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1. Airport site Selection

2. Airport obstructions
 FACTORS AFFECTING SITE 2
SELECTION

REGIONAL PLAN ECONOMIC OBSTRUCTIONS

CONSIDERATIONS
TOPOGRAPHY GRADING,
PROXIMITY TO DRAINAGE, & SOIL
OTHER AIRPORTS CHARACTERISTICS
AIRPORT USE
GROUND VISIBILITY
NOISE NUISANCE ACCESSIBILITY
AVAILABILITY OF
FUTURE UTILITIES FROM
WIND DEVELOPMENT TOWN
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1. REGIONAL PLAN

• Site should fit well into the regional plans

• Therefore forming an integral part of national network of airport

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2. AIRPORT USE

 Use could be for civil or military operations

 Should be adaptable for other uses during emergencies

 Site should be such that it provides natural protection to the area

from air raids
 3. PROXIMITY TO OTHER AIRPORTS 5

• Site should be selected at considerable distance from existing

airport
• Required separation distance depends on
 Traffic volume
 En-circling radius of aircraft
 Type of aircraft
 Type of operating facilities IFR (Instrument flight rules) , VFR
(Visual fight rules)
• If suggested minimum spacing cannot be provided then landing and
take off at each airport are properly timed to avoid interference
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3. PROXIMITY TO OTHER AIRPORTS

Recommended minimum spacing between airports

• Small general aviation aircrafts under VFR conditions- 3.2 kM

• Bigger aircrafts (Two Piston engine) under VFR conditions- 6.4 kM

• Piston engine aircrafts under IFR conditions- 25.6 kM

• Jet Engine aircrafts under IFR conditions- 160 kM

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4. GROUND ACCESSIBILITY

Travel time air v/s travel time on land (Door to door time)

 Easily approachable using all types of modes

 Adjacent to highway (Minimises cost and quick access)

 Time required to an airport should not exceed 30 minutes

 Proximity to areas of air trip generation

 Facilities for private vehicle users

 Efficient transport system (Bus, Taxi)

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5. TOPOGRAPHY

Ideal site for airport = A raised ground, hill top

 Less obstructions in approach and turning zones

 Natural drainage (Raised ground),

 More uniform wind

 Better visibility due to less fog

 In case of low lands- flooding (Ex: Mumbai Airport)

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6. SURROUNDING OBSTRUCTIONS

• Clear air space (Approach areas) for landing and take-off to safely
gain of lose altitude.

• Long clearance areas are provided on either side of runway to avoid

obstructions

• Obstructions like high rise structures, fences, trees, pole lines etc.

• Height restrictions and Zoning laws.

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7. VISIBILITY

• Poor visibility affects the traffic capacity of airport

• Site should be free from Fog, smoke, haze

• Fog settles where wind velocity is minimum

• Development of area (industrial)- Smoke and Haze nuisance

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8. WIND

 Runway is oriented such that landing and take off is done by

heading into the wind

 Wind data for last 5 years is collected: Direction, duration,

intensity

 Site should be located to windward direction of city

 Due to which minimum smoke from city is blown over site

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9. NOISE NUISANCE

 Noise increases with jet engine aircrafts

 Site selected for airports such that landing and take off paths of
aircrafts should pass over the land which free from industrial
and residential area/development

 Buffer zones
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10. GRADING, DRAINAGE AND SOIL
CHARACTERISTICS

 Sites with high water tables- require costly sub drainage and
therefore avoided

 Desirable type of soil for airport construction: reasonable amount

of pervious material such as gravel, sand combined with natural
binder

 Wet soil which becomes plastic is undesirable

 Valley side may have flooding and avoided

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11. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

• Air traffic will continue to increase in future

• More number of runways may have to be provided

• Land for parking of vehicles, terminal facilities, apron, runway

length, etc. should be acquired initially
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12. AVAILABILITY OF UTILITIES

 Site should be provided with water supply, power, sewer,

telephone facilities etc.

