As there have been people with the desire to travel, there has been a service industry to meet this demand. Ranging from the early Model-Ts of Henry Ford, to the dirigibles created by Charles Lindbergh, to todays massive airbus A380. In the aviation industry the ability to create effective means of transporting people from one area of the airport to the other can at times be a logistical nightmare. As mentioned earlier so long as there is a demand for a service an industry will appear to meet this demand. The result was the creation of numerous industries which specifically cater to moving people from one destination to the other in an enclosed space while using as little room as possible. These methods of transportation which range from moving pavements, coach transfers, to mono rail links and finger piers are all integral parts in the process of transporting people from one global destination to the other. In the past the control tower, waiting area, luggage area as well as the plane gateway were all integrated into one large area and not separated into individual sections as they are today.
As a result of this arrangement chaos ensued due to the cramped spaces, difficulty in reaching the passenger departure gate as well as problems relating to luggage transportation and actually getting to the airplane. As a result of this perceived difficulty airport layouts were changed which emphasized a segregation of areas and services to ensure that passengers would not feel cramped within the airport as well as to create a method by which they could be encouraged to move from one part of the system to the other which would result in an orderliness that was lacking in previous airport designs. In fact, most modern airports are designed in such a way that they encourage the rapid movement of individuals and prevent blockages within the airports arteries. Elements, such as a centralized hub design, were created and afterwards to encourage the faster movement of passengers mechanical means of transportation were incorporated into the airports system to make sure people moved even faster.
This is due to the fact that while airports can be made as efficient as can be if the passengers themselves move slowly due to laziness or any number of other reasons then the airports design would be useless. Means of forcing the passengers to move quickly and methods of efficient transportation were included to ensure that no blockages would occur in the system due to the hundreds of flights as well as thousands of passengers that the airports had to deal with on a yearly basis. It was due to the creation and subsequent installations of these systems of transport that flights were able to take off and land in a timely manner and made the experience of travelling more enjoyable for passengers. In order to gain a better understand of the impact of these systems on the aviation industry, this paper will discuss the different systems that were created as well as the pros and cons of their inclusion into airport designs. Not only that, but this paper will also seek to evaluate whether the inclusion of a circular rail design for rapidly transporting passengers within Londons Heathrow airport is a feasible as well as affordable method of transporting people.
Moving Pavements
Moving pavements were included into design of airports as a means of expediently getting passengers from one part of the airport to the other without having to rely on the speed of the passenger to do so. They work on a similar design as treadmills with a single band of material, usually rubber or steel that is moved via motors at either end of the pavement. The reason behind their creation was first to create a method of swift transport in between the numerous terminals which could be controlled by airport personal. Individual passengers have their own tendencies to move at different speeds such that those who are slower up ahead would in turn slow down those behind them as congestion occurs at the numerous entrance and exit points.
The moving pavements act as a way to ensure that both incoming and outgoing passengers are able to be transported along a single line in an orderly fashion at a brisk pace. Not only did this decongest the arteries of an airport but its ease of use and futuristic feel makes it a favorite of passengers who have come from a long airplane trip and wish to rest for a bit while moving. While the highlights of this system have been discussed drawbacks to its usage range from cost of installation which is considerable due to the uniqueness of its design, the cost of electricity and maintenance also is a factor and another drawback is that it replaces a system which was free in the first place, namely allowing the passengers to move from one terminal to the other on their own accord.
Finger Piers and coach transfers
Finger Piers are a regular fixture in most of todays modern airports enabling passengers to board planes without having to leave the air-conditioned comfort of the airport. It was due to the creation of finger piers that new policies and methods of training had to be developed for pilots in order for them to learn how to properly land the plane and then be able to position the plane near enough to a finger pier for it to be attached to the plane in order for the passengers to board. Finger piers are actually an affordable way for airports to offload and board passengers from and to airplanes.
One problem with this though is that the availability of finger piers versus the amount of flights coming and going from the airport might exceed the airports capacity. This is due to the fact that the amount of finger piers is limited to the architecture and space in the terminals. As such the limited number that can be constructed presents a problem. A solution to this was to have the planes park themselves at a distance from the airport and have coaches take passengers to the planes and have them board via mobile stairways. The airplane hub of Qatar Airlines located in Qatar uses this system almost exclusively in order to prevent crowding in areas of the airport. The only problem with this method is a slight inconvenience for the passengers but in exchange though the airport has more space for them to stretch their legs.
