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STUDIES IN SHORT HAUL AIR TRANSPORTATION IN THE CALIFORNIA CORRIDOR: EFFECTS OF DESIGN RUNWAY LENGTH; COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE; IMPACT OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND FUEL COST INCREASES

The primary purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of design runway length on the economics and traffic demand of a 1985 short haul air transportation system. The second major objective is to study community acceptance of new commercial airports for short haul service. The California corridor, or more specifically the route from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Greater Los Angeles are, is chosen as the study location. The system studied are a 2000-ft runway system, usually designed as a STOL system and a 3000-ft runway system, designated as a reduced runway length or RTOL system. The STOL/RTOL differentiation is a rather arbitrary convenience only since neither has a clear universally accepted definition and, in this case, both use similar propulsive lift concepts. The two systems are alternative short haul commuter systems, separate as much as possible from the remainder of the air transport system but using existing major terminals if no other reasonable choice exists. Terminals are chosen to cover the demand area as uniformly as possible. The 2000-ft system utilizes a Central Business District (CBD) STOLport. It is assumed that a CBD STOLport could not accomodate a 3000-ft runway. This assumption is the major impetus for studying the 2000-ft case since all other STOLports or RTOLports are placed on existing airport sites with runways greater than 2000 feet in length. The major question is whether the access advantages of a CBD STOLport outweighs the higher cost of a 2000-ft runway aircraft. In truth, the likelihood of any CBD terminals, capable of handling 100 to 150 passenger aircraft, ever existing is small. The likelihood of enough of them existing to justify the expensive shorter field length aircraft is close to zero. Nevertheless, a 2000-ft CBD was assumed at both ends of the route studied here to evaluate the relative worth of 2000-ft and 3000-ft runway length aircraft assuming that the former has the advantage of a CBD STOLport. Since both systems are to a large extent separate from the basic air transport system, no significant traffic delays are anticipated. When the major terminals are used, a longer processing time, from arrival at the the parking lot to select reasonable and consistent values. Since the main purpose is a comparison, consistency is paramount. Several interesting secondary results evolved during the study, namely the effect on demand, fares and total perceived travel costs of rate of return on investment (R01) and fuel cost increases.

  • Corporate Authors:

    Stanford University

    Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
    Stanford, CA  United States  94305
  • Authors:
    • SHEVELL, R S
  • Publication Date: 1973-7

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00155536
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
  • Report/Paper Numbers: NASA CR-114634
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Aug 31 1977 12:00AM