What does the airport consist of? City within a city: how a passenger airport works

26.03.2020

No room for error - this is how you can briefly describe the work of, if not the airport itself, then one of the most dangerous and complex airports in the world, which is located in the Himalayas. No second approaches, no rolling out of the runway - something went wrong, and we have 15-18 corpses. A short run-up, lifting off the edge of a precipice, braking in front of a steep wall, a take-off angle of 12 degrees - all these are features of the Tenzing and Hillary airport in Lukla.

Shall we fly?

Read below for more details on how everything works there!

High, high in the mountains...

At the time of the first climbers of Everest, it took 3 weeks to get to Lukla, a small village at an altitude of 2860 meters, from Kathmandu on foot. All the loads, naturally, were carried by porters. Expeditions to Everest dragged on for many months. The first conqueror of the highest peak on the planet, Edmund Hillary, thanked these lands by creating a foundation, with the help of which he began to develop mountain Nepal. Bridges were built over rivers, hospitals and schools were built in villages, mountain trails. Construction material had to be brought here somehow, so in 1964, a gravel runway was poured in the most flat and suitable place, which began to accept light aircraft from Kathmandu. In 2001, the gravel was filled with bitumen, asphalt was laid on top and a new terminal building was built. And the airport itself was renamed from “Lukla” to “Tenzing and Hillary”.

What is the extreme nature of this airport, which is talked and written about everywhere? It's simple: imagine that you need to land a plane with 18 passengers on the deck of an aircraft carrier, on one side of which there is a 700-meter abyss with a river at the bottom, and on the other there is a sheer wall of a “four-thousander”. And between them there are only 527 meters. Introduced? Now complete the picture with the fact that this aircraft carrier is sinking, and its stern has risen 60 meters above the bow. Yes, yes, this is exactly the height difference between the ends of the runway - as much as 12%. Watching the planes take off from the terminal window, it seems that they are going straight to the Underworld.

But, no: a few more seconds, and they again appear to the eye, soaring into the sky over the abyss.

The ends of the runway are numbered: 24 - for takeoff, 6 - for landing, so that, God forbid, you don’t get confused. The slope of the runway is made specifically to facilitate takeoff and landing. When you take off, you roll downhill and pick up additional speed; when you land, you drive uphill and brake.

No navigation or landing assistance systems work here. Well, except for radio communication with the dispatcher. Pilots perform all takeoffs and landings exclusively visually. Without the right to make a mistake, which, as we know, the mountains do not forgive. Approach to runway blocked high mountains, so it’s extremely difficult to turn around here. And after crossing the Dudh Kosi River at the bottom of the gorge, it is completely impossible to do any maneuvers, such as a second approach - land or die. According to the observations of tourists who are in flight close to the open cockpit, before landing, pilots pray - they put their hand to their lips, to their heads and to the instrument panel.

Disasters

Surely you will ask about “construction accidents”. Of course they were, and more than once. Mostly, accidents with casualties occur during landing - either from a strong impact on the take-off, or from hitting a rock. This happened in 1991 (14 people died), 2004 (3 people), 2008 (18 people) and 2017 (1 person). There were also crashes on takeoff: in 1973, 1992 and 2005. But then there were no casualties - there was damage to the hull or landing gear of the aircraft, with its subsequent write-off. The fact that not everything is so simple at this airport is evidenced by the airplane doors that locals use to enclose their garden plots.

Another major disaster in 2010, in which 14 people died, did not occur in Lukla itself, but through its “fault.” The plane, which took off from Kathmandu, turned back due to unfavorable weather conditions in Lukla and, due to a generator failure, crashed 24 kilometers south of Kathmandu.

Are you scared? But you did not take into account that all these disasters occurred during the 54 years of operation of the airport! Such a low accident rate is explained by the high skill of the pilots performing regular flights from Kathmandu to Lukla. And per year, these flights transport about 25,000 tourists going to or to Everest.

Landing at Lukla airport is not for the faint of heart. On the Internet you can find a lot of videos in which screams of fear can be heard at the moment the chassis touches the runway. Including men's.

“Girl, when is the next plane to Kathmandu?”

Tenzing and Hillary Airport accepts flights only during daylight hours from 6:30 to 15:30. But don’t think that it works according to a schedule. As I already said, takeoff and landing are carried out only visually, so in bad conditions weather conditions flights are stopped. Sometimes tourists can sit in Lukla for a week, waiting for the blue sky above their heads. Housing prices skyrocket at this time, people lose tickets for flights from Kathmandu to their home, are late for work, pray to the gods and weather sites. But when a weather window opens and flights resume, it takes another couple of days to get the crowd out of here. They make lists, schedules, everyone swears, screams, and cries.

