The project to modernise the Metro Medellín trains, in which Ineco is participating, has been awarded by the Antioquian Society of Engineers and Architects (SAI) as one of the most outstanding projects in Antioquian engineering in 2021. The company, which began collaborating with Metro Medellín in 2011, is carrying out the supervision of the fleet of 42 MAN trains. The project aims to extend the service life of these first-generation vehicles, which began operating in 1995 and were nearing the end of their useful life. The first eight modernised units are already in commercial operation. 

The SAI, founded in 1913, awards such prizes to works of high scientific or technical merit that represent a significant advance in the field of engineering. 

Simón Bolívar International Airport is situated in the far north of the Republic of Colombia, 16.5 kilometres from the city of Santa Marta, capital of the department of Magdalena. The region’s main tourist attractions include the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range, Tayrona National Park and the cities of Barranquilla and Cartagena, two of the country’s most important conurbations.

Opened some 60 years ago, in recent decades tourism and economic development in the region have caused airport traffic (primarily of domestic origin) to grow from 532,000 passengers in 2009 to 2.4 million in 2019, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.5%. To accommodate this growth, the airport was modernised in 2017 with new facilities such as a control tower, passenger terminal and car park.

In recent decades, tourism and economic development in the region have driven growth in airport traffic, with 2.4 million passengers in 2019

At present, the airport has one runway (01/19), which is 1,700 metres long by 40 metres wide and accessed via two taxiways. There is an apron with six stands for parking commercial aircraft, two general-purpose aviation hangars, and a helicopter pad. The three-storey terminal building covers an area of 14,600 m². There is also an underground car park for cars and motorcycles, and a surface-level car park for taxis and buses. Road access is via the Troncal del Caribe, one of the country’s most important trunk roads.

Despite these improvements, the investments that have been made in the Magdalena region to boost tourism mean that a growth in international traffic is expected over the coming years. This is reflected in the traffic forecasts in the Master Plan drawn up by the UTE APM Simón Bolívar consortium, which is led by Ineco and also includes the Spanish engineering firm Ivicsa. The Plan was approved by Colombia’s civil aviation authority, Aerocivil, in December 2020.

Future plans

The Master Plan is the centrepiece of the planning process for an airport. It sets out the path for development and growth based on different traffic forecasts. Taking the current situation as the starting point, a study is made of potential demand in different time horizons. The aim is to determine what infrastructure and services will be required, in accordance with international safety and quality standards, and when they will be required, along with an estimate of costs.

The Plan also evaluates the impact of the airport’s activities on its surroundings and coordinates actions with the aviation authorities, the local community, and local and regional administrations and public bodies. The final stage is approval of the Plan on the part of the state aviation authority (Aerocivil in the case of Colombia). In order to meet these objectives successfully, a Master Plan must be updated periodically, and whenever changes in demand require it to be modified.

Ineco has over 20 years of experience in the drafting and updating of Master Plans: not only for the Aena network of Spanish airports, but also for countries such as Mexico and Kuwait.

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS. Summary of the developments proposed by the Master Plan, in comparison with the airport’s current boundaries (marked in green). PLAN_UTE APM SIMÓN BOLÍVAR

The first step: predicting the evolution of traffic

In order to draw up the Master Plan, Ineco’s airport experts began by generating short, medium and long-term traffic forecasts for Simón Bolívar Airport, taking into account factors such as the anticipated growth in international tourism. After an exhaustive analysis they defined a number of different traffic horizons: in the short term, a volume of 3.5 million passengers, with 27,400 aircraft movements; in the medium term, 4.5 million passengers, with 35,000 movements; and in the long term, 7.3 million passengers with over 52,000 movements. In light of the investments made in recent years to promote tourism in the Magdalena region, it was estimated that almost 5% of this traffic could be international.

After preparing the traffic forecast, the experts then identified the needs of the existing infrastructure. They found that the length of the existing runway limited the potential for flights to international destinations in the region, and that it would therefore be necessary to extend it. They also concluded that both the terminal and apron were close to saturation; however, the airport’s proximity to the sea prevented expansion in its current location.

Consequently, in order to meet the forecast growth in traffic, the key action would be to extend the runway in order to serve new destinations up to 2,000 nautical miles away (e.g. New York, Mexico City), and to adapt the airfield so that it meets international standards. To achieve this, the Master Plan proposes a number of different expansion options, which have been evaluated using a multi-criteria matrix that takes into account factors such as air navigation and operability, costs and acquisition of land, impacts on urban areas, noise and restrictions due to obstacle limitation surfaces, construction feasibility, and the impacts on other infrastructure and the environment.

Proposed solutions

Once the needs and the different development options had been studied, the Master Plan defined the key actions to be taken with regard to each traffic horizon. The most notable actions comprise the extension of the runway over the sea platform, for which Ineco prepared a design in 2021; and the transfer of the commercial traffic operations to the eastern side of the runway, which would involve the construction of new taxiways, apron, terminal building, car parks, access routes and other facilities.

