Main Airports Research Articles

Fast-Time Simulations to Study the Capacity of a Traffic Network Aimed at Urban Air Mobility

This article investigates viable solutions to implement an Urban Air Mobility network in Milan, Italy, and analyzes its influence on the airspace capacity. The network comprises eight vertiports for passenger transport among two main airports in the area and the city using electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs). A Fast-Time Simulation (FTS) model with the software AirTOp (Air Traffic Optimization) allowed the evaluation of the ideal capacity of the network by varying two configurations, which differ from each other in terms of the number of Final Approach and Takeoff areas (FATOs). The results show how it is possible to reach high hourly capacities (in the order of one hundred), thus allowing the use of the service for about 4% of the total passengers passing through the two airports during the reference day chosen for this study. However, the results are ideal due to the strong idealism of the system, which overlooks several factors, and they should be considered as the maximum limit that can be obtained. Despite this, the method presented in this article can also be adapted for other urban areas with high population densities. In addition, the use of a simulation tool of this type allows, in addition to a numerical analysis, a qualitative analysis of the network behavior in terms of traffic, thus highlighting the criticalities of the proposed systems.

Flow prediction of mountain cities arterial road network for real-time regulation

This study aims to enhance the understanding of vehicle path selection behavior within arterial road networks by investigating the influencing factors and analyzing spatial and temporal traffic flow distributions. Using radio frequency identification (RFID) travel data, key factors such as travel duration, route familiarity, route length, expressway ratio, arterial road ratio, and ramp ratio were identified. We then proposed an origin–destination path acquisition method and developed a route-selection prediction model based on a multinomial logit model with sample weights. Additionally, the study linked the traffic control scheme with travel time using the Bureau of Public Roads function—a model that illustrates the relationship between network-wide travel time and traffic demand—and developed an arterial road network traffic forecasting model. Verification showed that the prediction accuracy of the improved multinomial logit model increased from 92.55 % to 97.87 %. Furthermore, reducing the green time ratio for multilane merging from 0.75 to 0.5 significantly decreased the likelihood of vehicles choosing this route and reduced the number of vehicles passing through the ramp. The flow prediction model achieved a 97.9 % accuracy, accurately reflecting actual volume changes and ensuring smooth operation of the main airport road. This provides a strong foundation for developing effective traffic control plans.

Visual Enhancement of Aerial Flight in High Plateau Low Visibility Conditions

A method for automatic detection of airport runways in low visibility, forward and downward looking aerial airport images is proposed. Firstly, the recursive Otsu segmentation method is used to extract the main contour of the airport from the complex background; then the morphological filtering is performed by using the morphology-based open and swell operations, the open operation is used to filter out the isolated noise points and the swell operation is used to connect the segmented airport components into a complete whole; finally, the morphological filtered image is subjected to the region growth to localize the main runway of the airport. Finally, the morphology filtered image is processed to localize the main airport runway by its region growth. It is proved that this method can quickly and accurately detect and localize the main and auxiliary runways of airports in low visibility and forward and downward looking aerial images of airports.

Investigating the impact of spatial dependence and heterogeneity on airport relationships: Empirical evidence from China

This research focused on the relationships among 34 major airports in China, analyzing how these relationships are influenced by spatial dependence and heterogeneity. Using a spatial econometric model, it found that passenger traffic in China’s airports displays a mutually driven aggregation effect. Furthermore, the study revealed that the airport relationship changes from complementarity to competition as the geographic distance between them decreases. The study also classified the main airports in China into three hierarchical levels and found significant complementarity and competition among those within the hub-and-spoke network structure. Specifically, this study identified a complementary relationship among regional trunk and local branch airports, as-well-as significant competition among hub airports. Crucially, the study suggests that the absence of a hub airport weakens the collaborative interactions between different types of airports, emphasizing the critical importance of hub airports for the connectivity and operational efficiency of China’s airport network.

