The Newark International Airport - Essay Example

The Newark airport (EWR) is spread over 2027 acres of land in Essex County, New Jersey, situated 3 nautical miles S of Newark, NJ. Ownership is publicly owned and managed while the owner is Port Authority Of New York & New Jersey (FAA, 2004). It is open to public and has wind indicator and control tower. The airport is 18.3 feet above sea level. EWR was the region’s first major airport started on October 1, 1928 by the City of Newark on 68 acres of marshland (NLC, n.d.). It soon became the world’s busiest airport. During the World War II, the Army Air Corps operated it. By this time the United States Government had spent $15.1 million apart from $8.2 million spent by the City of Newark on construction and development. It was only in 1948 that the Port Authority took up the responsibility for operation and development. In the 1950’s, the Port Authority added an instrument runway, a terminal building, a control tower and an air cargo center. In 1973 the Central Terminal Area was constructed and opened. Runway 4L-22R was opened in 1970 but was rebuilt and restarted in 1973. The Port Authority Administration Building, the Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant, a Fuel Storage Tank Farm, taxiways and roadways also started operations in 1970s. A two-building maintenance complex housing airport construction and repair equipment, a large runway snow removal and de-icing, and a command center for snow emergencies was constructed in 1989. The first administrative building of Newark Airport was built in 1935, now known as Building 51 (HPO, 2004). When this building was completed, it was the most important airport in the world. In 2000, the Historic Preservation Office, attempted to save this historic building. In late 1990s, when the Port Authority had requested approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to lengthen the main runway at Newark Airport, they ensured that the old Airport Administration Building, which sits at the north end of the main runway would be protected for the future. Unfortunately, with the runway expanded, Building 51 could no more be used for Public service with flights landing and taking off right in front of the office. Because of its historic importance study was conducted to see if this building could be relocated elsewhere within Newark airport. With the support and help of many individuals agencies, this historic building could be relocated and rehabilitated and is now open to visitors at Newark Airport. The last decade brought forth great expansions at the airport as air traffic increased. Between 1948 and 1997, the Port Authority invested more than $1.9 billion in the airport. Currently EWR has spent $3.8 billion on redevelopment program which the extension of the AirTrain system, a second International Arrivals Facility, modernized passenger terminals, improved airport access, additional parking facilities, expanding roadways, and improved runways and taxiways. Constructions of Terminals A and B started in 1967. By August 1973 Terminal A was in operation and Terminal B was in operation by September 1973. Continental Airlines undertook the completion of Terminal C and opened it in May 1988. Each main terminal building is about 800x165 feet. On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco crashed in the fields in Pennsylvania when the passengers took over the plane from the hijackers (Wikipedia). From observation and data available it is believed that the hijackers intended to crash the plane into a target in Washington D.C. In memory of this event the name was changed to Newark Liberty International Airport. ATC Info Newark is one of the three primary airports in the New York Metropolitan area and one of the most delayed airports in United States (Evans & Clarke, 2002). It also had the highest average Air Traffic Control (ATC) departure delay of any airport in the United States, at 19.5 minutes. About 84% of the arrival delays were caused due to weather in 1999. Weather delays are caused by airport sensitivity to adverse weather, the frequency of adverse weather at the airport, the schedule operated by airlines relative to the capacity of the airport, and airspace congestion in the terminal area. The sensitivity to weather is related to runway limitations and limitations in gate space. Newark is the fifth most weather-impacted airport in USA. Newark airport operates within the New York TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach CONtrol) and New York ARTCC (Air Route Traffic Control Center). The primary departure fixes at Newark are used as follows: GAYEL and COATE for North-West bound traffic ELIOT, PARKE, LANNA and BIGGY for traffic to the west, southwest and the south WHITE is generally used for traffic to the South, to Florida, and to Central and South America. GREKI and MERIT are generally used for traffic to the north, and to Europe Restrictions applied include Mile in Trail (MIT) restrictions, approval requests (APREQs), fix closures and ground delay programs (GDPs). Aircrafts may be re-routed in case of severe restrictions. The 325-foot control tower at a cost of $22.4 million was commissioned in May 2003, the fourth in the airport’s history (NLC). Noise level is kept at the optimum level within the prescribed measures. Takeoffs are planned and conducted so that the noise level of 112 PNdB as measured on the ground in the communities underlying the flight path after takeoff does not exceed (Boeing, 2006). All operations are subject to the Air Traffic Control Procedures and Rules and Regulations prescribed by the FAA. These have to be within limits of gross weights for runway