In total, the Plan aims to improve the airport’s operational safety, meet the forecast demand, enable the development of new activities associated with the airport environment, and facilitate the airport’s potential development even beyond the horizons studied in the Master Plan.

In the airfield area, the plan is to extend the runway towards the south, in order to provide an available take-off run of 2,040 metres. This will make it possible to operate flights to JFK using A320 Neo aircraft without compromising the number of passengers. Additionally, the Plan proposes enlarging the runway strip to a width of 150 metres and adding runway end safety areas (RESAs) at both ends, in accordance with Colombian Aeronautical Regulation RAC 14.

To carry out these works, breakwaters and earthworks will be used to reclaim land from the sea and reroute the railway line that runs close to the current airfield. These works are designed to maximise the current capacity of the facilities –in order to accommodate up to 3.2 million passengers per year–and will be carried out within a short strategic time frame, in order to be able to handle the anticipated levels of traffic in the coming years.

In the medium term, the commercial operations will be moved to the east of the airfield, thereby making it possible to undertake a major expansion of the airport by creating a new apron, terminal building and car parks, in addition to the auxiliary facilities required to enter into operation (rescue and fire-fighting services, power plant, etc.). In the long term, in order to handle 7.3 million passengers it will be necessary to enlarge the apron to provide 13 aircraft parking stands, expand the terminal building to 35,000 m² and enlarge the various surface-level car parks constructed during the previous stages.

The Plan also provides for new road access from the Troncal del Caribe: this, together with the FENOCO (Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Colombia) railway line will enable the development of an intermodal connection, which is of vital importance to the strategic projects being planned for Santa Marta’s district of cultural, historical and tourist interest.

This intermodal connection will also facilitate the development within the airport of an area for complementary activities (e.g. FBOs, specialist logistics, maintenance and cargo facilities). Land has been set aside for this purpose, in line with the strategic national vision of the country’s civil aviation authority. The current facilities to the west of the runway will be used for general aviation operations (FBOs) or other purposes.

The Master Plan also includes an estimate of the investment required, distributed (approximately) as follows: 35% in the short term, 51% in the medium term, and the remaining 14% in the long term.

El Dorado international airport in Bogotá, Colombia, is one of the most important airports in Latin America: it is the third largest in terms of passenger volume, with more than 35 million passengers per year, the second largest in terms of operations, with 315,000 flights, and the largest in terms of the volume of air cargo transported, with around 725,000 tonnes per year, according to 2019 data from the Civil Aeronautics Air Transport office. Expansion plans underway to meet the increase in traffic expected by 2030 include the implementation of an Apron Management Service, or AMS, to improve efficiency and reduce ground movement delays.

Ineco, together with the Colombian engineering company Integral, has carried out the technical, operational, administrative and cost studies for Aerocivil, the Colombian aeronautical authority, to develop and implement an AMS at El Dorado, the first of its kind in the country. To this end, the different possibilities for its implementation and the conditions for the tendering and contracting of the service by Aerocivil have been analysed.

An AMS is an airport service that is specifically dedicated to managing and securing the movement of vehicles and aircraft on aprons. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommends the implementation of an AMS when warranted by traffic volume and operating conditions. In Spain, its implementation was gradually introduced, starting in 2011, in airports with an annual traffic of over 250,000 flights, such as Madrid and Barcelona. Until 2017, Ineco was in charge of the transition and provision of the service in Madrid for Aena and provided support to Enaire in Barcelona, where the service was handled by control staff.

MONITORING FROM THE TOWER. It is proposed that the future AMS facility be physically located on the first floor of the control tower. In 2011, Ineco and the Spanish architecture firm GOP were commissioned to study, design and outfit the new tower. / PHOTO_INECO-AEROCIVIL

At the international level, different AMS models exist in Canada, China, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. In the United States, the system is implemented at major airports such as JFK in New York, Chicago and Las Vegas; and in Europe, at Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, Frankfurt, Amsterdam-Schiphol, Munich and Zurich airports.

In Colombia, the Apron Management Service at all airports is carried out through coordinated management between the air traffic services (ATS), the aerodrome administration and the airlines. Specifically, in the case of El Dorado International Airport, the control tower is currently responsible for regulating movement between aprons, controlling the entry of aircraft and ensuring the rapid and safe movement of vehicles, among other activities.

Assigning these functions to an AMS unit will reduce the workload of ground controllers (GND), enabling them to better manage taxiing on the manoeuvring area. The increased specialisation of the AMS in the management of taxiing and reversing on aprons will also help to improve operational fluidity and efficiency.

Operational positions of the AMS: in the centre, the supervisor and on both sides, the operators.

