Airport’s airfield is cleared for an upgrade
MANCHESTER Airport’s airfield is being given its first major revamp in almost 20 years.
Work on the £110m project is aimed at reducing delays and taxiing times – the journey a plane makes before take off and after landing.
It’s part of a huge £1bn transformation of the airport which will see the new Terminal Two building – set to open in summer 2020 – become its focal point.
A dual taxiway system – which will allow two aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 787 to pass each other and improve access from the runways to the terminal – is currently under construction.
To prepare for the introduction of the new parallel taxiways, which have been christened ‘Echo’ and ‘Delta,’ a team of around 30 staff worked through the night to install 50 new signs on five sections of taxiway, one runway holding position and 11 intermediate hold positions.
Several painted ground markings were also altered, and changes were also made to the airfield lighting and other control software systems.
It follows the creation of 11 new contact stands - the area where a passenger bridge is connected to a plane – and three remote stands on Pier One of Terminal Two that opened in April 2019.
Next year, 10 new remote aircraft stands will be created on the airfield’s western apron and taxiway ‘Zulu’ will also be doubled in size.
Another six remote aircraft stands will be reconfigured and upgraded.
Rad Taylor, operations director at Manchester Airport, said: “The re-designation of the taxiways is a major milestone for the works that are continuing out on the airfield.
“The changes will really benefit pilots and airfield drivers as more of the programme comes on stream.
“Lots of progress has been made out on the airfield in terms of new stands and taxiways and with more to come it will help improve the efficiency of the operation as our centre of gravity shifts towards Terminal Two.”