You can, of course, spit on everything and buy a helicopter ticket to Kathmandu for $500, which is 3 times more expensive than a ticket on the plane. "Turntables" also fly in bad weather conditions, except for heavy fog. In Kathmandu, you will be refunded for your air ticket, thereby somehow reimbursing the costs. There is another option to get from Lukla to civilization - walk in 3-4 days to the nearest town (Jiri, Phaplu or Salleri), from where you can leave by land transport. But this path is not easy, given the general fatigue after the Everest trek. We were supposed to return to Phaplu (where we came from) on foot, but decided against it after buying plane tickets.

Advice for those leaving: have a spare $400-500 with you and budget an extra 2-3 days for the trip. And do not take tickets from Kathmandu right next to your arrival from Lukla. Even in good weather, you can sit for a day waiting for your flight, as we did. We were supposed to take off at 9 o'clock, but in fact it turned out only at 13 o'clock - the flights were delayed due to the high load of Kathmandu airport.

Airplanes first!

The Kathmandu-Lukla route is operated by four airlines: Sita Air, Nepal Airlines, Tara Airlines, and Yeti Airlines. Their offices are in Lukla - you can buy tickets there too. In some localities, like Namche Bazaar, there are agencies that can buy you tickets over the phone for a small commission. One-way ticket costs $170. If there are a lot of you, they may give you a group discount.

Only planes with short take-off and landing can land and take off in Lukla. For example, the German Dornier 228 and the Canadian DHC-6 Twin Otter. Dornier is easily recognized by its long nose, which houses an additional luggage compartment. The planes are not new, but they are maintained in good condition, otherwise accidents can create a bad reputation, which will kill the entire economy of these places.

The carrying capacity of these aircraft is 1.5-2 tons. And they take 20 people on board using a passport. It is easy to calculate how much cargo each passenger can take with them by dividing 2 tons by 20 and subtracting the result by the average weight of a person in clothes and with hand luggage. The resulting 20-30 kilograms are completely useless, because to climb you need to carry a large number of equipment. The overload for such an aircraft is very sensitive - because of it, a plane carrying tourists just recently crashed on takeoff in Kathmandu. Therefore, the number of passengers is now limited to 15-18 passengers.

The ticket price includes 10 kg of cargo and 2-3 kg of hand luggage. If the weight of luggage is checked, then hand luggage are often ignored.

Terminal

The airport terminal is a small room in which there are constantly crowds of people, noise, din and crush. Companies require you to arrive for check-in an hour in advance, but do not promise you a timely departure. If a flight is delayed, then people accumulate in one room for several flights ahead.

Luggage is weighed and picked up by baggage handlers, lowering bags and backpacks down a metal slide into carts. And passengers with hand luggage undergo separate controls for women and men - a metal detector frame and a quick pat down.

The "clean zone" is located on the first floor of the terminal and it is very cold there. If you sit for several hours waiting for a flight, you can freeze thoroughly. Therefore, it would be best to take a couple of warm clothes with you.

There is a buffet where you can refresh yourself with chips, candy bars and fruit.

IN good weather Disembarkation and embarkation of passengers occurs instantly, without interruptions for refueling and maintenance. The plane landed, entered the “pocket”, drove up to the terminal, unloaded people, unloaded luggage, and now there was a new queue for loading next to it.

While the passengers are seated, the next plane arrives, taxis and stands behind the first. And he is already starting to taxi onto the runway. And so in a circle, like a carousel.

It happens that a “cargo” flight arrives, filled to the brim with boxes of canned Everest beer and bottles of water, Fanta, Cola and Sprite. From here this valuable cargo begins its multi-day journey on mules and yaks to the very foot of the Mountain.

We were just on such a flight, waiting for it to be unloaded.

The cabin of the plane is quite cramped - you can’t take large bags there, as there is simply nowhere to put them. You can only hold everything you own on your knees.

Even in this small plane There is a flight attendant who invites you to board, checks your seat belts and sometimes gives you ear swabs to prevent you from going deaf from the noise of the engines.

Go!

And now the plane stands at the “24” mark, the engines go to full speed.

The plane rolls, accelerates and breaks away from the runway at the very edge of the abyss. Breathtaking!

The grimy windows offer stunning views of forested mountains and snow-capped peaks.