The implementation of the AMS does not necessarily require major investments in new infrastructure, equipment or technology, since the same infrastructures are used as those employed by tower control. In the case of El Dorado, it is proposed to physically locate the service on the first floor of the new control tower. In 2011, Ineco and the Spanish architecture firm GOP were commissioned to study, design and outfit the new tower (see ITRANSPORTE 46).

Thus, the proposal, developed in coordination with Aerocivil’s Directorate of Telecommunications and Air Navigation Aids, will not require major adaptation works, apart from the upgrading of the electrical system and the radio transmitter centre, as well as the establishment of intermediate waiting points on the airfield to identify the traffic transfer points between the control tower and the AMS. Cameras (CCTV) will be installed at the non-visible points of the commercial aprons (T1, T2 and TC), which are the responsibility of the AMS, an area that has been divided into two sectors: north and south. The service will also be supported by an A-SMGCS (Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System), which automatically alerts and resolves potential aircraft and vehicle conflicts regardless of weather conditions), which is being deployed at El Dorado.

A new AMS-specific CCTV system will be installed on the apron to ensure the availability of cameras in areas not directly visible from the tower. / PHOTO_INECO-AEROCIVIL

Project development

This project was developed through the structuring and scope established in the terms of reference defined jointly with the GPA and the Directorate of Air Navigation Services of the Colombian Civil Aeronautics.

Ineco’s multidisciplinary team carried out a field visit and around fifty working groups with the different stakeholders involved throughout the three phases of the project:

Diagnosis of the current situation

The first step was to gather all available information on the airport’s equipment, procedures, infrastructure, operations and human resources, as well as applicable national and international standards and recommendations. The operation of more than 4,000 flights was also sampled for the months of December 2019 to March 2020.

In addition, a benchmarking study of three international airports with an AMS –Madrid-Barajas, Amsterdam-Schiphol and Frankfurt – was carried out to assess implementation alternatives and the AMS model best suited to the needs of El Dorado. Among other conclusions drawn from this comparative analysis were the weight of staff training –between three months and one year, depending on the airport– in service start-up times, the improvement in operational efficiency and costs, and the maintenance of safety levels, since AMS operators receive specific training and provide pilots with exactly the same information and instructions as controllers.

A snapshot of the information-gathering field visit, which also included the analysis of more than 4,000 flights.

AMS proposal

Based on the conclusions of the diagnosis and the benchmarking study, up to six different service implementation alternatives were analysed to identify the most suitable for El Dorado. To this end, aspects such as the distribution of functions between the ATS and the AMS, the physical location of the service, the adaptation of the control and navigation systems (ATM, CNS and MET), the provision model (Aeronáutica Civil will evaluate the implementation model of the project based on the results of these studies), and the definition of the regulations: the establishment of specific conditions in the specifications or changes to the national regulations, the Colombian Aeronautical Regulations (CAR), which are considered the most appropriate.

The proposed functions to be assumed by the AMS at El Dorado airport, which until now were carried out by the control tower, include:

• Providing apron instructions to aircraft and trailers, such as push-back and taxiing instructions to or from the parking stand assigned by the Operations Coordination Centre (OCC), which will communicate this to both apron management and tower control.
• Monitor compliance with TOBT (Target Off-Block Time) and TSAT (Target Start-Up Approval Time) targets. The service will be integrated into the airport’s A-CDM (collaborative decision making) processes.
• Monitoring tarmac vehicle traffic to avoid aircraft hazards and reporting non-compliance.
• The implementation of the service will take place during towing to SPOTs, the painted markings on the pavement of taxiways indicating where aircraft can start taxiing, after taxiing back from the parking position, and the setting of the radio frequencies established for the respective operational coordination.
• Implementing the Low Visibility Procedure (LVP, an action protocol that is activated in the event that visibility is reduced below certain values due to weather conditions).

To this end, local coordination procedures (letters of agreement) have been developed, in coordination with Aerocivil air traffic control staff, covering those functions where responsibility is divided or coordination of the AMS with the
responsible party for the function, such as tower control or the airport manager, is required.

In terms of staffing, a team of six supervisors and 18 AMS operators, who will receive specific training, is proposed. For this, the Centre for Aeronautical Studies (CEA) of Aerocivil, which has developed a specific training programme for AMS personnel, has collaborated in this project.

A security analysis of the procedures and the implementation of the AMS has been carried out, as well as an implementation and operational cost study.

Implementation plan

Lastly, the technical specifications and specifications for a public tender for a turnkey project contract were drawn up, in the event that the Civil Aeronautics Authority should decide to have a third party provide the service: preliminary studies, market analysis, minute of the contract, technical specifications, formats, etc.

The proposed contract duration is six years (12 months of implementation and five years of service provision), which has been deemed the most appropriate period to balance the interests of Civil Aviation and at the same time make the tender attractive to a sufficient number of candidates.

Traffic control in the movement area

It is not only necessary to monitor and organise air traffic movements when aircraft are in the air, but also when they are on the ground, taxiing around the airport. All aircraft movements on the ground are managed by control personnel, or by AMS personnel if on aprons, where the safe and smooth coexistence of aircraft with all vehicles and personnel moving along the apron must be ensured.

