The airport and everything connected with it. Purpose and main parts of the airfield. Civil aviation airports are divided

Aerodrome– a specially prepared area that has a complex of structures and equipment to ensure takeoff, landing, taxiing and maintenance aircraft.

Airport- an enterprise that regularly receives and dispatches passengers, baggage, cargo and mail, organizes and maintains aircraft flights and has for this purpose an airfield, an air terminal and other ground facilities, as well as the equipment necessary for managing and directing flights. The airfield is an element of the airport. Each airfield consists of an airfield and service and technical buildings.

Airfield - part of the airfield on which runways, taxiways, aprons, parking areas and special-purpose areas are located.

Airstrip – a section of the airfield airfield, consisting of a runway (runway), end and side safety strips. The flight strip is selected taking into account the direction of prevailing winds, the terrain and the location of obstacles in the area adjacent to the airfield. Major airports may have several runways located in parallel and used only for takeoff and only for landing. This increases the airport's capacity. Each airstrip has approach strips adjacent to its ends. Above them, altitude is gained during takeoff and descent during landing.

Runway strip - part of the airstrip specially prepared and equipped for the takeoff and landing of aircraft. It can be unpaved (GWPP) or with artificial turf (RWPP).

Side (BPB) and end (CPB) safety stripes – specially prepared side and end sections of the runway, directly adjacent to the runway and designed to ensure safety when the aircraft rolls off the runway during takeoff or landing. Safety lanes must be free of any obstacles or uneven surfaces.

Taxiways (taxiways) - specially prepared paths connecting various elements of the airfield, designed for taxiing, towing aircraft and the movement of special vehicles (in the absence of taxiing aircraft). They are divided into main ones, located parallel to the runway, connecting and auxiliary. Main taxiways are built in such a way that they can be used, if necessary, for forced landing aircraft or as a reserve runway.

Parking place (MS) – a specially prepared and equipped area for parking and servicing aircraft. MS can be group or individual.

Special purpose site – areas on the airfield intended for performing special types of aircraft maintenance. These include:

1) areas in front of the hangar, which are used for temporary parking, taxiing and towing of aircraft;

2) sites for determining and eliminating deviations of magnetic, gyromagnetic and radio compasses and checking locator antenna devices;

3) sites for starting and testing engines;

4) parking areas for special vehicles and mechanization equipment are located near parking areas and the apron.

Platform – an area on the airfield intended for parking aircraft for the purpose of boarding and disembarking passengers, loading and unloading cargo and mail.

Service and technical buildings – part of the airfield on which administrative, production, hangar, warehouse and other service buildings and structures are located (air terminal, cargo warehouse, hangars, workshops, air traffic control workshops, traffic service, fuel and lubricants warehouse, garage, etc.).

Airport terminal – building where the passenger is included in the process of preparation for the beginning or end air travel. Here, tickets are purchased, checked in and baggage is checked in, passengers and their hand luggage (luggage) are examined in order to ensure flight safety, and border control at international airports is carried out.

The airport terminal is equipped with ticket counters and ticket registration counters, border control, conveyors for receiving and distributing baggage, information boards for announcing flight schedules and other information directing the movement of passengers and visitors inside the airport terminal. The airport provides passengers with additional types of services: household and medical, catering etc.

Main processes on the platform – collecting passengers, delivering them to the plane, boarding and disembarking.

The apron area provides areas for collecting and accumulating passengers at aircraft stands, means of transporting passengers to the aircraft (buses, moving sidewalks, etc.), and means of boarding aircraft (telescopic and conventional self-propelled ramps).

Airport complex may also include a hotel, workshop on-board catering and an in-flight retail store, airline representative offices at international airports, etc.

To indicate aircraft parking areas, directions of movement during takeoff, landing, taxiing and towing of aircraft, all elements of the airfield are marked. Aircraft and apron stand markings consist of T-shaped signs and numbers indicating the parking location and number, as well as straight and curved taxiing axes. The marking is applied to concrete or asphalt with white paint. Taxiing axes are marked with white strokes 15 cm wide in increments of 5 m (for airports of class G, D, E), to 15 m (for airports class A, B, C) on straight sections and from 1 to 5 m on curved sections. Aircraft parking areas are marked with red octagons that limit the service area. All sides of the octagon must be at a distance of 2 m from the outermost overall points of the aircraft. Solid and dashed yellow stripes on the platform indicate the routes for special vehicles, and for passengers, white paint marks the locations of zebra crossings.