 Availability of these utilities should be given due consideration

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13. ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

 Cost estimates should be prepared for both initial and ultimate

stages
 Availability of local construction material
 Estimates include land cost, clearing and grading of land, removal
of hazards, paving, turfing, lighting, construction of airport
buildings, access roads, parking areas, etc
 Alternate sites to be examined, one which is economical should be
preferred
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AIRPORT OBSTRUCTIONS

 Classification of obstructions

 Objects protruding above certain imaginary surfaces

 Objects exceeding limiting heights above the ground surface

in approach zones and turning zones

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IMAGINARY SURFACES

 Types:

 Take-off climb surface

 Approach surface

 Inner horizontal surface

 Conical surface

 Transitional surface

 Outer horizontal surface

IMAGINARY SURFACES 19
IMAGINARY SURFACES 21
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IMAGINARY SURFACES

 TAKE OFF CLIMB SURFACE

 The take off climb area shall be established beyond the end of

runway or clearway for each runway direction intended to be

used for the take-off aeroplanes.

 TAKE OFF CLIMB SURFACE
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IMAGINARY SURFACES

 APPROACH SURFACE

 The approach surface shall be established from smaller ends

of runway strip for each runway direction intended to be used

for landing of aeroplanes.

IMAGINARY SURFACES 26
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IMAGINARY SURFACES

 INNER HORIZONTAL SURFACE

 It is the surface located in a horizontal plane above an aerodrome

and its surrounding.

 Runway length >600m and upto 900m IHS= Circular surface with

radius = 4000m

 Runway length >900m and upto 1500m IHS= Circular surface with

radius = 3900m

 Runway length >1500m IHS= Two Circular arcs at runway ends

IMAGINARY SURFACES 28
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IMAGINARY SURFACES

 OUTER HORIZONTAL SURFACE

 Not for runway length < 900m

 It is circular in plane with centre located at ARP.

 Runway length upto 1500m OHS= Circular surface with radius =

9900m

 Runway length > 1500m OHS= Circular surface with radius =

15000m
IMAGINARY SURFACES 30
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IMAGINARY SURFACES

 CONICAL SURFACE

 It extends upwards and outwards from the periphery of the inner

horizontal surface
IMAGINARY SURFACES 32
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IMAGINARY SURFACES

 TRANSITIONAL SURFACE

 A complex surface along the side of the strip and part of the side

of approach surface that slopes upwards and outwards to inner

horizontal surface.

 This intended to serve as the controlling obstacle limitation

surface for buildings, etc.

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APPROACH ZONES

 During landing, glide path varies from steep to flat slope

 During take off rate of climb is limited by it wing loading and

engine power

 Wide clearance areas on either side of runway along direction of

take off and landing.

 Such areas free of obstructions

 Approach surface is imaginary surface, the approach zone

indicates actual ground area.

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APPROACH ZONES

 Clear Zone

 The inner most portion of approach zone which is the most critical

portion from obstruction viewpoint is known as clear zone.

 The purchase of land in this zone is recommended for effective

implementation of zoning laws.

 Clear Zone 36
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APPROACH ZONES

 HIGHWAY AND RAILWAY CLEARANCES

 Roads and railways are not objectionable in clear zones provided

they comply with the clearance standards and the vehicles within

this zone are always in motion.

 HIGHWAY AND RAILWAY CLEARANCES
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APPROACH ZONES

 OBJECTS EXCEEDING THEIR LIMITING HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND

 Within 4.5 km from runway end, if height is more than 30 m above

ground level or above the level of approach end of runway.

 Beyond 4.5 km from runway end, if height is more than 30 m

increases more than 7.5 m for additional 1.5 km or more than 75 m

within 15 km

 Any object whose height exceeds 150 m on flight approach path

 OBJECTS EXCEEDING THEIR LIMITING HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND
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TURNING ZONES

 The area of airport other than the approach area which is used for

turning operations of aircraft is called turning zone.

 Aircraft operates at considerably low heights.

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TURNING ZONES