The Future of Airports and New Larger Aircraft (NLA) Essay -- Aviation

The first planing machines carried only one individual. Today an average commercial airplane pull up stakesing carry approximately four-hundred to five-hundred people. However, recently new larger aircraft (NLA) retain been designed to carry anywhere from five-hundred to eight-hundred persons. The need for NLAs has been recognized as postulate for air travel continues to increase. Furthermore, by deploying larger aircraft the problem of capacity will be intercommunicate more people on a plane will translate to a lower number of planes on the runway and while still accommodating the same number of passengers. The effects of these NLAs are far-reaching and potentially detrimental to airport management. By utilizing appropriate airport planning, managers can overcome the pitfalls related to new larger aircraft.The first consideration which must be addressed is the runway. Is the length of the runway capable of supporting the NLAs? What about the weight of the NLAs, how will they e ffect maintenance? Do airports need to be redesigned to accommodate NLAs? Thankfully, many of these types of questions have been answered. Although the maximum takeoff weight of the A380 will be over 1.2 million pounds, new and better wing and higher performance engines willallow the aircraft to operate from the same runway lengths as existing B747-400s However, accommodating the aircrafts wingspan of close to 262 feet may require significant modifications to airfields at airports intending to allot the new large aircraft. Burns & McDonnell 2001Of course, heavier aircraft will adversely excise a runways integrity. Maintenance cycles will need to be amplified in allege to remain operable. The key will be acting before the runway becomes unusable. The next iss... ...ess, trouble-free adaptation (Young and Well, pg. 473, 2011). This holistic approach aided the transition, yet the forthcoming will present new problems as demand will likely increase and NLAs will be used more widely . Learning from those who have successfully accommodated NLAs can help airport managers who have yet to engage the giants of the air. Works CitedBurns & McDonnell, (2001). Whats you NLA? How will new large aircraft affect your airport facility? Retrieved on March 27, 2012. http//www.burnsmcd.com/Resource_/Issue/283/PdfFile/aviationreport2.pdfGomes de Barros, A., Wirasinghe, S., (1997). peeled aircraft characteristics related to airport planning. Retrieved on March 27, 2012. my.fit.edu/dkirk/3241/Lectures/Atrgpap.pdf Young, S., and Wells, A., (2011). Airport planning and management. 6th Edition. New York, New York. McGraw-Hill Professional.