King Fahd Airport area Saudi Arabia– 780 km². This is 7 times more area Paris - 80 quarters of the French capital fit into 105 km². And 25 km² larger than the area of Hamburg (755 km²).

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Airports can be compared to cities not only in terms of area. In many ways, a modern air port is organized like a city. There, too, there is an administration, a budget, and services that monitor security and order. Let's look at the structure of the airport in a little more detail.

What does the structure of an airport depend on?

From its size. Most of us by airport mean huge complex with hangars, terminals, control towers and runways with 24/7 operation. But not all airports meet these standards.

Small airports

An airport is also called a short strip of asphalt among grass and dirt, which is used no more than two to three hours a day. These runways often only serve one or two pilots. Such airports may not have any structures other than a runway.

Regional airports

They organize flights within one country, without international flights. Often regional airports serve not only civil aviation, but also military aviation.
Regional airports have more developed infrastructure. It includes hangars, radio towers, pilot training facilities, and weather observation systems. Such facilities sometimes have rest rooms for pilots, trading areas, conference rooms, and fuel storage.
The full list of facilities depends on traffic and the purpose of the airport.
Hangars at regional airports typically house aircraft with a capacity of up to 200 people.

International airports

Organize regional and international flights. The infrastructure of international airports is complemented by duty-free shops, service stations, transport system inside the terminals, customs control areas.
The runways and hangars of these airports serve aircraft of varying capacities. From private - less than 50 people on board, to Airbus A380 - 853 passengers.

Runway strip

Regional airports may have only one runway. In international - from two to seven. The length of the runway depends on the weight of the aircraft. For example, for the take-off of a Boeing 747 or Airbus A380, a runway with a length of 3300 m is required. And for the take-off of aircraft with a capacity of up to 20 passengers, 914 m is sufficient.

Stripes can be:

Single. Engineers plan the runway location taking into account the prevailing wind direction.
Parallel. The distance between two runways depends on the size and number of aircraft using the airfield: on average from 762 m to 1,310 m.
V-shaped. The two runways converge but do not intersect. This arrangement gives air traffic controllers flexibility when maneuvering aircraft on the runway. For example, in light wind conditions the controller will use both runways. But if the wind increases in one direction, controllers will use the runway that allows planes to take off into the wind.
Crossed. Intersecting runways are common at airports where prevailing winds vary throughout the year. The intersection point may be in the middle of each runway, at the threshold area where planes land, or at the end of the runway.

Taxiways

In addition to runways, the airport is equipped with taxiways. They connect all airport buildings: terminals, hangars, parking lots, service stations. They are used to move aircraft onto the runway or to a parking area.

Lighting system

All international airports have the same lighting scheme. With the help of warning lights, pilots can distinguish runways from highways at night or in low visibility conditions. Beacon lights that flash green and white indicate a civil airport. Green lights mark the threshold or start of the runway. Red lights signal the end of the lane. White or yellow lights identify the edges of the runway. Blue lights distinguish taxiways from runways.

How the airport works: terminals

The terminals house airline representative offices and services that are responsible for organizing passenger transportation, security, baggage, border, immigration and customs control. There are also restaurants and shops here.
Number of terminals and total area terminal area depend on airport traffic.

The terminal complex at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, America, occupies 230,000 m². It includes domestic and international terminals, 207 gates for boarding and disembarking passengers, seven conference rooms, 90 shops and 56 service points where passengers receive necessary services - from shoe polishing to Internet connection.

Airlines usually rent gates at the airport. But sometimes they build separate terminals. Such as, Emirates airline at Dubai International Airport. In addition to lounges and aircraft gates, the Emirates terminal offers 11,000 m2 retail space, three spa centers, two Zen gardens.

In-flight meals

Food for airplane passengers is prepared outside the airport. It is delivered by truck and loaded on board. Every day, caterers deliver thousands of meals to one major airport. For example, three caterers provide 158,000 meals every day at Hong Kong Airport.

