You are the newly appointed assistant airport manager at your assigned airport. The airport manager has handed you the Airport Master Plan and wants you to review it and evaluate its feasibility. Provide your recommendations and opinions on its content, focusing on the forecast and the proposed development projects (both short-term and long-term).
- Present your opinion, including reasons, about the validity of the plan.
Major projects goals of the Master Plan to focus on:
Short Term – Solar Panel Field (Appendix F – Non-Aviation Development)
Mid Term – Elongate runway 2/20 (Chapter 4)
Long Term – Airport makeover adjustment of roads/terminal expansion (Chapter 3 (3.2 Summary of Major Airport Facility Needs))
Ultimate – Cargo hard stand facilities (Chapter 3 (3.11.3 -Cargo Facilities))/Extend runway 7/25 (Chapter 3 (3.6.2.2 Runway length requirement))
***Mandatory Source***:
Link for Master Plan Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport:
https://peninsulaairportcommission.org/airport-master-plan/
Written Assignment 10
Name
Institution
Course
Instructor
Date
Written Assignment 10
The move taken by the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF) to carry out a master plan is very crucial and necessary for all organizations and businesses, particularly airports for growth and development purposes (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). An airport master plan gives details of all the physical aspects of an airport, including passenger terminals, taxiways and runways, aprons, hangars, parking facilities, and many more. From this master plan, PHF was able to develop a roadmap for its future development to ensure that it achieves its demand projections and operational efficiency in the designated national airspace system. The success of this master plan partly demands a feasibility study that will objectively review all the development and growth options identified, including findings, analysis, and conclusions. As newly appointed assistant airport manager, I will review the Airport Master Plan for PHF and evaluate its feasibility to give recommendations and options that can enhance better success.
An airport master plan should have goals and objectives that provide a framework of long-range planning of about 20-30 years. The goals also capture airport development concepts across different geographical locations, the need and purpose of development, FAA compliance strategies, efficient land use, financial health, and identification of customer needs (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). PHF master plan identifies its purpose as “to provide specific details and guidance for future facility development of an individual airport to satisfy the aviation needs of the community and region it serves” (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). The inclination of this purpose to the future of the airport makes it relevant to the purpose of any well though master plan.
The plan further identifies goals, including environmental compatibility of the Airport facility in both local and regional plans, community needs, government and public interest, a new Capital Improvement Program, sustainability, airport social responsibility, operational efficiency, effectiveness, capability, and safety, both short- and long-term improvements, and economic growth of the airport (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). These are very vital aspects of the master that are essential for the growth of the airport and, also aligned with airport master plan objectives. However, the goal could be missing an important aspect of technological advancement and the rapid incorporation of computer technology in all industries. Any airport should take the frontline in adopting technological innovations and digital advancement for more efficiency. This aspect also necessitates cybersecurity measures to be given priority in the airport development plan, given the growing increase of cybercrime and sensitive digital data.
The project has taken the right chronological procedure to go about the process of developing the master plan. Though the computerization and digital aspects are still lacking in the objectives, it captures vital areas that the airport must work on to ensure long-term success. The approach of using advisory committees and public information workshops are potent ways of gathering patient information. Additionally, planning must consider the present and future conditions of the airport and working environment to determine what should be done to exploit present opportunities, address challenges, and achieve future aspirations. The plan ensures this by determining the existing conditions, aviation demand forecast, facility requirements, alternatives, market analysis and feasibility, airport layout plan, facility implementation, financial feasibility, and sustainability plans (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022).
Short Term – Solar Panel Field
The solar panel installation is a strategic move by PHF to better its future performance. Including it in the plan is necessary, given the current calls for renewable energy and predictions of increasing demand in the aviation sector that will increase operations and demand for energy. The plan elaborates on the growing solar installation in the commercial sector to justify the need for solar panel installation. This will be a revenue-generating project for the airport because the previous market analysis informs that there is a significant amount of both supply and demand in the local market (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). Besides, with the amount of land the PHF has, this move will be feasible and can generate a significant amount of solar energy.
However, there could be some considerations that are not included in the plan to inform the feasibility of the project. For instance, FAA recommends that solar installation projects must meet standards of existing aviation activities and national environmental policies. The implementation team must seek approval from the FAA, including the Airport Layout Plan to ensure that the proposed project meets all FAA requirements (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). Before giving the go-ahead for such a project, such factors should be considered to ensure the full scope of the project is adequately evaluated.
Mid Term – Elongate runway 2/20
PHF plans to improve its performance and efficiency of movement within the airport. Runway 2/20 has numerous challenges, including an obstructive tree, absence of a Medium Intensity Approach Light System, lack of RNAV (GPS) Runway 20 approach, LPV landing minimums, and LOC RWY 20 Approach. It is recommended for a different design standard (less than 1 mile) and elongation. As per Concept 4C, a runway shift that will eliminate the existing runway intersection and angled Taxiway A intersection with Runway 2 is recommended (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). Runway 2/20 is very active despite having an intersection. This can easily lead to a runway crossing incursion hence the need to shift.
Given these challenges, either elongation to the north or a complete shift provides the best solution. From the analysis, it is possible to remove about 1,113 feet of pavement from the south end and extend it by about 1,113 feet from the north end. Though this is not a shift per se, it eliminates the part that extends to the intersection at Taxiway A and the obstruction. Furthermore, the change will not interfere with the basic operations of the airport but reduce the impact of the noise and does not require reconstruction. The plan has also provided enough details concerning the amount of money ($25,299,000) and space required for the project to confirm that it will be feasible (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). Therefore, it is safe and feasible to implement this project.
Long Term – Airport makeover adjustment of roads/terminal expansion
Among the long-term plans under airport facility needs, the plan identifies;
- Replace the primary (Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Facility vehicle within this planning period.
- Improve vehicle access improvements from an I-64 interchange and Jefferson Avenue.
ARFF is a requirement by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) which requires its Member States to provide rescue and fire-fighting services and equipment at airports under their jurisdiction. As such, it is a necessary move by PHF to establish an ARFF with the airport. Most factors that should be considered while developing ARFF, such as space and duration have been considered. However, the financial implications of this move are not well elaborated in the report (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). The aspect should be discussed in detail to determine if the airport has the capacity to implement the project. To address the need to improve vehicle access, more evaluation will still be required in the future for Interstate 64, Jefferson Avenue, Bland Boulevard, and McManus Boulevard.
Ultimate – Cargo hardstand facilities and Extend runway 7/25
According to the plan, the cargo facilities are not well developed and they are not actively operational at the moment due to low demand (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022). However, it is anticipated that cargo might become a demand service in the future and necessitate the establishment of a package distribution center. This project is feasible but not necessary at the moment, hence can be halted to a later date when such demand will be foreseeable. The need to extend runway 7/25 is informed by a forecasted possibility of aviation services demand. Since this is a highly reported possibility, PHF must presently consider the move. If it cannot implement it now, it should prepare for its future implementation. For instance, the plan recommends a 10,000-foot runway which might not be possible. But PHF must ensure to maintain the 1,997-foot runway extension to Runway 7/25 that is currently available (Peninsula Airport Commission, 2022).
This airport master plan developed for PHF has adequate details that can inform the feasibility evaluation of the process. Most of the proposed activities are feasible because adequate considerations for decision-making are considered. However, the legal and financial aspects of these proposals should be discussed and evaluated further before implementing them. Additionally, when implementing these proposals, priorities must be set to ensure that only the important and urgent ones take the frontline.
References
Peninsula Airport Commission. (2022). Airport Master Plan – Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport Master Plan Update Final Report 2014. https://peninsulaairportcommission.org/airport-master-plan/