a move. The surfaces are not strong enough to withstand the pressure and weight of the materials that come with cargo planes. Ideally, the case is to have fitted cranes that can lift cargos to and from large crafts to minimize movements within the crafts. This will principally reduce congestion of passengers and goods.
Most airports lack runway bridges with the capacity to support large planes. As such, there will be cost implications in dismantling the existing bridges in order to put up the more accommodative bigger plane. Work of this nature requires personnel and mechanize that ensures that the structures are done to the agreeable standards. However, the wingspan of the large plane is a hindrance to the attainment of this feat.
Runway bridges must be made to ensure occupational safety. Therefore. It would be ideal to fit runway bridges with firefighting machines, contractor materials and any other that may be needed for repairs and maintenance without adverse effect on the plane movement. Additionally, they should be highly tenacious to avoid caving in when used by larger planes.
The drainages of the airport systems are done with the construction of taxiways culverts and runways. This must be made with materials that assure strength to avoid instances of cave-ins and crush down (Pagar & Talikoti, 2016). Notable is the fact that large planes need stronger and complex drainage systems that need more resources and space. Upon such a consideration, there should be an assurance of durability and proportionate expansion of the served areas.
Gate capacity and Baggage Handling Operations
Gate are baggage handling significantly affected by large sized planes. It should be noted that these planes come with additional requirements such as widebodies and large hubs. Operational efficiency can only be maintained when airports are made to handle large planes. The gate should be expanded and equipped to manage larger planes.
Airports should design gats that can handle a number of large planes that access the airport facility. Traditional methods of determination of this capacity have since been invalidated. With large planes, there is an increased number of people who wait for the luggage, and this can potentially cause human congestion. Accommodating a large number of people require more space. This is the ideal way of managing human congestions at the airfield. Increasing the number of gates to have more people is practically ideal.
There is potential clogging of public corridors that lead to the gates. This is as a result of people using the corridors to get to the gates, make luggage claims and access the gate. Small corridors lack the capacity to accommodate more people. Removal of telephone extensions can help open more spaces. The corridors must be fitted with security systems to ensure that people are safe from impending dangers. This is achievable through the installation of security systems that survey the cargo and passenger. Installation of state of the art technology and subsequent hiring of personnel may be expensive, but it equally has long-term gains.
Aircraft Servicing Operations
Safety of planes can only be assured through constant repair and maintenance (Braga et al., 2014). Principally, large planes require bigger spaces that is more accessible for proper service works. Additionally, there are newer dimensions to some of the challenges that may be faced by these planes hence the need for highly exquisite diagnostics. Compared to medium size planes, their spare parts are generally larger and needs more manpower. To accommodate the impending changes, there should be warehouses that stock the spare parts. Based on the above mentioned, it can be averred that movement of large planes in and out of the service bays require more space.
Conclusion
In summary, there are major issues that have been considered with regards to the introduction of large planes and its subsequent effect on airport management. There are needs for consistent repair and renovation works of the length and width of the runways, blast plate, and the shoulders. Airport authorities must seek to reverse the length and apron separation challenges that affect the length and width of the taxiways, holding ways and bridges. Of all the considerations that have been fronted to increase the holding capacity of their airports, the paper places fusion of technology as the most ideal in finding a solution to the potential challenges posed by larger planes.
References
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Pagar, S. R., & Talikoti, R. S. (2016). Analysis of Box Culvert for Storm Water Drainage System for Runway under Aircraft Loading at Airport.
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