Floating airport
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A Floating airport is an airport that would be built and situated on a very large floating structure (VLFS) located many miles out at sea utilizing a floatation type of device or devices such as Pneumatic Stabilized Platform (PSP) technology.
As the population increases and land becomes more expensive and scarce, very large floating structures (VLFS) such as floating airports will help solve land use and noise pollution and aircraft noise issues.
[edit] Wave of the Future: Airport issues tackled
Many issues and problems of land-based airports could be minimized by locating airports several miles off of the coasts. Takeoffs and landings would be over water, not over communities, thereby eliminating noise pollution and substantially reducing risks of aircraft crashes to the land-locked population.
Because the oceans are endlessly expansive, growth and alterations in configuration would be relatively easy to achieve with minimal impact to the environment and/or to local residents who would utilize the airport. Water taxis or other high speed surface vessels could be a part of an offshore mass transit system that could connect the floating airport to coastal communities and minimize traffic issues.
The environmental impact of a floating structure, such as a floating airport, would be more benign than its land-based alternative. There is no dredging or moving of mountains or clearing of green space and the floating structure provides a reef-like environment conducive to marine life. Wave energy could also be harnessed using the structure to convert waves into energy to help sustain the energy needs of the airport.
The ocean and seas are much easier to patrol and secure than land-based airports and a floating airport could conceivably reduce the risk of terrorist attack by shoulder-fired missiles.
[edit] Floating airport projects
In 2000, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport sponsored the construction of Mega-Float, a 1000 meter floating runway in Tokyo Bay. After conducting several real aircraft landings, the Ministry concluded that floating runways' hydro-elastic response would not affect aircraft operations, including precision instrument approaches in a protected waterway such as a large bay.
The U.S. military and Japanese government are considering the construction of a floating runway in Yamaguchi prefecture.
[edit] External links
- Float Incorporated
- Center for Contemporary Conflict - "The Atlantis Garrison: A Comprehensive, Cost Effective Cargo and Port Security Strategy" by Dr. Michael J. Hillyard(PSP / Floating Airport technology could be used for Cost Effective Cargo & Port Security)
- September 1996 -"FLOATING AIRPORTS: Wave of the Future"
- November 18, 1999 by Michael McCabe, SF Chronicle Staff Writer "Planes would land on floating runways built on S.F. Bay"
- Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique "FLOATPORT: a floating solution to the San Diego airport's environmental problems" Auteur(s)/Author(s)BLOOD H.; INNIS D., Float Inc., San Diego CA, ETATS-UNIS
- San Diego Union Tribune - SignOnSanDiego.com "Floating airport proposal resurfaces"
- Jim Bell - Ecological Designer "Airport: Thinking Outside the Box"
- 9/26/2005 USAToday.com "Today in the Sky: Will San Diego build an airport in the ocean?" by Ben Mutzabaugh
- San Diego CityBEAT, "The sinking of the San Diego floating airport proposal" by D.A. KOLODENKO
