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Airport Layout
Aviation is controlled by an agency of the United States' government known as the Federal Aviation Administration or
the FAA. This agency mandates identification standards for airport layout that is meant to assist pilots in easily
recognizing runways from the air and to taxi safely from the runway to the gate. From runway numbers and painted
stripes to airport and runway lights and signs, the FAA regulates the National Airspace System.

In navigation and surveying, all measurement of

direction is performed by using the numbers of a
compass. A compass is a 360 circle where
0/360 is North, 90 is East, 180 is South, and
270 is West. Runways are laid out according to
the numbers on a compass. A runway's compass
direction is indicated by a large number painted
at the end of each runway. Preceding that
number are 8 white stripes. Following that
number by 500 feet is the "touchdown zone"
which is identified by 6 white stripes. A runway's
number is not written in degrees, but is given a
shorthand format. For example, a runway with a
marking of "14" is actually close to (if not a direct
heading of) 140 degrees. This is a southeast
compass heading. A runway with a marking of
"31" has a compass heading of 310 degrees, that
is, a northwest direction. For simplicity, the FAA
rounds off the precise heading to the nearest
tens.
For example, runway 7 might have a precise
heading of 68 degrees, but is rounded off to 70
degrees.

Each runway has a different number on each end. Look at the diagram below. One end of the runway is facing due
west while the other end of the runway is facing due east. The compass direction for due west is 270 degrees ("27").
The compass direction for due east is 90 degrees ("9"). All runways follow this directional layout. This runway would
be referred to as "Runway 9-27" because of its east-west orientation.

The FAA includes over 20 different runway layouts in their advisory materials. There are 4 basic runway
configurations with the rest being variations of the original patterns. The basic runway configurations are the
following:
A) single runway
This is the simplest of the 4 basic configurations. It is
one runway optimally positioned for prevailing winds,
noise, land use and other determining factors.
During VFR (visual flight rules) conditions, this one
runway should accommodate up to 99 light aircraft
operations per hour. While under IFR (instrument
flight rules) conditions, it would accommodate
between 42 to 53 operations per hour depending on
the mix of traffic and navigational aids available at
that airport.

B) parallel runways
There are 4 types of parallel runways. These are
named according to how closely they are placed
next to each other. Operations per hour will vary
depending on the total number of runways and the
mix of aircraft. In IFR conditions for predominantly
light aircraft, the number of operations would range
between 64 to 128 per hour.

C) open-V runways
Two runways that diverge from different directions but
do NOT intersect form a shape that looks like an
"open-V" are called open-V runways. This
configuration is useful when there is little to no wind
as it allows for both runways to be used at the same
time. When the winds become strong in one direction,
then only one runway will be used. When takeoffs
and landings are made away from the two closer
ends, the number of operations per hour significantly
increases. When takeoffs and landings are made
toward the two closer ends, the number of operations
per hour can be reduced by 50%.

D) intersecting runways
Two or more runways that cross each other are
classified as intersecting runways. This type of
configuration is used when there are relatively strong
prevailing winds from more than one direction during
the year. When the winds are strong from one
direction, operations will be limited to only one
runway. With relatively light winds, both runways can
be used simultaneously. The greatest capacity for
operations is accomplished when the intersection is
close to the takeoff end and the landing threshold as
shown below (with the configuration on the left).

The capacity for the number of operations varies greatly with this runway configuration. It really depends on the
location of the intersection and the manner in which the runways are operated (IFR, VFR, aircraft mix). This type of
configuration also has the potential to use a greater amount of land area than parallel runway configurations.
Airports also use standardized lighting and ground markings to provide direction and identification to all air and
ground crews. To assist pilots in differentiating at night between airport runways and freeways, airports have rotating
beacon lights. These beacons usually flash green and white lights to indicate a civilian airport. They are visible from
the air long before the entire airport is recognizable. To help pilots at night quickly identify the beginning of a runway,
green threshold lights line the runway's edge. Red lights mark the ends of runways and indicate obstructions. Blue
lights run alongside taxiways while runways have white or yellow lights marking their edges. All these markings and
lights serve to set a safety standard for all pilots to follow.

