Issue 1 2009

Baggage handling system developments at Milan Malpensa: 1998-2008

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Stefano Dolci, Head of BHS Management, SEA – Milan Airports

Malpensa is the one of the newest airports in Europe: it was opened on the 25th of October, 1998. Malpensa was planned as a ‘point to point’ airport and from the beginning was used as a ‘hub’ for Alitalia. This caused the necessity to partially redesign the airport. One of the key points for a hub is to handle transfer bags, so we needed relevant changes to the Baggage Handling System (BHS).

At the opening, the airport suffered from the fact that its BHS was not able to handle large quantities of transfer bags and for this reason a manual facility on the apron, dedicated to transfer bags, was put into service. The results were not satisfactory and Malpensa ranked low amongst the other European hubs for the number of mishandled bags. As the baggage system is the heart of an airport, it also caused a reduction in punctuality.

SEA Milan Airports, the owner and manager of the two milanese airports (Linate and Malpensa), decided to face the situation so as to offer its customers the best service. The main decision was to close the manual transfer facility and to handle all bags (local and transfer) on the same automated system. (more…)

TSA checkpoint security technology evolves

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Robin E. Kane, Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Security Technology, TSA

Over the course of 2008, TSA deployed, piloted and tested several technologies that greatly enhanced the screening process for travellers all across the country. The ultimate goal is to create an environment that harmonises a high level of security with the need to ensure freedom of movement for travellers. (more…)

DIA – Achieving balance in winter operations

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / John S. Kinney, Deputy Manager of Aviation/Operations and Public Safety, Denver International Airport

It’s a well-kept secret that most locals want to keep from outsiders: although located close to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and a mile above sea level, the city of Denver doesn’t get as much snow as many non-residents assume. With 300-plus days of sunshine annually, what snow does fall usually doesn’t stay on the ground for long. But when big snowstorms do hit, they hit hard. That was the case of the blizzard season in 2006 that closed Denver International Airport (DEN) for two days just before Christmas.

We are using lessons learned in 2006 to completely revamp the airport’s snow-removal plan for the start of the 2008/09 season. The revisions include an overhauled procedural plan, a fleet of 40 new snow-removal vehicles at a cost of $29 million, and plans to add more equipment in the near future. (more…)

Share or fail! Leveraging resources between agencies

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / John Michael Anderson, Chairman, ARFF Working Group

The need today is share everything or do without! Governments are making significant cuts in every area and the task before every emergency response agency is to do your job without any extra funds. That sounds easy! Failure is an option for any organisation, but if you work within your mission statements, share resources with outside agencies that have a common goal with your own, and gain involvement from everyone, then you have a chance of survival.

The purpose of this article is to introduce you to a training situation between government agencies that has resulted in success on more than one occasion. I would like to tell you how relationships built on honour and integrity allow for the firefighters to save a life. (more…)

The evolution of MRTDs

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Mauricio Siciliano, MRTD Officer, Specifications and Guidance Material / Air Transport Bureau, ICAO

The evolution of Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) over the past decade has been quite extraordinary, particularly with the advent of the electronic or ePassport enhanced with biometric identification. While the ICAO standard calls for all 190 Member States of the Organisation to begin issuing MRPs only by April 2010, at last count there were 54 ICAO States issuing ePassports and 36 others planning to issue them by the end of 2009.

There is evidently a much deeper comprehension, on the part of all stakeholders, of the inherent value of standard and electronic MRTDs relative to authenticity and security of documents, ID management, identity confirmation – including biometrics and facilitation at border control points. There is also a better grasp of the technological, operational and policy issues involved as the world moves forward in the implementation of a global MRTD infrastructure that meets the dual objectives of optimum security and facilitation. (more…)

SMS and civil liability – the German perspective

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Henning Pfisterer, Airport Safety Manager, Munich International Airport and Christian Pisani, Partner, Müller & Pisani

The implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) at international airports was one of the most considerable changes in the regulatory framework for the operation and licensing of aerodromes in recent years. According to an ICAO requirement that came into effect in November 2005, international airports must have a Safety Management System in place as a fundamental prerequisite for aerodrome licensing. As an ICAO Standard, this requirement under Annex 14 to the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, must be transposed into binding national legislation by each ICAO member state.

