airport/documents/Mesquite Master Plan Final.pdf - The City of ...

Haul Length
The FAA Computer Program also
provides an estimation of runway
lengths for general aviation aircraft
weighing more than 60,000 pounds.
This group includes the Gulfstream
family of aircraft and some new longrange
corporate jets. The estimate of
runway length requirements for the
large corporate aircraft over 60,000
pounds considers all airfield data, but
also considers the typical haul distance.
The origin/destination of many aircraft
utilizing the airport was previously
identified in Table 3C. The larger
Gulfstream jets had haul lengths of
nearly 1,400 miles, to destinations such
as Palm Springs, California, and Palm
Beach, Florida. Other destinations
included St. Paul, MN (1,000 mi.),
Jackson Hole, WY (1,400 mi.),
Kissimmee, FL (1,100 mi.), and Black
Hills, SD (1,100 mi.). Since it is known
that, when conditions allow, business
jet operators are opting for longer haul
lengths, consideration will be given to
accommodate aircraft weighing more
than 60,000 pounds with haul lengths
of 1,400 miles. As indicated in Table
3G, aircraft weighing more than 60,000
pounds, with haul lengths of 1,400
miles, require a runway length of 6,900
feet.
Specific Aircraft Requirements
An additional consideration for runway
length is to analyze the runway length
requirements of specific aircraft
currently utilizing or planned to utilize
Mesquite Metro Airport in the future.
Table 3J presents the runway length
3-17
needs for a wide variety of business jets,
as obtained from the operations
manuals for each aircraft. Figures in
the table consider maximum take-off
and landing weights. It should be noted
that landing length requirements
during contaminated runway conditions
(rainy, with 1/10-inch of water on the
runway) increase significantly for
aircraft with single landing gear
configurations due to hydroplaning
potential.
In general, the data specific to each
airplane presented in Table 3J is
similar to the generalized output by the
FAA computer program (presented in
Table 3G). Obviously, airport planning
cannot always conform to the worst case
(maximum load) scenario. Planning
should at least conform to providing a
runway length capable of accommodating
the majority of aircraft, the
majority of the year. In other words,
the runway should be capable of
handling business jets with typical
weight loading during moderate heat
conditions.
Several aircraft which currently utilize
the airport on an infrequent basis can
require runway lengths longer than
6,000 feet. The Lear 55, Gulfstream IV
and V, Hawker 800, and Challenger
require up to 7,000 feet. These aircraft
are capable of operating at the airport,
but are weight-restricted during hot
weather days. Weight restrictions can
include taking less fuel and making an
additional stop along the intended
route, boarding fewer passengers, or
taking less cargo. During cooler days,
the weight restrictions could be minor
or may be unnecessary.