Infrastructure

Optimising an airport’s assets

Aviation infrastructure underpins everything that happens within an airport’s boundaries. It doesn’t just include runways, link roads and buildings, but also technological systems and networks both in the air and on the ground.

Addressing the issue of infrastructure means looking at a wide range of factors that affect the operation of these assets, for instance:

• Without an effective, well maintained infrastructure you can’t keep pace with capacity or maintain the standards required for the latest legislation.
• Infrastructure is a major investment, but it is also occasional – tending to spike every few years. It’s important to plan for this and maintain a watching brief on what needs updating.
• Infrastructure assets are expensive, so to get maximum value they need to be sweated. This can be difficult in older aviation businesses where assets are duplicated in areas such as ATC, fire stations, airside operations, baggage handling and security.
• Delivering infrastructure changes can cause serious disruption to passengers and the air service. There are often safety and training issues that need addressing.

Understanding how to change

NATS has years of experience in partnering with major infrastructure and construction companies across the world.

We work with ANSPs, airports and other aviation businesses to provide complete solutions that optimise assets. This includes dealing with regulatory standards to save time and ensure the completed project can be integrated quickly and seamlessly into airport operations.

We currently work in the USA with the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to provide technical support to their en route infrastructure. We are also supporting Hong Kong Airport Authority’s plan to build a third runway at Chek Lap Kok Airport, and will be providing airspace and runway alignment design for this project.

To find out more about our projects worldwide, visit our interactive world map.

Where next?