For Germany, s. 45 of the Aviation Licensing Order (Luftverkehrszulassungsordnung – LuftVZO) provides accordingly that the aerodrome operator is obliged to maintain the airport’s safety and comply with the pertaining regulations. Said obligation is further elaborated in s. 45 b LuftVZO, newly introduced in 2007, which specifically provides for the introduction, maintenance and development of a Safety Management System. In this context, the German legislator has put forward certain minimum standards a Safety Management System has to meet in order to be legally compliant, namely in regards of organisational structures and documentation requirements. Moreover, the new s. 45 c LuftVZO requires an airport operator to employ an Airport Safety Manager with far reaching competencies in scrutinising all safety-relevant issues. (more…)

Handling of military fuel grades with commercial filter monitors

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Pierre Poitras, Senior Chemist, Tactical Aerospace Fluids, Department of National Defence, Government of Canada

Aviation flight safety relies greatly on the provision of clean, dry and on-specification fuel types to airlines and military assets. Delivery of contaminant free fuel to aircraft relies on in-line filtration used throughout the fuel supply chain, including supplier’s terminals and airport facilities.

Over the years, much research in aviation fuel filtration systems has led to the development of several technologies, relying either on the principle of coalescence or water absorbance to remove particulate matter and free water from aviation turbine fuel. These filters elements must qualify to international standards and performance specifications set by the American Petroleum Institute (API) in the United States and the Energy Institute (EI) (former Institute of Petroleum (IP)) in the United Kingdom, namely API/IP 1581 standard and EI 1583 standard. (more…)

Phoenix: Preparing for the future, while exceeding expectations today

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Danny Murphy, Aviation Director, City of Phoenix

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the gateway to the southwestern United States, serving 40 million passengers a year. As the first and last impression for visitors to the Grand Canyon State and elsewhere, Sky Harbor strives to provide customer service exceeding expectations. Perhaps that is why we are known as America’s Friendliest Airport.

Despite the current economy, Phoenix is located in one of the fastest growing regions in the United States and as the primary airport for the state, Sky Harbor must continue to prepare for the economic turn-around and the long-term future. Therefore, we are in the process of an Airport Development Programme which will better serve customers’ needs and enrich their travel experience. The programme involves a variety of projects, some directly impacting passengers and others behind the scenes. One of the most exciting projects is the automated train. (more…)

Challenge and opportunity for airport authority

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Randall L. Tobias, President, Indianapolis Airport Authority Board

The new Indianapolis International Airport (IND) opened for business on November 12, 2008. With a new multi-lane interstate entrance it includes a tripled-in-size parking garage and spacious parking lots, together totalling nearly 18,000 spaces. Adjacent to the new Ground Transportation Centre, passengers can easily reach eight rental car facilities capable of housing 1,200 vehicles.

A new Airport Operations Centre/Emergency Operations Centre, in addition to a new fire station (the airport’s second), helps ensure rapid emergency response. The high-tech, energy-efficient 1.2 million square foot terminal was built for maximum passenger convenience and accessibility. It showcases one-of-a-kind shopping and dining options featuring some of the city’s most beloved restaurants, arts and cultural institutions, and sports organisations.

Built on time, on budget, and without local or state tax dollars, the $1.1 billion Indianapolis International Airport was 33 years in the planning and three years in construction. Owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA), the project was the largest civic development in city history. It has been hailed by some, including the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation, General Manager of Field Operations for the Transportation Security Administration, and several architectural critics, as the best new airport in America. (more…)

Runway Friction Measurement Status

Issue 1 2009 / 7 February 2009 / Thomas J. Yager, Distinguished Research Associate, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia USA

With today’s technology, the measurement of ‘friction’ can be readily and accurately determined whether it be in a vehicle engine, wheel bearing, or of more immediate attention, the interface between a moving vehicle tire and the travelled pavement surface. In regards to ground vehicle and aircraft operations, the problem is not one of accuracy but one of timeliness. Mother Nature can change a dry, high friction pavement surface into an icy, low friction surface in a matter of minutes. The ground vehicle runway friction value measured 30 minutes earlier may have no relevancy to current pavement friction conditions. Hence the importance of giving pilots the time of the friction measurement as well as the actual value.

The friction measurement usage by aircraft operators is further complicated by the number and variety of factors influencing the magnitude of friction at the tire/pavement interface including vehicle speed, wind direction and speed, tire pressure, type and tread design, pavement texture, surface contaminant type and amount, brake system efficiency and operator skill. It is truly a wonder that the travelling public is so successful in getting from point A to point B without incident. (more…)