The Manila International Airport Authority on Monday launched two newly constructed Rapid Exit Taxiways, built to further ease air traffic congestion at the main runway of Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“Without these new RETs, aircraft that landed at the Naia runway 06-24 [would] need to make a 90-degree turn at the end of the runway after they touch down and make a full stop before proceeding to the terminal aprons and the whole process would take about two to three minutes,” said MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal.
Monreal said the construction of the East and West Rapid Exit Taxiways was carried out simultaneously and was undertaken while the airport remained operational without causing any interruption or danger.
The two rapid exits with both 60 meters wide, according to Monreal, will help reduce the problems of air traffic congestion in the air and ground, and flight delays in Naia.
He added the runway 06-24 with 3,410 meters long would also improve the Runway Occupancy Time and allow the succeeding aircraft to land or depart at a shorter time.
The thickness for the pavement structure for the exit taxiway has been using the aircraft characteristic of the B777-300ER.
The main carriage is designed to be concrete pavement and the asphalt concrete on regular sections of the pavement was designed with a 20-year life span.
The new RETs would reduce to at most five seconds the time a plane that just touched down occupies the runway, allowing another aircraft to land.
It allows aircraft to exit the runway at speeds of 65 kilometers per hour to 93 kph and give way to other landing aircraft.
Monreal said a newly landed aircraft would use the runway for two to three minutes and lengthened aircraft occupancy of the runway would cause arrival delays.
Last month, the airport authority also inaugurated the installed modern aerobridges at Naia Terminal 1.
The China Airlines and Gulf Air were the first airlines to use the new Passenger Boarding Bridges.
Monreal said the new bridges were made of glass walls, fully air-conditioned, and equipped with CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras.
The authority sought to install six more bridges before the end of the year as part of its Phase 1 project of nine new modern aerobridges.
Monreal said his agency had embarked on a project to replace the decades-old passenger boarding bridges with new ones.
He added the project entailed the design manufacturing, factory testing, delivery and installation of new and customized units of apron-type and pedestal-type boarding bridges.
Phase 1 of the project consists of replacement of nine units while Phase 2 includes 11 of boarding bridges. The first phase is now being implemented with a project cost of about P319 million.
Phase 2, on the other hand, is due for bidding with actual implementation expected to commence by the first quarter of 2019.
The passenger boarding bridge connects the airport walkway directly to the aircraft.
It provides ease and convenience to passengers and protects them from both hot and humid or inclement weather.
From steel walls, the new aerobridges are made of a glass wall. The units are also airconditioned and are equipped with CCTVs with a view of the apron.
The bridges are also designed with a programmable motor controller and are GPU (ground power unit) ready.
The bridges being replaced have been in operation for 33 years and are now out-dated rendering them unreliable with incidents of breakdown occurring from time to time.