If you want to see Everest, you need to sit on the right side when flying from Lukla and on the left when flying from Kathmandu.

But even if you don’t see Everest, looking at the terraces is already an aesthetic pleasure :)

Flight time is only 45 minutes. All this time the plane flies at low altitude, flying around large accumulations of clouds - an amazing sight!

In Kathmandu you arrive at the terminal for domestic flights. What’s going on here at baggage claim is beyond words! You need to make your way through the crowd, look for your bags and shout, pointing at them. And then go back with them, holding the luggage above your head.

But despite all the difficulties and fears, flying to Lukla by plane or back - good opportunity see Kathmandu from above, and this is practically a separate point in the program of getting to know Nepal.

The airport is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. This is a complex of buildings that was built according to a special scheme.

What, besides the runway and terminal, is there at the airport?

First of all, the main component of the airport is the airfield, from where aircraft depart and arrive. In turn, the airfield consists of an airfield. To make it clearer, these are take-off and landing strips, taxiways and apron. There are also services on the airfield that control traffic. air transport.

The second component of the complex of structures is the passenger terminal. IN major cities it can be very large with more than one air terminal where passenger services are carried out. At the airport terminal there is most of structures. It is in the passenger terminal that the following are located:

Representative offices of various airlines;

A service that organizes passenger transportation;

All kinds of security services;

Luggage storage areas;

Immigration, Customs and Border Protection;

Places for passengers to relax and have a good time (shops, cafes, bookstores, entertainment rooms for children, mother and child rooms, and so on).

The third component of the airport is the cargo complex, where loading on board air transport is carried out. various cargo and mail. On the territory of the cargo complex there are covered storage facilities, as well as means by which the delivery, loading and unloading of goods, things, and mail is carried out.

Additional facilities at the airport

An integral part of the airport is the control tower, from where all aircraft operations are monitored. If the airport is of impressive size, in addition to the tower, control towers are installed, each of which is assigned its own area of responsibility. Also the most important component is the electrical and radio technical support service for flights, from where the dispatcher contacts the pilots and controls each aircraft that has taken off from their airport and which must land on their territory.

So, all components of the airport complexes are listed. But every airport is unique structure, therefore, in addition to the above-mentioned facilities, there may be other facilities on the airport premises that are intended for passengers to have a pleasant time while waiting for their flight.

An airport as a complex of buildings and structures includes: an airfield designed to: provide takeoffs, landings, taxiing, parking and maintenance aircraft; service and technical territory (STT), intended :-, for the location of buildings and structures for servicing passenger, cargo and postal transportation, aircraft maintenance, aviation fuel supply facilities, control room buildings with an antenna field and industrial buildings and structures for auxiliary purposes, territories of separate control structures air traffic, radio navigation and landing, treatment and water intake facilities, fuel and lubricant warehouses, etc.

Service and technical territory (CTT)- part of the airport territory where buildings and structures are located, intended for performing technological operations related to servicing passenger, cargo and postal transportation, and performing certain types of aircraft maintenance. The airport's STT also houses buildings and structures for auxiliary purposes (airport and aviation control building, dispensary, airfield service base, special motor depot, etc.).

Airport area- the area adjacent to the airfield over which aircraft are maneuvering in the airspace. Air space over the airfield and the surrounding area within established boundaries is called the airfield area.

Some airport facilities and equipment are located separately, outside its territory, but can conditionally be classified as an airfield or STT. Such structures include; for example, some radio navigation, landing and air traffic control (ATC) facilities, transshipment warehouses for fuels and lubricants (fuels and lubricants), etc.

An airport as an air transport enterprise is a single technological complex, including buildings and structures for primary production and auxiliary purposes, as well as utility networks and structures.

The operating technology of the airport and its individual buildings and structures ensures:

ü servicing passenger, freight and postal transportation;

ü performing special aviation work,

ü operation of aircraft;

ü creating conditions for the safe, environmentally efficient and harmonious, in terms of environmental and sanitary standards, implementation of all technological processes;

ü creation of socially normal conditions for the stay of passengers at the airport, including for the disabled and elderly;

ü reducing the time spent at the airport for passengers, cargo, mail and luggage;

ü creating maximum opportunities for airport staff and its services to ensure the implementation of technological processes;

ü possibility of accommodation; operation and maintenance of high-performance technological equipment, means of mechanization and automation of technological processes;

ü technological and organizational interaction of individual airport services;

ü the ability to organize and carry out measures for civil defense and prevention of the consequences of emergency situations;

ü safe working conditions for airport personnel.

