Issue 3 2009

Engineering Sciences Data Unit (ESDU)

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / Mr Ken Balkwill, Consultant to Engineering Sciences Data Unit, London, United Kingdom

The role of the Engineering Sciences Data Unit (ESDU) in Modelling Performance of Aircraft Tyres on Contaminated Paved Surfaces.

Aircraft Performance is directly affected by runway contaminants in two ways. There is an increase in decelerating force because contaminants impinge on the airframe and wheels. There is also a decrease in the available braking friction. As a result, the consequences are mixed. (more…)

Aircraft Recovery – Exciting Times: Trends, Innovations & Developments

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / John A. Olsen, Senior Program Manager for International Activities, Fraport AG Fire Training Center

It’s an exciting time in the world of aircraft recovery and it is worth sharing this excitement, some of the trends, innovations and new developments with the aviation community. Most airlines and airports would prefer that aircraft recovery not be a part of their normal business, because, when we talk about aircraft recovery, we generally relate this issue to situations that disrupt normal operations and present many challenges for the airlines, as well as airport operators. However, the topic is always worthy of some good discussion, and let’s face it, none of us, whether we are an airline or airport operator, are immune to the challenges that a disabled aircraft brings.

Traditionally, the responsibility to recover an aircraft that has become disabled on the runway, or within the aircraft movement area, has been the primary responsibility of the aircraft operator. Many leading airlines maintain aircraft recovery kits and personnel to deal with disabled aircraft recovery incidents and many other airlines have access to recovery equipment through participation in the International Airlines Technical Pool (IATP). However, in many cases, when an incident occurs, it is extremely difficult to deploy this equipment to the affected airport in a timely manner. (more…)

A visibly strong force at the UK border: UK Border Agency – a year of achievement and strategic objectives

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / Lin Homer, Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency and Brodie Clark, Head of the Border Force for the UK Border Agency

Immigration has been high on the political and media agenda for the last fifteen years. The government is committed to modernising and strengthening UK Border controls. On 1 April 2009 the UK Border Agency became a full executive agency of the Home Office. This follows a successful year as a shadow agency in which we brought together the work of the former Border and Immigration Agency, customs detection work at the border and UK visas, to establish a single and much stronger border agency.

With a 25,000 strong workforce and a presence in 135 countries across the world, the launch of the UK Border Agency creates a new global organisation and one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the UK.

The UK Border Agency will strengthen the UK’s security through strong border controls, protecting the country from illegal immigration, organised crime and terrorism, while welcoming and facilitating legitimate travellers and trade. It will protect our border with single immigration and customs checks, tackle smuggling, immigration crime and border tax fraud, and it will implement fast and fair decisions. (more…)

KLIA: Enhancing the travel experience

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / Dato' Seri Bashir Ahmad, MD & CEO, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad

World’s Best Airport for three years running and Green Globe Certified for four consecutive years – As KLIA troops into its eleventh year of operations, the challenges we face are different, but so are the rewards.

The key to a successful airport business is always evolving with the times and maturing phase by phase. When Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) first opened, we experienced an operational phase. As time went by, we gained momentum and we set our sights on becoming the best in the industry. We improve, we optimise and we never stop evolving.

Ask us at any point in time and we’d tell you that there is always something going on at the airport. Catering to travellers comfort and prioritising business efficiency has always been top of our agenda. This has kept us innovative and brought us to where we are today. (more…)

APAC Regions continue to grow

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / Mokhtar Awan, Regional Director, ICAO Asia and Pacific Office, Bangkok

The current global financial crisis notwithstanding, worldwide annual growth in passenger and freight traffic has been quite impressive over the past 10 years, with a cumulative growth of around 46 percent. The Asia and Pacific Regions (APAC) were solid contributors to this impressive achievement and could well overtake the European and North American Regions within the next decade, thus becoming the world’s largest air transport market. Freight traffic for the APAC Regions is already the second largest, with an annual growth rate of 8.6 percent during 2006, two percent above the world average. (more…)

“Going to the North Hub Riga”

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / Richard Piper, Commissioning Editor

It was in good spirits that I found myself in the executive lounge at Gatwick airport’s South Terminal. airBaltic had very kindly booked me a seat on their business class service and I must confess to having made the most of it!

