b'82 MCIINFO TECHNOLOGY Virtual Ramp System at Kansas City IntlProvides 360-Degree View of Airfield BY KRISTIN V. SHAWAfter four years of constructionnew terminal is shaped like a capital H. and many more years of planning,Passengers enter through one side and funnel Kansas City International Airportthrough the TSA checkpoints. All the A gates FACTS&FIGURES(MCI) opened its new $1.5 billion terminal thisare immediately adjacent to the new Arrivals Project: Virtual Ramp ControlFebruary. With 39 gates, 1 million square feetHall, along with amenities like restaurants, Location: Kansas City (KS) Intl Airportof terminal space and 6,200 parking spots,shops and a quiet room. Travelers with flights the new facility represents the largest singledeparting from the B concourse connect Key Components: 2 digital tower camerainfrastructure project in Kansas Citys history.through the crossbar of the H and head to the houses, each with 14 cameras; 8 supplementalgate on the other side of the terminal. cameras Behind all that new infrastructure is the Cost: $7.6 milliontechnology that makes MCI hum. One ofFor both operational and budgetary Funding: Bonds (as part of new terminal project)those crucial pieces is a new $7.6 millionreasons, MCI opted to keep the original air Timeline: Bid issued Sept. 2021; contract awardvirtual ramp control system (VRCS) fromtraffic control tower, which sits east of the finalized Dec. 2021; construction & activation prepSaab. And its not a whiz-bang frill. Becausenew terminal. As the team ran computer Jan. 2022- Feb. 2023of the shape of the new terminal, the systemsimulations to determine how traffic would Go-Live Date: Feb. 28, 2023 is critical for safe ramp operations. Themove across the taxiways, it identified the two digital tower camera houses and eightneed for extra eyes and determined a VRCS Contract Terms: 3-phase implementation; 5supplemental cameras give ramp controllers awas the best solution. years of ramp control services 360-degree view of FAA-controlled movement Software, Contract Lead: Saab Inc. On the west side of the B terminal, there areas and non-movement areas that areis only a single Group III taxi lane; and the Staffing Support: Robinson Aviation Inc. overseen by the airport. semicircular end caps feature dual Group III Construction Drawings & ConstructionThe old MCI had a horseshoetaxi lanes. Once an aircraft leaves the taxiway Management: Garver configuration with three terminals (A, Band segues onto the ramp area, control of Key Benefits: 360-degree visibility of ramp areaand C). Picture the head of a certain iconicthe aircraft transfers from the FAA to non-& entire airfield; expanded line-of-sight for rampcartoon mouse, but with an extra ear. Thecontrolled portions of the airport ramp. As controllers September 2023AirportImprovement.com'