Editing Airport (section)

== Airport operations ==
[[File:HFX Airport 4.jpg|left|thumb|The apron from the top floor observation room, [[Halifax Stanfield International Airport]], Canada]]

Airport operations are made possible by an organized network of trained [[Team|personnel]], specialized equipment, and [[spatial data]]. After thousands of ground operations staff left the industry during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], there have been discussions on the need for systemic improvements in three primary areas:{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

* Digitizing and automating processes<ref>{{Cite web |author-link=International Air Transport Association |title=CNS Partnership Conference 2023 |url=https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2023-releases/2023-05-16-01/ |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=iata.org}}</ref>

=== Air traffic control ===
[[File:Bangalore Traffic India Atc Tower Airport Control (48186335651).jpg|thumb|Airport Tower, [[Kempegowda International Airport]]]]
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====Ground control====
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====Tower control====
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=== Traffic pattern ===
{{Main|Airfield traffic pattern}}
[[File:Airport Traffic Pattern with Upwind Leg.svg|frameless|upright=1.8|right|Left-hand circuit pattern]]
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=== Navigational aids ===
[[File:Vasi-1.JPG|left|thumb|Standard [[visual approach slope indicator]]]]
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=== Taxiway signs ===
{{Further|Taxiway#Taxiway signs}}
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=== Lighting ===
{{Further|Taxiway#Taxiway lights|Runway#Runway lighting}}

[[File:ATL TWY B - RWY Crossing (13534655025).jpg|thumb|Airport lighting]]
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=== Weather observations ===
{{See also|Surface weather observation|Weather station|Automated airport weather station|Automatic weather station}}

[[File:2008-07-09 Eureka Airport AWOS viewed from the south.jpg|thumb|Automated weather system]]Planes take-off and land ''into'' the wind to achieve maximum performance. Because pilots need instantaneous information during landing, a [[windsock]] can also be kept in view of the runway. Aviation windsocks are made with lightweight material, withstand strong winds and some are lit up after dark or in foggy weather. Because visibility of windsocks is limited, often multiple glow-orange windsocks are placed on both sides of the runway.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.piggottsflagsandbranding.co.uk/updates/interesting-facts-industrial-windsocks/|title=Why do airports have windsocks?|website=Piggotts Flags And Branding|access-date=March 29, 2017|archive-date=April 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426222956/http://piggottsflagsandbranding.co.uk/updates/interesting-facts-industrial-windsocks|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Airport ground crew (ground handling) ===
{{Main|Ground support equipment}}Each airport hires its own ground crew to process flights, cargo, passengers, and baggage. When a flight arrives, ramp services navigate a baggage cart to the aircraft. Bags are then sorted and transported by baggage handlers. Ramp services handle aircraft marshaling, the process in which aircraft arrive or depart from the gate. Once passengers and/or cargo is unloaded, a cleaning crew prepares the aircraft for its next flight by loading supplies and preparing other in-flight services. Ground crew will fuel the aircraft, and other visual inspections are conducted. Efficient work allows aircraft to have fast turnaround times of as little as 25 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unsung Heroes: A Day in the Life of an Airport Ground Handler |url=https://www.i6.io/blog/unsung-heroes-a-day-in-the-life-of-an-airport-ground-handler |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=i6.io}}</ref>[[File:KLM 777 pushback.jpg|thumb|An aircraft tow tractor moving a [[KLM]] [[Boeing 777]] at [[Tokyo Narita]]]]
[[File:2013-02-22 10-06-11 South Africa Kwa Zulu Natal Tongaat King Shaka International Airport.JPG|thumb|Ground operations with a [[South African Airways]] [[Airbus A320-200]] at [[Durban]]'s [[King Shaka International Airport]]]]
[[File:Time-lapse and tilt-shift views of Osaka International Airport, Osaka, Japan.webm|thumb|Time-lapse ([[Tilt–shift photography|tilt-shifted]]) of ground crew operations at [[Itami Airport|Osaka International Airport]].]]

=== Maintenance management ===
Like industrial equipment or facility management, airports require tailor-made maintenance management due to their complexity. With many tangible assets spread over a large area in different environments, these infrastructures must therefore effectively monitor these assets and store spare parts to maintain them at an optimal level of service.<ref name=Mothes/>

To manage these airport assets, several solutions are competing for the market: [[Computerized maintenance management system|CMMS (computerized maintenance management system)]] predominate, and mainly enable a company's maintenance activity to be monitored, planned, recorded and rationalized.<ref name=Mothes>{{cite web |first=Daphné |last=Mothes |title=Improve your airport maintenance with your CMMS |url=https://www.mobility-work.com/blog/improve-your-airport-maintenance-your-cmms |work=Mobility Work |date=January 15, 2019 |access-date=April 2, 2019 |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328104032/https://www.mobility-work.com/blog/improve-your-airport-maintenance-your-cmms |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Safety management ===
[[File:Altenburg-Nobitz Airport Rosenbauer Panther.jpg|thumb|"FLF Panther" airport crash tender in Germany]]
[[File:Sumburgh Airport Barrier.webm|thumb|Road crossing of ([[Shetland]]) A970 with [[Sumburgh Airport]]'s runway. The movable barrier closes when aircraft land or take off.]]
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