How Do You Design an Airfield? An Airport Planner Explains | WSJ Booked

Available space, weather and air traffic volume are key factors that go into airfield design. Robert Hoxie, who helped redesign Chicago O’Hare’s airfield, explains how runways are mapped out. Photo Illustration: Adele Morgan/The Wall Street Journal

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#AirportPlanning #ChicagoOHare #WSJ

[Marylandbrony]

Wait a minute this isn’t Wendover productions!

[piotrkol]

I lived in Chicago for 3 years as a kid. For a 12 year old who loved airplanes it was heaven on earth :) When it got dark you could literally see lights of 5-6 planes on the approach path pretty much all the time. Fun times.

[spd_bird]

Would have loved to see discussions of taxiway layouts and terminal design!

[ShaudaySmith]

This is a great companion piece to Wired's Terminal design piece. They both go into the nuances of airport traffic management rather neatly.

[samholland]

thank you.
this was a great video, i was really struggling to build my own airfield but now i can build my own airfield in my backyard.

[dixiesmaster]

It's pretty cool coming to O'Hare on the tollway and seeing 3 planes landing at the same time. Haven't seen 4 yet.

[savagecub]

As the captain for a major airline ORD is pretty high on my list of LEAST favorite airports to fly into. Depending upon your landing runway you could easily spend half an hour just getting to your gate.

[robertcrafton]

I love O'Hare. Glad to see the runway project wrapping up. Now, about expanding those terminals. Good to see that project rolling forward with T5 as a start.

[alipapa]

I watched it. Understood most of it. Now I am ready to plan runways. Who needs one?

[Unknown_Ooh]

This video is super helpful i just moved into a new apartment and planning on putting an airfield in the parking lot and resident courtyard

[tyler]

Hey Wall Street Journal! Overall, this is a great video. However, I was a little bit let down with the production around 6:40. For whatever reason, you guys chose shots of Robert Hoxie’s hands blocking the airport diagram as he is explaining. This was very frustrating for viewers trying to understand the context being communicated.

[BobbyGeneric]

I took an Airport Design class in college... Fascinating how they determine everything.

[tood]

I've timed it. Takes longer to taxi from the gate and takeoff from Ohare than it does to fly from Chicago to Indianapolis.

[MasterJennaMcLain]

This is very interesting. I didn't know that O'Hare had a triangle configuration before the major update. My dad is an engineer for runways and taxiways, I wonder if he worked on any of this...

[aom]

I work at an international airport. Many architects/ engineers overlook the importance of reserving enough space for GSE (ground support equipment) such as ground power unit (GPU), ground a/c unit, stairs, tugs, pallet dollies, maintenance vehicles, lav service vehicles and catering vehicles on the ramps.

[williamnowacki]

If I remembered correctly O’Hare used to have Runways 14 L and 32 R and 14 R and 32 L. Those might’ve been the really long runways. But man they made a ton of changes

[OftenMissing]

Really helpful for a person who is starting to consider building an airport/air park

[xyira]

Love the new runway layouts, you could land 3 at one time and 3 taking off all at the same time. Not sure why they need 8 runways but what do I know, I'm just an aviation nut job and I love it.

[chicagogal]

Thank goodness! No more air traffic over my condo!!🎉

[TheLiamster]

I think Heathrow airport (London, UK) should build a 3rd runway. The 2 current runways are operating at or near full capacity and is unable to support the future growth of air travel.