Fuel supply system

During a flight from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Jumbo Jet consumes about 127,000 liters of fuel. That's why busy international airports sell millions of fuel every day. Some airports use tanker trucks to transport fuel from storage to the aircraft. In others, fuel is pumped through underground pipes directly to terminals.

Safety system

Passengers on domestic flights pass passport control and security control. Passengers on international flights undergo customs, security and passport control.

Airports search for prohibited items using combinations software and screening technologies - computed tomography, X-ray machines and explosive trace detection systems. If necessary, passengers are subject to personal search or full body scanning.
Large airports supplement their security systems with fire departments and ambulance stations.

How does ground transportation work at the airport?

System ground transport ensures the arrival of passengers at the airport and transportation from the air port to the city.

Typically the ground transportation system includes:

Roads to and from the airport.
Car parking.
Transport rental services.
Flights transporting passengers to local hotels and to parking lots.
Public transport - municipal buses and metro.

Large airports are equipped with an internal transfer system. It includes travelators, mini-cars, automatic trains or buses.

The internal transfer system helps passengers get from one terminal to another or to the terminal gate faster.

Budget

Airports are huge businesses. Denver Airport in the US costs about $5 billion. Its maintenance costs amount to $160 million a year. At the same time, the annual state income from the airport is $22.3 billion.
Airports, as a rule, own all the facilities on their territory. They rent them out to airlines, retail stores, service providers. Several other revenue items for air ports come from fees and taxes on air tickets and services - fuel, parking. Most airports are self-sustaining enterprises.

Staff

About 90 percent of airport employees work for private companies: airlines, contractors, and tenants. The remaining 10 percent work for the airport: administrators, maintenance personnel, and security.

The meaning of the word “airport” is familiar to every modern person. Despite this, people who travel somewhere by plane for the first time experience their first fear when entering the airport building. That is why it is useful for every traveler to familiarize himself with the rules of conduct on an airplane, but also to learn in more detail about what an airport is.

The word “Airport” is translated from Greek as an air harbor (pier). The wording of the modern definition looks a little different and is expanded.

An airport is a collection of buildings and structures whose main purpose is to receive and dispatch aircraft, base them and serve passengers.

For some objects of this type, a slightly different name is given - airfield. Despite the similarities, there is a difference between the two concepts and enterprises. Aerodrome from Greek means “air road”. In other words, this is an area of water or land where there is air space and all necessary facilities for servicing and controlling aircraft: airplanes, helicopters, airplanes and others.

The difference is that an airport is capable of receiving and serving passengers, while an airfield is only capable of receiving aircraft. The airfield can be military or reserve. Moreover, the airport is capable of performing the functions of an airfield, but the latter cannot replace an airport.

Chicago international Airport O'HARA.

History of airfields

Until the 30s of the last century, airfields as such did not exist at all. In those days, airplanes could take off from almost any surface, since they did not need space to accelerate. After 1930, with the advent of multi-engine aircraft, it was necessary to create runways of at least 1,500 meters in length. Then the first airfields began to appear. Over time they have improved. Major renovations were carried out in 1959, with the advent of jet aircraft, and in 1970.

Modern airports are naturally more comfortable and safe for passengers and aircraft. Most airport terminals have many additional services, such as ATMs, pharmacies, shops and much more.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, USA

Airport construction

The construction of a new airport is a very serious and responsible undertaking that requires a large number of specialists involved. Before. As soon as the construction of objects begins, the territory on which construction is planned is carefully studied. The main selection criteria are:

Large area of the selected site.
This place is not far from the urban agglomeration.
Remoteness of residential buildings due to noise.
Availability of access roads. This is a very important point, since there must be access to the airport, that is, roads leading to nearby settlements.
Interference and obstacles. The building must be located in an area where there are no objects that pose a potential danger to airliners. Such interference can be caused by towers, antennas and very tall buildings.

Once a site that meets all the requirements has been found, planning and design of the future airport begins. To do this, experts are beginning to study the potential level of development of the region that will presumably be served. Here, a number of factors are necessarily taken into account, including: passenger traffic, the number of flights, economic growth of the region and some others.

