OpenGeofiction
So I’ve redone my airport here. https://opengeofiction.net/#map=14/-27.8422/118.6417
I removed those oversized rectangular terminals and put in more realistic looking ones. Next, I reconfigured the taxiways to make it look more realistic (no more triangles).
There is a lot of open space within the airport that I don’t know what to do with, though. Any feedback would be nice.
Discussion
Comment from varnel_maiser on 23 July 2018 at 02:11
Well maybe the space on the outside can be reserved as a security area around the airport. In many real world airports, there is quite a bit of space around the runways and airport. Im not really sure why though…
Thanks
Comment from andrepoiy on 23 July 2018 at 02:17
Probably because real estate right next to runways is especially worthless. But usually, areas near airports are mostly industrial space.
However, there’s a ton of space within the airport that I don’t know what to insert. I already have cargo terminals there.
Comment from varnel_maiser on 23 July 2018 at 02:33
For the Dallas Fort Worth Airport, the centre of the airport area is the airport itself, but seeing as your runways totally enclose the empty area, I don’t think that’s possible. It’s the same for London Heathrow.
Airport in OSM osm.org/#map=13/32.8998/-97.0422
Tokyo Haneda, in a similar situation, does something interesting and puts a terminal in the centre and connects it through a tunnel that goes under the runways.
Airport in OSM osm.org/#map=14/35.5516/139.7807
Maybe a fire station or other administrative buildings like the ATC Tower can go in the middle.
Thanks
Comment from andrepoiy on 23 July 2018 at 02:35
ATC’s in the middle. Emergency Services will be in the middle too. Still, there’s a lot of space. I think I should just put hangars and terminals that airlines own? WestJet has a hangar in the middle of Pearson.
Comment from andrepoiy on 23 July 2018 at 02:37
Person’s also got de-icing pads in the middle of the airport… but I don’t really need that…
Comment from varnel_maiser on 23 July 2018 at 02:54
Amenities for the planes? Like fuel tanks, or generators?
Comment from andrepoiy on 23 July 2018 at 03:01
I’m quite sure putting fuel tanks in the middle of an airport would be quite disastrous… (plane crashes, support vehicles crashes)
Comment from chazeltine on 23 July 2018 at 03:07
Unless Molento, Capitalia is a major global destination and/or serves as the hub for several major airlines, I think five runways is a bit much, especially with a second major airport maybe a fifteen minute drive away. Think of the astronomical maintenance costs the airport would have to cover. Even Dubai International Airport (one of the busiest airports by international passenger movements) gets by with two runways.
I understand that your country loves laissez-faire capitalism, but I doubt there would be any entrepreneurs willing to build an airport of the size you have now. Remember that under capitalism, efficiency is key, and that means doing more with less. As far as airports are concerned, I would expect to see a well-designed terminal and taxiway system to ensure that airports can operate at their maximum capacity (i.e. planes should spend as little time as possible on the runway, and runways should be well-connected to the terminals so that more planes can use the runway per hour). Runways are rather expensive to build and should be built as a last option.
I’d also say your runways should be oriented north-south (or northeast-southwest) since that’s the direction the ocean/land breezes will blow.
Comment from andrepoiy on 23 July 2018 at 03:20
I hope it would be a major destination…
If you’re talking about Montgomery’s airport, that would only serve domestic flights with a few international flights to neighbouring countries.
About the cost - I was thinking that the government would have financed a large amount of the airport because Molento was the former capital of Capitalia. The extra runways would be strategic (for military purposes).
Comment from chazeltine on 23 July 2018 at 03:45
Maybe your mapping philosophy is different, but mine is “build the city first, and add infrastructure as necessary.” A bunch of highways and big airports does not make a city a major destination. At the very least, it points to government mismanagement of taxpayer funds. The big question I have about Molento is why people want to visit it. What makes the city vibrant? Is it the golf courses? Is it the zoo? Is there some major university that conducts cutting-edge research? Is it the resort hotels that line the beach? Is it a finance center? What I’m saying is I can’t tell if Molento is a city full of things to do (in which case the airport may be justified) or if it is a victim of a government building a lot of roads to nowhere (in which case the airport is most likely a symbol of government excess).
I was referring to Molento Island Intl. Airport. And since you mention Montgomery, why not have all airlines fly into Molento Intl. instead, and create an excellent transit system to get travelers from the airport to their local destinations?
Your military already has an airfield north of Molento’s downtown. Building extra runways at Molento Intl. for purely military purposes sounds like a massive waste of taxpayer money to me.
Comment from Sarepava on 23 July 2018 at 08:09
What else does this airport need? A second terminal would seem the only way to justify the huge number of runways. Terminals these days seem to resemble shopping malls with air travel as an afterthought, so a large retail area. A fire station and control tower, and also maintenance hangers big enough to hold whole aircraft.
Agree that there are too many runways. The northernmost one creates a particular problem as it is too close to the terminal and also forces aircraft over the docks, where the are going to be high cranes. As others have said, it’s a huge waste of money to be building crosswind runways that will hardly get used, and takes up space that could hold a more profitable structure.
Aeroplanes need gentle turning radiuses, so where your taxiways join runways or each other, create curved sections, not right angles.
Where the ends of runways are very close to runways crossing them, it creates issues with holding points and queuing aircraft. Aircraft require explicit ATC clearance to cross or enter any runway (even if not in use, one could be opened at a moment’s notice for an emergency landing or if the wind changes). You should either bring the runways into a tighter grid so that the ends are further apart, or else build taxiways that go beyond the ends and loop back round to allow a holding position just before entering the active runways.
Comment from andrepoiy on 23 July 2018 at 17:37
Molento Island Airport would be mostly for general aviation and a few flights to other places. No jets can land at the airport because of the short runways, and that it’s right downtown.
About the highways and roads - I just haven’t mapped much of the small stuff yet.
Creating an excellent transit system would not very characteristic of a typical North American city…
As for the orientation of the airport, I’ll rotate the whole thing. I will also adjust the runways when I get home. Thanks for the feedback.