Airport gears up for aviation boom

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Perhaps the most significant recent upgrade is the new runway, which allows larger aircraft to make use of the world class facilities on offer.

"Lanseria's new runway, which is more than three kilometres long and 45 metres wide in comparison to its old runway that was only 30 metres in width, will both prolong the life of the airport and open it up to new and expanded business opportunities," says Sayce.

"We are constantly upgrading and extending facilities as our business grows."

The new runway has full night operations with 24-hour apron services and navigation aids that include an instrument landing system which is currently being installed; Doppler VOR; nondirectional beacon; and distance measuring equipment.

Airport access and successful approach and landing in adverse meteorological conditions is of paramount importance to all the airport's customers, says Sayce.

"For example, we have new generation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) approaches to allow for enhanced access even when terrestrial infrastructure may fail. The new Advanced Required Navigation Performance (A-RNP) for runway 25 is in the final stages of the design and approval phases.

"GNSS is often the preferred option of many pilots to fly due to its ease of operations and associated safety margins being very high. The specific options selected to be the most appropriate for Lanseria are such that sophistication of aircraft and onerous pilots qualifications are not restricting factors.

"This allows for a large percentage of the aircraft population of the South African and African registers to operate safely and predictably from Lanseria. We consider this to be a crucial business sustainability element for both the airport and its clients."

Furthermore, Sayce says Lanseria will be the first airport in SA to have the A-RNP flight procedure. "The A-RNP allows for high access levels when the new runway is in use despite prevailing meteorological conditions," he says.

Lanseria also now has a second parallel air route to Cape Town resulting in even fewer delays, fuel savings, optimum flight trajectories and a reduced carbon footprint.

Sayce says the new runway is a timeous development as the growing worldwide demand for commercial air transportation - which is detailed in Airbus' 20-year Global Market Forecast - will continue to drive the airline industry toward larger, more efficient and operationally effective aircraft.

Airbus' 2013-2032 Global Market Forecast says the acquisition of larger aircraft not only allows airlines to carry more passengers on a given flight, but also helps reduce fuel burn and cost per seat. In addition, airlines are upgauging aircraft in their existing backlogs and adding seats to cabin configurations.

As aviation becomes increasingly accessible worldwide, future journeys will increasingly be made by air, particularly to and from emerging markets, according to the forecast.

Economic growth, growing middle classes, affordability, ease of travel, urbanisation, tourism and migration are some factors increasing connectivity between people and regions and how often they travel. Ever-expanding urbanisation will lead to a doubling of mega cities from 42 in 2013 to 89 by 2032, and 99% of the world's long-haul traffic will be between or through these mega cities.

Airbus' forecast says the average size of aircraft has grown by about 25% worldwide in the past 20 years. This trend is expected to continue because of air traffic growth and the constraints on aircraft movements - particularly at airports. Larger aircraft combined with higher load factors make the most efficient use of limited slots and contribute to rising passenger numbers.

Another air-travel trend, according to the International Air Transport Association, is that technology is making it possible to improve the passenger experience and to reduce costs in the face of rising passenger numbers and more onerous security requirements.

Technology is also helping the industry to meet the growing expectations of travellers accustomed to having more control in other areas of their lives through amenities such as e-commerce and self-service banking. Sayce says this trend is reflected in Lanseria's self-service check-in kiosks, quick baggage collections, spacious terminal buildings, ample parking space and fast "drop-and-go" facilities.

"We are confident the airport has huge potential with the growth of the aviation industry in Africa, both in passenger numbers and cargo volumes."

Source: Business Day