Building the Future - Terminal 3 Menu

Everything Under Control
Piers H and J

Calling All Apron Controllers!

Apron controllers observe everything that moves on an airport’s apron, taxiways, and runways. They keep a vigilant eye on the complex traffic situation and give the pilots instructions. Especially at Germany’s largest airport, this calls for a good view – after all, in 2019 an average of 1,400 aircraft took off and landed here every day. Since the new Terminal 3 will also generate more ground traffic in the south of the airport, a new apron control tower is being built here.

The first four levels of the control tower are integrated in a pier.

The apron control tower grows skyward to reach its final height of nearly 70 meters.

With the aid of “climbing formwork”, the same work sequence is repeated to build each successive level at an accelerating pace.

The turret extends out about six meters beyond the shaft of the tower.

The composite thermal insulation system is currently being installed on the apron control tower. To this end, the facade is first insulated. The next step will be reinforcement and finishing plaster. 

Up, Up and Away

The first four levels are integrated in Pier H, and above that the tower continues growing to reach its final height of nearly 70 meters. From the fifth level on up, it’s built with the aid of “climbing formwork”. The outer walls of each level are created by pouring concrete directly into the formwork. After the concrete has cured, a 65-meter-tall crane raises it so work can proceed on the next-higher level. To let it reach the upper levels, the crane’s base is gradually raised to a height of 20 meters. The operators then have to do their jobs at a dizzying height with millimeter precision.

From Level to Level

The advantage of climbing framework is that, because identical work steps repeat over and over again, the tower rises faster. The first 12 levels mainly contain, apart from an elevator shaft and a stairwell, the required equipment and systems. The turret, which extends outward by about six meters from the tower body, comprises levels 13 and 14. It is where the apron traffic controllers work, surrounded by slanted glass panes so they can visually monitor a 300-degree area around Terminal 3. It’s especially important for them to have an unhindered view of the apron.

Related Topics: Piers H and J

Walls Growing at the Construction Site
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