LAND SNAILS AND SLUGS (MOLLUSCA: GASTROPODA) IN THE INTERNATIONAL LOADING AND UNLOADING AREAS OF PANAMA

This study aims to identify the species of land snails and slugs that may invade Panama through the loading and unloading sites of national and international merchandise in Panama City and Colon, along with their probable places of origin. The investigation also considers the ecological, economic, and health impacts of these potential invasive species. Between September 2008 and September 2009, sampling was conducted at the main seaports and airports of Panama City and Colon, including their containers, warehouses, and surrounding natural habitats. The study utilized GPS for accurate location marking, and sampling occurred twice a week. Specimens were collected, with live material fixed in 70% alcohol, and slugs dissected for identification through sexual organs. Taxonomic identification involved conchological characteristics and expert consultation, with the data analyzed for species abundance correlation with precipitation and humidity. A total of 2379 individuals were collected, identifying seven species across nine genera and four taxonomic families, with the Subulinidae family being the most abundant. Notably, Praticolella griseola, an agricultural pest, and Hapiella w. f. decolorata were new records for Panama. The study found species richness and abundance correlated with rainfall but not relative humidity. The research highlighted the quarantine importance of several species due to their roles as pests and vectors of diseases like Angiostrongylus cantonensis and A. costarricensis. Panama hosts a moderate ecological diversity of gastropods, with certain species posing significant risks to agriculture, public health, and native ecosystems. The study underscores the necessity for ongoing surveillance and management of non-native mollusk introductions, particularly in a global trade hub like Panama. Identifying and understanding the distribution of invasive gastropods are crucial for developing effective control measures and mitigating their impact on the environment and human health.

Remote air traffic control towers: An application in Portugal

Purpose: Remote control towers are the latest evolution in air traffic control at the airport level. These towers replace traditional air traffic control towers, moving the airport's air traffic controllers to a remote location called a remote control center. This concept was introduced with the main aim of combating the shortage of air traffic controllers, as well as making it possible to provide several airports with control that, until then, they did not have or were at risk of losing, because of the costs associated with this service. This makes it important to study this solution in Portugal, as there are many airdromes where having runway control may not be economically viable. The study will focus on a project by NAV Portugal, which is about to implement this solution on some islands in the Azores archipelago.Design/methodology/approach: Having identified the number of movements per month at a few chosen airports, the operational viability was studied according to the number of movements per hour to ensure that several restrictions were met.Findings: Even including the region's main airport, from the point of view of analyzing the number of movements, the installation of a remote control tower is feasible. There is also a substantial economic gain from this new solution, both in terms of implementation and operations.Originality/value: Remote control towers are a new air traffic control solution, making it possible to extend this service to countless airdromes that may be in the process of losing this service for economic reasons, or no longer are controlled by an air traffic controller.

Study on the temporal and spatial relationship between public health events and the development of air transport scale: A case of the Southwest China.

The spread of the COVID-19 had profoundly affected the development of the air transportation. In order to determine the changes in air transportation volume associated with the development of the epidemic, this paper takes Southwest China as the study area. Monthly data and methods, such as the coefficient of variation, rank-size analysis and spatial matching index, were applied. The results found that: (1) during 2020-2022, there was a positive relationship between passenger volume and epidemic development, while freight volume increased for most airports in the first quarter of 2020-2022, particularly in the eastern region; (2) From the perspective of changes in air transportation volume under the development of the COVID-19, among various types of airports, the changes in transportation volume of main trunk airports were more significant than those of regional feeder airports in remote areas; (3) however, under the influence of the epidemic, main trunk airports still exhibited stronger attraction in passenger volume. That is to say, the passengers who chose to travel by air still tended to choose the main trunk airports and formed the agglomeration distribution pattern which around high-level airports in the provincial capital. Whereas the freight volume had a tendency of equalization among airports in Southwest China; (4) Over the course of time, the consistency of the spatial distribution of the number of cases and the passenger or freight volume in southwest China gradually increased. Among them, the spatial matching rate of the passenger volume and the number of COVID-19 cases was always higher than that of the cases and freight volume, which might indicate that there was a stronger correlation relationship. Therefore, it is proposed that the construction of multi-center airport system should be strengthened, the resilience of the route network for passenger transportation should be moderately enhanced, and the risk-resistant capacity of mainline airports and airports in tourist cities should be upgraded, so as to provide references for the orderly recovery of civil aviation and regional development.

