aviation services

Transforming Challenges into Solutionsserving the arctic for over 50 Years

airPort PLanninG MASTER PLANS AIRPORT LAYOUT PLANS SCOPING

REPORTS GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS airsiDe FaciLitY DesiGn

RUNWAYS TAXIWAYS APRONS AIRPORT LIGHTING NAVIGATIONAL AIDS

APPROACH SYSTEMS FUEL HYDRANT SYSTEMS STORM DRAINAGE DEICING FACILITIES

LanDsiDe FaciLitY DesiGn MAINTENANCE SHOPS AIRCRAFT RESCUE

AND FIREFIGHTING FACILITIES EQUIPMENT AND CHEMICAL STORAGE BUILDINGS

PASSENGER TERMINALS ACCESS ROADS environMentaL Process

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS ESCP AND SWPPP

PREPARATION PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PERMITS sUrveYinG TOPOGRAPHIC

DESIGN SURVEYS FAA AC 150/5300‑18B AERONAUTICAL SURVEYS OBSTRUCTION

SURVEYS AIRPORT PROPERTY PLANS PHOTO CONTROL RECORDS OF SURVEY

nome airport Master Plan Update

atka airport runway extension & resurfacing

clientAlaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Central Region

Project completion2008

PDc involvement Aviation Planning Airport Design

clientAlaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Northern Region

Project completion2012

At Atka Airport in the Aleutian Islands, a short runway with a deteriorated sur face, airspace penetrations, inadequate sepa‑ration distances, and extreme weather conditions combined to hinder safe op‑erations. Only routine maintenance had been completed since 1983, and aircraft using Atka required a larger facility to meet FAA safety standards. This project extended, reoriented, and resurfaced the runway in order to provide Atka residents with a safe, reliable facility that meets their transportation needs year‑round.

Improvements at Atka included: Lengthened and widened the runway and safety areas

Reconstructed the airport pavement Removed obstructions in the transitional and approach surfaces

Relocated the apron and aviation support areas to behind the building restriction line

Created a safe aircraft parking area Replaced the deteriorated snow removal equipment building

Replaced deteriorated runway lighting and damaged wind direction indicator

Atka experiences strong winds from all directions, and there is no way to achieve 95% wind coverage with any orientation of a single runway—but the mountainous terrain makes a crosswind runway unfea‑sible. To improve operational tolerance to crosswinds, the runway was widened to 100 feet instead of the 75 feet called for in FAA’s standards for the design aircraft.

PDC prepared the scoping report and airport layout plan, oversaw the prepara‑tion of the Environmental Assessment, and developed the design, specifications, and cost estimates.

Nome Airport (OME) is a state‑owned, public airport that functions as a critical element of the transportation network of the Bering Strait region, serving over 59,000 passengers and 19,000 tons of cargo and mail annually. Initially con‑structed by the military as a strategic regional facility, Nome Airport now provides regularly scheduled commercial passenger air service to communities throughout the region, as well as the only regional connection to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Nome City Field, located approximately one mile east of the Nome Airport, is a gen‑eral aviation (GA) runway serving small aircraft.

Important considerations at the Nome airport include changes in the U.S. Postal Service bypass mail program, consolida‑tion of general aviation and commercial operations, and substandard facilities.

Future development at OME was planned by translating the aviation demand forecasts into the specific types and dimensions of facilities necessary to fulfill anticipated needs at the airport. Key recommendations include construction of dedicated general aviation facilities, safety improvements, land acquisition, and runway improvements. A demand/capacity analysis showed no need for major capacity-related airfield improve‑ments during the planning period.

In addition to updating the master plan, PDC populated two GIS databases to store and organize information about the airport. One was a comprehensive GIS database prepared for upload to FAA’s Airport Geographic Information System (AGIS). The other was a non‑AGIS data‑base for engineering resource documents such as geotechnical reports and as‑built drawings.

Manokotak airport relocation

Grayling airport improvements

clientState of AlaskaDepartment of Transportation & Public FacilitiesNorthern Region

Project completion2011

PDc involvement Airport Design Power & Lighting Design Environmental Assessment and Permits

Topographic, Photo Control, and Property Surveys

clientState of AlaskaDepartment of Transportation & Public FacilitiesCentral Region

Project completion2008

Grayling Airport’s 2,315‑foot gravel runway was constrained by the village, a nearby stream, and the Yukon River. Realignment was necessary to accom‑modate safety improvements and length‑ening of the runway to 4,000 feet.

