Aeronautics and astronautics – Landing field arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-02
2001-08-28
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Landing field arrangement
CD25S003000, C052S174000, C052S175000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279855
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of airport terminals and support buildings, and in particular, to a single airport building which provides facilities for both passengers and aircraft in separate, but adjoining portions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a conventional airport terminal building, the passengers arrive using ground transportation at a street-side entrance and the aircraft are brought to the terminal on the runway side. The aircraft pull up to passenger gates where some servicing of the aircraft takes place, such as refueling, loading and unloading cargo, and minor maintenance. However, a conventional airport terminal typically does not provide for major maintenance of the aircraft or indoor storage of the aircraft. Instead, a separate building, or hangar, is located away from the terminal building.
Smaller airline or general aviation facilities often lack the resources for providing two separate buildings. Also, two separate buildings require that each building be separately staffed thereby duplicating some staff positions, for example, the number of security guards. Accordingly, such facilities often do not provide any separation of passengers from the aircraft servicing equipment and personnel. For example, in such facilities, the passengers often must walk through the hangar or around the hangar to waiting aircraft, which substantially degrades the passenger experience.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,441 relates to a multilevel airport building structure which includes hangar areas and a concourses the aircraft are kept separated from the passengers by moving the aircraft on elevators between the hangar areas and the boarding areas. Aircraft elevators are impractical for general aviation facilities.
Equipment for servicing and supporting aircraft is usually placed along the walls of a hangar to allow a large space for storing and rearranging aircraft. Typically, each hangar has its own hangar support service area and corresponding equipment which results in duplication of such areas and equipment.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 1,780,102 relates to an aeroplane hangar with multiple stalls connecting to a central space, the hangar is a stand-alone single level structure which requires that the fuselage of the aircraft be moved into the central space for major repairs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of conventional airport buildings.
Another object of the invention is to provide an airport building which has a passenger area; and an aircraft maintenance and storage area adjoining, and transverse, to the passenger area. This airport building can also provide a passenger area defining an axis; and an aircraft maintenance and storage area having at least two hangars, one hanger offset from the other hangar along the axis. Also, the passenger area of this building can have: (a) a passenger entry area; (b) a passenger boarding area; and (c) a passageway connecting the passenger area to the passenger boarding area in which passenger services and amenities are provided. In addition, the aircraft maintenance and storage area can have at least one hangar; and a hangar support area. Also, the passageway can be vertically separated from the aircraft storage and maintenance area. Further, the office area can extend along one or more portions of the airport building and can be located on the runway side or the street side of the airport building. Also, the airport building can be positioned such that the passenger area extends from a street side of the building to a runway side of the building, and the aircraft storage area has at least one portal adjacent to an apron, the apron having access to taxiways.
A further object of the invention is to provide an airport building having: (a) at least two hangar areas, each hanger area having a portal on one side of the hangar area, each portal providing access for aircraft from a respective apron outside the airport building into the respective hangar area; (b) a hangar support area located between the respective hangar areas, the hangar support area providing servicing equipment for servicing aircraft in each of the respective hangar areas; (c) a first pedestrian area located adjacent each respective hangar area on a first side of the hangar storage area, the first pedestrian area having a pedestrian portal for providing access for pedestrians to the first pedestrian area from outside the airport building; (d) a passageway connected at a first end to the first pedestrian area; the passageway providing a bypass of the hangar support area for pedestrians; (e) a second pedestrian area located adjacent each respective hangar area on a second side of the hangar support area; the second pedestrian area connected to a second end of the passageway and adjacent a first apron on one side of the airport building; such that each respective hangar area apron is located adjacent to the first apron in the direction of the central axis of the first pedestrian area.
These objects and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon the following description of the features of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 208766 (1967-10-01), Solomon
patent: D. 223749 (1972-06-01), Jones
patent: D. 241648 (1976-09-01), Magill
patent: 1780102 (1930-10-01), Watt
patent: 3033499 (1962-05-01), Ash
patent: 3556441 (1971-01-01), Oberlander
patent: 3558085 (1971-01-01), Magill
patent: 3571990 (1971-03-01), Rossman
patent: 3572619 (1971-03-01), Brown
patent: 3842553 (1974-10-01), Billgren et al.
patent: 3916588 (1975-11-01), Magill
patent: 3981464 (1976-09-01), Dudley
patent: 4218034 (1980-08-01), Magill
patent: 5368257 (1994-11-01), Novinger
Illustration published in Science and Invention Magazine, entitled “Air Transportation Station of 1950”, Jan. 1926.*
Illustration published in Popular Science Magazine, pp. 96 and 97, Jul., 1948.*
Article published in Popular Science Magazine, entitled “What It's Like To Fly A Car”, by Wilbur Shaw and Devon Francis, Jul. 1952.
Cooper & Dunham LLP
Jordan Charles T.
Nelson Judith A.
Rifton Enterprises, Inc.
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