Airport Design - a PDH Online Course for Engineers, Surveyors and Architects

Airport Design

Course Outline

This 12 hour airport design course will cover several topics including regulatory requirements, runway design, taxiway design, and runway end siting requirements, airport geometry and several other topics that are essential to a complete and operational airport design. Specifications from several aircraft manufacturers will be included to aid the designer in specifying runway and taxiway layout, end siting requirements, and jet blast pads. Several example problems are included to aid the student in solving some problems that present themselves to the airport designer.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student would have learned the following:

How the airport reference code is determined;
When to notify the FAA before airport construction begins;
How to define the takeoff distance available (TODA);
How to define “heavy” aircraft;
The importance of the compass calibration pad;
Situations where a crosswind runway is recommended;
The minimum separation between centerlines of parallel runways for simultaneous landings and takeoffs;
The preferred location for building and airplane parking;
The required size of the runway protection zone;
How to determine the taxiway width for an airplane in design group VI;
How to determine the vertical height “H” of the inner-transitional obstacle free zone;
The landing speed for various categories of aircraft;
How to define airport elevation;
The minimum inches above grade of manholes and lights above taxiway safety areas;
How to determine the radius of the offset arc;
The advantage of end-around taxiway areas;
The minimum distance between all-weather roads and runway safety areas;
When vertical curves are required along runways;
The taxiway wingtip clearance for airplanes in various design groups;
The maximum allowable longitudinal grade for runways serving aircraft with various approach categories;
The minimum allowable distance between the points of intersection of vertical curves;
The elevation of the concrete bases for NAVAIDs located in the taxiway safety area;
How to locate the visibility point on runways;
The height of DME equipment;
The max. height of the elevation antenna;
How the ground in front of the glide slope affects its operation;
The distance beyond the runway to place the localizer antenna;
How nondirectional beacons, (NDB) are mounted;
The required location for the outer marker (OM);
The required location of the TVOR from the runway;
The minimum distance between the light beacons and the runway;
The significance of white/green flashes from light beacons;
Various types of precision landing equipment;
Uses for landing equipment such as VOR/DME and LNAV/VNAV;
The range of airport surveillance radar (ASR);
The minimum paved runway length of aircraft approaching with vertical guidance;
The support requirements for runway and taxiway bridges;
How to calculate the pressure produced from jet exhaust;
How to determine the thickness of concrete shoulders and blast pads;
How to determine the minimum bituminous concrete surface thickness on an aggregate base;
How approach lighting systems (ALS) are arranged on the runway;
How to determine the resultant wind components;
How to determine the thrust velocity from jet aircraft;
The best alignment for runways;
The location of the runway threshold;
How to ascertain and use wind data;
The types of services that increase airport activity; and
How to determine the approach speed of various aircraft.

Intended Audience and Benefit

This course is intended for airport designers, architects, transportation engineers, roadway designers, environmental engineers, municipal engineers, project managers, and any persons working in civil engineering field or anyone with an interest in the exciting and dynamic world of aviation and airport design.

Course Introduction

There are over 10,000 airports in the United States that serves all types of flights such as commercial, business, industrial and private. With thousands of flights occurring each day, air travel have to conform to certain criteria to ensure the safe operation of aircraft and its passengers. The federal aviation administration (FAA) was formed in 1958 to regulate and oversee all forms of civil aviation in the United States. On its website the FAA mission reads as follows; “our continuing mission is to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.” Part of this mission is to provide the safest and most efficient airports that serve the aviation community in our country.

This course airport design will cover several topics including regulatory requirements, runway design, taxiway design, runway end siting requirements, airport geometry and several other topics that are essential to a complete and operational airport design.

Course Content

This course airport design will cover several topics including regulatory requirements, runway design, taxiway design, and runway end siting requirements, airport geometry and several other topics that are essential to a complete and operational airport design. Specifications from several aircraft manufacturers will be included to aid in the designer in specifying runway and taxiway layout, end siting requirements, and jet blast pads.

Airport Design

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Course Summary

The information presented in this course will provide the reader with the knowledge that is essential to designing airports per the standards set forth by the FAA.

Using good engineering judgment is always paramount in any situation. Utilizing good judgment and the knowledge gained in this course will aid the reader with the knowledge to be a success in airport design.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:

http://www.epa.gov/
http://www.usace.army.mil/
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.