Analisis Pengawasan Inspektur Angkutan Udara Kantor Otoritas Bandar Udara Wilayah I Kelas Utama terhadap Penetapan Harga Tarif Tiket oleh Maskapai PT. Lion Mentari Airlines

In domestic flights, currently many people choose economic services, of course this is a very competitive aviation business arena for users of aviation services in terms of fares, equipment, services, human resources, and flight security and safety. This study aims to determine the setting of tariffs, besides that this research also aims to determine the supervision of tariff implementation. Air Transport Inspector. This research uses a type of qualitative descriptive research method. To get answers from the research, the researcher made a research design in the form of observations, interviews, and documentation. The data obtained is in the form of interview results with the Air Transport Inspector at the Regional 1 Main Airport Authority Office. The results of the study show that the arrangements made by the Ministry of Transportation are the main basis for Aviation Business Entities in setting fares and facilitating supervision for Air Transport Inspectors. Fare inspection supervision is an SOP given by the Ministry of Transportation to Air Transport Inspectors. Not only that, tariff monitoring can occur when there are public reports and national holidays. Existing obstacles such as the occurrence of violations can be handled by a Ministerial Decree in accordance with the rules for enforcing sanctions. Keywords : tariff, policy, supervision, sanctions.

Прогнозирование пассажиропотоков социально значимых авиационных маршрутов внутри арктического региона

The Russian Arctic is characterised by the poor development of year-round land routes. In these conditions, air transport is the basis of passenger traffic. However, air mobility of the population in the Arctic regions is significantly lower than that of Russia in general. The article substantiates the need to increase transport accessibility of the Arctic by developing an internal network of socially significant air routes. To create a route network plan, it is necessary to forecast passenger traffic on existing and potential air routes within the Arctic region. To this end, a multiple regression model was used to develop a two-level forecasting approach. At the first level, the proposed method was applied to calculate local passenger traffic between remote settlements and the centre of the Arctic region. At the second level, the findings were examined to forecast passenger traffic between the centres of the Arctic regions and the main airport with direct flights to other regions. To predict passenger flows on potential routes, a probabilistic model of the number of flights by one resident per year was constructed based on an analysis of existing socio-economic relations, purpose of the flight and the existing infrastructure at the start and end points of the route. According to the results of forecasting passenger traffic on existing routes, it is necessary to increase the frequency and regularity of local flights by optimising the aircraft fleet in order to increase the population’s air mobility. At the same time, the results of passenger traffic forecasting on potential routes confirmed the need for subsidised direct flights between the centres of neighbouring Arctic regions with certain social infrastructure facilities.

Capacity and demand forecasting in Urban Air Mobility - A simulation of air transportation in Hamburg

This paper presents an innovative approach to urban air transportation planning through the development of a "digital twin" representation encompassing airspace and infrastructure elements, including route structures, existing airports, and future vertiports. The primary objective is to formulate a model that mirrors the dynamics of contemporary and prospective urban air mobility (UAM), driven by the focus on sustainability and electrification in the transportation sector. Given the multifaceted advancements in both personal aerial vehicles (PAVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), along with the emergence of cutting-edge electric aircraft, a multitude of scenarios become feasible. The air transport system we focus on, is the urban area of Hamburg, Germany, and its two inner-city airports and a prototype vertiport. Anticipating a growth in demand for air transport services for the nearly 1.9 million current residents of Hamburg over the next two decades, we assume various feasible scenarios, which in turn would result in an increasing energy demand. Our SIMMOD simulation model utilizes flight schedules for each airport in Hamburg, to which flights are incrementally added until practical capacity is reached at 80% above baseline levels. Our findings reveal that, as demand increases at Hamburg Airport and average operational delay approaches the level-of-service (LoS) threshold of 4 minutes per flight, the necessity for expanded air traffic and ground infrastructure becomes evident. Electric grids should be dimensioned according to these demands. Our results suggest that the capacity of the Hamburg airspace is currently limited by the main airport, and that the Airbus production facility in Hamburg-Finkenwerder can substantially augment its capacity by constructing a parallel taxiway alongside its runway. Moreover, vertiport capacity primarily is limited by factors such as UAV parking and charging positions, drone speeds, turnaround times, available airspace, degree of autonomy and the length of service routes.