lengths, temperature and wind conditions, other safety criteria and governmental specifications. Terminals Newark Airport has three terminals. Terminal A is basically for domestic flights except for Continental which uses Terminal C. Terminal B is for international arrivals. Continental has a hub at Newark and about 55% of its flights are out of Newark. Terminal A has 27 gates while Terminal B has 23 gates. Each branch out into three circular satellite aircraft gate buildings designated as A-1, A-2, A-3 and B-1, B-2, B-3 respectively. Terminals A and B provide flight departure lounges, and airline and passenger service facilities. The lower level is used for operations activities while there is an upper departure level with facilities for airline ticketing. The lower arrival level is used for airline baggage claim and ground transportation. There is another ground level which extends under the arrival and departure roadways and the main building itself. International flights arrive in Terminals A and B but departures take place from Terminal A, B and C. Recently renovated Terminal C uses upper and mid-levels for departures and the lower level for arrivals. Renovations have been done at each of the terminals with improved décor, improved food and beverage counters, retail shops, new baggage handling system, refurbished airline passenger lounges, and new lighting arrangements. Terminal B houses most major airlines’ passenger lounges with improved passenger escalators, revolving doors, fright-sized elevators for smoother handling of luggage and baggage carts to all levels of the terminal. Terminal C has 60 gates and three linear concourses. The Global gateway Project here adds another 1500 passengers per hour arrival capacity. Continental passengers arriving from overseas can connect the domestic flight from this Terminal itself. AirTrain Newark provides service 24 hours per day between Terminals A, B, and C; parking lots P1, P3 and P4; the rental car complex; and the Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station. It runs every few minutes except between midnight and 5am when the frequency is every ten minutes. It connects passengers to NJ Transit and Amtrak Northeast Corridor train lines. Other landside facilities include cargo complex, medical offices, and flight kitchens. Ancillary facilities include a large aviation fuel storage area where approximately 10 million gallons can be stored. It is fed by an underground pipeline. There is an underground fuel distribution system which goes right up to the terminal apron. Aircrafts parked in remote locations are supplied by fuel trucks. The Marriott Corporation has a first class hotel on a 13-acre site in the Central Terminal Area. The ten-storey building has 590 rooms with conference and banquet facilities. International Passenger facility at the premises offers hotel reservations, theater tickets, currency exchange, NJ Lottery tickets, sightseeing, tourism, traveler assistance and other information. The Port Authority administration Building houses most of the Port Authority’s airport staff, including the airport police station and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Fleet. Maintenance Hangars There is an 80,000 square-foot wide-body aircraft hangar located in the North Area and Continental Airlines has constructed another wide-body aircraft maintenance facility hangar, which includes material storage building and an engine build-up shop. The United Airlines cargo facility has 42,000 square-feet of cargo area and 7,300 square-feet of office space. Aircraft parking In preparation for huge early morning departures, large no of aircrafts need to be parked at night which exceeds the number of gates at Newark. In the morning, the aircraft parked at the terminal gates are boarded first then, after their departure, additional aircraft parked in remote public parking areas are towed to the terminal gates and boarded (Eaton, 1996). The airport has eight airport-controlled remote public parking areas. Parking areas are also leased to various carriers like the domestic terminal gates or hanger apron. The growth in airline operations has resulted in demand for overnight aircraft parking. The airport violates the violate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) criteria in parking of aircrafts. Several parking positions are also inconvenient for regular use. Airports are allowed to park on first come first serve basis with no interference from the airport personnel. Sometimes aircrafts have to be squeezed into parking areas or even close active taxiways when the demand is high. December to April the demand is high due to weather conditions and also because of diversion from JFK and La Guardia airports. Newark does not have effective means of managing overnight aircraft parking. Vehicle parking The airport provides over 20000 parking spaces out of which about 3000 are for employees and the rest are public parking specs divided between short-term, daily, economy and long-term passengers (NLC). There is a six-level 3,200-space parking garage at AirTrain Station P4 and a 3,400-space four-level parking garage at Terminal C. Short-term parking lots are most expensive at Newark airport and are premium priced at $3.00 for 30 minutes and $5.00 for two hours (S&T, 2004). These are all color coded are and designated along the airport concourse as Lots A, B, and C. Long-term parking is sign-marked along the airport concourse for Lots P6 and P7. These provide an economical option for those who will be away for an extended period of time. There are three daily parking lots for those who want to park temporarily. It cost $20 a day to park in the daily parking