Lecture-10 Final - Airport

CE-363

Lecture 10: Aprons and Aircraft Parking

Dr. Ankit Gupta, Assistant Professor

Department of Civil Engineering

National Institute of Technology Hamirpur

Lecture Outline

Holding Apron

Loading or Terminal Aprons

Gate Positions and Numbers

Aircraft parking

Holding Apron

These are placed adjacent to the ends of

runways where aircraft park briefly before

taking off. Aircraft is held due to:

runway being busy

engine run up or warming up

cockpit or instruments checkup before take off

Holding Apron - Shapes

Holding Apron - Design Criteria

Adequate space for

aircraft to maneuver

easily into the runway

irrespective of position

of adjacent aircraft on

the apron

Sufficient room for an

aircraft to bypass

parked aircraft on the

apron

Holding Apron - Working

Holding Apron – Operation & Design



Holding Apron – Design Details

Configuration

Area should be sufficient to accommodate three to

four aircrafts of the largest size expected to be

handled by the airport

Entry to the runway

The departing aircraft should enter the runway at

an angle less than 90o to permit rapid turn off from

taxiway


Facility of Bypass

Apron size should be large enough so that if any

aircraft is unable to take off another aircraft ready

to take off can bypass it

Holding Bays

Small areas located conveniently to hold aircrafts

during the busy period until a gate becomes

available


Location

The aircraft should be permitted to enter the

runway as close to the end of the runway as

possible.

Holding aircraft should be placed outside the

bypass route so that blast do not affect the

bypassing aircraft



Peak Demand

During peak periods traffic volume exceeds

holding capacity. This results in queuing

The clearance between the wing tips of the parked

aircraft should not be less than 7.5 m.

As far as possible, the entry into the runway should

be made with an angle of 30 degrees

Loading Apron

This is a paved area adjacent and in front of terminal building

It is used for loading, unloading, fueling, minor servicing or checkup of aircraft

The airplanes are berthed on the aprons before they are loaded and unloaded. Hence, it is also known as ‘Parking Apron’.

Loading Apron

Size of loading apron depends up on

Number of Gate Position

Size of Gates

Arrangement of Gate positions around terminal building

System of Aircraft Parking

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Gate position is defined as an area earmarked for

loading of and parking of each type of aircraft

The numbers of gate positions to be provided are

controlled by

Peak hour aircraft movements

Gate occupancy time

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Estimated Peak hour volume

These are the number of aircraft to be handled

during the design hour

For balanced airport design, this volume should

not exceed the runway capacity

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Estimated Peak hour volume

This design volume (aircrafts per hr) has to be

weighted depending upon the ratio of number

of arrivals and departures

If arrivals and departures are assumed to be

equal then this weighted factor will be 0.5.

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Gate Occupancy Time

This is the amount of time an aircraft occupies a

gate

This is also known as ‘Ramp Time’.

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Gate Occupancy Time

It includes

aircraft parking time

loading and unloading time of passengers

aircraft servicing

preparation of flight

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Gate Occupancy Time

It depends upon

Aircraft type, i.e. size and characteristics

Number of enplaning passengers

Amount of baggage

Magnitude and nature of other services required,

cabin cleaning and refueling time

Efficiency of apron personnel

Type of operation - through or turn around flight

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Gate Occupancy Time

In case of through flight no servicing is involved

and hence, it may take 20 to 30 minutes,

whereas, a turnaround flight requiring servicing

and maintenance, may take 40 to 60 minutes.

Mostly, 3 to 5 gates per million annual

passengers are provided

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Computed as

Number of gate positions =

Aircraft design volume x weighted

factor x average occupancy time

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Various models for finding number of gate

positions are:

Horonjeff model (US)

Piper model (Germany)

Snow and Partners model (UK)

Loughborough Model (UK)

Hart Model (US)

Loading Apron

Number of Gates

Stafford developed expression for future number

of gates

= (n’ - 2) (future passenger demand / present

passenger demand) + 2

where,

n’ = existing number of gate positions

Loading Apron

Size of Gate Position

Depends upon the following

Size and minimum turning radius of aircraft to be served

Type of aircraft parking in the gate

The size of aircraft determines

The space required for parking as well as maneuvering

The extent and size of servicing equipment needed

Loading Apron

Painted

guidelines

at Gate

Position

Aircraft Parking

Types of Aircraft Parking

Nose-in parking

Angled nose-in parking

Nose-out parking

Angled nose-out parking

Parallel parking

Aircraft Parking

Nose-in parking

Aircraft maneuvers into the parking space under its own power and is towed out of position

Lower noise level (no power use in turning)

Front passenger loading

Smallest gate area required

No jet blast towards terminal building

Problem of using rear door

Large power requirement for towing the loaded aircraft

Aircraft Parking

Angled Nose-in parking

Aircraft maneuvers into and out of the parking space

under its own power

Higher noise level

Front passenger loading

Medium gate area required

No jet blast towards terminal building

Problem of using rear door

Aircraft Parking

Nose-out parking

Aircraft maneuvers out of the parking space under

its own power

Higher noise level

Rear door passenger loading

Smallest gate area required

Jet blast towards terminal building

Problem of using front door

Less power required while maneuvering loaded

aircraft out of gate position

Aircraft Parking

Angled Nose-out parking


under its own power

Higher noise level

Rear door passenger loading

Medium gate area required

Jet blast towards terminal building

Problem of using front door

Aircraft Parking

Parallel parking


under its own power

Medium noise level

Front and Rear door passenger loading

Largest gate area required

Jet blast towards other aircraft

Requires long loading bridges

Aircraft Parking

Types of Aircraft Parking

Aircraft Parking Systems


Affects grouping of aircrafts and simultaneous use

of gates (deciding traffic handling capacity)

Frontal or linear system (close-in parking, easy

access, short walking distance, high cost)

Open apron or transporter system (longer walking

distances under hazardous conditions, lower cost,

flexibility of operation and movement)

Aircraft Parking Systems


Affects grouping of aircrafts and simultaneous use

of gates (deciding traffic handling capacity)

Pier or finger system (economical, expansion is

easy, longer walking distances)

Satellite system (common facilities, high cost,

discomfort to passengers, lack of flexibility)

Documents

Lecture-10 Final - Airport