The most important indicator is the number of passenger transportation carried out in 12 calendar months. Based on this value, the parameters that the airport will comply with are derived. At this stage, a plan is drawn up for how passengers will get to the terminal building and back, and what services they will use. In addition, the working hours of airport services, for example, customs officers, are calculated.

The essence of the next stage of construction is to identify potential problems that may arise in the work. Issues such as:

Negative impact on the environment.
Identifying the role of the new airport in the system of existing ones.
Design of interaction with air traffic control services.
Development and approval of the master plan.
Design of buildings and structures.

At this stage, it is very important to involve only qualified specialists (engineers, builders, architects) in the work, since the reconstruction of the airport will be carried out no more often than once every 15-20 years.

A mandatory activity is to study the impact on the environment. The nearby area within a radius of up to 60 km is being studied. In addition, options for the work of dispatchers who will control air traffic within a radius of 80 km are being considered.

When all previous issues have been resolved, the expert commission begins to develop and approve the master plan. This stage is the most important in all preparation for construction. It is at this stage that the planning of passenger and cargo air terminals, the design of access roads and buildings are developed. This stage ends with linking the interaction of all components of the airport under construction.

Airport construction

Classification

An airport – what it is is clear to every person. But few people know that airports are subject to classification. They are divided into several groups based on certain criteria. So, an airport can be a base airport and a backup airport. Through the first are carried out regular flights, and the second is in reserve, they use it only in case of emergency.

Airports are divided into passenger, cargo and cargo-passenger airports. Depending on the number of passengers served over the past 12 months, airports are assigned one of five existing classes:

More than 10,000,000 passengers.
From 7 to 4 million
From 4 to 2 million
Over 500 thousand.
Less than 500 thousand.

In addition to this, there is a classification based on the length of the runway. Of course, airports also differ in status - international or domestic. Belonging to one or another category is not constant and may change depending on the activities and capabilities of the airport.

Memphis International Airport is a military-civilian airport.

Rules of conduct for passengers

Even if passengers know what an airport is, not everyone is familiar with the basic rules of behavior on the territory of the airport terminal. Despite this, every person arriving at the airport must be familiar with the rules. If a person wants to avoid all sorts of misunderstandings and conflicts with airport employees, he needs to know the following:

You should arrive at the airport on time. Firstly, the absence of haste and panic will save the passenger’s nerves. And secondly, a person may simply be late for a flight if there is any hiccup at the check-in and security check stage.
You should not try to carry prohibited items in your luggage, naively believing that no one will pay attention to them. Due to the increasing incidence of terrorist attacks on board airliners, checking of carried baggage has become even more stringent than before. That is why, by trying to disguise some prohibited item in a suitcase, a passenger only creates problems for himself and wastes the time of other passengers on board.
It is highly recommended not to consume large quantities of alcoholic beverages before boarding. You can also calm your nerves with the help of medical sedatives. As a last resort, after takeoff, you can ask the flight attendant to bring alcohol, the consumption of which is provided and acceptable on most airlines.
When passing through customs, you should not try to openly joke with the employees, much less be rude to them. You need to understand that your vacation or business trip depends on the decisions of these people. There is no need to be annoyed by requests from customs officers to open your luggage - this is simply compliance with security standards, and airport employees are doing their job.
The most correct thing is calm, adequate and natural behavior that does not attract the attention of airport staff. This point also needs to be remembered.
There is no need to panic for any reason. As a last resort, you can always contact the airport staff, who are obliged to help. Even if you are lost, you should not stop other passengers; you must contact the employees.

It should be remembered that incorrect behavior or entering into an unreasonable conflict with employees may result in the latter turning to law enforcement officers.

Airport check-in

Employee powers

Employees of several services are involved in the operation of airports. Their efforts are mainly aimed at ensuring the safety of passengers.

Management is directly responsible for ensuring safety on the territory of the airport terminal, and also ensures that passengers' stay in the building is as comfortable as possible.

The powers of employees who have direct contact with passengers include registering air tickets, accepting and distributing baggage, and monitoring the movement of passengers. Customs control officers have the right to conduct a detailed inspection of passengers and their personal belongings before boarding the aircraft.