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Influences on Airport Layout

When runways are built, their layout is influenced by many factors:

Federal Aviation Regulations

environmental concerns

noise level impacts

terrain and soil considerations

natural and man-made obstructions

annual weather patterns

the size and performance characteristics of the airplanes that will use the runways

These are all factors in runway and airport planning. Many issues are studied before final decisions on airport location
and runway layout are determined.
Impact Report Maps for Ames Research Center, 1999

Cultural and Historic

Wetlands and Habitat

Noise and Safety

Site Pollution

Environmental impact requirements for airports were first established with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 and in 1970 with the Airport and Airway Development Act. These acts ensure that due consideration is given to
the effects on the quality of the environment and the surrounding communities in regard to airport expansion, use and
development. Before building a new facility or expanding an existing facility, an impact study or feasibility study must
be done. These studies include a critical assessment of all impact issues from soil to air quality.
Controlling water pollution from airports has been well-mastered by planners. Airports can be major contributors to
water pollution if suitable treatment facilities are not provided for the various types of airport wastes. These wastes
include the following: domestic sewage, industrial wastes such as oil and fuel spills and high temperature water
degradation that stems from the heat of various power plants in nearly constant use at an airport.
One of the most severe problems is that of aircraft noise in and around an airport. Laying out runways so that air
traffic patterns occur minimally over heavily populated areas is a practice now widely employed during runway
expansion and when building new airports. Controlling the land use around an airport also helps reduce the
interference of aircraft noise with the public. Noise abatement procedures during takeoff and landing make for quieter
airport operations. Such procedures consist of a faster takeoff speed quickly followed by slowing the engine once
airborne over a populated area, then returning the engines to full speed and resuming normal flight operations. This
lessens the amount of engine noise over the populated area without adversely affecting the flight. Improvements in
engine design have also been a successful factor in reducing aircraft noise.
Airports attract business and people, but airports are noisy. Businesses and people do not like airport noise. There
are very few airports in the world where no noise complaints have been recorded. Dallas/Ft. Worth International
Airport (DFW) records the time and track of every arriving and departing aircraft. If a complaint is received DFW
personnel can identify the aircraft that was the cause. There is an organization called the San Francisco Airport
Roundtable that keeps tabs on noise and other concerns at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
The goal of NASA's Quiet Aircraft Technology project (sponsored by NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission
Directorate) is to reduce perceived aircraft noise by 50 percent by 2015 and by 75 percent in 25 years, using 1997
levels as the baseline.