The AMS will reduce the tower control workload. / PHOTO_INECO-AEROCIVIL

In addition to the aircraft, there are a number of vehicles that operate in the movement area following strict safety protocols and procedures: tractors, which tow the aircraft from the assigned parking positions; follow me; service and supply (handling); fuel supply; loading and unloading of luggage and freights; and mobile stairway trucks and buses for embarking and disembarking passengers and crews. In addition, where appropriate, there are emergency and security vehicles (ambulance, fire brigade, civil protection, police, etc.), customs, cleaning and maintenance vehicles, customs, cleaning and maintenance. As a result, the movement area at busy airports, and in particular the aprons where aircraft are parked, can become congested. Ensuring that all aircraft and vehicle movements are carried out safely and smoothly is fundamental to the efficiency of airport operations, where every second counts. Hence, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations for airport design and operations provide for the possibility of traffic management on the apron to be entrusted to an apron management service (AMS) that is separate from the air traffic service (ATS), which is in charge of tower control.

El Dorado apron with the control tower in the background. / PHOTO_INECO-AEROCIVIL

The functions and responsibilities of each must be perfectly defined and both services must be coordinated with each other, for which a protocol called ‘Letter of Agreement’ (LoA) is established, which specifies the areas of responsibility of each service, when, how and where control is transferred from one to the other (transfer points), the procedures to be followed in the event of Low Visibility Procedures (LVP), emergencies and contingencies, etc. 

Ineco is leading the consortium with Spanish engineering firm Ivicsa that will carry out the updating of the Master Plan for Simón Bolívar Airport in Santa Marta, as well as the detailed study of the runway expansion works, on the country’s Caribbean coast, for Aerocivil. The Master Plan will include the analysis of alternatives for the development of airport infrastructure until the 2050 horizon, which will analyze the feasibility of expanding the current 1,700-meter runway over the sea.

The region of Santa Marta is a focus of tourist attraction, so the airport has experienced exponential growth since 2008, registering more than 2.4 million passengers in 2019, growth of 17% over the previous year.

In recent years, passenger air traffic in Colombia has grown continuously. What are the current figures and forecasts for the coming years?

Air transport worldwide has experienced rapid and dynamic growth in recent decades, and the trend is expected to continue in the coming years. These changes are consistent with the strengthening and sustained development of global economic conditions and the generation and implementation of public policies aimed essentially at deregulation and liberalisation of air passenger and cargo transport markets.

With this in mind, from our perspective of Civil Aeronautics, and as described in the 2030 Strategic Aeronautical Plan, it is estimated that by 2030, there will be almost 100 million passengers per year and double the cargo transport, in a clear, competitive, connected, safe and sustainable institutional environment supported by renewed infrastructure, robust industry and highly talented people.

This growth is in line with what has been happening in recent years. For example, according to 2019 figures, we have grown by 9.1%.

Over the next four years, there are plans for the investment of 3.8 billion pesos, which will enable us to make great progress in the modernisation of the sector

What impact is the peace process having on this growth?

The peace process is one of the main reasons why increasing numbers of foreigners are coming to Colombia, a figure that reached 13.8 million passengers in 2018.  But, in addition, it is the clear result of major government efforts to make progress in the modernisation of the airport and aeronautical infrastructure throughout the country and strengthen regional connectivity with an offering that continues to expand. Indeed, in the last few months, two new aviation companies have started operations in Colombia’s regions, and two other companies are in the process of obtaining their operating licences.

And what about airport infrastructure concessions?

The concession arrangement has allowed the country to modernise and adapt its airport infrastructure to the 21st century. The airports that the country has today are a response to Colombia’s present and future aviation needs.

As far as Civil Aeronautics is concerned, we have been investing millions in construction, maintenance and studies and designs for several different airports in the country.

As part of the National Development Plan, an investment of 3.8 billion pesos has been planned for the next four years and this will enable us to make significant progress in the modernisation of the aviation sector and contribute to economic and social development and greater competitiveness.

Currently, trunk airports are being improved with investments in Leticia, Popayán, Armenia, San Andrés and Providencia, Rionegro Cartagena, Yopal, Buenaventura, Pasto, Ipiales, and Riohacha, and Ciudad Región Airport (El Dorado) and 10 regional airports (Amalfi, Urrao, Condoto, Barrancabermeja, Paz de Ariporo, Cravo Norte, Puerto Carreño, Villa Garzón, Nuquí and Pitalito). We hope to continue with this trend, providing the country with infrastructure that is constantly improving.

The Government has announced major investments in the development of regional tourism. Will this create new routes?

These investments are already generating new routes. In 2019 alone, the operation of 58 new routes and frequencies was authorised. In addition, the liberalisation of commercial air traffic regulations has enabled new operators to enter and offer their services. Twenty-two new routes have been approved for non-scheduled operators, which shows the dynamism that tourism has given to aviation.