Passing the security check

If for some reason a conflict situation arises between airport employees and passengers, both of them have the right to file a claim or contact law enforcement agencies. Communication between employees and passengers is based on mutual respect. You can learn more about the rules of behavior and powers of employees from the airport administration.

In contact with

How the airport works from a passenger's point of view aslan wrote in February 21st, 2015

If you have ever flown on an airplane, you have been at the airport, sat in the waiting room, ate buns in a local cafe... but have you ever been in a separate business aviation terminal, from where oligarchs fly off on private planes?

You can get to the Airport either by car:

Or come by train:

Upon entering the terminal building, you find yourself in the central hall:

If you arrived early and check-in for your flight has not yet begun, you can sit in one of the waiting rooms:

A team of doctors is on duty at the airport around the clock, ready to provide medical care(I filmed here at 5 am):

If you are traveling with a child, then it is best for you to wait in the mother and child room. It is spacious and the sofas are comfortable:

10.

Many passengers choose to wrap their luggage in film in an attempt to keep it clean:

11.

You can either register yourself using the machines:

12.

Or go to the counter where airport and airline staff will meet you:

13.

You can only carry hand luggage on the plane. Basic luggage must be checked in. A special tag will be placed on it and sent to the luggage compartment. I already wrote about what happens to the suitcase in it in the article:

14.

Oversized (large) or fragile luggage is checked at a separate counter:

15.

If you are late at the airport and check-in for your flight has already been completed, but the plane has not yet departed, you can check in through the late passenger check-in counter:

16.

After checking in, you will have to go through a security check area:

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18.

19.

If employees have any doubts, they can invite a dog handler with a dog:

20.

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If you have a few minutes before boarding the plane, you can use the Internet:

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Watch a movie in a special DVD bar:

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Go shopping:

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Or sit in a cafe:

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At the appointed time, you will board the plane, where you will be met by flight attendants:

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If for any reason your flight is canceled or delayed, then you can use the services of Airhotel. The reception desk is located right at the airport:

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Business class passengers are checked in at a separate counter (see main photo) and invited to the business lounge:

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Usually, in such halls you can have a free snack, drink and drink:

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Almost any airport also provides additional service VIP escort:

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In this case, you will not register with everyone else, but inside the “Hall for Officials and Delegations”. They will ask you to sit down in a chair, take your documents and register you without your participation:

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Unlike the business lounge, food and drinks here are paid:

33.

Personal searches are carried out in the same way as in the general hall. No concessions. But they take you to the plane at the very last moment, and if it is not at the jet bridge, then they take you on a separate bus.

Arriving through the VIP zone is even more pleasant than flying away. You will be met right at the plane's steps and taken to the VIP lounge, where you will wait while the lounge employee goes through passport control for you and receives your suitcases:

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If you don't like the crowds and cramped conditions of regular flights, you can purchase or rent a private jet:

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In this case, you will check in for your flight in a separate terminal:

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It is more spacious here than in the VIP room, and the furniture is better:

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The work of an airport from the inside is similar to the life of a city-state. Management sets the strategic direction and small areas, as administrative units, manage day-to-day affairs. Their concerns are public relations, human resources, financial and legal responsibilities. The police are there to keep order, and the firemen are there to keep order. And entire teams maintain cleanliness and provide food. “Gastronom” is also there. The different elements of the mechanism form a stunningly harmonious system, where everything works to lift you from the ground and return you back safe, sound and happy. , you already know, now for those who are especially curious, we’ll tell you how everything works.

Airplane working day

1. Landing

2. Passenger disembarkation

3. Picking up trash, emptying toilets

4. Unloading luggage

5. Unloading freight

6. Airplane refueling

7. transit check (checking the external condition and main components of the aircraft)

11. Providing water

12. Passenger boarding

13. Departure

Activities at any point in the airport can be classified into one of two categories:

1. Services for air transportation. It's everything that happens behind the gate - in front of the hangar, on the taxiway, the runway or in the maintenance, repair and operations department. Each such service supports the operation of the aircraft: Air Traffic Control (ATC), radio navigation, lighting, towing, refueling, de-icing, baggage handling, etc.