A short time later, flight BT 652 was whisking myself, and a handful of other journalists, to Riga International Airport in Latvia. From there we were met by a representative from the airline and taken to the Radisson SAS Daugava hotel, where “Going to the North Hub Riga” would be held.

The aim of the conference was to discuss current global trends in the aviation industry, with a specific focus on the Baltic region. This would also include discussions and presentations looking at the development of RIX, on its way to becoming an important air traffic hub. (more…)

Toronto Pearson International Airport: Airfield Lighting Systems

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 /

This is an overview of the Airport Guidance Lighting Systems, installed and operating, at Toronto Pearson International Airport, located 25 kilometres from downtown Toronto, Ontario. The airport is Operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), under a lease agreement with the Government of Canada. The GTAA has upgraded and improved the entire airport, including two new runways, one new terminal, new cargo facilities, an on-airport people mover system, a co-generation facility, and new airfield lighting and control systems, amongst others.

The Airport Guidance Lighting Systems at Toronto Pearson consist of two ALSF II Approach Lighting Systems, located on Runways 06L and 05. All other runways (15R/33L, 15L/33R, 06R/24L, 23 and 24R) have a SSALR (Short Simplified Approach Lights for Runway) approach and a set of four PAPI’s (Position Approach Path Indicator). The runways also have threshold lights, elevated edge lights and inset high speed exit lights. Four of the five runways include inset centreline lights and two runways boast inset touchdown zone lights. (more…)

Reflections on CNI 2009: Protecting Critical Infrastructure in a Changing World

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / Richard Piper, Commissioning Editor

The world is going through a period of change more rapid and arguably more profound than at any time in its modern history. The degree and speed of change is having profound impacts on the critical infrastructures on which States rely. Climate change will entail huge upheavals in the longer term, but already it is linked to increasingly frequent bouts of extreme weather. Our utilisation of ICT continues to break new ground, but also entails new dependencies and vulnerabilities. The networks which our most vital infrastructure is part of, and dependent upon, have become so complex that they are almost impossible to fully analyse. Our systems are more tightly coupled and susceptible to cascade failure, while our society and economy is less resilient to temporary disruptions than ever. (more…)

BAA Developing a Coherent Approach to Fire Safety Design

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / John Boyce MSc(Eng) MSc (Struct E) BSc(Hons) CEng MIFireE MBEng MRICS, Head of Fire Safety Heathrow Airport and Gary Moorshead, Chief Fire Officer BAA

This is the first in a series of articles which describes some of the fundamental initiatives BAA have developed to ensure fire safety design is an integral part of the design process resulting in fire strategies that meets our operational and business requirements across our airports.

The layout of terminal facilities are designed and developed around processing operations as such the layout of facilities is largely pre determined by processes required to get passengers to and from aircrafts.

Airport Terminals are characterized by large undivided spaces with little physical separation between functional areas. Such design features could potentially make the facility very sensitive to a fire due to the potential for smoke spread throughout the concourse areas. (more…)

En route air traffic optimisation to reduce environmental impact

Issue 3 2009 / 26 May 2009 / Adan E. Vela, Senay Solak, John-Paul B. Clarke, William E. Singhose

Air traffic delays due to congestion in the National Airspace System (NAS) are a source of unnecessary cost to airlines, passengers, and air transportation dependent businesses. Congestion is estimated to cost the aviation industry, passengers, and shippers approximately $10 billion per year. This cost can be further segregated into a $6 billion impact upon direct airline operating costs and a $4 billion impact upon the value of collective passenger time.

Delays also have an environmental cost. Because of congestion, aircraft are often forced to deviate from the optimal cruise altitudes and/or fuel-efficient cruise speeds for which they are designed. Such sub-optimality results in unnecessary fuel burn and gaseous emissions that may have an impact on the global environment, especially as they are being deposited into the higher reaches of the atmosphere. (more…)