The headquarters of Civil Aeronautics of Colombia, located at El Dorado Airport, Bogotá. It opened in 2009 and employs approximately 600 people.

Many of Colombia’s airports are in remote places and difficult to access. Do these destinations benefit from the social routes? 

National air connectivity promotes the development of policies that encourage increased competition with gradual processes of liberalisation of markets and the operation of low-cost airlines, among others, and tends to provide air transport services in remote areas of the country, where air transport is the only transport alternative, allowing the movement of cargo and passengers between these regions and the main economic centres of the nation.

Colombia’s system of social routes is provided by the public airline Satena. In this service the operator travels to locations in the country that have limited accessibility and benefits from direct subsidies when there are no other companies that operate these routes. For example, to the month of April of this year, Satena operated 26 social routes, providing air transport to 38,000 passengers.

In addition, through Resolution 890 of 2019, we now allow non-scheduled operators (Aerotaxis) to operate routes with fixed frequencies and direct ticket sales on routes that are not operated by regular operators. This has provided remote regions of the country with new connectivity, thereby improving the quality of life in these regions.

What development and investment plans do you have for airports?

In line with our new system of reformulated projects, we see airports as comprehensive functional units (trunk airports) where the aim is to unify all air and ground side systems into a single investment to meet airport infrastructure needs (runways, aprons, taxiways, control towers, firefighting services, security, cargo areas), as can be seen at Ciudad Región (El Dorado Airport), Rionegro and Cartagena, among others.

Airports strategically selected to contribute to the construction of an efficient air transport services network, taking advantage of the integrating capacity offered by this infrastructure.

In addition, actions are carried out to ensure the maintenance of the existing infrastructure both on the air side (runways, aprons, taxiways, end safety areas, etc.) and on the ground side (passenger terminals and other buildings) with the aim of preserving the condition of this infrastructure and guaranteeing sufficient capacity to continue facilitating the development of the air transport business. 

Selection and prioritisation of projects follows identification and assessment of the special and specific needs of each airport to achieve its maintenance, improvement, modernisation and optimisation.

The 2030 Strategic Aeronautical Plan estimates that by 2030, there will be almost 100 million passengers per year and double the cargo transport

With regard to the above, how far along is the project for the new El Dorado Airport?

Regarding El Dorado II Airport, the Government decided to conduct operational studies on Bogotá’s TMA (terminal manoeuvring area) to determine the most operationally-appropriate project for the solution to meet the growing demand for traffic. The 10.9 billion peso contract was awarded to a consortium made up of two Colombian companies and one French company on 29 March of this year and project commencement was signed on 3 May 2019. The contract expires on 31 December of this year, but it is expected that significant results will be obtained before that date.

El Dorado boasts a significant volume of cargo traffic. How is it expected to evolve in the coming years? 

Today, El Dorado Airport is the principal cargo airport in Latin America, handling around 742,000 tonnes in 2018. Estimates show average growth of 6% per year for the coming years, one of the highest rates in the world, and very consistent with what we have observed in recent years.

Secondary airports are essential for connectivity in a country with a territory as extensive and rugged as Colombia. The Andes Mountains and large rivers such as the Magdalena, Orinoco and Amazon crisscross the country, and many areas are isolated and have minimal land transport infrastructures. More than a dozen communities across the country depend on air or river transport, including Puerto Carreño (Vichada) in the east of the country, bordering Venezuela. In 2018, Ineco, in consortium with the Colombian consultancy firm Concol (now WSP), produced the Master Plan for Germán Olano Airport in Puerto Carreño and the airport planning schemes for Contador de Pitalito and San Bernardo de Mompox Airports. The three airports are administered directly by Aeronáutica Civil, Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority.

Pitalito

This is the provincial capital of the southern subregion of the department of Huila, Colombia’s main coffee-producing area and one of the most dynamic economic hubs in the region. It is a municipality with a vocation for tourism, strategically located close to the departments of Putumayo, Caquetá and Cauca, boasting several tourist attractions, including the San Agustín archaeological park, one of Colombia’s most important archaeological sites. Since the beginning of the peace process, the number of tourists who visit the area has increased and the regional government has set its sights on turning Pitalito into an important node of development thanks to its significant agricultural, commercial and tourism potential and its strategic location within the country.

Proposal for the development of Pitalito Airport involving runway extension and a new terminal.

Puerto Carreño

This is the capital of the department of Vichada, the second largest in Colombia. It is located on the border with Venezuela. It is an area with great ecological, hydrological and ethnic richness, with some of the principal activities including recreational fishing and commercialisation of ornamental fish. The region is also home to part of the El Tuparro National Natural Park, a national heritage site that was recognised as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1982. The city is surrounded by three important rivers, the Orinoco, one of the most important river systems in South America, the Meta and the Bita, the latter of which is listed as a protected river. Germán Olano Airport is located in an urban environment and is the principal means of access to the municipality as river navigation is only possible at certain times of the year, and because of its location far from other major population centres and the major difficulties for access by land.

