MODULE – 4

AIRPORT PLANNING
 Introduction 
• The planning of an airport is such a complex process that the analysis of one activity
without regard to the effect on other activities will not provide acceptable solutions.
• An airport encompasses a wide range of activities which have different and often
conflicting requirements. Yet they are interdependent so that a single activity may limit
the capacity of the entire complex.
• In the past airport master plans were developed on the basis of local aviation needs. In
more recent times these plans have been integrated into an airport system plan which
assessed not only the needs at a specific airport site but also the overall needs of the
system of airports which service an area, region, state, or country.
• If future airport planning efforts are to be successful, they must be founded on
guidelines established on the basis of comprehensive airport system and master plans.
•The elements of a large airport, It is divided into
two major components, the airside and the landside.
The aircraft gates at the terminal buildings form the
division between the two components. Within the
system, the characteristics of the vehicles, both
ground and air, have a large influence on planning.
•The passenger and shipper of goods are interested
primarily in the overall door to-door travel time and
not just the duration of the air journey. For this
reason access to airports is an essential
consideration in planning.
Air transport has the following characteristics:
1. Unbroken Journey: Air transport provides unbroken
journey over land and sea. It is the fastest and quickest
means of transport.
2. Rapidity: Air transport had the highest speed among
all the modes of transport.
3. Expensive: Air transport is the most expensive
means of transport. There is huge investment in
purchasing aero planes and constructing of
aerodromes.
4. Special Preparations: Air transport requires special
preparations like wheelers links, meteorological
stations, flood lights, searchlights etc.
 Advantages:
1. High Speed: The supreme advantage of air transport is its high speed. It
is the fastest mode of transport and thus it is the most suitable mean
where time is an important factor.
2. Comfortable and Quick Services: It provides a regular, comfortable,
efficient and quick service.
3. No Investment in Construction of Track: It does not require huge
capital investment in the construction and maintenance of surface track.
4. No Physical Barriers: It follows the shortest and direct route as seas,
mountains or forests do not come in the way of air transport.
5. Easy Access: Air transport can be used to carry goods and people to the
areas which are not accessible by other means of transport.
 Advantages:
4. Emergency Services: It can operate even when all other means of transport cannot be
operated due to the floods or other natural calamities. Thus, at that time, it is the only
mode of transport which can be employed to do the relief work and provide the essential
commodities of life.
5. Quick Clearance: In air transport, custom formalities can be very quickly complied
with and thus it avoids delay in obtaining clearance.
6. Most Suitable for Carrying Light Goods of High Value: It is most suitable for
carrying goods of perishable nature which require quick delivery and light goods of high
value such as diamonds, bullion etc. over long distances.

7. National Defence: Air transport plays a very important role in the defense of a country.
Modern wars have been fought mainly by aeroplanes. It has upper hand in destroying the
enemy in a very short period of time. It also supports over wings of defense of a country.
8. Space Exploration: Air transport has helped the world in the exploration of space.
 Disadvantages:

1. Very Costly: It is the costliest means of transport. The fares of air

transport are so high that it is beyond the reach of the common man.
2. Small Carrying Capacity: Its carrying capacity is very small and hence
it is not suitable to carry cheap and bulky goods.
3. Uncertain and Unreliable: Air transport is uncertain and unreliable as it
is controlled to a great extent by weather conditions. Unfavourable
weather such as fog, snow or heavy rain etc. may cause cancellation of
scheduled flights and suspension of air service.
4. Breakdowns and Accidents: The chances of breakdowns and accidents
are high as compared to other modes of transport. Hence, it involves
comparatively greater risk.
 Disadvantages:

5. Large Investment: It requires a large amount of capital investment in

the construction and maintenance of aeroplanes. Further, very trained and
skilled persons are required for operating air service.

6. Specialised Skill: Air transport requires a specialised skill and high

degree of training for its operation.

7. Unsuitable for Cheap and Bulky Goods: Air transport is unsuitable for
carrying cheap, bulky and heavy goods because of its limited capacity and
high cost.

