CASE STUDY

GCR has served as a key advisor to the executive staff of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for more than 10 years.

In this role, GCR serves as the offsite planning and analysis department for the airport. All facilities analysis and planning is conducted by GCR, and recommendations are made by GCR across all levels of the organization, relating to many operational areas of the facility. GCR has planned and analyzed terminal expansion facilities, new terminal complexes, parking facilities and equipment, surface transportation and access systems, airfield facilities and equipment, and various landside facilities and equipment.


As part of this role, GCR created the concepts for development of a new terminal facility on the north side of the airfield to replace the existing southside facilities. Additionally, GCR has developed all design concepts surrounding the proposed parallel North/South Runway at the airport. GCR developed alignment alternatives and unique aircraft approach procedures to accommodate a "near-parallel" runway that operates as an "independent" parallel IFR runway. These concepts are now part of the major initiatives being pursued by the Aviation Board to expand the facilities and increase its capacity.

GCR was also tasked to develop a set of noise contours which reflect changes in the FAA approved terminal area forecast for the airport, based on changes in operations since September 11, 2001. This noise analysis included an assessment of revisions in flight patterns since the last noise analysis, changes in fleet mix which have occurred since the phase out of Stage 2 aircraft, the advent of regional jets in the market, changes in runway utilization based on changes in fleet mix, and distribution of revised operational numbers over the designated fleet mix. These new contours are being used to make decisions regarding strategy and funding possibilities for a continued residential sound installation program at the airport.



NOIA SHADOW STUDY GCR
was contracted to determine the existing line of site conflicts for air traffic controllers resulting from the location and orientation of the existing terminal facilities, as well as parked aircraft. Following this assessment, additional analyses was developed to determine the optimal height of the tower required to overcome these obstructions. This analysis is being used in discussions with the FAA regarding increasing the height of the existing tower or relocating the tower to a new, more preferred site on the airport.



NOIA TERMINAL GATE UTILIZATION
GCR was tasked to analyze all existing aircraft parking positions, taxiway and taxi lanes, gate locations, jet bridge characteristics, and aircraft maneuvering and ground operations at the terminal. This information was then used to provide the optimal location of each aircraft parking position, the highest and best use of aircraft at each gate position, and the type and characteristic of the jet bridge necessary at each gate location. Based on the recommendations of this study, the Aviation Board will be purchasing all new jet bridges around the terminals and will be reconfiguring the parking positions to achieve the highest and best mix of aircraft for the facility.