Floating Airports: A Vision of the Future

Imagine you were tasked with increasing air traffic capacity for Tokyo. The challenge, however, isn't as simple as just adding another runway to the current airports. With too many buildings in the vicinity and limited flat, undeveloped land, expanding via traditional means is nearly impossible. So, what other solution could there be? Perhaps the answer lies in building an airport on water.

To ensure stability, the airport would need to be large enough that normal wave movements wouldn't disrupt it. Anchoring it to the land would be crucial to maintaining its position. While it would be an expensive and complex project, it could provide a viable alternative to demolishing an entire neighborhood to make space for a new runway.

This concept isn't entirely new. Engineers have been exploring this idea for years, with one of the earliest proposals appearing in a 1930 edition of *Popular Mechanics*. The magazine published an article discussing the possibility of building airports supported by long columns, spaced 400 miles (643 kilometers) apart across the Atlantic. These pillars would elevate the airport 80 feet (24 meters) above the ocean surface, preventing wave interference.

Although those floating airports never came to fruition, the idea continues to captivate innovators. In 1995, a group of Tokyo-based companies formed the Technological Research Association of Runway and funded a groundbreaking prototype: a floating, artificial island runway in Tokyo Bay. This 3281-foot (1,000-meter) island was made of interlocking pieces, each measuring 984 feet by 197 feet (300 meters by 60 meters). Designed to endure impacts, waves, and fires, it even successfully completed tests for takeoff and landing.

The Megafloat was intended as a test for a larger vision. Although the bigger plan to construct a larger floating structure has yet to materialize, the idea is still alive and hasn't been entirely dismissed.

Across the pond in the U.K., politicians are considering a similar approach to expand London's air traffic capacity. The proposal involves creating an artificial island in the Thames estuary. While it wouldn't be a floating airport like the Megafloat, it could help resolve the overcrowding issues at London's current airports. Proponents claim that this new facility could even render Heathrow unnecessary, opening up possibilities to repurpose the land.

Not everyone supports the plan. Environmentalists express concerns about the potential harm the project could do to wildlife and ecosystems in the estuary. Additionally, officials at Heathrow are, understandably, opposed to the proposal.

In the U.S., a similar concept has been suggested for San Diego. The city is in dire need of a larger airport, but expanding the existing San Diego International Airport isn't feasible. This is problematic because the airport operates with just one runway, making it the busiest one-runway international airport in the country.

Two companies have proposed floating airport solutions to address San Diego's challenges. One plan, introduced by Float Inc. in 1993, came years before Tokyo's Megafloat. Although city officials initially debated the idea, they largely dismissed it, eventually rejecting the proposal a decade later.

The second proposal came from Euphlotea with their O-Plex 2020 design. This concept envisions a four-story floating structure that would not only serve as an airport but also house office spaces, hotels, and additional properties. The design includes two runways and an underwater light-rail system to transport travelers to and from the airport, though an alternative plan suggests using high-speed ferries instead.

Euphlotea estimates the total cost of the project at $20 billion. While that's a hefty price tag, they argue that without expanding the airport by 2020, San Diego could forfeit $100 billion in potential economic growth.

Large-scale projects like this are difficult to launch, even when they are built on solid ground. It's possible that we may never see a major floating airport. However, as the need for expansion intensifies, we'll gain a clearer understanding of whether this ambitious concept will succeed or fail.