8. Legal Restrictions: There are many legal restrictions imposed by

various countries in the interest of their own national unity and peace.
 Airport classification:
Based on take-off and landing:

• Conventional Take-Off and Landing Airport (CTOL)

Runway Length > 1500 m

• Reduced Take-Off and Landing Airport (RTOL)

Runway Length 1000 to 1500 m

• Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (STOL) Runway

Length 500 to 1000 m

• Vertical Take-Off and Landing Airport (VTOL)

Operational area 25 to 50 sq m.
Airport classification:

•FAA Classification:
Based on Air Craft Approach speed: 1 knot = 1.852 kmph

Approach Approach Speed (knots)

Category
A < 91
B
91 – 120
C
120 – 140
D
141 – 165
E
>165
 Airport classification:
Based on Function:

1.Civil Aviation

Domestic

International

2.Military Aviation
 ICAO Classification:

Based on Geometric Design:

Airport Basic Runway Length (m) Width of Maximum
Type Runway Longitudinal
Maximum Minimum Pavement (m) Grade (%)

A Over 2100 2100 1.5

45
B 2099 1500 45 1.5

C 1499 900 30 1.5

D 899 750 22.5 2.0

E 749 600 18 2.0

 ICAO Classification:

Based on Aircraft Wheel Characteristics :

Code No. Single Isolated Wheel Load (kg) Tyre Pressure (kg/cm2)

1 45000 8.5

2 34000 7.0

3 27000 7.0

4 20000 7.0

5 13000 6.0

6 7000 5.0

7 2000 2.5
 Aerodromes in India:
 
International Hubs: This category includes airports currently classified as
International Airports and having facilities of world standards.
Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram
Regional Hubs: Regional Airports will have to act as operational bases for
regional airlines and also have all the facilities currently postulated for model
airports, including the capability to handle limited international traffic. (Cochin,
Ahmedabad etc)
Domestic Airports:
 Model Airports ( Indore, Nagpur, Vadodara, Bhubaneshwar)
 Operational (Udaipur, Kota, Kanpur)
 Non Operational (Patna, Mysore)
 Aerodromes in India:
 
Custom Airports:
Having National and International tourist potential (Jaipur, Calicut, Agra, Gaya
etc.)
Civil Enclaves (At defense airfields) :
• Operational ( Bagdodara, Leh etc.)
• Non-Operational
Air force aerodromes
• Not for civil use
 Airport planning:
  Objectives
 
 Update aircraft activity forecasts for the airport.
 Refine the size and layout of commercial service and general aviation areas.

 Determine the preferred development alternatives for meeting airfield

facility requirements and FAA safety and design standards.
 Provide a plan for improvement of the facility to accommodate increased
usage and to meet current FAA airport design standards.
 Identify optimum landside uses, which will enhance the economic benefits
of the airport and that are compatible with airside development.
 Prepare a schedule of development projects and reasonable cost estimates by
which to implement the improvements proposed herein (i.e. Capital
Improvement Plan).
 Airport planning:
  Objectives

 Develop realistic, phased development and maintenance plans for the airport.

 Provide an Airport Layout Plan drawing set in accordance with current FAA
standards. Prepare an Environmental Overview for proposed development.
 Prepare a proposed, comprehensive Airport Standards Manual for the Airport,
which incorporates the necessary information and regulations for users of the
Airport.
 Prepare a compatible land-use and height restriction plan for the airport
vicinity including recommended zoning protection within the airport influence
zone.
 Rehabilitating/reconstructing airfield pavements to provide a safe airport.