The three airports have good growth prospects linked mainly to the development of tourism, which has increased thanks to colombia’s peace process, among other factors

Mompox

This municipality was listed as a heritage site by Colombia in 1959 and a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1995, thanks to the preservation of its colonial architectural features. The city hosts two important cultural events that currently generate most of the airport’s business: the Holy Week celebration, ranked second in importance in the country after Popayán, and the Mompox Festijazz jazz festival. The local economy revolves around fishing, its famous ornamental gold filigree work and tourism, which is one of the most important factors for creating passenger demand. In addition, aviation has great potential due to the area’s important tourist attractions and the difficulty of accessing them by land, as well as the best regional integration once the new Bodega-Yatí bridge goes into service, which will improve the area’s connectivity by land.

Future plans

Proper planning that takes different development scenarios into account is fundamental for organising the future growth of an airport and meeting the expected demand with all of the required guarantees of safety and quality of service. Ineco has extensive experience in this field of planning in airports in Spain and abroad.

In the cases of these three Colombian airports, Ineco studied the current situation of each one and its socioeconomic area of influence, which served as a basis for the development of a traffic projection for the next 30 years. This projection enabled us to determine future needs in the short, medium and long term and, based on the current situation, the design alternatives. Subsequently, an analysis of the environmental, urban and social impacts was carried out, which, together with the rest of the factors studied, determined the alternative to select. Lastly, detailed calculations were prepared to determine the financial investment required by the different actions in the short, medium and long term at each airport. The work was complemented with 3D modelling of the proposed development at each airport and video visualisations of each of them.

The three airports are between 500 and 900 kilometres from the national capital, Bogotá, located in the centre of the country; the airports are used exclusively for domestic traffic and, with the exception of Germán Olano in Puerto Carreño, handle only passenger traffic. The latter, along with the Contador Airport in Pitalito, offers ‘social routes’ that are subsidised by the government and operated by the airline Satena, while in San Bernardo de Mompox, air taxis account for 100% of the airport’s operations, although scheduled flights are expected to begin operation in the near future. As for their airport infrastructures, all three have runways shorter than 2,000 metres and small passenger terminals. In terms of traffic, the airport with the highest volume is Puerto Carreño, with 41,825 passengers and 5,885 tons of air cargo in 2017. Contador de Pitalito Airport, recorded a total of 15,530 passengers, all carried by the airline Satena, while San Bernardo de Mompox serviced 685 passengers, all of them air taxi traffic.

Planned development

According to the studies carried out by Ineco and Concol, all three airports have good growth prospects of around 4% per year over the next 30 years, linked mainly to the development of tourism which, among other factors, has been boosted by Colombia’s peace process.

The long-term development of the three airports calls for improvements to airport infrastructure both on the ground and in the air in order to meet demand according to national and international quality standards and to comply with Colombia’s current regulations. For the study horizon of 122,800 passengers and 4,580 operations at Germán Olano Airport in Puerto Carreño, the main actions include an extension of the 150-metre runway in order to operate flights to Bogotá, a new apron for aircraft and helicopters, a new cargo area, as well as a new passenger terminal that meets international safety standards in terms of passenger flow and where good passenger service is provided.

Ineco carried out a socioeconomic study of the area of influence of each airport, which served as a basis for calculating a traffic projection for the next 30 years

At Contador de Pitalito Airport, traffic of 63,000 passengers will be reached with the proposed development, and actions therefore include the extension of the runway by 370 metres in order to operate flights to Bogotá, apron enlargement for the parking of up to three aircraft, a new passenger terminal, a cargo area and weather station, and adequate space has been reserved for a new control tower.

The following actions are planned at San Bernardo de Mompox Airport to meet the long-term demand of 12,360 passengers per year: a runway extension of 370 metres to operate flights to Bogotá, a new apron for parking four aircraft, a new passenger terminal incorporating the current terminal, providing passengers with an example of the municipality’s typical colonial architecture, and the reservation of space for a new control tower.

Actions at all three airports include adapting their airfields to current regulations and renovation of road surfaces, new firefighting buildings, car parks and adequate access to each of them, and the necessary facilities for airport operations, such as power plant, fuel storage, hydrocarbon separation plant, water treatment facilities, drainage facilities, etc.

Metro de Medellín has decided to modernise its fleet of 42 first-generation trains. Manufactured by MAN and Siemens AG, they are close to the end of their 30-year service life. In 2016, Ineco carried out a viability study of the project, and is now in charge of supervising the work, which will involve complete internal and external refurbishment of the trains at half the cost of buying new rolling stock, according to Metro de Medellín.

