Issue 1 2005

Riga: The crossroads of The Baltic

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Dzintars Pomers CEO, Riga International Airport and Governing Board Member, ACI World

The wave of EU accession that has swept Riga International Airport into its position of enviable growth has not been secured complacently, but with constant development, careful planning and the continual innovation necessary to move on from its Soviet heritage, Riga Airport CEO Dzintars Pomers writes.

In 2004 the number of passengers at Riga International Airport (RIA) increased by 49%, exceeding one million for the first time, whilst the number of handled flights grew by 40%. Fifteen years ago Riga could not even be spotted on a map of European international flights, but today few airports in Europe can boast as dynamic a development as RIA. The accession of Latvia to the European Union in 2004 is the main reason for growing interest both in Latvia and the capital, Riga.

During the 20th Century Latvian aviation, like the country itself, experienced a number of fateful turning points. This former province of Russia, which won independence after the 1st World War, established a small air force and civil aviation, but lost everything due to the Soviet occupation in the summer of 1940. Independence was regained in August 1991. RIA was built in its present location in October 1974, remaining unknown to the outside world and operating as a local airport within the former USSR. (more…)

Tagged with: ACI World, Airport profiles, Dzintars Pomers CEO, Latvia, Riga International Airport

Eurocontrol and European airports

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Paul Wilson, Head of Airport Throughput Business Division, Eurocontrol

A recent and very detailed study by Eurocontrol into the evolution of traffic demand revealed some significant information for airports. Known as the Challenges to Growth 2004 Study, this work updated a previous report that was completed in 2001.

Although future traffic growth can be very difficult to predict due to the possibility of unforeseen external factors, the high forecast over the period of the study, up to 2025, indicated that traffic has the potential to increase by a factor of 2.5. The same report also estimated however, that the airport network has the long term potential of 60% capacity growth using existing or planned infrastructure.

Figures such as these clearly indicate that many airports in the future will need to engage in high intensity runway operations, to ensure that the full potential of the runways are realised and where required, all latent capacity is unlocked. (more…)

Tagged with: Air traffic control (ATC), EUROCONTROL, Paul Wilson

Moving to mainstream

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Jonathan Esslinger, P.E., F.ASCE, Director, Transportation and Development Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers

Pedestrian districts free of dangerous street traffic and environmental threats. Special taxi, parcel delivery and car-sharing services. Comfortable high density living. Given that mass transit only satisfies 2% of urban travel in the U.S., such visions are difficult.

Those who venture abroad know that advanced transit systems play a much larger role in Europe and Asia. Driverless metros in Paris, Singapore and Copenhagen have proven very successful, and more are underway in Italy and Switzerland. In London, the emerging Docklands high-rise district was designed to intertwine with the flexibility of its high-performance ‘light railway.’ Cable-drawn shuttles offer effective services in France, Portugal and Italy.

Collectively, these systems are known as Automated People Movers (APMs) – fully automated, or driverless, systems designed to streamline public transport. In the U.S., they are common at large airports and now help define airfront districts, such as JFK Corporate Square near Jamaica Station in Queens, N.Y. – an eight-minute APM ride from JFK International Airport. And, though American transit operators have been slow to accept other realisations of the technology, there is a growing interest. (more…)

Tagged with: American Society of Civil Engineers, Jonathan Esslinger P.E. F.ASCE, Transportation and Development Institute

Fixing the aviation value system

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Alexander ter Kuile Secretary General, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Service Organisation)

Liberalisation of sections of the aviation industry has encouraged development, but with the effectiveness of the ATM sector continuing to be hampered by government control, CANSO argues that a clear separation between the service providers and the regulators would benefit all.

December 2004 saw the 60th anniversary of the Chicago Convention. Although the occasion received little public fanfare, the Convention, and the subsequent creation of ICAO, created aviation institutions that have remained largely unchanged to this day. However, while there have been few institutional changes, we do not need an aviation expert to point to the enormous developments that have taken place in the aerospace and airline industries.

The airline market has transformed itself over the past twenty years. Deregulation has lowered prices and increased frequencies and standards. The days when the size of a transatlantic cheese sandwich was stipulated by an international agreement are thankfully behind us.

Progress has been driven by liberalisation of the industry, particularly in the areas of service standards, pricing and ‘duopoly’ route agreements; such agreements normally allowed only the ‘flag carrier’ of each state to operate a route. Governments have, on the whole, allowed competition to flourish. (more…)

Tagged with: Alexander ter Kuile Secretary General, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Service Organisation), Economic environment

An introduction to China’s airports

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / JF Pearson, China

As China continues to establish itself in the global market place, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the country’s transportation network must match its booming market in order for growth to continue.

