US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), co-hosted by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, was held in Hangzhou, October 29, 2009. Officials from the two countries signed 11 cooperation agreements during JCCT. The signed agreements also include the USTDA (U.S. Trade and Development Agency) grant for the Beijing Second Airport Technical Assistance to support the highly successful US-China Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP). The Grant is part of the sixth USTDA grant to support CAAC, proposed by ACP. It was signed by Lee Zak, Acting Director of the USTDA, and CAAC Deputy Administrator Wang Changshun.

 

The purpose of the Beijing Second Airport grant is to provide technical assistance requested by the CAAC Airport Department Director General Zhang Guanghui to analyze proposed runway alignments to determine capacity and operational limitations, and confirm the ability to satisfy CAAC’s activity forecasts. The results from this study will enable the CAAC to finalize their project definition so that the project can progress from advanced planning to conceptual design.

 

ACP Airport Committee members Landrum & Brown, and Jeppesen, supported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Beijing Super-Creative Technology Co., LTD (BSCT), will apply their expertise to this study. ACP members will participate as members of the ACP Airport Advisory and Review Board (ARB) to provide consultation. The collective representatives of member companies in ARB include Boeing, Cirrus Design, Delta Airlines, HOK, Leo A Daly, Oshkosh, Textron, United Airlines, UTC, and Waverly Capital. The members will be briefed on the progress of the study and findings at key milestones in the technical assistance process. They will add value for free by contributing their knowledge and expertise to enhance the airport capacity.

 

During this technical assistance, the project team will address critical issues that will influence the capacity of the proposed runway layout, such as terminal area airspace interactions with PEK, runway operating mode, runway crossings, terminal/airside interface, and aircraft compatibility. The project will include a benchmarking analysis of other world-class airports, including airports in multi-airport regions. This approach will enable the decision makers to derive a plan that provides the greatest flexibility for efficiently meeting demand through the planning period and minimize the potential impacts on the operation of Beijing Second Airport and the existing Beijing Capital International Airport.

 

The analysis of the runway configuration and capacity for the proposed Beijing Second Airport could result in improved safety and increased capacity for Beijing Capital International Airport Authority, and consequently more opportunities to increase flights by both Chinese and US airlines, which will contribute to the economic growth of both countries.

 

Landrum & Brown will identify up to 18 simulation runs to evaluate combinations of demand levels, demand characteristics, airfield layout, airspace design, and air traffic control procedures necessary to address the objectives of this study. BSCT will undertake the appropriate data collection necessary to support the simulation runs. Jeppesen airspace and procedure design experts will also study the existing design and recommend alternatives that will result in more efficient and effective use of the available airspace by all users. The runway layouts will also be presented to the FAA experts and ACP Advisory and Review Board for their comments.

 

Currently only Shanghai Airport Authority operates two airports in the same city. The Pearl Delta regions that included Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau is the most complex regional airspace in China, yet all the airports are independent authorities. The need for simulation and system analysis for the addition of second airport will become the basis of more opportunities for Chinese and US aviation experts to work together, and can establish the basis for implementing systems and equipment that will meet China’s growing demand for air transportation.

 

In 2003, the competition for Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Terminal 3 was the most prominent airport project in global aviation. Beijing Capital Airport currently serves over 70 airlines, including 53 foreign carriers. This is a nearly 20% increase in the number of airlines from the total of 58 served in summer 2007. The Beijing Second Airport will be similar in development priority of PEK T3, as it will be representative of the “Capital Airport” standard to China and the World. Through the Beijing Second Airport, ACP is looking forward to work together with CAAC Airport Department and Chinese airport partners to contribute to this major airport development process.