Noise in the vicinity of airports generated from aircraft operations has an adverse impact on a community's quality of
life. At the very least, aircraft noise is distracting and it can be unhealthy. Noise is generated from the propulsion
system by the rotating machinery, the combustion process, the jet flow from the nozzle as well as by the aircraft from
airflow over wing flaps and around the landing gear. Noise is measured as sound pressure levels in decibels (dB).
Noise impact on communities is a function of both the noise (dB) from a single aircraft operation and the number of
aircraft operations. Therefore, as operations increase, overall community noise impact increases. NASA's objective is
to lower aircraft source noise such that there is a substantial reduction in community noise impact even as the
number of aircraft operations increase.
The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) makes the regulations (CFR, Part 36) but airport operators are primarily
responsible for planning and implementing action designed to reduce the effect of noise on residents of the
surrounding area. Such actions include optimal site location, improvements in airport design, and noise abatement
procedures. Noise abatement procedures can include designated arrival and/or departure paths and procedures.
Land acquisition and restrictions on airport use should not unjustly discriminate against any user or impede the
federal interest in safety and management of the air navigation system.
During the 1990s, aircraft were required to become less noisy. This change was accomplished with the design of
quieter engines and in some cases "hush kits" were installed on some older aircraft. The change came in three
stages where the aircraft noise level in decibels was reduced to less objectionable and less dangerous levels. As of
the first of January 2000 Stage 3, the final stage, was implemented.
The noise level of Stage 3 aircraft is comparable to a busy urban street and is much quieter than the Stage 2 aircraft
noise level which is similar to an amplified rock music concert.
To find noise restrictions for individual airports check out the Boeing Corporation web site:
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/noise/index.html
The ground on which the airport is to be built must have a stable stratum of earth upon which building foundations
can be anchored. The soil must be capable of supporting heavy loads without shifting or sinking. If the airport's
runways are to be used by heavy aircraft (airplanes with a gross weight 300,000 pounds and heavier) the underlying
soil and/or bedrock must be able to support the weight of the runway plus the aircraft's weight. Many airport runways
have several feet of reinforced concrete to support the airplanes without cracking.
Land at a greater elevation surrounding an airport such as mountains also have a profound effect on winds. In the
daytime, air next to a mountain slope is heated by contact with the ground as it receives radiation from the sun. This
air usually becomes warmer than the air farther up the slope. Colder, denser air in the area settles downward and
forces the warmer air near the ground up the mountain slope. This wind is called a "valley wind" because the air is
flowing up and out of the valley. At night, the air in contact with the mountain slope is cooled by terrestrial radiation
and becomes heavier than the surrounding air. It sinks along the slope producing the "mountain wind" which flows
like water down the mountain slope. Mountain winds are usually stronger than valley winds, especially in winter. The
wind pattern on the leeward side of a mountain contains dangerous downdrafts or "rotor waves". An aircraft flying
through such wind would encounter hazardous turbulence that would push the airplane towards the ground. These
are all considered when orienting runways in an area near mountains.

There are many airports within mountainous areas where the runway headings generally run parallel with the length
of the valley in which they are located or run along neighboring rivers. The terrain often influences development of the
runways in the mountains. The airport runway at Aspen, CO, Aspen-Pitkin County/Sandy Field (ASE) is located near
the end of a long valley. Airplanes land up the valley and takeoff down the valley. Mountains rise abruptly from the
airport elevation of 7,815 feet to above 14,000 feet on three sides of the airport.
Man-made obstructions like multi-storied high rises, transmissions towers and bridges can and do influence runway
orientation. Landing at Reagan National Airport on Runway 15 requires a curving approach that follows above the

Potomac River's course. Takeoff on Runway 33 from the same airport requires the reverse trip following above the
Potomac River because of government buildings to the north of the river and many high buildings south of the river.
Consideration of local weather patterns is also a factor in determining an airport's layout. The weather patterns of an
area, especially the prevailing winds, are a major factor in determining runway headings. Prevailing winds are defined
as the direction from which the winds blow most frequently. Remember that airplanes take off and land into the wind.
Let's say that at a given airport the prevailing winds blow in from the west 65% of the year, while 30% of the year the
wind blows in from the east, and the remaining 5% coming from the northwest. It would be best then to orient the
runway W (27) and E (9). That would mean that approximately 95% of the year airplanes would be landing and taking
off into the wind. In most of Texas and Oklahoma the runways are generally N-S runways because the winds are
usually from either the North or South. In parts of the Eastern United States there are many airports with NE-SW and
NW-SE runways because the winds are more likely to change between those two directions.

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Influences on Airport Layout

Terminal Configuration

Terminal Configuration
Although there are many types of terminal configurations currently in use at airports across the United States, the five
basic types are given below with a brief description of each.
Simple terminal
This configuration consists of one building holding a common ticketing and waiting area with several exits leading
to a small aircraft parking apron for boarding. This is used at mainly small aircraft airports and some older large
airports.

Linear terminal/ Curvilinear terminal

This is simply an extension of the simple terminal concept providing more gates and more room within
the terminal for ticketing and passenger processing.

