Airport planning and design

Expert knowledge of airport processes for efficient design and development of tailor-made solutions.

Studies and plans

Tailor-made airport solutions; Analysis and critical assessment of the airport to meet functionality, cost and quality

Our services

These studies include master plans and technical feasibility studies for existing and/or new airports.

Aeronautical safety studies

The possible effects of obstacles on aeronautical, operational and radioelectric easements at airports are analysed. Flight procedures are analysed to determine whether the safety and regularity of operations could be affected.

Design of flight procedures and airspace studies

Both for new airports and for airports intending to develop their infrastructure.

Operational safety oversight plans for airport construction sites

AERTEC's extensive experience in the phasing of works and knowledge of the day-to-day operation of airports and the applicable regulations enables it to prepare plans for airport works contractors.

Capacity studies, simulations of aircraft of aircraft and/or passenger flows

Within planning or design projects, using specialised software, benchmarking studies of similar airports and a critical analysis based on AERTEC's extensive experience.

Aircraft Noise Studies (INM, Integrated Noise Model)

Existing and/or foreseeable noise footprints are determined taking into account various factors such as: traffic volume, aircraft mix, flight procedures, schedules, terrain, etc.

Airport certification

AERTEC has extensive experience in advising airports on how to face and pass the certification process, including the implementation process of the operational safety management system (OSMS).

Integrated management of the construction of airport infrastructures

AERTEC is committed to a global and committed solution by offering its clients a comprehensive construction management service (DIC). Its main objective is the management, organisation and optimisation of the resources involved in the construction process, in order to achieve an optimal infrastructure that meets the requirements of functionality, costs, deadlines and quality.

It should be noted that all of the DIC's procedures are integrated into AERTEC's Quality, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety Plan, certified in accordance with the UNE-EN-ISO 9001, UNE-EN-ISO-14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards.

Flying fields

Expertise for the air side

Design of visual aids: beaconing and signposting

Airfield visual aids (AGL) are fundamental to the safety of airport operations. AERTEC's aeronautical and electrical engineers specialised in AGL are familiar with the applicable international standards and offer advice and engineering services for all types of lighting (non-precision approach runways, runways for CAT I, II or III precision approaches).

Their expertise covers not only traditional systems, such as regular tungsten lamps, but also advanced systems using LED and solar solutions, and even state-of-the-art systems such as A-SMGCS or alternative power supply solutions for LGA.

Design of preliminary projects, basic projects and airfield construction projects.

AERTEC has an experienced intellectual capital of aeronautical, civil, electrical, telecommunications, etc. engineers with the technical knowledge and experience necessary to design airfields.

Project planning

System specification (attributes, operation and performance)

Procurement package (documents)

Procurement process (valuation, contracts, etc.)

Deployment (insurance system)

Design of aircraft parking aprons and associated systems

Specialists in the design of aircraft parking aprons and associated systems. Linked to these infrastructures is the design of: pavements, horizontal signage, beaconing, special systems such as docking guides (VDGS), pre-conditioned air (PCA) or ground power supply (GPU), the design of apron lighting and the design of service areas and roads, among others.

Design of instrumental aids: radio equipment

We study the effect of obstacles on radio navigation aids, their ideal location, and the evaluation of the restrictions to operation derived from the critical and sensitive areas defined. We develop studies and strategies for the supply of new equipment: type of equipment, location, supply and installation.

Design and processing of heliports of heliports and helipads

Experts in the design and planning of heliports and helipads. AERTEC designs integrated solutions for private and public clients and associated activities, such as: health and fire emergencies, maintenance, passenger transport, etc.

Airport Infrastructure

We design airport infrastructures and those that, although located outside the airport grounds, are closely related to it. AERTEC's services cover both internal and external infrastructures linked to the airport environment.

Control towers

As an aeronautical engineering company specialising in airport infrastructure, AERTEC is an expert in the design of emblematic airport buildings, including control towers.

His skills and experience enable him to act as lead consultant and engineer in the complete design of a control tower. From its initial planning, establishing its optimal location, height, equipment needs and adaptation to international standards, to the detailed design including the architectural concept and basic design.

Terminal areas

Design of pre-projects, basic and/or construction projects
Design of passenger terminals, including commercial areas and spaces
Charging terminal design
VIP terminal design: general aviation and corporate aviation
Design of accesses, developments and car parks (intermodality)

Ancillary buildings

Design of pre-projects, basic and/or construction projects
Design of electrical networks and electrical substations
Design of emission centres
Design of fire rescue and fire fighting buildings
Hangar design and MRO
Design of fuel plants and distribution systems
Multi-service ship design: security, airlines,
catering, etc.

Airport Architecture

Spaces designed to enhance the passenger experience. Flows should be intuitive, well dimensioned and have a coherent relationship.

In an airport, everything is conceived under aeronautical criteria, from feasibility as an overall system to design and execution. This requires engineers and architects to integrate processes, flows and volumes, creating efficient and functional spaces.

Architecture and engineering coexist in an indispensable balance. A terminal building, for example, must facilitate the flow of intuitive and optimised processes, with spaces that clearly separate functional zones. In an airport, the section guides the entire structure, where human and aeronautical scale converge.

Designing airports involves challenges such as handling large scales, designing adaptable terminals, complying with standards and ensuring efficiency in maintenance.

Passengers perceive comfort and process control through professional design, where architecture plays a key role in enhancing the travel experience.

The design of the airport buildings also presents major challenges:

Handling large scales, which are always difficult to solve from a compositional point of view.
Design buildings that are easily expandable, given that the terminals will have a higher number of passengers in the future than they do today
Comply with current regulations
Efficiency and easy maintenance, given that, due to its scale, consumption and costs are magnified.

We often find that for some passengers, travelling often brings with it tension and anxiety. Not knowing how to move around and what processes to carry out, motivates these feelings. But what happens when the opposite is the case, when faced with the same situations at different airports, what passengers feel is calm and in control of the situation?

This is most likely due to the architecture and the fact that there is a professional behind the design.

Operations for airport planning

Modelling and analysis of all airport processes to predict the most efficient solutions in each past, present or future situation.

When a system reaches a certain level of complexity, such as an airport, analytical calculations may not be efficient, sufficient or even possible. Simulation allows for a detailed analysis, with many interdependencies, processes and input parameters.

Simulation allows us to create models that include dynamic information and interrelationship effects of all airport operations. These are realistic and detailed models of the airport's ground layout to support airport design or air traffic simulation. It is possible to recreate any past, present or future situation, where the outcome of any interaction can be accurately analysed.

For planning:

Better understanding of processes
More reliable planning
Reduced risk in decision-making

For design:

Optimisation of infrastructure capacity
Early detection of design errors
Identification of impediments

For operations:

Increased efficiency of operations
Pre-implementation testing of procedures
Avoidance of trial-and-error in the field
Optimisation of resource allocation

Airspace - Flight procedures (SID, STAR, RNAV-based, etc.). Identification and assessment of possible improvements in airspace capacity.

Airfield - Assessment of the need for and location of new structures such as RET, waiting sidings, connected taxiways, etc. with the aim of improving capacity and eliminating conflict areas.

Platform - Evaluation of different configurations and redeployment of parking stands, ground procedures, taxiing sequences, parking restrictions, etc. The software provides a Gantt chart including the use of parking stands, allowing the determination of critical parameters such as average delays, turnaround times, hourly capacity, etc.