Functional and technological concepts of airports (past and present)

Abstract

The article discusses the impact of security factors, economic and social conditions of public life, and the development of technology, which leads to many changes in the functional and technological schemes of air passenger services. This, in turn, affects the planning and volumetric-spatial solutions of airport terminals and changes in the organization of airport master plans. It is logical to assume that these changes are not the last, and there is a need to predict further possible solutions. But this is not possible without reviewing and systematizing the changes that have already taken place in the design and construction of airports. The article discusses several concepts of functional and planning passenger service, namely: The concept of runways in the form of a circle. The takeoff and landing of the first passenger airplanes depended heavily on wind speed and power. The airfield configuration in the form of a circle allowed solving this problem. Now this solution is outdated and not used. The concept of containerization of passenger transportation. An assumption was made about the construction of large-capacity passenger aircraft with up to 1000 passengers. Accordingly, it was proposed to first place passengers in specialized containers and then attach these containers to specialized aircraft to save time during handling. The concept remained futuristic due to the fact that passenger aircraft of this capacity are not produced, but it may happen in the future. The concept of urban airports. For the comfort of air passengers, it was proposed to build airports directly in the city. After a certain period of time, this concept was forced to be abandoned due to modern requirements and air traffic safety measures. The concept of centralized or decentralized air passenger service. The concept has been evolving throughout the history of airport construction. At the present stage, the concept of centralized service is more widespread, as it is the most comfortable and economically feasible. The concept of additional (non-transportation) passenger services. The commercial industry of air passenger services at the airport, in the form of shops, cafes, hotels, and much more, is now successfully developing. This allows airports to increase the level of comfort and affects the reduction of costs and lower prices for the transportation of each individual air passenger. The article notes that some concepts are outdated, some are too futuristic, some have ceased to exist due to inconsistencies with modern security measures, and some have stood the test of time and become dominant in modern airport design. Analysis, comprehension and summarization of the consequences of the introduction of certain functional and technological concepts of air passenger service leads to changes in the organization of airports. The process of scientific research of these phenomena is the key to the future life of airports and their efficient operation. This task is quite complex and requires a lot of studies, not only in the field of architecture and design, but also in sociology, economics, marketing, and management.