Pier finger terminal

This terminal configuration evolved during the 1950s when gate concourses were added to the simple
terminal building designs. A concourse is actually defined as an open space where paths meet.
Passengers are usually processed at the simple terminal location and then routed down a "pier"
where aircraft are parked in the "finger" slots or gates for boarding.
Pier satellite terminal/ Remote satellite terminal
This configuration involves a single terminal where all the ticketing and passenger processing
takes place. Connected to this are numerous concourses that lead to one or more satellite
structures. At the end of each concourse the aircraft are parked in a cluster. This increases the
distance a passenger must walk to get from one terminal to another or one gate to another.
People-mover systems are employed in these settings to reduce these walking distances. These
systems can be high-speed escalators, monorails or electric-powered carts. This design concept
lends itself to a compact central terminal, but is difficult to expand without disrupting airport
operations.
Mobile lounge or transporter terminal (remote aircraft parking concept)
This concept is currently in use at Dulles International Airport and Tampa International Airport.
In this concept passengers are transported to and from the building to the parked airplane.
The mobile lounge can also be used as holding rooms for waiting passengers at gate positions.
Airplanes are parked at gates placed along parallel rows. Several sets of parallel parking rows
can be created as increased traffic deems such expansion necessary. This design has excellent
expansion capabilities and can maintain the pace with increased airport usage. With this concept,
aircraft can be parked remotely from the terminal buildings thus increasing the amount of aircraft
enplaning and deplaning passengers. Airplane taxiing time to and from the runway is decreased
as well as the amount of aircraft engine noise around the terminal.
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What are some common layouts for

airports and what are their advantages
and disadvantages?
Frequently asked in

ANSWER WIKI

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2 Answers

Annie Lindseth, Airport Planner

7.9k Views
Annie is a Most Viewed Writer in
Airports with 14 endorsements.

There are no pre-fabricated, ideal airport layouts. Every airport evolves as its priorities
change, and some look jumbled as a result. Still, some airport layout patterns have
emerged. There is a method to the madness, at least some of the time.
First, layouts must balance spatial requirements of the airfield, terminals, and ground
transportation facilities. A good layout allows all three elements to work well together.
Although balance is important, airfields typically have the greatest constraints. Runways are
the first facilities to be sited when a new airport is built. Why? Runways should allow flights
to operate with typical wind patterns in the area. (See Airports: What determines which
direction runways are built, and why are they built intersecting each other?) They also have
very precise length requirements, plus safety areas around them. The U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration has written fairly precise guidelines on this topic, and Hasan Abdul Tawab's
answer has a great overview of runway configuration options.
Once runways are sited, there are lots of options for designing terminals. Some are better
than others, in my opinion.
Retro Hub and Spoke Concourses
This terminal design was very popular in the 1950's and 1960's, and it can still be seen in
some of the older terminals still in operation. The security processing area is connected to
the gates via a long hallway and a round waiting area, allowing for ample aircraft parking
area.

EWR Terminal A Center Concourse, completed in 1973

Terminals like this one are miserable for passengers, in my opinion. Yes, they provide ample
aircraft parking space, but passengers walk down unpleasantly narrow hallways to reach an
overcrowded hold room area with many gates and limited seating. To add insult to injury,
bathrooms are usually small and/or inconveniently located. There is limited space for
concessions, lessening both passenger convenience and airport revenue.
This layout is almost never used for new terminals. Aircraft parking is important, but the
features that airports give up with "hub and spoke" concourses do not make this design
worthwhile. Several older airport terminals using this design are still in use, though. A few I
can think of off the top of my head are SFO Terminal 1, IAH Terminal B, and EWR Terminals
A and B.
Simple Main Terminal with Pier Concourse(s)
Say you've tried this hub and spoke concourse model and think airports could be better
planned. Where do you go from there? Probably to a simple main terminal with a connected,
long concourse or two. Simple. Unfussy.