Rapid Transit Systems
Rapid Transit systems are ones of the best ways of transporting passengers from locations within the airport to either boarding andor departure areas. Not only that they can hold numerous passengers at the same time and transport them in an orderly fashion to their desired location, this efficiency and convenience though is underscored by numerous factors. For one thing the sheer cost of installing such a system would be enormous due to the tracks that would have to be laid, the logistics systems that have to be put into place, the workers that have to be hired along with consultants and engineers and not to mention the sheer expense associated with the transit cars themselves which are not cheap. Another factor is that the space needed to have this system put into place is substantial which might cause problems during the construction period resulting in flight delays due to passenger congestion in areas that are under construction. As such it really depends on the needs of the airport as to whether or not they really need such a system with just as many drawbacks as advantages.
Building a Circular Rail System at Heathrow
A System similar to the one at JFK airport can be constructed at Heathrow unfortunately several factors prevent it from having the same affectivity as the one at JFK. For one thing when taking a look at the overall layout of JFK it can be seen that the way in which it has been built is in the form of a semi oval with all of terminals spread out evenly in a counter clockwise pattern. It is this unique shape that allowed for the effective use of a circular rail system due to the clock wise pattern of the terminals which allows easy access to each individual rail station. Comparatively Heathrow airport is arranged in a curve like shape, though the terminals are not arranged in clockwise or counterclockwise pattern. Instead terminals 1, 2 and 3 are arranged in an obtuse triangle shape with terminal 3 being the farthest. Terminal 4 on the other hand is much farther from the other terminals however is close to terminal two. Building a circular track which encompasses all terminals would be hard due to the jagged nature of this arrangement which does not have the advantage of shape compared to JFK airport. Another factor that must be remembered is that the sheer cost of building the track to encompass all locations must be taken into account before construction can even begin.
The numerous systems of transport within airports have become a useful and much needed feature in order to keep the flow of passengers moving. Differences though in the need of each individual airport will dictate which system of transport is more effective. It can be said that it was due to these methods of transportation that aviation industry became what it was today since it was able to create an efficient system wherein passenger problems are minimized and comfort is maximized thus making the concept of travel an enjoyable one.
As a result of this arrangement chaos ensued due to the cramped spaces, difficulty in reaching the passenger departure gate as well as problems relating to luggage transportation and actually getting to the airplane. As a result of this perceived difficulty airport layouts were changed which emphasized a segregation of areas and services to ensure that passengers would not feel cramped within the airport as well as to create a method by which they could be encouraged to move from one part of the system to the other which would result in an orderliness that was lacking in previous airport designs. In fact, most modern airports are designed in such a way that they encourage the rapid movement of individuals and prevent blockages within the airports arteries. Elements, such as a centralized hub design, were created and afterwards to encourage the faster movement of passengers mechanical means of transportation were incorporated into the airports system to make sure people moved even faster.
This is due to the fact that while airports can be made as efficient as can be if the passengers themselves move slowly due to laziness or any number of other reasons then the airports design would be useless. Means of forcing the passengers to move quickly and methods of efficient transportation were included to ensure that no blockages would occur in the system due to the hundreds of flights as well as thousands of passengers that the airports had to deal with on a yearly basis. It was due to the creation and subsequent installations of these systems of transport that flights were able to take off and land in a timely manner and made the experience of travelling more enjoyable for passengers. In order to gain a better understand of the impact of these systems on the aviation industry, this paper will discuss the different systems that were created as well as the pros and cons of their inclusion into airport designs. Not only that, but this paper will also seek to evaluate whether the inclusion of a circular rail design for rapidly transporting passengers within Londons Heathrow airport is a feasible as well as affordable method of transporting people.
