A runway with a twist: the Endless Runway | Henk Hesselink | TEDxGroningen

I love science fiction films I love to

I love science fiction films I love to see how creative people imagine a future

see how creative people imagine a future

see how creative people imagine a future that is very different from our world in

that is very different from our world in

that is very different from our world in 1919

1919

1919 one creative writer imagined cars would

one creative writer imagined cars would

one creative writer imagined cars would very soon become obsolete

very soon become obsolete

very soon become obsolete the aircraft had just been invented and

the aircraft had just been invented and

the aircraft had just been invented and we would all use this to fly to work so

we would all use this to fly to work so

we would all use this to fly to work so on top of the skyscrapers in New York he

on top of the skyscrapers in New York he

on top of the skyscrapers in New York he invented a structure that we could use

invented a structure that we could use

invented a structure that we could use to fly to our offices now we’re not

to fly to our offices now we’re not

to fly to our offices now we’re not going to work like this but still in 100

going to work like this but still in 100

going to work like this but still in 100 years of aviation we’ve reached a lot

years of aviation we’ve reached a lot

years of aviation we’ve reached a lot we’ve come from wooden aircraft to

we’ve come from wooden aircraft to

we’ve come from wooden aircraft to airframes made of advanced composite

airframes made of advanced composite

airframes made of advanced composite materials we’ve come from navigating by

materials we’ve come from navigating by

materials we’ve come from navigating by the Stars to the use of complex

the Stars to the use of complex

the Stars to the use of complex algorithms to guide our way we even cut

algorithms to guide our way we even cut

algorithms to guide our way we even cut down flight times for intercontinental

down flight times for intercontinental

down flight times for intercontinental flights from days to last only hours but

flights from days to last only hours but

flights from days to last only hours but still with all these advances in the

still with all these advances in the

still with all these advances in the aircraft why hasn’t the airport been

aircraft why hasn’t the airport been

aircraft why hasn’t the airport been changed now you may think I never

changed now you may think I never

changed now you may think I never thought about that why do you need to

thought about that why do you need to

thought about that why do you need to change if it isn’t broken don’t fix it

change if it isn’t broken don’t fix it

change if it isn’t broken don’t fix it well our Airport system does not beat a

well our Airport system does not beat a

well our Airport system does not beat a future demands already when you travel

future demands already when you travel

future demands already when you travel to an airport now you see on busy days

to an airport now you see on busy days

to an airport now you see on busy days it is extremely crowded and this will

it is extremely crowded and this will

it is extremely crowded and this will only get worse

only get worse

only get worse aviation doubles every 15 years which

aviation doubles every 15 years which

aviation doubles every 15 years which means that in 2030 there will be twice

means that in 2030 there will be twice

means that in 2030 there will be twice the number of people traveling on twice

the number of people traveling on twice

the number of people traveling on twice the number of planes traveling twice the

the number of planes traveling twice the

the number of planes traveling twice the distance as they do today

distance as they do today

distance as they do today 2,050 it means there will be three or

2,050 it means there will be three or

2,050 it means there will be three or four times as many as today this also

four times as many as today this also

four times as many as today this also puts an enormous pressure on our

puts an enormous pressure on our

puts an enormous pressure on our environment we have subscribed to the

environment we have subscribed to the

environment we have subscribed to the sustainable mobility goals of the Paris

sustainable mobility goals of the Paris

sustainable mobility goals of the Paris agreement which means that the impact of

agreement which means that the impact of

agreement which means that the impact of aviation will has to read will have to

aviation will has to read will have to

aviation will has to read will have to reduce despite the fact that it grows

reduce despite the fact that it grows

reduce despite the fact that it grows concreted means for example that the co2

concreted means for example that the co2

concreted means for example that the co2 emissions will have to be reduced with

emissions will have to be reduced with

emissions will have to be reduced with 75% in the year 2050 this will not work

75% in the year 2050 this will not work

75% in the year 2050 this will not work without current straight runways and

without current straight runways and

without current straight runways and then we have the problem of the weather

then we have the problem of the weather

then we have the problem of the weather in stormy wind conditions aircraft have

in stormy wind conditions aircraft have

in stormy wind conditions aircraft have problems with landing and you probably

problems with landing and you probably

problems with landing and you probably think I’m happy I was not onboard this

think I’m happy I was not onboard this

think I’m happy I was not onboard this aircraft I know I am still pilots are

aircraft I know I am still pilots are