Airport technical efficiency: Evidence of privatised airports in Latin America

Since the mid-1990s, the main airports in Latin America have been privatised. This is the result, on the one hand, of the liberalisation of the aviation industry in almost all the countries of the region, and on the other hand, of the application of an extensive and uninterrupted programme of air public policies, currently underway. Based on this, this paper first analyse how public policies have influenced the development of airports in Latin America, generating the privatisation of the most important in the region (in a context of structural reform still in progress). Second, it studies how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the technical efficiency of the privatised airports in the region. Therefore, in this paper, the measurement of technical efficiency is carried out (using only technical variables, that is, infrastructure and aeronautical or air traffic variables) on a representative set of Latin American privatised airports, both in the pre-pandemic period (2017–19) and in the severest pandemic period (2020). The methodology used to carry out the study is data envelopment analysis (DEA). The main results of the research reveal high, and in some cases ideal, technical efficiency indices in the pre-pandemic period, and not very severe drops in technical efficiency in the pandemic period.

Cargo Business Contribution to Logistics Services at Class I Main Airport Juwata Tarakan

Shipping goods by air, goods security is actually very well maintained because security continues to use aircraft as a key factor in maintaining customer confidence in shipping goods. Therefore, cargo/goods receiving operations services through airports, including loading and unloading, transfers from aircraft to warehouses (cargo warehouses). Compiler and storage and delivery of goods to the owner, must arrive safely and everything is fine. This Study aims to describe the facts about the questions posed by the author. So that the facts and valid data facilitate the analysis of effective and efficient problem solving by the author. Items that are not neatly placed in the cage can be stepped on or subjected to shocks or friction which can result in damage. This research uses a qualitative descriptive research method, namely research that uses a case study method or approach. This research is very focused on a particular topic being studied as a case, and case data can be obtained from all parties.. In addition, the placement of scattered goods also has the potential to increase the risk of loss of cargo. can affect customer confidence so that the cargo unit should be able to maximize to complete the existing facilities at the cargo terminal of the Main Juwata Tarakan Airport Class 1. The results of this study are that air cargo has advantages compared to sea and land cargo where shipping goods using air cargo can save time and reach a wide area. Despite these advantages, there is a problem that the cargo cannot be sent because the documents listed in the SMU and the contents of the cargo are different. The need to carry out cargo handling in accordance with applicable SOPs to avoid these problems.

Investigating the recovery of For-Hire-Vehicle, Taxi, and AirTrain at two New York City airports during the COVID-19 pandemic

For operators of large-scale infrastructure systems such as airports, predicting landside access demand amid constant exogenous changes that modify travel volumes and preferences is immensely challenging. COVID-19 disrupted travel behavior and mode preferences, making it even more challenging for airport operators to plan infrastructure and design strategies to accommodate landside access. We use time series regression discontinuity to explore to what extent the volumes of airport ground access modes changed during the pandemic, how the recovery differed across modes, and how the pandemic changed the established relationship among access modes. We do so by examining the change in the three main airport access modes at two large New York City airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport (traditional taxis; for-hire ride-hailing services such as Uber; AirTrain, the public transit system, at JFK only). We find the mismatch between taxi pick-up and drop-off trips that predates the pandemic widened and persisted during the pandemic; the pandemic diminished taxis’ role and exacerbated the replacement of taxis by for-hire-vehicles. For-hire-vehicle trips recovered at both airports, possibly at the expense of taxis. AirTrain continued to function as an important and resilient airport access mode during the pandemic. Our research helps to inform the airport operators’ resource allocation and traffic management strategies while showcasing the usefulness of time series regression discontinuity in examining changes in travel behavior for future planning in the aftermath of a major shock.