 Providing a high quality and aesthetic facility that can be marketed for aerial tours
and economic development.
 Identifying planning areas for future hangars and aviation related businesses.
 Components of Airport
The main components of airport are
1. Runway
2. Terminal Building
3. Apron
4. Taxiway
5. Aircraft Stand
6. Hanger
7. Control Tower
8. Parking
Components of Airport
 RUNWAY
• It is the most important part of an airport in the form of paved, long and narrow
rectangular strip which actually used for landing and takeoff operations.
• It has turfed (grassy) shoulders on both sides. The width of runway and area of shoulders
is called the landing strip.
• The runway is located in the center of landing strip. The length of landing strip is
somewhat larger than the runway strip in order to accommodate the stop way to stop the
aircraft in case of abandoned takeoff.
• The length and width of runway should be sufficient to accommodate the aircraft which
is likely to be served by it.
• The length of runway should be sufficient to accelerate the aircraft to the point of
takeoff and should be enough such that the aircraft clearing the threshold of runway by
15m should be brought to stop with in the 60% of available runway length.
• The length of runway depends on various meteorological and topographical conditions.
Transverse gradients should not be less than 0.5% but should always be greater than
0.5%.
 Terminal Buildings
• Also known as airport terminal, these buildings are the spaces where
passengers board or alight from flights.

• These buildings house all the necessary facilities for passengers to check-in
their luggage, clear the customs and have lounges to wait before disembarking.

• The terminals can house cafes, lounges and bars to serve as waiting areas for
passengers. Ticket counters, luggage check-in or transfer, security checks and
customs are the basics of all airport terminals.

Hangers:
A hangar is a closed building structure to hold aircraft, spacecraft or tanks in protective
storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are
also used

Hangars are used for protection from the weather, direct sunlight, maintenance, repair,
manufacture, assembly and storage of aircraft on airfields, aircraft carrier.
 Aprons:
Aircraft aprons are the areas where the aircraft park. Aprons are also sometimes called
ramps. They vary in size, from areas that may hold five or ten small planes, to the very
large areas that the major airports have.

Aircraft Stand:

A portion of an apron designated as a taxiway and intended to provide access to aircraft

stands only.

Control Tower:

A tower at an airfield from which air traffic is controlled by radio and observed
physically and by radar.

Parking:

Parking is a specific area of airport at which vehicles park

 Taxiway:
• Taxiway is the paved way rigid or flexible which connects runway with loading apron or
service and maintenance hangers or with another runway.

• They are used for the movement of aircraft on the airfields for various purposes such as
exit or landing, exit for takeoff etc.

• The speed of aircraft on taxiway is less than that during taking off or landing speed.

• The taxiway should be laid on such a manner to provide the shortest possible path and to
prevent the interference of landed aircraft taxying towards loading apron and the taxiing
aircraft running towards the runway.

• The intersection of runway and taxiway should be given proper attention because during
turning operation, this part comes under intense loading.
 Taxiway:
• If it is weaker then the aero plane may fell down from taxiway. Its longitudinal grade
should not be greater than 3% while it s transverse gradient should not be less than
0.5%.

• It is also provided with a shoulder of 7.5m width paved with bituminous surfacing. The
taxiway should be visible from a distance of 300m to a pilot at 3m height from the
ground.
 AIRCRAFT CHARACTERISTICS:

COMPONENT PARTS OF AN AIRCRAFT

Following are the seven essential parts of an aero plane:-

1. Engine

2. Flaps

3. Fuselage

4. Propeller

5. Three Controls

6. Tricycle Undercarriage

7. Wings and tail

COMPONENT PARTS OF AN AIRCRAFT
 Engine:
• The propulsion of the aircraft is mainly due to the engine.
• Engine can be divided into a) Piston Engine b) Jet engine c) Rocket Engine.