Houston Hobby Airport (excluding planned international terminal)

Indianapolis International Airport

This simple layout is excellent for small and medium hub airports. Unlike the hub and spoke

layout, there is enough room for concessions and restrooms within the concourses.
Navigation is easy and passenger walking distances remain reasonable. Note that
Indianapolis' terminal was completed in 2008 and Hobby's is about 60 years older. This
layout never goes out of style.
Larger airports, though, often need something different.
Parallel Midfield "Fishbone" Concourses
This setup allows for a single processing area with transportation to separate concourses.
Passengers arrive, check baggage, and go through security in one facility, and then they
can either walk or take a train (people mover, in airport-speak) to their departure concourse.
Parallel concourses provide aircraft with efficient access to taxiways and allow for future
concourse construction as needed.
This layout makes the most sense for larger airports that want to minimize passenger
walking distances, maintain expansion capabilities, and operate their airfields efficiently.

ATL Terminal Map with Parallel Concourses (note that this drawing does not include
International Terminal F, which should be shown to the east of Concourse E on the right)
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is a great example of this layout. An underground
"Transportation Mall" connects the Main Terminal to Concourses A-E and the International
Terminal, and an underground people mover runs along side it.
Other airports using versions of this are Denver International Airport and Washington Dulles

International Airport (complete with mobile lounges).

Perpendicular Midfield Concourses
Perpendicular midfield concourses are a similar option with different geometry. Concourses
that cross can lower passenger connection times, especially if the people mover system
does not come regularly. For example, imagine the time needed to reach PIT Airside A
(shown below) compared to ATL Concourse E from each airport's main terminal.

Pittsburgh International Airport "X" Midfield Concourses (People Mover is not shown)
In addition to the "X" midfield concourses at PIT, crossing midfield concourses can also take
on a + shape relative to parallel runways, like those at Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport "+" Midfield Concourses

Crossing concourses have a major drawback, though: aircraft parking. In the center where
the two concourses meet, space is limited. Larger aircraft cannot park there, so the terminal
square footage that needs to be constructed in order to accommodate a certain number of
gates is much higher. This increases terminal construction costs and lowers flexibility in gate
assignments. Plus, larger aircraft serving gates at the far ends of the terminals
accommodate the greatest number of passengers, so the average distance walked goes
way up.
Hybrids
No airport follows a single layout prescription throughout its entire life, and the airports I've
chosen as examples here are no exception. They follow a pattern right up until they need to
change. Hobby is building a new international terminal right now. Pittsburgh's midfield
concourses are emptier than their builders ever expected them to be.
In a given decade, an airport might need to expand rapidly, accommodate more connecting
passengers, or cut costs substantially. Many layouts developed piecemeal, as airports grew
in ways that their managers either didn't expect or couldn't accommodate under previous
plans.

Every airport layout really has its own story, but hopefully this answer lets you recognize
some of those stories' major elements.

Further Reading
Optimal Configuration of Complexes of Large Airport Passenger Buildings and Their Internal
Transport Systems - mit.edu
Terminal Configuration -NASA
Annie Lindseth's answer to In general, why does an airport need such a huge area?
Updated 26 Jun View Upvotes Asked to answer by
Abhinav Sharma,
Stephanie Vardavas, and
David S. Rose

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Hasan Abdul Tawab, Research Engineer/Analyst

3k Views

Great question! Honestly I could write a book on this topic, but for your sake, I'm going cover
the highlights and try and be as organized as possible in my response. (There are ATC
textbooks out there that will go over this much more rigorously.)

