AVIA 5006: Airport Planning - Dalton Airport Relocation Analysis

This report, prepared as a planning consultant for Dalton City Council, addresses the potential relocation of Dalton Airport due to a state government proposal for a hospital on the current airport site. It begins by identifying limitations of the current airport, such as land size and financial constraints, which hinder development. The report then outlines the advantages of the current site, including its topography, accessibility, and lack of nearby airports. It proceeds to specify the characteristics required for a successful new airport site, emphasizing vast airspace, ample land for expansion, proximity to commercial centers, and well-developed infrastructure. The report also discusses deterrents to relocation, such as existing infrastructure and costs, while addressing challenges like overcrowding and security. The conclusion stresses the importance of considering various factors during airport planning, including site suitability and proximity to commercial centers, to ensure the success of aviation services.

Running head: AIRPORT PLANNING
Airport Planning
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Institutional Affiliation
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Introduction
Airport planning refers to the action of planning the infrastructure of airports. The
intentions of airport planning is to ensure maximum usage of both air transport and commercial
activities of the airport. Good planning of the airports is necessary because it reduces the cost of
operations, and also, it is efficient while a bad plan is a risk to aviation services at airport and
also, in the activities of the aviation services. Planning is essential in determining the required
actions and also, in checking the progress of the necessary milestones. In the case of Dalton
Airport, which its operations and ownerships are regulated by Dalton City council serves the
fast-growing population of the Dalton city. Dalton airport requires good planning to ensure
maximization of the provision of both aviation and non-aviation services to the public. This
paper is written to explain the limitations of the Dalton airport, the advantages of the current site
of the airports, the characteristics features of the new region that will make the aviation
successful and also, the factors that prevent the relocation of the Dalton airport.
Limitations of Dalton Airport that Hinders Development of Alternative Airport Site
Several limitations might exist in any given airport site that causes a consultant not to
advise any development of airport site in the same region again. For instance, the land limitation
factor. Holding the assumption that Dalton airport is located in a small land that is not enough for
the vicinity of the planes and also, for the packing facilities of the airports (Atkins,
Berenson,Kolmanovsky & Panagou, 2017). The location of the airport site should be spacious
for the vicinity, and the operations of the aviation services and also should have well spacious
parking for the parking services. Besides, it should allow room for expansion in future
developments plans of the airport. Therefore, the small land of Dalton airport is a limitation to
the development of another airport site.

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Financial constraints is yet another factor that might limit the establishment of an
airport site. Holding the assumption, the Dalton city has a small population, and the demand for
air transport services will not be as high as regions with high population. This will lead to
limitations in the financial sector (Das & Woolsey, 2018). Financial constraints will limit the
expansion of parking supply of the airport. Parking revenue is essential in the evaluation of the
financial operation of the airport and thus it will tend to reduce. This makes Dalton airport not to
be suitable in the development of an alternative airport site.
Besides, holding the assumption that Dalton region is exposed to external policies and
regulations that are related to the usage of land and reduction of employee trip. This will cause a
limitation in the expansion of parking supply, thus making the region not suitable for the airport
site.
Advantages of the Present Dalton Airport Site
The current location of Dalton airport, however, has several advantages that made the
land suitable for the establishment of the airport site. For instance, the topography of the Dalton
airport site (Doman, 2015). The nature of the land at Dalton airport is flat, a feature that enables
the establishment of the runways. The region is not sloppy, thus making it convenient for landing
and taking off of planes. Dalton airport region also lacks obstruction features. The Dalton region
is not characterized by mountains or slopes that slows and complicates the operations of the air
transport services. Also, obstructions limit the operating hour’s planes.
The region at the Dalton Airport is easily accessible to the residents. The advantage of the
site is that it has a well-developed infrastructure that leads to the airport(Iglesias , Diaz & Soliño,
2015). This factor makes the airport to be easily accessed and utilized by the residents of the