 Piston Engine:
• Conventional type of aircraft engines
• Operates at low altitudes and with moderate speeds (500-800 km/hr)
• The aircraft is provided with gasoline fed engine which is driven by a propeller
• The engine rotates a shaft with a huge torque and the torque so developed is
absorbed by the propeller mounted on a shaft.
• When the rated speed is attained by the propeller, large quantity of air is hurled
rearwards (backwards) which pulls the aircraft forward and creates lift on the
wings.
PISTON ENGINE
 Jet engine:
There are three types:
• Turbo Jet
• Turbo Propulsion
• Ram Jet
Turbo Jet:
• To start the machine, a compressor is rotated with a motor. As the compressor gains its
speed it sucks in air through the air intake and compresses it in the compression chamber.
• The air- fuel mix is ignited in the chamber.
• When the air-fuel mix burns the expanding gases pass through fan like blades of the
turbine
• The hot exhaust gases escape with high velocity through the tail pipe which is tapered at
the end, giving a forward thrust to the engine.
• The exhaust gases comes out of the tail pipe at a speed of 1600 kmph and such speed of
exhaust gases push the plane with speeds up to 800kmph
• Turbo jet has a lower performance ratio at moderate altitude than at high altitudes
JET ENGINE
JET ENGINE
 Turbo Propulsion:
• The performance of a turbo propulsion aircraft is similar to that of turbo jet, except that
a propeller is provided in it.
• The turbine in the turbo propeller extracts enough power
• Its performance is equally satisfactory in low and high altitudes as compared to turbo jet
engines.
• Turbo engines may acquire speeds 1280 – 2400 km/hr
Propeller:
• Propeller is provided in the piston engine as well as the turbo prop engine
• It has two or more blades which are driven round in a circular path.
• The blades deflect the air backwards with acceleration and thus, forward thrust is
imparted to the airplane.
PROPELLOR
 Fuselage:
Main body structure - All other components are attached to it
It Contains
a) Cockpit or flight deck
b) Passenger compartment
c) Cargo compartment
Produces a little lift, but can also produce a lot of drag.
The fuselage must possess the following characteristics:
1. It is shaped to a fine point at the rear end and yet it should not be too fine so as to make it
unable to resist twisting stresses due to the wind.
2. It should have enough depth for strength. But it should not be very deep because in that
case, the side area may become very large which is undesirable for safety and efficiency.
 Wings:

• The wings provide necessary force to lift the aircraft and to support and
stabilize the aircraft while in air.
• Wings contain very important parts such as Ailerons, Slats, Flap and spoilers.
• Also carries the fuel
• Designed so that the outer tips of the wings are higher than where the
wings are attached to the fuselage
• Called the dihedral angle.
• Helps keep the airplane from rolling unexpectedly
WINGS
 Wings:

The wings have a number of movable parts, hinged to which facilitate their function.
They are:
a) Flaps
b) Ailerons
c) Slats
a) Flaps: These are found at the trailing edge of the wing. The flaps work together with the slats
to increase lift. The flaps, when stretched out increase the surface area of the wings,
consequently increasing the area for air flow which in turn increases lift.

b) Ailerons: These are found at the trailing edge of the wing. They facilitate the turning of the
aircraft from left to right or from right to left.
c) Slats: Found at the leading edge of the wings, the slats open to facilitate the movement of
air from the bottom to the top of the wing to increase the speed of air flow at the top of the wing.
This action helps the wings to increase lift.
Tail Planes:
This element is found at the back of the aircraft. It consists of two parts; the vertical part
which is also referred to as the fin and the horizontal part which is also referred to as the
stabilizer. The stabilizer and the fin both have movable parts which enable movement of
the aircraft nose.
Elevator:
The elevator is a movable part attached to the stabilizer which when moved up enables
the aircraft nose to move up and vice versa. This movement is referred to as pitching.
Rudder:
The rudder is another movable part, attached to the fin that, when side moved to the left
will cause the aircraft nose to move right and vice versa. This movement is referred to as
yawing.
TAIL PLANES
Elevator:
RUDDER
 The wheel structures/ under carriage
• An aircraft touches down on the runway on its under carriage
• The main function of the wheels/under carriage is to cushion and absorb the shock
waves resulting from the impact when the aircraft touches the ground.
• It enables the aircraft to man oeuvre on ground – The suitable assembly of wheels
allows the aircraft to move on the runway carrying its entire weight.
• The wheels are retracted at take-off to minimize drag.
THE WHEEL STRUCTURE
 Three Controls:
When a plane is in flight, there are three imaginary axes of rotation. These lines run
through the weight center (or center of gravity) of the plane. The airplane’s rotation
around the y axis is called yaw; rotation around the x axis is called pitch, and rotation
around the z axis is called roll.
Controls:
Roll is controlled by the ailerons
• Used to raise and lower the wings.
• Turning the control wheel left causes the left aileron to raise and lowers the right
aileron. The plane rolls left.
•Turning the control wheel right causes the right aileron to raise and lowers the left
aileron. The plane rolls right.