First, we need to identify the major considerations when designing any airport layout,
whether expanding an existing one or building one from scratch:
Available land: Generally, the closer it is to a major urban center or
populated area, the higher the restrictions placed on space for
number and length of runways, and noise restrictions. At the same
time, you want the passengers to have convenient access to the
airport.
Prevailing winds: Airplanes do not like crosswinds on approach or
takeoff. So once the land is acquired, the next consideration
should be on aligning the runways parallel to the direction of
prevailing winds, or if in an area with multiple wind modes (such as
mountainous or certain coastal areas), two distinct runway
alignments, usually at 45 to 90 degrees with respect to each other.
If there are obstacles on approach or after takeoff, or no-fly zones,
those have to be factored in as well.
Location of terminals (passenger, cargo, special purpose, general
aviation, military complexes, etc.), aprons, hangar and
maintenance facilities (if an airline has a maintenance hub there),
ATC, emergency services, car parking, etc.
Once all of that has been taken care of, we need to decide the runway configuration. There
are three main categories of runway groupings:
Single, Independent (SI): A single runway that is either the sole
runway of an airport, or is located far enough apart from other
runways so that its operations are essentially independent from
the other runways.
Closely Spaced Parallel (CSP) Pair: Two runways that are parallel
and closely spaced in terms of lateral separation. Sometimes the
two runways are also staggered longitudinally, as that allows for
inherent diagonal separation between simultaneous takeoffs and
landings on that pair, which would otherwise have to be temporally
spaced (a little harder to achieve from an ATCs perspective).
Crossing Runway (CR) Pair: Two runways that are not parallel to
each other, and intersect at some point along their length. Three or
more runways that intersect with each other are considered on a
pair by pair basis, unless they all intersect at exactly the same
location (which is extremely rare). Often, the intersection is not
near the middle of the runway length, but towards the end of one

or more of the runways, which allows for more flexibility in

operations (e.g. LAHSO, more on that later).
Every other configuration you are likely to see is a combination or extension of the
categories above.
There are weird exceptions of course. Layouts weren't really standardized to begin with:
many of the oldest European and American commercial airports grew out of WWII-era
airfields, which were notorious for having runways in all sorts of haphazard directions. That
was an era of small, light single-propeller aircraft, where crosswind turbulence was of much
greater concern than maintaining adequate separation between aircraft.
After a string of high-profile commercial airliner disasters in the 1970s, passenger safety
started gaining traction. Authorities realized that large, heavy commercial jets were not
endangered by crosswinds (unless it was higher than 20-25 kts) as much as by intersecting
traffic streams and potential for collisions. Add to that the boom in airline traffic which
necessitated multiple runways and separation requirements, and the modern airport runway
layout philosophy was born.
Now, instead of abstract generalities, let me explain the major tenets of this philosophy via
concrete examples:
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

The most recent runway construction was 18R/36L. Note how far it is from the rest of the
runways, and its staggered location with respect to 18C/36C. This allows it to operate as a
SI runway, and ATC can squeeze as many departures or arrivals without having to consider
what's happening at the other runways, offering more simplicity and flexibility. For example,
it allows simultaneous arrivals on 18R/36L and 18C/36C as independent traffic streams.
However, 18R/36L is very far from main the terminal complex as well, so taxi times are 1520 minutes. Thus, it is primarily used for long-haul early arrivals resulting from tailwinds.
Note that there are three runways aligned in the prevailing wind direction, and three others
in the alternate direction. Also, the CR pairs (09/27 and 18L/36R, 06/24 and 18L/36R) don't
intersect near the middle for at least one of the runways in each pair. This allows LAHSO
(Land-and-Hold-Short Operations).
What is LAHSO? Let's say 09 (i.e. 09/27 operated in the East-to-West direction) was being
used for takeoffs and 36R (i.e. 18L/36R operated in South-to-North direction) for landings
exclusively. All the airplanes touching down on 36R would be instructed to complete their
braking and turn left into the main terminal complex before the intersection with 09/27. That