Enhanced Model for Terminal Airspace Capacity Estimation

Terminal Airspace comprises the area around an airport in which various aircraft in its vicinity are in ascending or descending phases. This paper describes an enhanced model for estimation of Ultimate Capacity of Terminal Airspace, given its geometric layout, traffic data, and the separation minima maintained. This model can be used to determine the number of aircraft in the Terminal airspace of an airport that can be safely handled by the Air Traffic Controllers. An existing probabilistic model for Terminal Capacity assessment was enhanced to include operations on intersecting and parallel runways. An important out-come of this methodology is the minimum time gap between successive operation at the runway, which is utilized to draw a time space diagram of runway operation, and thus obtain an estimate of Delay under various operational scenarios. The model was first utilized to estimate the Terminal airspace capacity of the two most busy airports in India, viz., Mumbai and Delhi, and later for other main Airports viz., Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. A critical analysis of the results lead to suggestions like slot distribution, rescheduling of aircraft, restructuring of spacio-geometrical conditions of airspace and airfield etc. that may be considered to increase capacity and reduce delays at Indian Airports.

Competition in Multi-Airport Regions: Measuring airport catchments through spatial interaction models

The paper makes use of a novel dataset of the surface access flows of passengers departing from the four main airports surrounding London to construct a spatial interaction model for the region. This model explains the spatial variability in the flows through four separate components being [1] spatial separation between the origin of the flow and the destination airport, [2] the demand characteristics at the origin, [3] the attractiveness of the service offered by the airport, and [4] the presence of intervening opportunities. A spatial econometric approach is taken in the modelling to account for the presence of spatial dependence in the data.The output of the model reveals a strong distance decay effect, where the level of interaction between origins and airports displays a negative spatial gradient. Each of the four airports dominate passenger flows in their immediate vicinity, with the market in the region being hotly contested in central London. All four components of the model are useful in explaining spatial variation in passenger flows, demonstrating the efficacy of this approach in considering how airports source their demand in a Multi-Airport Region. The performance of the model is superior when considering passenger surface access flows for scheduled flights, while the explanatory power is reduced for flows associated with chartered flights. Having verified the applicability of the model, it is possible for policy makers to utilise the approach to consider such issues of expanding, limiting or reducing capacity at existing airports in the region, establishing new airport facilities, and the effect of population growth on the geographic form of airport demand.

Synergetic Development Measure of Airport Groups Composite System and Its Influencing Factors Analysis: Some Evidence from China

Whether airport groups develop synergistically has become a concern for the aviation industry. Existing studies have neglected the dynamic comprehensive evaluation and analysis of influencing factors of synergy degree. Taking the synergistic development of airport groups as the research perspective, we integrate the dynamic comprehensive evaluation model into the traditional synergy model. From two dimensions of airport development and regional economy, we measured the static synergy degree of the Chengdu-Chongqing airport group and the dynamic synergetic development degree on the overall time series. Further, using a spatial econometric model, we construct a distance economy-nested spatial weight matrix so as to explore the influence of each indicator on the synergy degree of the composite system. The results show that the overall synergy of the Chengdu-Chongqing airport group is above 0.5 in terms of static synergy degree. The clustering spectrum shows that the Chengdu-Chongqing airport group can be divided into three categories and basically forms the characteristic of “two main and multiple auxiliary airports.” In terms of dynamic synergetic development degree and comprehensive evaluation value, the change speed of synergy degree is relatively smooth in the early stage and fluctuates in the later stage, and the overall dynamic evaluation value of the Chongqing regional airports is high. The effects of the explanatory variables of the airport group composite system on the synergy degree show more direct effects than spillover effects, and the direct effects are all positive feedback effects, while the negative spillover effects of the explanatory variables cannot be ignored.

