TALL
The walls surrounding the new test run area opened in December 2016 soar to a height of up to 18.5 metres – almost as high as the rollercoaster at Linnanmäki amusement park in Helsinki city centre. The walls cancel noise efficiently and the curved element at the rear of the international working hub also limits jet streams. The aircraft test area is built so that it is suitable for all aircraft types operating in Helsinki.
The walls of the test run area reduce noise effectively.
NOISE CANCELLING
The 2.5-metre-thick walls have been built with galvanised steel and covered with other elements to prevent noise from spreading to the outside area.
TECHNICAL
There are from one to two test usage sessions carried out daily during maintenance. In future, Finavia expects around 400-500 test usage sessions to take place within one year. Motors are tested with different power levels, and one test round typically takes from five to fifteen minutes. It is necessary to perform a test usage after each motor maintenance session to ensure the safety of air traffic.
FUNCTIONAL
The new test run area was built as the old one with rammed earth walls was drowning under the expanding airport and Finnair’s new freight terminal. The new location at the technical area of the airport is very handy considering how and when the test run area is used.
Do you want to learn more about the new aircraft test run area? Watch the video to find out how high the walls rise and what the noise cancelling surface is like.
Building the new aircraft test usage area is a part of Finavia’s investment towards strengthening the position of Helsinki Airport among international competition. It significantly enhances the ability to control or mitigate noise caused by the airport’s ground operations. The test usage area has its own environmental permit, and it is the first test usage area designed for civilian planes in Finland.
This article is part of Finavia’s annual report 2016. Click here to view the full annual report.