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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0125.PDF
FLIGHT 113 International, 24 January 1963 Chicago (O'Hare) represents one of the most remarkable developments of the finger system, rebuilding work has been undertaken since this photograph was taken a year ago and The new airport at Fiumicino, Rome, is built on a similar pattern, although the fingers do not project from the main building at right angles. Instead, they form more of a crescent attached to the face of the building, with the Immigration Control at the point of tangency. From a passenger point of view the distances are not excessive and there is adequate seating within the fingers, which are wide enough to be considered as extended lounges. Access to the aircraft is by a ramp to ground level with a short walk across the open apron. One major disadvantage is the facility with which a passenger may lose sense of direction and proceed down the wrong linger, to finish at a point several hundred yards from the correct gate. Patrolling and the collection of passengers into cohesive groups for boarding, taxes the staff resources of all carriers. Dorval and Los Angeles Two examples of the satellite construc tion deserve comment—that of Dorval and the recently opened Los Angeles, the former being much the less successful, and where the satellite proper is described as an "aeroquay." It is situated some 700ft from the terminal building and has space for ten operational stands, although by blocking off the last four for domestic opera tions and utilizing one of the tunnels for acces to the main building, international gate positions can be limited to six. In addition to the domestic section of the aeroquay there is a domestic finger, while a further short finger (at the other end of the building, which has a 700yd frontage) serves traffic between Canada and the USA. Again, the overwhelming impression on the traveller is of distance and wide open spaces; perhaps this is not inappropriate to Canada, but those who have undertaken the long trek from the furthest international gate position to the head of the tunnel will recall the impression of a long shaft disappearing into the gloom (actually into elevators) which confronts them at the junction. The design makes a heavy demand on staff, for the distances between essential functional activities are too great to permit cover from a common pool. Staff activity must be localized and members allocated to the ticket desk, the aeroquay, to passenger escort and to documentation. The escort problem is itself formidable, for the young and spry forge ahead whilst the aged, the tired, or the very fig 2a (right) A possible finger system for a subterranean terminal. &aggoge could be fed by conveyor belts to central points on each finger for dispersal to aircraft. Fig 2b, below, is a longitudinal cross-section; escalators travel upwards from the departure lounge and downwards to the arrival corridor young fall further and further behind. Departures present the problem of allowing sufficient time for the traveller to complete the distance between the ticket desk and the departure lounge; thus the last time of acceptance must be advanced to enable the documents to be completed and the passenger to arrive at the gate. Los Angeles, dubbed by the Municipality as the "new jet terminal for the space age" is in the nature of a showpiece in the concept of a satellite system. It has a number of defects and a number of drawbacks, but it shows what can be done by imaginative planning and almost limitless space. Basically, the system is one of unit terminals, each with an attendant satellite. One terminal is reserved for international operators (although it houses one domestic carrier) and the others are leased to individual or groups of domestic airlines. All are sited round the periphery of a large car park, in the centre of which is the "theme" building containing a restaurant, bars, etc. Fronting the main road is the administrative block. INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS ""*—— v CUSTOMS AREA ' \ BAGGAGE / \CHECK-IN / \ AREA / ~~—- AIRLINE COUNTERS-" DOMESTIC BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA ^~ ^SURFACE BUILDING (IF REQUIRED) RAMP AREA RETRACTABLE REFUELLING EXIT S\ PIT [AIRLINE OFFICE AREA" T ? ACCESS I CORRIDOR HOLDING ROOM I
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