Airport master plan

The airport master plan represents a comprehensive solution to the issues of planning and landscaping the territory, placing on it the necessary buildings and structures, air traffic control facilities, radio navigation and aircraft landing, as well as transport communications and engineering networks that ensure the safety and regularity of air transport. The complex of buildings and structures of the airport is depicted graphically on a drawing on a set scale and taking into account certain requirements, representing a diagram of the general plan (general plan) of the airport.

When developing and approving a master plan for the construction, reconstruction of an airport or its individual structures, a number of regulatory requirements are met. The main documents defining these requirements are the Federal Aviation Regulations. "Technological design and construction of airports civil aviation" and "Technological design and construction of civil aviation airfields."

The airport master plan must provide:

ü sufficient dimensions for the location of the airfield, STT, separate buildings and structures of air traffic control, radio navigation and landing, fuel and lubricants warehouses, central control systems and other buildings and structures, taking into account the prospects for their development;

ü transport communications, convenient for transporting passengers and goods between cities and settlements, which are served by this airport, taking into account the prospects for their development;

ü requirements for the airfield area in terms of obtaining data on the height and location of obstacles of high-rise objects that may pose a danger; for flights in the airfield area, and to areas that provide the required distance between individual airfields, the airfield and residential areas;

ü security requirements environment, including permissible levels of noise impact from aircraft on residential areas, microwave exposure from radio equipment, maximum concentrations of harmful emissions into the atmosphere, soil and water bodies

The general plan indicates the boundaries of the functional zones of the main elements of the airport: the airfield and the STT. The boundaries of the airfield are represented by lines; spaced from the airstrip at a distance that ensures the height of the airport fence complies with the current requirements for limiting the heights of obstacles and spaced at a distance that ensures the placement of drainage ditches and patrol roads between the airstrip and the airport fence. The boundary of the STT is represented along the line of the designed fencing of buildings and structures located along the perimeter of the STT, with the exception of the side adjacent to the airfield.

The master plan should reflect the development of the airport for the long term (usually 20 years), highlighting, if necessary, the order of construction of facilities.

The master plan must ensure the unity of technological and planning solutions for the airfield and the service and technical territory.

The placement of airport buildings and structures on the general plan is carried out depending on the location of the runways, the nature of the STT development, access from the city, the layout of intra-port roads, driveways, squares and features of the natural conditions of the site, taking into account architectural, planning, fire, environmental and sanitary standards, ensuring the improvement of the building site.

The airport master plan is developed on the basis of a situational plan of the area, taking into account the development of adjacent territories.

"Aerodrome- a plot of land or water surface with buildings, structures and equipment located on it, intended for take-off, landing, taxiing and storage of aircraft” (VK RF). Some types of ground services for passengers (boarding, disembarking, transporting passengers) are carried out within the airfield; technological operations (loading, unloading, transportation) of cargo, mail, luggage, passengers, as well as some types of BC technical maintenance.

Civil aviation airports are divided into:

- by type of runway surface - to airfields with artificial turf (RWPP), unpaved airfields (GWPP), hydroairfields, snow and ice;

- by nature of use- for permanent and temporary, daytime and round-the-clock action;

- by appointment- for highway, factory, training and aerial work;

- by location and use by crews when flying along routes- for base, intermediate, departure, destination and spare;

- by height above sea level and relief characteristics- on mountain and plain;

- on approval for operation according to landing minimums- categorized and uncategorized.

Depending on the length of the runway and the load-bearing capacity of the coatings, airfields are divided into classes: A, B, C, D, D and E.

At classified aerodromes, a reserve runway must be prepared and constantly maintained in operational readiness for take-off and landing of aircraft.

If there are two or more runways at an airfield, and also if the airfield with a runway is located in cramped conditions (difficult terrain, etc.), for emergency landing aircraft, a BFS prepared as a runway can be used.

Aerodromes with runways smaller than Class E airfields are classified as unclassified airfields.

For occasional, seasonal flights, in addition to airfields, landing sites can be used, the dimensions of which ensure the safe takeoff and landing of an aircraft of the appropriate type.

How the airport works from a passenger's point of view aslan wrote in February 21st, 2015

If you have ever flown on an airplane, you have been at the airport, sat in the waiting room, ate buns in a local cafe... but have you ever been in a separate business aviation terminal, from where oligarchs fly off on private planes?