The modernisation includes replacing the powertrain with a state-of-the-art DC/AC system, changing the existing auxiliary power supply and air production systems for new equipment with greater energy efficiency, installing air conditioning units in the cabin and updating the trains to a more modern and contemporary design (interior and exterior), as well as other improvements that will provide these trains with an additional 20 years of service life. In mid-2018, Metro de Medellín also took delivery of 38 new trains manufactured by the Spanish company CAF, all supervised by Ineco.

Last December, Ineco, in consortium with the Colombian consulting firm Concol (now WSP), presented Aerocivil, Colombia’s aeronautical authority, with the master plan for the Germán Olano de Puerto Carreño Airport (Department of Vichada) and the planning outlines for the San Bernardo de Mompox (Bolívar) and Contador de Pitalito (Huila) airports. Ineco has extensive experience in airport planning in Spain as well as in other countries, including Colombia, where its first work dates back to the 1970s.

What is the key to successfully managing the operations of a complex network that includes metro trains, buses and now also trams, in addition to Metrocable?   

The most important aspect is having a team that is flexible enough to understand that they are part of a multimodal network, while at the same time, having the specific technical training required to address the specific aspects of each mode of transport. This refers to operations and maintenance because customer service is completely integrated. The goal is for users to experience a sense of continuity in their journeys regardless of the transfers they make; this is why all of the staff who come into contact with users have the same training and work under the same service parameters.

Coordinated operation is possible because we have a main control centre that provides us with a complete overview of the operations of the different lines. Because it is an interconnected system, what happens on one of them can have repercussions on others. The operation of all of the lines is controlled from the same point, and this enables us to make comprehensive decisions in real time.

‘Metro Culture’ can be defined as the building of a civic culture framed by respect and solidarity

How important has intermodal integration been in this stage?

The different modes of transport that make up our system are integrated at the physical, operational and fare levels. The physical level is important because it ensures that users experience a sense of continuity in their journeys, no matter how many transfers they have to make. Operational integration, which consists of a single company operating the four modes of transport, makes it possible for timetables and standards of service to be the same, and also makes it easier to have a complete overview of the operation of the system, which facilitates decision making in real time. Fare integration is achieved thanks to the Civica card, a contactless payment method that allows users to travel on the different modes of transport with a single payment.

What would you highlight about your expansion plan? 

The Metro de Medellín Expansion Plan is one of the five plans that make up the 2006-2030 Confidence in the Future Master Plan, which was drafted taking into account the existing plans of the 10 municipalities of the Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Area. This makes it possible to articulate the 19 projected transport corridors in the same way that the city/region is projecting its development. In addition, the inclusion of the Expansion Plan in the Master Plan ensures that the new lines that are being developed have the human, physical and technological resources needed for proper implementation.

Metro de Medellín is a multimodal system that currently has two metro lines, four Metrocable lines, two BRT lines and one tram line

Another important aspect is that the 19 corridors defined in the Expansion Plan have been designed to cover current and projected demand, but the technology to be used has not been established a priori. This decision is made on the basis of a multi-criteria matrix which makes it possible to technically determine whether it is more suitable to build a tramway, Metrocable, BRT or heavy metro, or even adopt new technologies, in that particular corridor.

Lastly, I would like to highlight that the Master Plan is revised every five years in order to adapt to the dynamics of population growth and the way in which the inhabitants appropriate the territory. Last year, we made an adjustment that incorporated new criteria for the revision, among them linkage to the human mobility system and the structuring system –environment, landscape and public space– so that it can contribute more effectively to the sustainability of the city/region.

The intention is for users to experience a sense of continuity in their journeys regardless of the transfers they make

The Expansion Plan is accompanied by identification of possible funding resources, for which a Business Plan has been formulated to identify funding sources through non-fare resources which include businesses associated with transportation and the possible application of the value of the land generated by our system in each one of the planned corridors.

How many patents do you currently have and which one would you highlight?

Four patents have been granted to Metro. The first one was obtained in October 2015 after two years of research, which culminated in the creation of a Vehicle Traffic Monitoring System at the point of connection and operation between the cable, car, station and support clamp, in a cable car transport system. As the name indicates, the development is used to monitor the movement of vehicles. The second patent was granted in December 2015 for the Hub for the acquisition of railway vehicles and acquisition method, which optimises vehicle performance. Also in December 2015 and after 24 months of research, the company was awarded a patent for Diagnovision, a system and method for the inspection of the geometric parameters of railway vehicle wheels.

Fare integration is achieved thanks to the Civica card, a contactless payment method that allows users to travel on the different modes of transport with a single payment

Lastly, in February 2016, Metro de Medellín received the patent for Diagnodefect, a device used for the automated inspection of the roundness of rolling stock wheels on rail tracks. Rather than highlighting one of them in particular, I would like to emphasise the collaborative work work with universities and local industry that underlies each one.

From the beginning, Metro de Medellín has added a social and even educational dimension to urban transport which has been called ‘Metro Culture’. Can you explain what this is and who it is aimed at?