PDC developed an economical design that made use of local materials: borrow from on‑site silts, gravel from a nearby Yukon River island, and riprap from a local hillside. The design also included large‑diameter culverts under the runway to handle a 100-year flood and spring icing conditions from a small drainage.

PDC prepared the project’s Environ‑mental Assessment, as well as the permit applications for the runway extension, material sites, staging areas, a barge landing, and a two‑mile haul route. When historic sites were discovered, we worked with SHPO to develop a miti‑gation and avoidance plan to allow the project to proceed without delays.

PDC also coordinated the environmental efforts for the FAA‑funded airport proj‑ect with those of a concurrent FHWA‑funded bridge project in the vicinity.

Manokotak Airport’s original location next to an 850‑foot hill precluded a viable straight‑in instrument approach, which severely limited access during inclement weather. The airport was relo‑cated to flatter terrain eight miles away, near the village’s new subdivision.

The new 3,300’ x 75’ runway accom‑modates Design Group II aircraft (such as the Caravan 208 and the Beech 1900) used for medical evacuations and greatly enhances safety for travellers to and from the village.

PDC’s tasks included: Preliminary scoping• Wind coverage• Airspace penetrations and

approaches• Viable relocation sites

Public involvement• Public meetings, questionnaires, and

newsletters• Consensus building for selection of

preferred relocation site Environmental Assessment Airport Layout Plan Topographic survey using RTK GPS Design development• All airport facilities• Two‑mile access road• Airport lighting (MIRL, PAPI, REIL)• Power line extension• New two‑bay Snow Removal

Equipment Building• Relocation of the AWSS

Construction administration

ted stevens anchorage international airport seismic and security Upgrades

Fairbanks international airport Development since 1993

ownerAlaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Northern Region

Years of serviceSince 1993

construction value>$100 Million

ownerAlaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Central Region

clientRIM Architects

Project completionConstruction in progress

construction value$145 Million

PDc involvement Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering

Key projects: Airport Master Plan Update Regulator Building Upgrade ALSF Buildng Replacement Heavy Cargo Apron & RW 1L/19R Lighting and Fuel Hydrant System

Terminal Mechanical Systems Assessment

Near‑Term Projects Environmental Assessment

Pavement Rehabilitation & Taxiway Relocation

Drainage Master Plan & Improvements Terminal Area Roads and Parking Maintenance & Snow Removal Equipment Shop

Terminal Renovation & Seismic Assessment

Taxiway D Lighting Runway 1L/19R Extension Storm Water Master Plan Safety Area Improvements Safety Area Stabilization

Services and design work: Airfield and parking area lighting Airfield and roadway pavement Blast protection Communication systems Deicing and storm water treatment Drainage planning and design Environmental documents and permits Environmental mitigation Facility power and interior lighting Fuel systems GIS with georeferenced airport orthophotography

Grading and re‑vegetation HVAC and plumbing systems Master planning Material site development planning Public wayside with educational signage Seismic and structural designs Site plans with parking area and road designs

Topographic, bathymetric, photo control, and GPS surveys

PDC provided mechanical and electri‑cal design services for the $145 million multi‑phased renovation to the South Terminal. The contract used the Con‑struction Management at Risk delivery method. Mechanical and electrical systems were part of a comprehensive commissioning process. General coor‑dination with baggage handling system paths, power and cooling needs was required of all systems. Owner‑request‑ed additions to the project, including interior remodel of A Concourse, were handled efficiently during construction to maintain the overall schedule.

Mechanical features include extensive up‑grades to heating, cooling, ventilation, and control systems. Six mechanical rooms were replaced and significant renova‑tions made in three others. Modifications to the central heating and chiller plants include a new boiler and cooling tower.

Electrical and telecommunications work included power, lighting, fire alarm, telephone, data, public address, FIDS, access control, and CCTV systems. Six of the ten electrical service distribution systems received upgrades, including new equipment for normal, emer‑gency, and standby power. At the A and B Concourses’ passenger boarding bridges, 400 Hz power supports current and future aircraft. Interior, passenger ramp, and apron lighting were upgraded. Interior lighting systems use a functional and aesthetic balance of fixtures and daylighting controls to reduce energy consumption. Access and security sys‑tems transitioned between two airport‑wide systems during design and con‑struction. Power and communications needs of evolving TSA screening and bag handling processes were accommodated throughout construction.