Many of us remember the scene from the “Back to the Future” movie trilogy when Emmett “Doc” Brown used household garbage from Marty McFly’s trash can to power the “flux capacitor” on his time-traveling DeLorean. At the time, this was a fanciful invention for the entertainment of audiences around the world, but today there are real developments underway for using biomass as aviation jet fuel. Continue Reading

How do we inspire and spark the imaginations of the next generation of professionals who will drive innovation and prepare the aviation and aerospace industries for the challenges of the 21st century? Continue Reading

In our December blog post, we wrote about passenger boarding bridges (PBBs) and the interface between the terminal and airfield. In this post, we will explore the design considerations for multiple aircraft ramp system (MARS) gates. Continue Reading

Hurricane Ian’s 150-mph winds caused extreme flooding and damage in the community of Naples and at Naples Airport, one of Hanson’s valued clients in southwest Florida. Several of Hanson’s staff assisted the airport with an assessment of hurricane damage and reporting, as well as obtaining replacement lighting materials. Continue Reading

Most air travelers board and deplane their flights unaware of the engineering involved with designing and constructing the gates and bridges that allow them to move between terminals and aircraft. Without careful thought and planning behind these features, customer comfort and satisfaction undoubtedly would suffer. Continue Reading

Indy South Greenwood’s 5,000-foot runway, which has increased in length over the years to accommodate the growing business and general aviation needs of Greenwood, Johnson County and metropolitan Indianapolis, has outgrown the airport’s often-congested terminal apron. Working with NGC Aviation Consultants, Hanson designed an expansion of the apron and obtained the necessary building and floodway permits and mitigation. Continue Reading

Picture this: You have conceptualized an expansive project to improve your airport. The design checks all your boxes — extra space, innovative features, modern appearance. Your funding is secured, and you’re ready to break ground. Wait a minute, though. There’s one more box to check: Is your design feasible to construct? Continue Reading

Behind every exceptional runway or taxiway project or solidly built structure is an experienced resident project representative (RPR). High-quality construction observation relies on an RPR, who monitors construction activities daily for accordance with the contract documents and construction plans. RPRs perform construction engineering observation to reduce the potential for costly defects or deficiencies. As a critical part of the construction team, an RPR can save the client money by reducing or eliminating the need for change orders, detecting the use of substandard or unapproved construction materials and preventing project delays. Continue Reading

As a child growing up in south Florida, Daniel Doyle, P.E., knew he would eventually work in one of the science, technology, engineering or mathematics fields. During his childhood, Daniel’s grandfather shared stories of working on large transportation engineering projects, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit system in San Francisco, which inspired him to pursue a similar career in civil engineering. Continue Reading

As a pilot and an engineer, Hanson’s Susan Zellers, a senior project manager and aviation planning lead, has a bird’s-eye view of airport operations and how project construction, hangar features, pavement quality, airfield signage, airfield lighting and other factors at airports can affect pilots. Continue Reading