Why is it so hard to build an airport? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why is it so hard to build an airport?

#571

Post by sumtechguy » Mon, Mar 25, 2024, 3:29 PM UTC

bluGill wrote: post #312

sumtechguy wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I too thought 'international' in the name meant something. Until I worked with a guy who was into gliders. They named the large empty grass field that you had to drive for an hour to get to an 'international' airport. It was basically just enough to get a very small airplane aloft with a glider attached. They thought it was funny they pulled it off.

International means customs is there when you land your plane. Tiny airports near borders tend to be international while larger ones far away are not as nobody flies the from elsewhere anyway. some airports you need to make an appointment or customes will not be there.

It is a convention. And apparently not mandated anywhere. This grass field was in the middle of north carolina. It had a small building they kept their gliders in and another small shed for parts.

Re: Why is it so hard to build an airport?

#572

Post by Reubachi » Mon, Mar 25, 2024, 4:37 PM UTC

sandworm101 wrote: post #389

perlgeek wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One of the interesting ideas [...] is to run high-speed rail to Moses Lake Airport in Central Washington and just expand there. While reading this article, I thought about something like that too. Build an airport quite a while away from the big city, and provide a high-speed, maybe even maglev train there. Make it free for customers. Also, make it very inconvenient for passengers and staff to approach the airport…

>> Also, make it very inconvenient for passengers and staff to approach the airport by other means, only allow cargo delivery there through the road network. This disincentives people from e.g. building hotels close to the airport, which would then attract further settlement, which would ultimately lead to noise complaints again. Or go one step further and just put on barriers to block the trains too. Don't let anyon…

Seeing thought process is interesting. This would face even greater backlash fro locals/local economy.

-No way for business around the development to organically grow. - a built in tourism-choke IE; no reason to use the airport save cargo or business -Jobs funneled to and from the city, not the local area. -millions spent by local taxpayers on two high tech infra projects they see little benefit to.

Re: Why is it so hard to build an airport?

#573

Post by Reubachi » Mon, Mar 25, 2024, 4:56 PM UTC

dukeyukey wrote: post #512

throwway120385 wrote: post #492

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hiking gear.

Isn't a big thing about hiking, that you want to hike as light as possible?

To get to the "popular" rocks of Patagonia for example, would require many many giant packs.

So the intense mountaineering of that region at BASE requires a porter team to help haul bags of clothes, food, toiletries, litres upon litres of water. Not even considering hiking/climbing gear.

Add in the layer of "most of the world is not the west", where you can just buy these things close to your destination then throw them away. You for example need to be absolute certain of the shoes/boots/crampons/skis, and also have a backup.

Re: Why is it so hard to build an airport?

#574

Post by Reubachi » Mon, Mar 25, 2024, 5:08 PM UTC

com2kid wrote: post #464

newhotelowner wrote: post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think you ever traveled international or your plane got delayed or cancelled. I don't want to carry 4 big bags in the train when I travel international I don't want to travel 30 miles if my plane get cancelled.

> I don't want to carry 4 big bags in the train when I travel international Japan has this really cool service where you can get your bags picked up from your hotel room and taken to the airport or from the airport to your hotel room. It costs max around $20 USD. > I don't want to travel 30 miles if my plane get cancelled. My local airport (Sea-tac) is almost 30 miles from Seattle. It can easily take an hour driving…

ha, seeing boston called out as maybe a model intl airport :p

As a counter to that, I did 3 weeks around the world, planes every other day, international every 4 days or so. Not a single customs, baggage, check in, transport problem until getting back home to good ol' logan airport.

The "passport validation" line was somehow over 1.5 hour. Only two international planes coming into this terminal the entire time, and they legit reformed the line like three times for some reason????

That cascaded into missing our bus back to new hampshire, which cascaded into being late for a work commitment.

Wasn't that big a deal but was very funny.