With various industry experts predicting that China’s passenger traffic will grow annually by 8.5% during the next 20 years, the area is set to become the world’s second largest aviation market and will require a larger airport capacity to handle the volume. Add to this mix China’s perennial growth in international trade, its entry into the World Trade Organisation, its role as host of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the World Expo in Shanghai and it rapidly becomes clear that China’s airport industry needs a new and expanded airport infrastructure to face its challenges.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is actively tackling this challenge by carrying out significant airport management reform. As a result, management of more than 140 airports in China has been transferred to provincial governments and the commercialisation of airport operations, managed according to the latest models, is being emphasised. Of particular interest amongst these reforms is that the CAAC has restructured the regulations concerning foreign investment, allowing foreign investors to participate in high-level airport management and invest in more airport-related sectors. All of these and other issues are to be addressed in the First Annual Summit on China Airports that will be held on April 4-6th, Regal International East Asia Hotel in Shanghai. (more…)

Tagged with: China, Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), JF Pearson

Liège Airport – plans with wings

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Luc Partoune Managing Director, Liège Airport

323 tonnes of freight handled in 1994 / 380,000 tonnes in 2004. These statistics illustrate the success of Liège Airport’s strategy and, according to Luc Partoune, Managing Director of Liège Airport, this is only the beginning; armed with a number of development plans management team SAB have set their sights on the top 5 European cargo airports.

This regional airport, situated in the east of Belgium, gained a new management company in 1991 and a strategy that was original at the time – staking its whole development on full cargo. The advantages of this platform seemed particularly suited to this strategy; situated at the heart of the European golden freight transport triangle, close to a motorway interchange (to Berlin, Munich, Paris, London and Italy, etc), and at that time with vast unused space bordering its 3,287 metre runway. (more…)

Tagged with: Airport profiles, Belgium, Liège Airport, Luc Partoune Managing Director

A roadmap to better security

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

ICAO’s approach to aviation security continues to involve the monitoring of Annex 17 compliance alongside AVSEC training, whilst assisting with the implementation of new technologies to improve security and efficiency.

In a most dramatic fashion, the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 instantly propelled aviation security to the top of ICAO’s list of priorities. In February 2002, the Organisation hosted a High-level, Ministerial Conference which endorsed a comprehensive, long-term Plan of Action for Strengthening Aviation Security. On 17 December 2004, the ICAO Council approved a revised set of Strategic Objectives, including one on security comprising of eight distinct elements: (more…)

Tagged with: ePassports, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Security

Facing the fuel efficiency challenge

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Ravin Appadoo, Assistant Director, IATA Fuel Services

Improving fuel efficiency is one of the greatest challenges for the aviation industry – and airports have their role to play in achieving the goal for more efficient air travel, writes Ravin Appadoo.

Without doubt, the price of fuel is the biggest crisis facing the airspace user today. The high price of jet fuel is wreaking havoc in the airlines’ financial fortunes, with a 2004 fuel bill of US$62 billion, a staggering US$15 billion increase on 2003. The prospect of a return to profitability for the industry – on the premise of an oil market going back to the US$34 a barrel of crude after having peaked at US$55 in New York last October – is proving to be very grim. In fact, it appears that the oil market forward curves are at historic highs and are here to stay.

With alternative fuels offering little promise for the future, and the lack of control over price, the only hope for winning the battle to reduce energy costs is through greater operational efficiency. (more…)

Tagged with: Fuel, IATA Fuel Services, Ravin Appadoo

Ground lighting at LGW

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Tim Hardy, General Manager Airside, BAA Gatwick

London Gatwick is the world’s busiest single runway airport in the world and therefore values the smooth running and maintenance of its lighting systems, writes Tim Hardy.

London Gatwick Airport (LGW) began life in 1930 as a small flying club (Surrey Aero Club) when the owner, Ronald Walters, obtained his first flying licence. By May 1936 passengers were boarding the first scheduled service from Gatwick to Paris, with routes developing throughout that year to include Malmo via Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen and the Isle of Wight from Gatwick.

LGW is now the busiest single runway in the world, the second largest airport in the UK and the sixth busiest international airport in the world, with over 250,000 air transport movements a year. Gatwick serves over 200 destinations, with around 90 airlines currently operating from the airport. It handles more than 31 million passengers a year, a figure which is forecast to rise to around 40 million by around 2012/13. BAA is investing almost £800 million into the airport’s infrastructure over the next ten years to improve the customer experience and to maximise the use of its single runway, two terminal operation. (more…)

Tagged with: Airfield lighting, BAA Gatwick, London Gatwick Airport (LGW), Tim Hardy

The IRFI – ready for the real world?

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Angelo Boccanfuso, Senior Development Officer (R&D), Transportation Development Centre, Transport Canada

The development of an international runway friction index is a testament to international cooperation within the aviation industry. Now with most technical milestones passed, Angelo Boccanfuso reports from the latest IMAPCR that further consensus on practical implementation and funding are now needed.

Not only is there no common indicator of contaminated runway conditions in use worldwide, but winter procedures vary from airport to airport, and from country to country. After winter testing spanning a period of eight years, the Joint Winter Runway Friction Measurement Program (JWRFMP), a cooperative international initiative coordinated by Transport Canada has reached a major turning point in the decades-old search for a way to measure runway friction and present the data to pilots in a useful way. (more…)

Tagged with: Angelo BoccanfusoTransport Canada, IMAPCR, Runway friction

Implementing SMS in Germany

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Henning Pfisterer, Airport Safety Manager and Airport Duty Officer, Munich International Airport

With the November 2005 date looming for meeting ICAO’s requirement for the implementation of SMS, Henning Pfisterer of Munich Airport gives an update on how the Germany airport industry is fulfilling these requirements.

