CREATING EFFICIENT AIRPORT DESIGN

Who and What Are Airports Designed For?

Airports serve a vital purpose in society. In many ways, they are a community’s window to the rest of the world. They connect us with people and places around the globe, serving as hubs for commerce and recreation. To best facilitate these comings and goings of all kinds, an airport’s design is vital. In fact, a well-designed airport can have a significant impact both on how efficiently it functions as well as how enjoyable the process is for its visitors and staff. McClure understands the true value in efficiency, which is why we carefully plot out every detail of an airport’s layout. We maximize the facility’s strengths and limit any operational inefficiencies-keeping all air traffic flowing smoothly and safely.

With an experienced team including five licensed pilots, McClure is committed to outstanding airport design to meet the modern aviation needs of today while also preparing for the future. We help design with a global perspective -and in turn help your project enjoy the most widespread rewards.

Key Elements of Airports Design

Effective airport design benefits from extensive knowledge of the individual components of the facility as well as how its airside and landside components work together to form an efficient system. With experience in airport planning, design, bidding, and construction administration services, McClure can guide your project from inception to completion.
Our team works with airport officials, stakeholders, and even with the community itself to identify project priorities and create a design that complies with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards, guidelines, and regulations.

As progress is made, the team can help perform any necessary soil, drainage, or other technical studies before working with stakeholders to minimize the impact to airport operations.

Additionally, McClure helps i ntify various sources of state and federal grant funding to help finance projects. In muliple cases, Airports received a 100% grant to perform runway and taxiway improvements with the assistance from our team.

Aircraft Hangars, Terminals and Storage Design

In terms of airport design, vertical structures provide the secure storage of aircraft and support vehicles, protecting them from environmental wear and tear. The team at McClure designs vertical structures that not only meet current demands and standards, but also envisions the airport’s future.

Airport vertical structures usually include:

Hangars: Buildings where aircraft are stored and serviced must be of appropriate size and pavement strength to accommodate all current models and size of aircraft. Hangar design also should take into consideration the size of aircraft the facility intends to accommodate in the future.
Terminals: Terminals should be large enough to accommodate all passengers, offer space for vendors, and meet ever-changing security needs. For long-term plans, it may also be worthwhile to consider options for future expansion.
Storage Buildings: Airside storage buildings should offer enough storage for all other equipment and vehicles, including snow-removal equipment, fire-suppression and rescue equipment, baggage carts, and types of other ground-support vehicles. These structures should be strategically placed across the airport for efficient use. They should also be large enough to handle current and expected future needs.

Airport Geometric Layout

The layout of paved surfaces is a key detail of any airport design. Aircraft and airport service vehicles must move safely while also avoiding unnecessary stops or delays. And because of local terrain constrants, airports must often modify their design to accommodate the space needed for pavement.

All paved structures of an airport must meet FAA regulations for aspects such as runway layout, length and width as well as separation distances from other runways and taxiways. They also must be designed in such a way that they are free of any aeronautical obstructions. This means they meet precise specifications for the size and type of aircraft that will use the facility.
Ongoing airport pavement management-ensuring runways, taxiways and aprons remain in good condition and in compliance with federal regulations-is another major part of today’s airport operations.

Examples of Airside / Landside Paved Structures:

Airside Paved Structures

Runways
Taxiways
Aprons

Landside Paved Structure

Airport Entrance Roads
Parking Lots
Driveways
Access Roads
Sidewalks

Airport Lighting and Navigational Aid Design

Lighting and navigational aids are key & pilot aids to keep planes and other airside vehicles safe. Airfield lighting helps pilots approaching the runway during periods of darkness or poor visibility. They can use the lighting on the ground to determine how they need to keep their aircraft on the correct course.
For example, markings painted on the surface of runways and taxiways are used to indicate to pilots where they are on the airfield. By showing points and intersections where planes stop and receive authorization to proceed, multiple flights can be better scheduled around one another. All visual aids and markings on the runways and taxiways should be clearly marked and in compliance with FAA standards. Imposing universal standards ensures that airports across the country feature uniform infrastructure and minimizes any potential for confusion.

Where We Make an Impact

With a long history in aviation and a personal love of flying, McClure designs airports that embrace the future for the benefit of everyone.

Creating Efficient Airport Design