You can get to the Airport either by car:

Or come by train:

Upon entering the terminal building, you find yourself in the central hall:

If you arrived early and check-in for your flight has not yet begun, you can sit in one of the waiting rooms:

A team of doctors is on duty at the airport around the clock, ready to provide medical care(I filmed here at 5 am):

If you are traveling with a child, then it is best for you to wait in the mother and child room. It is spacious and the sofas are comfortable:

10.

Many passengers choose to wrap their luggage in film in an attempt to keep it clean:

11.

You can either register yourself using the machines:

12.

Or go to the counter where airport and airline staff will meet you:

13.

You can only carry hand luggage on the plane. Basic luggage must be checked in. A special tag will be placed on it and sent to the luggage compartment. I already wrote about what happens to the suitcase in it in the article:

14.

Oversized (large) or fragile luggage is checked at a separate counter:

15.

If you are late at the airport and check-in for your flight has already been completed, but the plane has not yet departed, you can check in through the late passenger check-in desk:

16.

After checking in, you will have to go through a security check area:

17.

18.

19.

If employees have any doubts, they can invite a dog handler with a dog:

20.

21.

If you have a few minutes before boarding the plane, you can use the Internet:

22.

Watch a movie in a special DVD bar:

23.

Go shopping:

24.

Or sit in a cafe:

25.

At the appointed time, you will board the plane, where you will be met by flight attendants:

26.

If for any reason your flight is canceled or delayed, then you can use the services of Airhotel. The reception desk is located right at the airport:

27.

28.

Business class passengers are checked in at a separate counter (see main photo) and invited to the business lounge:

29.

Usually, in such halls you can have a free snack, drink and drink:

30.

Almost any airport also provides additional service VIP escort:

31.

In this case, you will not register with everyone else, but inside the “Hall for Officials and Delegations”. They will ask you to sit down in a chair, take your documents and register you without your participation:

32.

Unlike the business lounge, food and drinks here are paid:

33.

Personal searches are carried out in the same way as in the general hall. No concessions. But they take you to the plane at the very last moment, and if it is not at the jet bridge, then they take you on a separate bus.

Arriving through the VIP zone is even more pleasant than flying away. You will be met right at the plane's steps and taken to the VIP lounge, where you will wait for a lounge employee to check in for you. passport control and receive your suitcases:

34.

If you don't like the crowds and cramped conditions of regular flights, you can purchase or rent a private jet:

35.

In this case, you will check in for your flight in a separate terminal:

36.

37.

It is more spacious here than in the VIP room, and the furniture is better:

38.

39.

You can get to the Airport either by car:

Or come by train:

Upon entering the terminal building, you find yourself in the central hall:

If you arrived early and check-in for your flight has not yet begun, you can sit in one of the waiting rooms:

A team of doctors is on duty at the airport around the clock, ready to provide medical assistance (I filmed here at 5 am):

If you are traveling with a child, then it is best for you to wait in the mother and child room. It is spacious and the sofas are comfortable:

10.

Many passengers choose to wrap their luggage in film in an attempt to keep it clean:

11.

You can either register yourself using the machines:

12.

Or go to the counter where airport and airline staff will meet you:

13.

14.

Oversized (large) or fragile luggage is checked at a separate counter:

15.

If you are late at the airport and check-in for your flight has already been completed, but the plane has not yet departed, you can check in through the late passenger check-in desk:

16.

After checking in, you will have to go through a security check area:

17.

18.

19.

If employees have any doubts, they can invite a dog handler with a dog:

20.

21.

If you have a few minutes before boarding the plane, you can use the Internet:

22.

Watch a movie in a special DVD bar:

23.

Go shopping:

24.

Or sit in a cafe:

25.

At the appointed time, you will board the plane, where you will be met by flight attendants:

26.

If for any reason your flight is canceled or delayed, then you can use the services of Airhotel. The reception desk is located right at the airport:

27.

28.

Business class passengers are checked in at a separate counter (see main photo) and invited to the business lounge:

29.

Usually, in such halls you can have a free snack, drink and drink:

30.

Almost any airport provides an additional VIP escort service:

31.

32.

Unlike the business lounge, food and drinks here are paid:

33.

Arriving through the VIP zone is even more pleasant than flying away. You will be met right at the plane's steps and taken to the VIP lounge, where you will wait while the lounge employee goes through passport control for you and receives your suitcases:

34.

If you don't like the crowds and cramped conditions of regular flights, you can purchase or rent a private jet:

35.

In this case, you will check in for your flight in a separate terminal:

36.

37.

It is more spacious here than in the VIP room, and the furniture is better:

38.

39.