Airport Capacity and Delay

1
 Airport Capacity
Airport Capacity refers to the ability of an airport to handle a
given volume or magnitude of traffic (demand) within a
specified time period.

Four distinct elements in a capacity analysis:

• Airspace
• Airfield (Runway, Taxiway, Apron)
• Terminal Building
• Ground access
 Factors affecting airfield capacity
1. The configuration, number, spacing and orientation of the
runway system
2. The configuration, number, spacing and location of
taxiways and runway exits
3. The arrangement, size, number of gates in the apron area
4. The runway occupancy time for arriving and departure
aircraft
5. The size and mix of aircraft using the facilities
6. Weather, particularly visibility and ceiling, since air
traffic rules in good weather are different than in poor
weather
 Factors affecting airfield capacity (Cont..)
7. Wind conditions which may preclude the use of all
available runways by all aircraft
8. Noise abatement procedures which may limit the type and
timing of operations on the available runways
9. Within the constraints of wind and noise abatement, the
strategy which air traffic controllers choose to operate the
runway system
10. The number of arrivals relative to the number of
departures
11. The number and frequency of touch and go operations by
general aviation aircraft
 Factors affecting airfield capacity (Cont..)
12. The existence and frequency of occurrence of wake
vortices which require greater separations when a light
aircraft follows a heavy aircraft than when a heavy follows a
light aircraft
13. The existence and nature of navigational aids
14. The availability and structure of airspace for establishing
arrival and departure routes
15. The nature and extent of the air traffic control facilities
 Typical applications of capacity delay
analysis
1. The effect of alternative runway exit locations and geometry on
runway system capacity
2. The impact of airfield restrictions due to noise abatement
procedures, limited runway capacity, or inadequate airport
navigational aids on aircraft processing rates
3. The consequences of introducing new aircraft into the fleet mix
at an airport, and an examination of alternative mechanisms for
servicing the mix
4. The investigation of alternative runway-use configurations on
the ability to process aircraft
5. The generation of alternatives for new runway or taxiway
construction to facilitate aircraft processing
6. The gains which might be realized in system capacity or delay
reduction by the diversion of general aviation aircraft to reliever
facilities in large air traffic hub areas
 Runway Capacity
The number of aircraft movements which aeronautical
authorities determine can safely be operated, usually stated
as the total number of landings and take-offs per hour.
 Factor affecting Runway Capacity
1. Airfield layout and runway configuration
2. Number and location of exit taxiways
3. Runway use restrictions
4. Runway use as dictated by wind conditions
5. The percentage of time the airport experiences poor
weather conditions
6. The level of touch-and-go activity
7. Types of aircraft that operate at the airport
8. Surrounding terrain/local geography
9. Changes in air traffic control procedures
 Taxiway Capacity
Taxiway connects the runway to the terminal apron gate
area and aircraft service hanger. The usual procedure is to
locate taxiway parallel to the runway center line for the
entire length of runway. This make it possible for the landing
aircraft to exit the runway more quickly and decrease the
delays to other aircraft waiting to use the runway.

Ideally,
• Taxiway shouldn’t cross active runway
• At busy airport a one way taxiway flow pattern should always
be maintained for taxiway connecting runway and terminal
apron gate area
 Taxiway Capacity
Taxiway capacity is the maximum number of aircraft
operations accommodated on the taxiway component of
airfield

Empirical studies have shown that the capacity of a taxiway

system far exceeds the capacities of either runway or the
gate. It can be safely assumed that taxiway capacity is
always available to move aircraft to runways and gate and
therefore there is no need to evaluate taxiway capacity
separately to determine total airside capacity.
 Gate Capacity
Gate capacity can be defined as the maximum number of
aircraft that a fixed number of gates can accommodate
during a specified interval of time when there is a
continuous demand for service. Gate capacity can be
calculated as the inverse of a weighted-average gate
occupancy time of all aircraft being served.
 Factors affecting Gate Capacity:
1. The number and type of gates available to aircraft.
2. The mix of aircraft demanding apron gates and the gate
occupancy time for various aircraft.
3. The percentage of time gates may be used, which reflects
the fact that time is required to maneuver aircraft into and
out of gate positions and the delay often restricts the
amount of time actually available for aircraft gate
occupancy.
4. Restrictions in the use of any or all gates.
Example 1:
If an aircraft occupies a gate for an
average of 30 min, what is the capacity of
the gate ?

Capacity of gate = 1/30 aircraft/min/gate

=60/30 aircraft/hr/gate
=2 aircraft/hr/gate
Example 2:
If there are 10 gates available with
following aircrafts mixes. Determine the
gate capacity?
Aircraft Class Percent mix Average occupancy time (Min)

1 10 20
2 30 40
3 60 60
Solution:
Capacity of gate = 1/(0.1*20+0.3*40+0.6*60)
=0.02 aircraft/min/gate
=1.2 aircraft/hr/gate

As we know that, 10 gates are available,

Total Capacity =1.2*10
12 aircrafts/hr
 FACTORS CAUSING DELAY
Airfield Characteristics: The physical characteristics and layout of
runways, taxiways, and aprons are basic determinants of the ability
to accommodate various types of aircraft and the rate at which they
can be handled.
Airspace Characteristics: The situation of the airfield in relation to
other nearby airports and in relation to natural obstacles and features
of the built environment determines the paths through the airspace
that can be taken to and from the airport.
Air Traffic Control: The rules and procedures of air traffic control,
intended primarily to assure safety of flight, are basic determinants
of airfield capacity and delay. The rules governing aircraft
separation, runway occupancy, spacing of arrivals and departures,
and the use of parallel or converging runways can have an overall
effect on throughput or can induce delays between successive
operations.
Meteorological Conditions: Airport capacity is usually highest in
clear weather, when visibility is at its best. Fog, low ceilings,
precipitation, strong winds, or accumulations of snow or ice on the
runway can cut capacity severely or close the airport altogether.

Demand Characteristics: Demand not only the number of aircraft

seeking service, but also their performance characteristics and the
manner in which they use the airport has an important effect on
capacity and delay. The basic relationship among demand, capacity,
and delay described earlier is that as demand approaches capacity,
delays increase sharply. But, for any given level of demand, the mix
of aircraft with respect to speed, size, flight characteristics, and pilot
proficiency will also determine the rate at which they can be handled
and the delays that might result.