aircraft I know I am still pilots are trained for these situations but this

trained for these situations but this

trained for these situations but this aircraft has to circle around a couple

aircraft has to circle around a couple

aircraft has to circle around a couple of times before being able to make a

of times before being able to make a

of times before being able to make a landing which means delay extra fuel

landing which means delay extra fuel

landing which means delay extra fuel burn and not only for this aircraft but

burn and not only for this aircraft but

burn and not only for this aircraft but for all the ones to follow as well then

for all the ones to follow as well then

for all the ones to follow as well then why in a hundred years

why in a hundred years

why in a hundred years airports have not changed we need an

airports have not changed we need an

airports have not changed we need an innovation in airports we need a

innovation in airports we need a

innovation in airports we need a breakthrough this is what we have

breakthrough this is what we have

breakthrough this is what we have designed this Airport design was made by

designed this Airport design was made by

designed this Airport design was made by me and my team at the Netherlands

me and my team at the Netherlands

me and my team at the Netherlands Aerospace Center together with a team of

Aerospace Center together with a team of

Aerospace Center together with a team of experts from all over Europe and the

experts from all over Europe and the

experts from all over Europe and the European Commission it is a large

European Commission it is a large

European Commission it is a large circumventing runway which offers the

circumventing runway which offers the

circumventing runway which offers the possibility to put the buildings in the

possibility to put the buildings in the

possibility to put the buildings in the middle the diameter of the runway is

middle the diameter of the runway is

middle the diameter of the runway is three and a half kilometers meaning this

three and a half kilometers meaning this

three and a half kilometers meaning this runway is 11 kilometres long now here’s

runway is 11 kilometres long now here’s

runway is 11 kilometres long now here’s how it works

how it works

how it works the aircraft flies straight in until at

the aircraft flies straight in until at

the aircraft flies straight in until at the last moment it aligns its structure

the last moment it aligns its structure

the last moment it aligns its structure with the size of the runway the sides

with the size of the runway the sides

with the size of the runway the sides are banked as you can see which means

are banked as you can see which means

are banked as you can see which means the aircraft will stay on the surface

the aircraft will stay on the surface

the aircraft will stay on the surface just like you see on highways or on rail

just like you see on highways or on rail

just like you see on highways or on rail tracks the aircraft does not circle

tracks the aircraft does not circle

tracks the aircraft does not circle around a couple of times before coming

around a couple of times before coming

around a couple of times before coming to a full stop it will only require the

to a full stop it will only require the

to a full stop it will only require the use of about one quarter of the runway

use of about one quarter of the runway

use of about one quarter of the runway for landing this means you will not feel

for landing this means you will not feel

for landing this means you will not feel like you’re in a rollercoaster and just

like you’re in a rollercoaster and just

like you’re in a rollercoaster and just as well it means we can have three

as well it means we can have three

as well it means we can have three aircraft simultaneously on the runway

aircraft simultaneously on the runway

aircraft simultaneously on the runway while still including safety margins for

while still including safety margins for

while still including safety margins for any possible error

this runway offers the possibility to

this runway offers the possibility to fly in from different directions so if

fly in from different directions so if

fly in from different directions so if you make a landing you do not have to

you make a landing you do not have to

you make a landing you do not have to circle around anymore

circle around anymore

circle around anymore before lining up to the runway it also

before lining up to the runway it also

before lining up to the runway it also means for taking off you do not have to

means for taking off you do not have to

means for taking off you do not have to wait in a long queue but you can enter

wait in a long queue but you can enter

wait in a long queue but you can enter anywhere you would like and just as well

anywhere you would like and just as well

anywhere you would like and just as well as the buildings are in the middle the

as the buildings are in the middle the

as the buildings are in the middle the taxi times from the gate to the runway

taxi times from the gate to the runway

taxi times from the gate to the runway is much shorter than it is today now you

is much shorter than it is today now you

is much shorter than it is today now you may think you set 11 kilometres of

may think you set 11 kilometres of

may think you set 11 kilometres of runway that is quite a lot and it is

runway that is quite a lot and it is

runway that is quite a lot and it is quite a lot but if you compare this

quite a lot but if you compare this

quite a lot but if you compare this compare our airport with the current

compare our airport with the current

compare our airport with the current airport of Paris and this is Paris shell

airport of Paris and this is Paris shell