The ICAO requirement for the implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) at certified airports – an ICAO standard that takes effect in November 2005 – is probably one of the most significant changes in the regulatory framework for the operation of airports in recent years.

The German federal government and the very complex structure of German aviation regulation dictates that airport licensing and certification here is delegated to the 16 state aviation authorities. These state aviation authorities are also in charge of the supervision of the airports. (more…)

Tagged with: Germany, Henning Pfisterer, Munich International Airport, Safety Management System (SMS)

An approach to using biometric technologies

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Keith Rhodes, Chief Technologist, U.S. Government Accountability Office and Richard Hung  Assistant Director, Centre for Technology and Engineering

Biometric technologies offer the future of security technology, but integrating cutting-edge technology alone may not automatically solve all your security problems. Here U.S. Government experts offer an approach that may help.

One of the primary functions of any security system is the control of people moving into or out of protected areas, such as airports, buildings, information systems, and nations. People are identified by three basic means: by something they know, something they have, or something they are. People and systems regularly use these means to identify people in everyday life. For example, members of a community routinely recognise one another by how they look or how their voices sound – by something they are. Automated teller machines (ATM) recognise customers from their presentation of a bank card – something they have – and their entering a personal identification number (PIN) – something they know. Using keys to enter a locked building is another example of using something you have. More secure systems may combine two or more of these approaches. (more…)

Tagged with: Biometrics, Centre for Technology and Engineering, Keith Rhodes, Richard Hung, U.S. Government Accountability Office

Handling the Olympics

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Michael Rumpf, Head of Baggage Handling Services, Athens International Airport (AIA)

According to the head of baggage handling at AIA, the immense demands placed on the baggage handling services during the 2004 Olympics prompted some unconventional solutions.

Huge logistic events such as the Olympic Games entail unique challenges for the host city’s airport. Heavy inbound and outbound peaks stress facilities and systems to their capacities and beyond. The Athens 2004 Olympic Games were undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges faced by AIA, ‘Eleftherios Venizelos’, since its opening in March 2001. The airport had to prove its capability to handle a record number of passengers, aircraft movements and baggage, while accommodating efficiently the special requirements of the Olympic family.

Athens International Airport S.A. embarked on this project with the objective of offering the warmest welcome and the best impression to the Olympic family and the thousands of visitors to Athens. This was only possible with the entire airport community and all external parties working as a team. All issues and their operational solutions were formulated into one integrated ‘Olympic Games Operational Plan’, developed on the basis of the Sydney 2000 experience. This plan covered all of the fields relating to the airport’s Olympic operations, and identified the major tasks. (more…)

Tagged with: Athens International Airport (AIA), Baggage handling, Greece, Michael Rumpf

Accessible aircraft boarding

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Dr. Katharine Hunter-Zaworski, PE, Director of the National Center for Accessible Transportation

Although great strides have been made in the area of increasing accessibility to transport, it remains difficult for many people with disabilities to utilise air transport. The National Centre for Accessible Transportation (NCAT) aims to make air travel more pleasant, efficient and dignified for travellers, both with and without disabilities, writes Dr Hunter-Zaworski.

Oregon State University is the home of the National Centre for Accessible Transportation, an active collection of research and development projects for improving access to public transportation. The NCAT mission is to improve both the safety and dignity of travel for persons with disabilities. The centre is both important and timely because societal values and attitudes towards persons with disabilities are changing and there is a need to adapt to those changes. (more…)

Tagged with: Boarding, Dr. Katharine Hunter-Zaworski, National Center for Accessible Transportation

Orchestrating airport operation

Issue 1 2005 / 16 March 2005 / Andrea Baroni, Head of Airport Operations, Unique and Jürgen Weder, Partner, Neuropie Consulting

How web-based application software is helping the airport operator Unique to carry out its management role at Zurich Airport.

Depending on the airport, operators and airlines take on different roles. Passenger growth, carriers’ demands for reduced charges or government’s growing reluctance to subsidise airports may be reasons for an airport operator to shift its responsibility from supplying infrastructure to acting more like the conductor of an orchestra. In the wake of the bankruptcy of SAir Group in 2002 corporate affiliates were individually sold. Among them were also the companies supplying services at Zurich airport. The coordination of their activities, which was until then carried out by Swissair’s Operation Control Centre, ceased to exist. In order to fill the void Zurich airport was forced to transform its role from infrastructure supplier to active manager of airport operation. The challenge was to find a way to coordinate elements of the value chain now owned by different companies and still ensure a consistently high, cost-effective level of service. (more…)

Tagged with: Andrea Baroni, Neuropie Consulting, Operations, Switzerland, Unique (Flughafen Zurich AG), Zurich Airport