way, airplanes taking off from 09 do not have to wait until the airplane arriving on 36R at the
same time has crossed the intersection before commencing the takeoff roll. This improves
throughput and reduces delays. Also, the fact that the intersection is in the middle of 09/27
but at the end of 36R, means that aircraft landing on 36R do not have to worry about
potentially crashing into aircraft taking off from 09 or 27 in case of missed approach,
because the intersecting aircraft would still be on the takeoff roll on the ground in the middle
of 09/27, while the missed approach aircraft on 36R would have already left the ground,
giving it vertical separation from the 09/27 stream of departures.
Alternatively, let's say 27 was used for arrivals. This would allow uninhibited takeoffs from
18L after the intersection point, which is not a bad tradeoff actually. You lose 10-15% of the
available runway length on 18L, but with much higher throughput because you don't have to
worry about waiting for arrivals to cross the intersection before you start the takeoff roll (the
intersection being behind the departing aircraft on 18L). And since most runways are
designed with the upper limit in mind, e.g. what length would a fully loaded 747 require on
takeoff on a hot day, it is perfectly okay to trade 15% of that 11,155 ft length of 18L for A320
or 737 takeoffs (that only require 6,000-7,000 ft anyway) for much lower taxi-out delays due
to increased throughput. In addition, any potential missed approaches on 27 would not
encounter problems with the 18C/36C traffic stream, because the projected intersection
point between 18C/36C and 09/27 occurs near the middle of 18C/36C and beyond the end
of 27, allowing for vertical separation between the two streams.
You can extend the same operational considerations when considering the 06/24 and
18L/36R CR pair. The point is that, for large, complex hub airports with large amount of
traffic, the runway layout will reflect the operational history and expectations of ATC, and
what would be the easiest to manage while maintaining safety standards and minimizing
delays as much as possible.
Now let's look at a simpler configuration:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport

Great! No intersections - just five parallel runways, with one SI and two CSP pairs. This
allows nearly independent operations on the SI, the south CSP, and the north CSP pair. The
inner CSP runways (08R/26L and 09L/27R) are used for most takeoffs, and the outer ones
(08L/26R and 09R/27L) are used for most landings, while the lone 10/28 is in mixed use cargo takeoffs and early long-haul arrivals (long taxi-in time after touchdown), along with
occasional arrivals from Miami/Orlando, due to its relative proximity to the southern
approach fix.
Note that the runways normally allotted for takeoffs are longer than those allotted for
arrivals. In a CSP pair, it is easier and more efficient to manage simultaneous arrival on one
runway and departure on another, rather than simultaneous departures or arrivals on both,
or mixed use on both.
Why would the inner runways be used for departures and the outer ones for arrivals? There
are two reasons. The first is historical. Back in the day before GPS and advanced collisionavoidance technologies and systems, it was considered safer for approaching aircraft to be

as far away from the terminal and tower as possible, since the riskiest phase of a flight (as
any pilot will tell you) is landing.
The other reason is congestion and efficiency-related. By having the departure runways next
to the terminal, ATC can line up all departing aircraft during peak periods in the parallel
taxiway next to the terminal and clear them for takeoff one after the other without
considering the status of arriving aircraft. Arriving aircraft do have to cross the departure
runways upon landing, but that is not a major issue because they can be bunched 2-3 at a
time and pushed through the small windows of opportunity between takeoffs. (This issue is
circumvented by end-around taxiways, which you can see between 8L and 8R in the
diagram above.)
The goal is to trade off departure congestion for arrival congestion, because departing
aircraft are heavier (fuel-loaded) and therefore burn more fuel on the ground compared to
an aircraft that has just landed, with fuel tanks nearly empty. From the airport operator and
ATC perspective, the gate and ramp areas are usually the most congested part of surface
operations, so it makes sense to "push out" departures as quickly as possible away from the
gate area and "resist" incoming arrivals into the gate area. This also gives ground staff more
flexibility to prepare the gates for next arrival, and more room to maneuver the assorted
baggage carts, fuel/catering trucks and other ground vehicles in a less congested ramp
environment.
In general, the trend over the decades has been to favor simpler runway configurations, one
which maximizes throughput and minimizes surface delays at the expense of wind/weather
operational flexibility.
Compare Boston and Chicago O'Hare airports that grew out from WWII airfields...

...with newer airports such as Tokyo Narita or Dubai World Central and you will see the
difference. (O'Hare, as you can see above, is reorganizing its runway structure to reflect this
new philosophy.)
Well, I hope that was informative and interesting. If you want to learn more, there are books
and courses in Airport Operations Management. Have a nice day!
Written 8 Jun View Upvotes

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