airport of Paris and this is Paris shell the goal you see that our runway only

the goal you see that our runway only

the goal you see that our runway only requires about half of the size of the

requires about half of the size of the

requires about half of the size of the current airfields you may think okay

current airfields you may think okay

current airfields you may think okay this is nice but it’s a big Airport can

this is nice but it’s a big Airport can

this is nice but it’s a big Airport can you live up to the standard of this

you live up to the standard of this

you live up to the standard of this Airport

Airport

Airport if you depicted on this Airport does

if you depicted on this Airport does

if you depicted on this Airport does this really work or is this science

this really work or is this science

this really work or is this science fiction and that’s what we’ve tried to

fiction and that’s what we’ve tried to

fiction and that’s what we’ve tried to find out as well

find out as well

find out as well we have modeled the airport of Paris

we have modeled the airport of Paris

we have modeled the airport of Paris shall the goal which is one of the

shall the goal which is one of the

shall the goal which is one of the busiest airports in Europe we have taken

busiest airports in Europe we have taken

busiest airports in Europe we have taken the busiest day of the year that is one

the busiest day of the year that is one

the busiest day of the year that is one day in July we took all the traffic that

day in July we took all the traffic that

day in July we took all the traffic that occurred on that day and depicted it on

occurred on that day and depicted it on

occurred on that day and depicted it on a computer model that we made from the

a computer model that we made from the

a computer model that we made from the endless runway we put our system to the

endless runway we put our system to the

endless runway we put our system to the test and we found it works our research

test and we found it works our research

test and we found it works our research shows air traffic controllers are

shows air traffic controllers are

shows air traffic controllers are capable of managing multiple aircraft on

capable of managing multiple aircraft on

capable of managing multiple aircraft on the runway and it also shows air traffic

the runway and it also shows air traffic

the runway and it also shows air traffic controllers are capable of managing

controllers are capable of managing

controllers are capable of managing traffic coming from different directions

we also measure two reductions in

we also measure two reductions in emissions because aircrafts can now fly

emissions because aircrafts can now fly

emissions because aircrafts can now fly straight in or if the fly outs greyed

straight in or if the fly outs greyed

straight in or if the fly outs greyed out and very important this runway it’s

out and very important this runway it’s

out and very important this runway it’s much less depending on the weather

much less depending on the weather

much less depending on the weather if the wind is blowing too strong from a

if the wind is blowing too strong from a

if the wind is blowing too strong from a certain direction

certain direction

certain direction this runway only faces partial closure

this runway only faces partial closure

this runway only faces partial closure meaning we have a sustainable capacity

meaning we have a sustainable capacity

meaning we have a sustainable capacity all year long now you may think does

all year long now you may think does

all year long now you may think does this affect me as a passenger it will it

this affect me as a passenger it will it

this affect me as a passenger it will it will also affect pilots they will need

will also affect pilots they will need

will also affect pilots they will need additional training it will affect

additional training it will affect

additional training it will affect engineers we need to redesign landing

engineers we need to redesign landing

engineers we need to redesign landing gears we need to look what happens with

gears we need to look what happens with

gears we need to look what happens with the tires you may also think this is a

the tires you may also think this is a

the tires you may also think this is a crazy idea well the video was posted on

crazy idea well the video was posted on

crazy idea well the video was posted on Facebook for this endless runway and I

Facebook for this endless runway and I

Facebook for this endless runway and I never imagined it would go viral in just

never imagined it would go viral in just

never imagined it would go viral in just two or three days and up to today over

two or three days and up to today over

two or three days and up to today over 50 million people have seen the video of

50 million people have seen the video of

50 million people have seen the video of the endless runway I’m totally amazed by

the endless runway I’m totally amazed by

the endless runway I’m totally amazed by that and I only hope that this crazy

that and I only hope that this crazy

that and I only hope that this crazy idea inspires you to also keep an open

idea inspires you to also keep an open

idea inspires you to also keep an open mind in science and to keep innovating

mind in science and to keep innovating

mind in science and to keep innovating let’s realize our dream for an endless

let’s realize our dream for an endless

let’s realize our dream for an endless runway and for a new generation of

runway and for a new generation of

runway and for a new generation of airports and move from science fiction

airports and move from science fiction

airports and move from science fiction to science fact

to science fact

to science fact thank you

thank you

thank you [Applause]