THE A380 EXPERIENCE BEGINS AT CHANGI

GETTING CHANGI A380-READY

To prepare for the A380 to begin operations the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has been carrying out extensive modification works to the existing airport infrastructure. It has also incorporated A380 requirements in the design and construction of Terminal 3. The preparation works include:

• Widening of runways’ shoulders and runway-taxiway, taxiway-taxiway intersections

As the A380 aircraft is wider and heavier than the Boeing 747-400, Changi Airport’s existing airfield needed to be modified to the design requirements stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

At Changi Airport, the existing runway length of 4,000 metres and width of 60 metres meet the requirements for A380 operations. The existing separation distances between runways, taxiways and nearest obstacles also meet international norms specified for A380 operations. However, we have widened the existing runway shoulders by 4.5 metres on each side to allow the A380 aircraft to operate safely. We have also widened the aircraft pavement at runway-taxiway and taxiway-taxiway intersections to allow pilots to manoeuvre the giant A380 aircraft safely at the turns.

• Modification of Taxiway Bridges

Shields have been installed along each side of a taxiway bridge to contain the effect of the A380 jet blast. Similar shields were installed at another taxiway bridge at Changi Airport.

• Modification of Gates

To facilitate passengers’ movements from the terminal buildings to the aerobridges, existing fixed gangways (which link the gate holdroom to the aerobridge) are being modified at the designated gates for A380 operations. Each of these gates will also be installed with an additional fixed gangway and a third aerobridge. They were also enlarged to serve the increased number of passengers that the A380 will carry. The new A380 aircraft can be served by five of the 33 gates in Terminal 1, six of the total 35 gates in Terminal 2 and eight gates in Terminal 3. In all, Changi Airport has 19 enlarged gate holdrooms to accommodate A380 flights.

• Extension of baggage belt carousels

To accommodate the larger volume of arrival baggage from A380 flights, the presentation frontage of two belt carousels in Terminal 1, four in Terminal 2 and four in Terminal 3 have been extended to allow 90 metre presentation frontages. In all, Changi Airport has ten baggage claim carousels to accommodate A380 flights.

• Construction of new freighter/remote stands

Two new A380-compatible freighter aircraft stands and two new A380-compatible remote aircraft parking stands have been constructed.