Moving Pavements
Moving pavements were included into design of airports as a means of expediently getting passengers from one part of the airport to the other without having to rely on the speed of the passenger to do so. They work on a similar design as treadmills with a single band of material, usually rubber or steel that is moved via motors at either end of the pavement. The reason behind their creation was first to create a method of swift transport in between the numerous terminals which could be controlled by airport personal. Individual passengers have their own tendencies to move at different speeds such that those who are slower up ahead would in turn slow down those behind them as congestion occurs at the numerous entrance and exit points.
The moving pavements act as a way to ensure that both incoming and outgoing passengers are able to be transported along a single line in an orderly fashion at a brisk pace. Not only did this decongest the arteries of an airport but its ease of use and futuristic feel makes it a favorite of passengers who have come from a long airplane trip and wish to rest for a bit while moving. While the highlights of this system have been discussed drawbacks to its usage range from cost of installation which is considerable due to the uniqueness of its design, the cost of electricity and maintenance also is a factor and another drawback is that it replaces a system which was free in the first place, namely allowing the passengers to move from one terminal to the other on their own accord.
Finger Piers and coach transfers
Finger Piers are a regular fixture in most of todays modern airports enabling passengers to board planes without having to leave the air-conditioned comfort of the airport. It was due to the creation of finger piers that new policies and methods of training had to be developed for pilots in order for them to learn how to properly land the plane and then be able to position the plane near enough to a finger pier for it to be attached to the plane in order for the passengers to board. Finger piers are actually an affordable way for airports to offload and board passengers from and to airplanes.
One problem with this though is that the availability of finger piers versus the amount of flights coming and going from the airport might exceed the airports capacity. This is due to the fact that the amount of finger piers is limited to the architecture and space in the terminals. As such the limited number that can be constructed presents a problem. A solution to this was to have the planes park themselves at a distance from the airport and have coaches take passengers to the planes and have them board via mobile stairways. The airplane hub of Qatar Airlines located in Qatar uses this system almost exclusively in order to prevent crowding in areas of the airport. The only problem with this method is a slight inconvenience for the passengers but in exchange though the airport has more space for them to stretch their legs.
Rapid Transit Systems
Rapid Transit systems are ones of the best ways of transporting passengers from locations within the airport to either boarding andor departure areas. Not only that they can hold numerous passengers at the same time and transport them in an orderly fashion to their desired location, this efficiency and convenience though is underscored by numerous factors. For one thing the sheer cost of installing such a system would be enormous due to the tracks that would have to be laid, the logistics systems that have to be put into place, the workers that have to be hired along with consultants and engineers and not to mention the sheer expense associated with the transit cars themselves which are not cheap. Another factor is that the space needed to have this system put into place is substantial which might cause problems during the construction period resulting in flight delays due to passenger congestion in areas that are under construction. As such it really depends on the needs of the airport as to whether or not they really need such a system with just as many drawbacks as advantages.
Building a Circular Rail System at Heathrow
A System similar to the one at JFK airport can be constructed at Heathrow unfortunately several factors prevent it from having the same affectivity as the one at JFK. For one thing when taking a look at the overall layout of JFK it can be seen that the way in which it has been built is in the form of a semi oval with all of terminals spread out evenly in a counter clockwise pattern. It is this unique shape that allowed for the effective use of a circular rail system due to the clock wise pattern of the terminals which allows easy access to each individual rail station. Comparatively Heathrow airport is arranged in a curve like shape, though the terminals are not arranged in clockwise or counterclockwise pattern. Instead terminals 1, 2 and 3 are arranged in an obtuse triangle shape with terminal 3 being the farthest. Terminal 4 on the other hand is much farther from the other terminals however is close to terminal two. Building a circular track which encompasses all terminals would be hard due to the jagged nature of this arrangement which does not have the advantage of shape compared to JFK airport. Another factor that must be remembered is that the sheer cost of building the track to encompass all locations must be taken into account before construction can even begin.
The numerous systems of transport within airports have become a useful and much needed feature in order to keep the flow of passengers moving. Differences though in the need of each individual airport will dictate which system of transport is more effective. It can be said that it was due to these methods of transportation that aviation industry became what it was today since it was able to create an efficient system wherein passenger problems are minimized and comfort is maximized thus making the concept of travel an enjoyable one.
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