France-based engineering consultancy Altran and EADS Innovations Works have joined forces to find solutions on how airport congestion could be avoided in future - and come up with two concepts for a post-2040 hub.
Altran expects the global number of passengers per day to increase from around 6.5 million today to about 44 million by 2050.
Not only will future airports need to be much leaner than at present, they will also have to be friendlier places if they are to compete with other transport modes such as high-speed rail on the core short- to medium-haul traffic, the researchers said.
The first concept, named Eye to the Sky, features an eye-shaped apron system with two runways at either end and space for 80 aircraft positions for short/medium-haul flights and 40 positions for long-haul flights.
All passenger facilities are in four subterranean terminals with several levels below the apron, which the travellers pass through in 24 to 60 minutes before boarding the aircraft on the surface.
The second concept revolves around a passenger transportation system with small, automated vehicles that pick up the travellers from the airport's car parks and railway station and deliver them to "skygates".
These are small terminals with check-in facilities for each aircraft parking position. Airport travel times could thus be reduced to as little as 10 minutes.
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Source: Flight Daily News
