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By Robert L. Candiotti
In
October, 2007, in a speech to commercial aviation leaders, the CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA),
Giovanni Bisignani, said there will be 2.75 billion air passengers in 2011. Also in that year, air transportation of
cargo will be significantly more than it is today, he said.
Announcing these projections, Bisignani touched upon
a topic that is directly connected to the proposed Ivanpah Valley Airport. The topic: infrastructure.
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| Photo by AP/Elaine Thompson |
Future jet aircraft will need future airport infrastructure, according
to IATA's Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani.
In other words, where are
the additional flights going to take off and land?
Bisignani said the Middle East and China are working to meet
future demand, but the enormous anticipated air transport growth in India, for example, is not being matched by infrastructure
growth management. He noted that infrastructure "inefficiencies" can add to higher fuel bills and increased CO2
emissions.
He also refers specifically to North America's infrastructure shortcomings. He stated, "The unprecedented
delays nightmare in the U.S. is a clear example of the paralysis that results when we miss the mark on effective planning."
When he talked about the 5%, basically, average annual growth rate (AAGR) in worldwide passenger and freight air transportation,
he said, "The numbers clearly show that the world wants to fly. And it also needs to fly. Air transport is critical to
the fabric of the global economy," he continued, "playing a critical role in wealth generation and poverty reduction."
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| B787-9 photo credit/Boeing Image |
2007 has
been an extremely successful year for both Airbus and Boeing regarding orders for new aircraft models, such as the
A380 and B787. These, and many other previous and future orders, will be delivered over the next several years. What will
be the infrastructure facilities for these as yet unbuilt airplanes?
The proposed Ivanpah Valley Airport,
undergoing an Environmental Impact Statement study right now, is being planned to be an international, long-haul domestic
and major cargo airport. It will be a supplemental airport to provide support to McCarran International Airport's (LAS) finite
growth possibilities.
Consistent with IATA's recent statements, aviation growth - including in Clark County, Nevada
- is inextricably linked to forward-thinking infrastructure planning.
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