Virtual Skies

Airport Design

In this module, you have two exercises to help you explore the concepts involved in airport design.

Exercise 1

In this exercise, you will practice optimally locating and orienting runways at an airport. You will be presented with three scenarios. In the first scenario, a map and a runway will be displayed. Click on the runway, and drag it to the position on the map where you believe it should be located. Use the provided controls to properly orient the runway by rotating it right or left. Once you have positioned the runway as you believe it should be, click the "Submit Design" button to see what our experts said was the best positioning, along with their second and third choices.

The second scenario will be just like the first, but you will be asked to position runways for a two-runway airport. In scenario three, you will position runways for a three-runway airport.

Closely examine the map for this activity. Note the location and direction of the prevailing winds. The winds out of the North are present 75% of the year. The winds out of the South blow steadily 15% of the year. The winds out of the East blow only 10% of the year. Your airport will have runways with length and width that will accommodate all classes and types of airline transport (Boeing 727, 737, 757, 767, 747, MD80, MD10, MD11), plus all General Aviation classes and types (single engine to multi-engine). Place and construct your runways to accommodate the maximum capability during heavy traffic periods. For multiple runways that would mean arrivals and departures utilizing parallel runways.

Exercise 2

In this exercise, you will read the text of a series of ATIS broadcasts. Using your knowledge of airport design and layout, you will match each ATIS report with a map of the airport from which it was broadcasted.

The text of the ATIS broadcasts is as follows.Information "Echo". One five five one Zulu. Wind three three zero at three. Visibility six mist. Ceiling one two thousand broken. Temperature one five. Dew point one two. Altimeter three zero one three. I-L-S Runway two eight right approach in use. Arrival expect runways two eight left and two eight right. Departing runways one left one right. Read back all runway hold short instructions. Advise on initial contact you have "Echo".Information "Lima". One four five three Zulu. Wind calm. Visibility five. Eight hundred scattered. Temperature one three. Dew point one two. Altimeter three zero one one. I-L-S Runway two five left approaches in use. Landing and departing runways two five left and right. All aircraft use caution for bird activity in the vicinity of the airport. Notice to Airmen, Pad Bravo and the Southern portion of the ramp closed. Advise on initial contact you have "Lima".Information "Quebec". One five five four Zulu. Wind one five zero at five. Visibility greater than one zero. Sky clear. Temperature two three, check density altitude. Dew point one three. Altimeter three zero three one. Visual approaches in use. Landing runways one seven left, one seven right, one two. Notice to Airmen taxiway Foxtrot closed between runway one two and taxiway Echo. Ground delay in effect for O'Hara and Phoenix. Advise on initial contact you have "Quebec".Information "Uniform". One four five one Zulu. Wind one eight zero at one one. Visibility one zero. Few clouds at two thousand eight hundred, six thousand five hundred scattered, ceiling two five thousand broken. Temperature two five. Dew point one eight. Altimeter two niner niner zero. Approach in use, V-O-R Runway one three left. Departing runway one three right. Notice to Airmen, runway four left two two right closed. Read back all runway hold short instructions. In the interest of noise abatement, please use the assigned runway. Advise on initial contact you have "Uniform".Arrival information "Whiskey". One four five five Zulu. Wind two five zero at four. Visibility one zero. Few clouds at one five thousand, three zero thousand scattered. Temperature three two. Dew point two three. Altimeter three zero zero one. Visual approaches in use to runways one three right, one seven left, one seven center, one eight right. Aircraft landing runway one eight right exit at taxiway Bravo, eight thousand one hundred feet available, landing runway one seven center exit at Bravo, eight thousand four hundred fifty feet available. Notice to Airmen, runway one seven left D-M-E out of service. Read back all hold short instructions. Advise on initial contact you have "Whiskey".