lot, but there is a two-day limit to park in the daily lot. Special parking areas are designated for the disabled travelers. They are offered discount parking of $10 per day. Such cars must have some identification like disability permits or plates displayed on the cars as they enter the parking lot. If the demand for parking exceeds the space available, the cars are re-directed to the off airport parking specialists which operate facilities adjacent to the airport. All major credit cards are accepted for payments apart from cash and discount vouchers. Valet parking is located at Garage 4 and the charges are $36 for the first 24-hour period (PANYNJ, n.d.). Valet parking is just minutes away from Terminals A, B and C. Runways Runway 4R-22L is 9,980-feet long by 150-feet wide, and is used primarily as a landing runway. It is equipped with a Category II Instrument Landing System (ILS) and a 2,400-foot, Category II Approach Lighting System with sequenced flashers (ALSF2). The runway is grooved for improved traction in wet weather. Takeoffs are possible even with visibility as low as one-eight of a mile. Runway 4L-22R is 11,000-feet long by 150-feet wide and is 950-feet west of the parallel Runway 4R-22L. It is equipped with a Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), a Runway End Identifier Light System (REILS) apart from ILS and ALS. Landings on this runway can take place with visibility of one half mile. Visual aids are excellent and the noise effect is minimum. Runway 11-29 is 6,800-feet long and 150-feet wide, and is equipped with centerline and edge lighting. All the runways have grooved traction for wet weather, equipped with an ILS system and Land and Hold Short Operation (LAHSO) lighting. Economic impact on the region EWR contributes $11.3 billion in economic activity to the NY/NJ metropolitan region. This includes $3.3 billion in wages for some 110,000 jobs derived from airport activity. Over 24,000 people are employed directly at the airport. The economic activity continues to grow as Continental Airlines prepare to spend at least $700 million in expansion of facilities at Newark airport and the PANYNJ another $500 million (Njit, n.d.). These would add another 1000 construction jobs at Newark. In addition, good aviation services would contribute to business and job growth in the region. Security system Continental Airlines has a baggage screening enhancement program at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C. The existing CTX baggage-scanning equipment moved behind the ticket counters heightens the efficiency of the screening process. The baggage thus undergoes a higher degree of scrutiny. They also use Computed Tomography (CT) technology to shrink the size and weight of the baggage screening system (PANYNJ, 2005). This leads to an extensive analysis of the contents of the bag. Newark continues to set the standard for security enhancements, both in terms of technology and personnel. There is a 10-year strategic plan and they use innovative and cutting-edge technological enhancements. Through the use of state-of-art technology they will have airside access controls and hardened perimeters. Since 9/11 investments in security enhancements have increased. Expansion Although it has been observed that Newark is one of the fifteen airports that need to expand to meet the passenger growth projections, a spokesman of the Newark Airport said that although the airport has three runways, there is no room for a fourth because of the surrounding highways, waterways and communities (UAS TODAY, 2004). Newark can improve upon efficiency with the existing facilities by encouraging the airlines to increase the number of passengers per aircraft. Newark is considering expanding one of its runways so that business jets could land instead of only general aviation aircraft. Construction for $280 million expansion plan for Terminal B started mid-2005 and is expected to last 5 years (USA TODAY 2004a). This will enable relieve congestion and improve security in the terminal. Currently this terminal is used by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM and Air France, and domestic carriers Delta and Northwest. Ticketing areas will be enlarged and additional security checkpoints created. A third level will be added to increase concourse space. The Port Authority officials project significant growth of when about 45 million passengers are expected to use the three terminals by 2021. This would lead to 700 permanent jobs. State-of-the-art security investment will be made in the terminal. References: Boeing (2006), Newark Liberty International Airport, Airport Noise Regulations, 14 Dec 2006 Eaton, G. S., (1996), Newark International Airport: Overnight Aircraft Parking, 13 Dec 2006 Evans, A. D., & Clarke, J-P., (2002), Responses to Airport Delays – A System Study of Newark International Airport, http://i2i.mit.edu/ess/Documents/Airlines/Unit%203/Airline%20Response.doc> 13 Dec 2006 FAA (2004), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), 13 Dec 2006 HPO (2004), Section 106 Review, 13 Dec 2006 Njit (n.d.), Aircraft Routing Plans - NJIT, 14 Dec 2006 NLC (n.d.), Facts & Information, 14 Dec 2006 PANYNJ (n.d.), Parking Lots & Rates at EWR, 13 Dec 2006 PANYNJ (2005), The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey - Press Release, 14 Dec 2006 S&T (2004), Newark Airport Long Term Parking - discount rates at Newark Liberty Airport - Airport Shuttle, 13 Dec 2006 USA TODAY (2004), Airports need to expand to meet growth projections, 14 Dec 2006 USA TODAY (2004a), Newark airport plans $280 million expansion, 14 Dec 2006 Wikipedia (n.d.), Newark Liberty International Airport, 14 Dec 2006 Read More