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International - July 2008
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Environmental concerns surround UK airport expansion plans
UK airports are scheduled to go through some major expansions over the next few decades. While proponents of the expansion site that it will be necessary to accommodate the increasing number of passengers, environmental groups are concerned with the impact of such expansion.
A report by the government's own environmental advisers has said the proposed expansion of Heathrow and Stansted Airports should be delayed. The report, by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), which advises government ministers on environmental and economic issues, said the economic effects of the proposals had been greatly overstated and the environmental impact of possible developments at the two London airports underestimated.
The SDC went further, saying the data underpinning the government's civil aviation policy outlined in the 2003 Air Transport White Paper—which called for the development of UK airports, specifically those in the south-east including Heathrow and Stansted—was fundamentally flawed. It said the government should re-evaluate its aviation policy, and that an independent commission should be established to handle air transport planning.
The British Airport Authority (BAA), which operates both Heathrow and Stansted, commented that any delay to the expansion plans would damage the economy and cause a "planning blight" for local residents around the airports.
Decisions on the expansion at the two airports are due later this year.
Sources: uk.msn.com; Airport International's London Reporter
Heathrow deploys runway-debris detection technology
The world’s busiest airport, London’s Heathrow, has implemented a new radar system designed to detect debris on runways. The technology has been implemented in effort to improve safety, decrease delays, and improve overall service. What was once done by only a visual scan now is more efficient with the use of technology.
The new system, Tarsier, does not replace the checker patrols, but assists in the inspection by using its radar technology. Previously, checker teams on small, brightly color vehicles, inspected the runway and removed necessary foreign objects and debris (FOD). The teams monitored the runways and communicated with air traffic control, covering as much of the runway as possible between takeoffs.
Tarsier further inspects by comparing a FOD runway to a clear one. The radar identifies the debris, and alerts the airfield operations center. The operator in the control room can use the technology to further inspect the debris and guide the vehicles to remove it.
This system was initially developed to improve safety. The initiative arose from the 2000 Air France Concorde accident caused by a piece of metal debris on the runway.
The system operates 24 hours a day, and experts foresee the system maximizing the use of existing runways, and driving down delays. It is now fully operational at Heathrow’s southern runway and soon will be on the northern side. It is also installed at Vancouver, Dubai International, and Rhode Island airports.
Sources: BBC, webwire.com, spacedaily.com, skycontrol.net