Pitch is controlled by the elevators on the tail of the plane.

Yaw is controlled by the rudders.
ROLL CONTROL
PITCH CONTROL
YAW CONTROL
 Aircraft Characteristics Affecting Airport Design:
1. Engine and Propulsion
2. Size
3. Aircraft capacity
4. Aircraft speed
5. Minimum turning radius
6. Minimum circling radius
7. Aircraft weight and wheel arrangements
8. Range
9. Noise
10.Take off and landing distances
11.Tire pressure and contact area.
 Size of Aircraft:
Size depends upon
1. Wing Span
2. Length ( Fuselage length)
3. The maximum height
4. Distance between main gears
5. Wheel base
6. Tail Width
Size decides load carrying capacity
• Wing Span decides: The apron size, taxiway clearance, hangar size turning radius – ICAO
classification
• The length of Aircraft decides: The width of exit taxiway, apron size, length of hanger etc.
• The height decides: The height of hangers and its gate.
• The gear treads and wheel base affect the minimum turning radius of the aircraft.
 Air Craft capacity:
Aircraft capacity determines;
 Number of Passengers

 Baggage
 Cargo and
 Fuel.
Aircraft Speed:
• Speed now a days is measured in mach i.e. the speed of sound
• Piston engines – 500 to 800 km/hr (0.6 to 0.8 mach )
• Jet Engines - 1200 – 2400 km/hr (1 to 2 mach )
• Rocket engines - > 4800 km/hr ( 4 mach and above)
• Speed determines the travel time.
Speed has nothing to do with planning of airport, it gives an idea of the time of arrival of aircraft. However
approach speed decides runway length.
Minimum Turning Radius:
It is necessary to know the minimum turning radius of an aircraft to decide the radius of taxiways and to
ascertain its position in the landing aprons and hangars.
 Minimum Circling radius:
A certain minimum circling radius in space is required for the aircraft to take a
smooth turn. It is known as the minimum circling radius. It depends upon,
• Type of aircraft
• Air traffic volume
• Weather conditions
The knowledge of minimum circling radius helps in separating two nearby
airports by adequate distance.
• For jet planes its around 80 km
• For other planes its around 8 – 15 km.
If minimum circling radius is not provided it will reduce the airport capacity and
adjustment of timings for landing and take-off of aircrafts between the airports
needs to be adjusted.
 Aircraft Weight and Wheel Configuration:
• Governs the length and thickness of the runways, taxiways.
• Number of wheels to be provided depends on aircraft weight.
• Structural design of the airport is based on the total load of the aircraft.
The weight of the aircraft may be classified into:
•Operating empty Weight – Weight of empty aircraft, including its crew and all
equipment needed for flight, but excluding passengers, fuel load and cargo.
•Pay load – revenue producing load which consists of passengers, mail and cargo.
•Fuel Load- Weight of the fuel carried by the aircraft required for the trip and
certain reserve. It may vary from 9% to 40% of the total gross weight .

Wheel Configurations:-
• More number of wheels lesser is the load on the runway pavement.
• Depends upon the size and type of aircraft.
• Wheel configuration also decides minimum turning radius.
 Fuel Spillage:-
• The spilling of fuels and lubricants occur in loading aprons and hangers.
• It is difficult to avoid spilling completely.
• The bituminous pavements are seriously affected by fuel spillage. Hence the areas of bituminous pavements
below the fuel inlets, the engines, and main landing gears are kept under constant watch by the airport authorities.
• Causes skidding of aircrafts.