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Dalton city. Dalton is linked with the Magna highway road and also, serves the individuals at
the Ashwood School.
Also, lack of other nearby airports in the Dalton region is another advantage of the
Dalton airports site. This is because the availability of other airports limits the airspace available,
thus limiting the operations of the airports. Besides, the high altitude of the Dalton airport is
necessary for the establishment of the longer runways because the density of the air is low
(Jackson, 2016). For example, the altitude of Dalton airport is less than 150 meters and thus
making the region suitable for the establishment of the airport.
The large size of the airport is of advantage to the airport. This is because of the forecast
demand that affects the runways length and also, the terminals of the airport. The large size of
the airport makes it possible for the large planes such as A380 to take off and even, landing.
Attributes of New Sites Required for the Dalton Airport to be Successful
There are specific characteristics of the given airport sites necessary for the success of the
airport operations. The Dalton airport for it to be successful in its operations, it should, therefore,
should be established site with the following features. A site with vast airspace with lead to the
development of large runways and large terminus (Katrakazas, Quddus, Chen & Deka, 2015)).
Long runways enable the landing and taking off of the plan, especially the large aircraft. Large
aircraft has a capacity of carrying many passengers, and this makes the air transportation process.
The presence of the obstacles in the airspace challenges the operations of the airport and thus
makes the operations expensive. The site that is required should be away from any other airport
to ensure there is a lack of congestion in the airspace.
The site chosen should be featured with the large availability of the land. The site should
have land for the future expansion of the parking supply since it is one of the contributors of the

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finances to the airport. The site chosen region should be near commercial centers that offer
added advantage to the number of passengers traveling using air transport services (Kneuper &
CABOS, 2019). For instance, in Australia, civil aviation is a growing business, and it will
demand for expansion of the infrastructure at a particular point of time. Therefore, the site for the
airport should have space to accommodate future growth.
Also, the site chosen should feature with the appropriate location for the site services.
The site services of an airport site include the sewer disposal, supply of water, electricity and
also, gas. The site should be located in a region with well-developed infrastructure to reduce the
costs (Manh, Marty, Bidault, Santo & Fleurey, 2017)). The metrological conditions of the areas
should lack the smog and strong wind to enable smooth movements of the aircraft. The
environment of the site chosen should not be near large water bodies or near a forest that attracts
the birds of the air that might interrupt with the operations of the airports. The presence of the
birds will delay the taking off the aircraft.
Also, the chosen site should be a location where the land is not very expensive due to
financial constraints (Yu, Yanyang, Xiangju, & Liguo, 2019)). The airport cannot drain all their
funds in the constructions of the airport, and thus the entire costs of the construction should be
cost-effective.
Deterrents to Relocation and the Problems that need to be overcome
Dalton Airport site has several factors that prevent the airport from relocating from the
airport site. For instance, the feature of the well-developed infrastructure of the region prevents
the Dalton City Council (DCC) from relocating from the region. Dalton airport has well-
developed terminuses and also, it is located in a region with well-developed infrastructure, thus
making the locals to access the aviation services easily (Sebbane, 2015). . Also, the fact the

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airport is located near commercial centers and the educational system increases the number of
passengers.
In addition, the relocation to the new site increases the construction costs of the new
airport and thus will make the relocation operations much expensive. Another factor that
prevents the relocation of the aircraft is because it is not located to any water body (Wu & Qu,
2015). Also, enough airspace of the airport operations due to lack of nearby water point and a
favoring environment (lack of smog and mist).
Dalton airport faces some challenges such as the long crowds and queues, insecurity
problem, passengers with reduced mobility problems (PRM), among other challenges. The
airport management can, however, address some of the challenges (Pandit, Hasin & Akhtar,
2018). For instance, the issue of long crowds and queues can be overcome by the establishment
of smartphone services through analytical indoor that keeps on the movement and the position of
the passenger. Insecurity problem can be addressed by appropriate indoor positioning. PRM
issue can be solved by appropriate positioning of the wheelchairs.
Conclusion
The airport is essential to transport services in society. The planners of the airport site
should consider factors such as the availability of land, the construction cost, environmental
factors among other factors that are suitable in running operations of the airport during the siting
of the airports. Also, the airports should be located near commercial centers, which is an added
advantage to the airports. Therefore, the planners should site the best region with favorable
conditions before the establishment of an airport.
References

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