2. Other services (not for air travel). Actions “on the ground”: passenger management, parking, duty-free, baggage claim, etc.

What zones is the airport divided into?

Airfield and surrounding area

Takeoffs, landings, taxiing, parking and maintenance of aircraft take place here. The components of an airfield are the airfield, the runway, and the apron, where the aircraft is unloaded (including the disembarkation of passengers) and short-term parking and unloading are located. And parking areas are special areas for maintenance and long-term parking of aircraft. And the airfield area is the space over which aircraft maneuver in the air.

Service and technical territory (STT)

Passenger service, cargo and mail handling, aircraft maintenance and fuel supply take place here. Administrative staff also works here.

At the airport STT there are auxiliary buildings (warehouses, airfield service base, etc.) and separate structures for air traffic control, air traffic control, radio navigation, landing, cleaning and water intake services. The service and technical area manages everything that comes into the view of an ordinary passenger at the airport. It functions partly as a business center, managing local catering, recreation areas and other types of non-aviation activities, which, however, provide you with comfortable flights.

What does the airport terminal consist of?

1. Zone before control (Pre-Security)

1. Incoming control

The item is optional. Entrance control is the most uncritical check that you encounter in the airport terminal building. The first luggage belts and X-ray machines are located here. This formality ensures security on the airport premises.

2. Retail stores and restaurants

Forgot to buy souvenirs? Don't like to dine on board? Even before going through security in the terminal building, you can spend money and eat. In small stores, in addition to souvenirs and products, they usually sell some little things that you may suddenly need while going through control. For example, jars for liquids with a volume of 100 ml (if you suddenly take this to).

3. Check-in and baggage drop-off desk

The first point of the flight ceremony is (if you haven’t done it online) baggage check-in. Airports different countries this procedure is approached differently: in the USA, for example, a worker picks up your suitcase and places it on the conveyor manually, and in European airports the staff usually sits at a desk while the passenger places it on a belt that leads to the main conveyor belt - human intervention minimal.

Registered passengers are distributed by the system according to their flights in a list that is compiled before the end of check-in. At the same time, luggage is divided according to the appropriate labels. Nowadays this is increasingly happening automatically: online systems independently, excluding any handmade, send luggage to the desired flight at the same time.

2. Zone after control (Post Security)

1. Customs and border control areas (for flights abroad)

As at land border points, to travel outside the state you need to go through passport control. Typically, the windows are divided into “For citizens of country N” (For N citizens) and “For everyone” (All passports, All nationalities). The procedure is standard. In the customs control zone, if necessary, you declare your property. If there is no need for bureaucratic torment, you go through green corridor(Nothing to declare). If a customs declaration is needed, go along the red corridor (Goods to declare).

2. Security check area

After check-in, baggage drop-off, and possibly passport and customs control, each passenger is inspected along with hand luggage. Any deviations from the country's rules or simply body language may require careful study and secondary screening. Change your shoes, even those with small heels, to shoe covers, take off your watches, belts and jewelry, and empty your pockets of all small metal items. This is where they might confiscate an oversized jar of pesto or French blue cheese that doesn’t fit within the specified transportation parameters. Every person passing pre-flight inspection, was listed upon registration. This document, the manifest, is important not only so that passengers do not get confused: it provides data on the load factor and is an important element in the investigative chain if something goes wrong.

3. Departure area: waiting room, lounge, restaurants, duty-free

Between security and departure, you will be greeted by the lounge. In the departure area, all conditions have been created so that before the start of the journey (i.e. the signal to begin boarding) or during the transfer, you do not have time to indulge in the blues. The space generates a retail paradise as only it could be: shops, the number of which is limited only by the size of the terminal, restaurants and lounge areas. When boarding begins, it is from there, from the desired gate, that you are transported to the plane - on foot, along the arm or by bus.

4. Arrival area: passport control, baggage return, customs control

Traffic rules in the airport arrivals area are the same as during landing. Just the opposite. The same procedures are arranged in the opposite order: first (if necessary) you present your passport, then you catch the suitcase you like on the tape (about what to do if your luggage is lost), and after that, also only if necessary, you go through customs control. Voila, the flight is over!

Photo - unsplash.com

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