Range:
• The distance that an aircraft can fly without refueling is called range.
• As range increases pay load decreases and vice versa.
Noise:
This is a big problem in the areas where airports are quiet near to the developed areas. Efforts are being made
to bring it to minimum possible level.
• The major source of noise is:
• Engine
• Machinery prominent during landing
• Primary jet, prominent during take off
• It causes Sleep disturbance, deafness, irritability, Loss of Concentration.
 Factors determining airport catchment area
• The need and potential for the development of existing airports or for the construction of
new ones is determined by a number of internal and external factors.
• Internal factors involve, among other things, the airport management policy, as the economic
success of an airport is not only an effect of general air transport development trends, but
also of the success or failure of the business strategy pursued by airport management.
• Another key factor is the importance of cooperation between airport managers and local
government.
• The latter should be interested in airport development given the stimuli to economic growth
it generates.
• Such cooperation is usually based on the fact that the city or the region is often a key
shareholder in airport management companies.
• The cooperation may take the form of involvement (including financial participation) of the
local government authority in the opening and promotion of air connections offered by the
airport.
 Factors determining airport catchment area
• Also the role of local government in managing areas surrounding the airport is important as it has a
direct impact on the potential for its undisturbed operation and further development.
• From the perspective of the catchment area of an airport, i.e. the impact of the airport on the market for
air transport, local and regional government have the fundamental task of organizing the public transport
serving the airport.
• The group of external factors is more varied as it comprises the spatial, social and economic determinants
of airport development. The former (spatial) are mainly local in nature, i.e. they concern the immediate
surroundings. The latter (socioeconomic) address development in a wider sense, i.e. the transport sector
itself as well as the region and the country.
• The two groups of conditions are interrelated. A good spatial system within which the airport functions
may remain unexploited if the region does not develop fast enough for the airport surroundings to
represent attractive investment areas.
• And conversely, stimuli for economic development, such as increased mobility of the region’s population,
may be arrested by limited airport throughput and lack of development prospects.
• In the context of all the above conditions, transport solutions have a role to play as they stimulate both the
airport itself and its surroundings.
 Criteria for airport site selection and ICAO stipulations
• The selection of a suitable site for an airport depends upon the class of airport under consideration.
• However if such factors as required for the selection of the largest facility are considered the development of the
airport by stages will be made easier and economical.
• The factors listed below are for the selection of a suitable site for a major airport installation:

1. Regional plan
2. Airport use
3. Proximity to other airport
4. Ground accessibility
5. Topography
6. Obstructions
7. Visibility
8. Wind
9. Noise nuisance
10.grading, drainage and soil characteristics
11.Future development
12.Availability of utilities from town
13.Economic consideration
 CRITERIA FOR AIRPORT SITE SELECTION AND ICAO
STIPULATIONS
• Regional plan: The site selected should fit well into the regional plan there by forming
it an integral part of the national network of airport.
• Airport use: The selection of site depends upon the use of an airport. Whether for
civilian or for military operations. However during the emergency civilian airports are
taken over by the defense. Therefore the airport site selected should be such that it
provides natural protection to the area from air roads. This consideration is of prime
importance for the airfields to be located in combat zones. If the site provides thick
bushes.
• Proximity to other airport: the site should be selected at a considerable distance from
the existing airports so that the aircraft landing in one airport does not interfere with the
movement of aircraft at other airport. The required separation between the airports
mainly depends upon the volume of air traffic.
• Ground accessibility: the site should be so selected that it is readily accessible to the
users. The airline passenger is more concerned with his door to door time rather than
the actual time in air travel. The time to reach the airport is therefore an important
consideration especially for short haul operations.
 CRITERIA FOR AIRPORT SITE SELECTION AND ICAO
STIPULATIONS
• Topography: this includes natural features like ground contours trees streams etc.
A raised ground a hill top is usually considered to be an ideal site for an airport.
• Obstructions: when aircraft is landing or taking off it loses or gains altitude very
slowly as compared to the forward speed. For this reason long clearance areas are
provided on either side of runway known as approach areas over which the aircraft
can safely gain or lose altitude.
• Visibility: poor visibility lowers the traffic capacity of the airport. The site selected
should therefore be free from visibility reducing conditions such as fog smoke and
haze. Fog generally settles in the area where wind blows minimum in a valley.
• Wind: runway is so oriented that landing and takeoff is done by heading into the
wind should be collected over a minimum period of about five years.
 CRITERIA FOR AIRPORT SITE SELECTION AND ICAO STIPULATIONS