‘Metro Culture’ is effectively an educational and cultural initiative of Metro de Medellín which can be defined as the building of a civic culture based on respect for oneself, respect for others and respect for the public and calls for peaceful coexistence, good behaviour, solidarity and compliance with the basic rules of use of the system and the city’s spaces.

The Expansion Plan is accompanied by a Business Plan which makes it possible to identify funding sources through non-fare resources

Its target audience includes all of the company’s stakeholders because ‘Metro Culture’ is an integral part of the strategic guidance. This means that when interacting with Metro de Medellín, all of the different stakeholders are impacted by it. Users, for example, receive ongoing training in the proper use of the system and the patterns of behaviour that must be observed in it, while enjoying opportunities that bring them into contact with the arts, music and literature during their journeys. Communities in the areas of influence are also participants in educational actions, as well as recreational and cultural activities. The Human Talent area endeavours to ensure that culture of the organisation, and with all stakeholders, also preserves the principles of ‘Metro Culture’.

Innovation has always been one of your major commitments, what are your most innovative projects?

Without a doubt, Metrocable. Our Metrocable lines represent innovation in processes, as well as social innovation. Since cable cars are normally used in ski resorts, the operators have all of the summer months to perform major maintenance. In Medellín, because it is a public service whose malfunctions radically affect the most vulnerable communities, we have found it necessary to adapt maintenance routines in order to carry them out within no more than 10 days.

Communities in the areas of influence are also participants in educational actions, as well as recreational and cultural activities

What would you say are Metro de Medellín’s major milestones or achievements over the last 22 years of commercial operation?

As in any transport system, the beginning of the commercial operation of each new line is an important milestone. In addition to the milestones shown in the figure, there are others, even before the start of commercial operation. ‘Metro Culture’ began in 1988. Another milestone that we are very proud of occurred in 1999 when we were able, for the first time, to replace train wheels in our own workshops, instead of having to send them to Germany. This marked the beginning of a policy of import substitution and collaboration with academia and local industry.

2007 was also an important year, in which the company, Alternate Concepts Inc., an urban train operator from San Juan, Puerto Rico, became the first international client of the associated consulting business. Since then, we have carried out consulting, technical assistance and support work in the planning and execution of preliminary and operational stages of public transport systems, covering the management of operations, fare collection management, social management, communication and civic culture around sustainable mobility. Our main international clients include the cities of Panama, Lima and Rio de Janeiro. In Colombia, we have supported the cities of Bogotá, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Ibagué, Santa Marta, Montería, Soacha, El Peñol and significant mobility policy agreements with Colombia’s Ministry of Transport.

In recent years, Medellín has won a number of awards for management and urban planning, culminating in 2016, with the highest honour possible for a city: the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize. This prestigious prize –whose only previous winners are the cities of Suzhou, New York and Bilbao– is awarded after thorough assessment of specific initiatives to transform urban environments, generating social, economic and environmental benefits that serve as a model for communities around the world.

The management of transport in the city of Medellín has much to do with this success. More than 20 years of ‘Metro Culture’ have resulted in a significant decrease in inequality and an upsurge in civic spirit and modernity. With its positive and uncompromising policy of social transport, for the past 22 years, Metro de Medellín has been the torch bearer lighting the way to new paths for this city of 2.5 million inhabitants, which used to be synonymous with danger. Medellín’s public transport network, which today boasts a metro system, Metrocable, buses and bicycles, and is accessible through a single-ticket system, has managed to unite the city’s districts and pull its people out of the ghettos. It has also helped reduce traffic congestion and noise and pollution levels. What is more, it has become an exemplary urban transport system thanks to the participation of citizens.

METROCABLE. Over the past 20 years, there has been a noticeable decrease in inequality and an upsurge in civic spirit and modernity. In the image, Line K in the direction of Santo Domingo Savio. / PHOTO_ OFFICIAL GUIDE OF MEDELLÍN (FLICKR)

In an interview with Itransporte, Tomás Elejalde, the general manager of Metro de Medellín, tells us that “Metrocable is one of our most innovative projects because, although cable car technology has existed for many years, Medellín is the first city in the world to use it for medium-capacity public transport and integrate it into a multimodal network like the one operated by Metro de Medellín.” Elejalde adds that this system was necessary due to the Medellín metropolitan area’s geographic characteristics and location in a narrow valley whose mountainsides are home to people with limited economic resources. “Thanks to the Metrocable lines, the inhabitants of these districts are now able to integrate with the rest of the territory rapidly, economically and safely. We currently have four in commercial operation, one under construction and another one whose construction contract has just been awarded,” he concludes.

Since 2011, Ineco has collaborated with Metro de Medellín on, among other work, upgrading its fleet, overseeing the design, manufacture, reception and commissioning of its new CAF trains, including onboard signalling equipment (ATC).