Boeing

Boeing Air Traffic Management (ATM) today announced it has signed a contract with Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited, Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to conduct a study of the Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) terminal maneuvering area and ground operations. The study is expected to take six months to complete.

Air traffic levels at BCIA are expected to double over the next eight years. In response, a third runway will be added to the airport by 2004. The Boeing ATM study will help the CAAC ensure that the expansion will meet the airport's long-term capacity needs, including the expected spike in air traffic associated with the 2008 Olympic Games.

"Efficient expansion of the Beijing airport will provide tremendous benefits to the Chinese people, and it will be an essential component of ensuring the smooth operation of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing," said John Hayhurst, Boeing ATM president.

The study, which ATM will conduct in partnership with its subsidiary, Preston Aviation Solutions, will analyze current capacity constraints and proposed expansion plans, provide suggestions for near-term capacity enhancement and offer alternative design scenarios for the future. The contract also includes training in simulation tools, methods and analysis.

The Boeing ATM/Preston team will utilize Preston's Total Airspace and Airport Modeler (TAAM), the world's leading computer simulation modeling tool for airspace and airport environments. TAAM is used around the world by all leading civil aviation authorities, including the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Eurocontrol.

"I am proud that the Boeing ATM/Preston team was selected to undertake this important effort. Our expertise in air traffic control and simulating airspace and airport environments will help the airport authority to effectively plan and implement the expansion project," Hayhurst said.