“Anteaters” under the airport: a slender new species of blindsnake, genus Indotyphlops, from Timor-Leste (Scolecophidia: Typhlopidae: Asiatyphlopinae)

We describe a slender immature female blindsnake from the main airport in Dili, Timor-Leste, as a new species of Indotyphlops, adding a third species to the country's known blindsnake fauna of Sundatyphlops polygrammicus (Schlegel, 1839) and Virgotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803). The new species has the following combination of characteristics: small size (snout–vent length = 119 mm), slender body (relative body thickness 71), T-V supralabial imbrication pattern, relative rostral width 0.36, 434 middorsal scales, relative tail length 1.7%, absence of enlarged occipital scales, and apical spine absent. The snake was found in an ant nest under several flat rocks near the fuel depot of Nicolau Lobato International Airport, and this habitat and the discovery in a busy location with heavy human impacts indicate that the species is likely a primarily subterranean myrmeco- or termitophage.

Analisis Pengawasan Inspektur Angkutan Udara Kantor Otoritas Bandar Udara Wilayah I Kelas Utama terhadap Penetapan Harga Tarif Tiket oleh Maskapai Lion Mentari Airlines

In domestic flights, currently many people choose economic services, of course this is a very competitive aviation business arena for users of aviation services in terms of fares, equipment, services, human resources, and flight security and safety. This study aims to determine the setting of tariffs, besides that this research also aims to determine the supervision of tariff implementation. Air Transport Inspector. This research uses a type of qualitative descriptive research method. To get answers from the research, the researcher made a research design in the form of observations, interviews, and documentation. The data obtained is in the form of interview results with the Air Transport Inspector at the Regional 1 Main Airport Authority Office. The results of the study show that the arrangements made by the Ministry of Transportation are the main basis for Aviation Business Entities in setting fares and facilitating supervision for Air Transport Inspectors. Fare inspection supervision is an SOP given by the Ministry of Transportation to Air Transport Inspectors. Not only that, tariff monitoring can occur when there are public reports and national holidays. Existing obstacles such as the occurrence of violations can be handled by a Ministerial Decree in accordance with the rules for enforcing sanctions.
 Keywords: Tariff, Policy, Supervision, Sanctions

Evaluation of Temporary COVID-19 Testing Sites at Brussels Airport, Belgium: Users’ Comfort and Privacy

This paper explored the temporary facilities created during the pandemic for use as COVID-19 test centers at Zaventem Airport, the main airport for the city of Brussels, Belgium. The possibilities of modular construction technology and the impact of the building envelope on users’ perception of indoor space comfort and privacy were closely observed. The three main problem statements were as follows: (1) the COVID-19 crisis indirectly influenced the creation of temporary modular buildings with glass envelopes; (2) the modular envelope is adaptable to the existing context; and (3) the envelope meets the needs of the users. This study’s objectives were to identify the critical factors for users’ well-being in temporary modular buildings, and to conduct factor comparisons among different users and between different building-enclosure systems. The study data were collected through a subjective assessment using a SWOT analysis and a survey questionnaire. The glass facade affected the users’ acceptance levels of comfort and privacy. The main results show that the users were satisfied with the level of comfort and dissatisfied with the level of privacy. This information can be used to identify areas for improvement and provide useful feedback to designers and engineers about specific design features and operating strategies for temporary modular emergency healthcare buildings.

The Effect Of Service Quality And Price Perception On Repurchase Intention Through Customer Satisfaction Citilink Juanda Airport Surabaya

This study aims to test the effect of service quality and price perception on repurchase intentions through customer satisfaction as an intervening variable at Juanda Airport Surabaya for Citilink airlines. This research is descriptive and quantitative using SEM-PLS analysis tool with the help of Smart-PLS software. The data consisted of primary data collected from 102 respondents using accidental sampling to determine the sample. The results show that the quality of service has a tremendously positive influence on repurchase interest, but price perception has no significant effect. Customer satisfaction influences an intervening variable between service quality and repurchase intent but does not exist as an intervening variable between price perception and repurchase intent. Based on the historical background discussed and in comparison with the results of previous studies, this study attempts to examine the relationship among service quality, customer satisfaction, price perception, and repurchase interest of Citilink Airlines located at Juanda Airport in Surabaya. Taking case studies at this airport is because Juanda Airport is the main base of Citilink airlines and is one of the main airports with a relatively high passenger density in Indonesia.