•Noise nuisance: the extent of noise nuisance depends upon the climb out path of
aircraft type of engine propulsion and the gross weight of aircraft. The problem
becomes more acute with jet engine aircrafts. Therefore the site should be so selected
that the landing and takeoff paths of the aircrafts pass over the land which is free from
residential or industrial developments.
•Grading, drainage and soil characteristics: grading and drainage play an important
role in the construction and maintenance of airport which in turn influences the site
selection. The original ground profile of a site together with any grading operations
determines the shape of an airport area and the general pattern of the drainage system.
The possibility of floods at the valley sites should be investigated. Sites with high
water tables which may require costly subsoil drainage should be avoided.
•Future development: considering that the air traffic volume will continue to increase
in future more member of runways may have to be provided for an increased traffic.
 Typical airport layouts:
• The layout of an airport mainly depends on the basic configurations of the runways. The other
airport elements are then correlated in such a way that an integrated layout is developed giving smooth
flow of traffic, keeping in mind the taxi distances to a minimum, providing shortest route for the
passengers.
• A proper airport layout provides full functional efficiency with the minimum space utilization. An
engineer should attempt to provide the simplest design which yields the optimum service to air
passengers. A good airfield layout should posses the following characteristic:

 Landing, taxing and taking off as independent operations without interference.

 Shortest taxiway distance from loading runway end.
 Safe runway length
 Safe approaches
 Excellent control tower visibility
 Adequate loading apron space
 Sufficient terminal building facilities
 Sufficient land area to permit subsequent expansion
 Lowest possible cost of construction.
Typical airport layouts:
Typical airport layouts:
 Parking and circulation area
• Since the airport users normally arrive at the airport in automobiles, access roads and
parking facilities are of vital importance in the airport design.
• The circulation of traffic and location of parking lots should be such that access to the
terminal building is as convenient as possible.
• Access roads are planned to provide fact connections between the airport and the city.
One of the present disadvantages of air travel is that the time saved through air travel
is lost in ground transportation.
• Circulation of vehicular traffic within the terminal area is also carefully planned. It is
essential to categorize the vehicular traffic to provide the road network satisfying the
specific needs of each traffic category.
• Broadly the vehicular traffic is classified as passengers, visitors and service personnel.
• The area closest to the terminal building entrance may be used for short time parking for
enplaning and deplaning passengers.
• Sufficient space is to be provided for passengers cars, adjacent to the entrance of the
terminal building boarding and alighting of passengers without any congestion and delay.
Separate parking area is provided for the staff personnel.
 Parking and circulation area
For the most efficient airport vehicular circulation and parking system, the
following points are considered:

 Ease of passenger unloading and loading at the terminal building

 One way traffic wherever possible

 A minimum of driveway intersection

 Adequate driveway width to permit overtaking

 Sufficiently and clearly defined parking and circulation routes

 Well lighted routes for pedestrians and vehicles

For determining the size and type of parking facility necessary, a traffic survey
should be conducted. FAA suggests that the size of the public parking facility
should be based on 1.5 to 2 cars for each peak hour passenger. The pattern of
parking is dedicated by the shape and size of the parking area available
 Parking and circulation area
The basic parking patterns usually adopted are shown in fig