Planning and Development of New Helicopter Operating Base and General Aviation Airport

Al Khor Airport

Al Khor Airport, Qatar

With the construction of the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) to replace the existing Doha International Airport (DOH), a number of general aviation activities such as the offshore oil and gas support provided by Gulf Helicopters, and the civil aviation training provided by the Qatar Aeronautical College, and other general aviation functions, will not be permitted to relocate to the new airport site. As a result, Gulf Helicopters commissioned a study to determine how the Al Khor airport, located 25kms north of Doha, could be developed as a helicopter operating base for Gulf Helicopters, and also serve as a general aviation and cargo airport.

LEAPP prepared a master plan for the Al Khor Airport which provided a helicopter base for Gulf Helicopters, comprising a passenger processing terminal for offshore oil and gas workers, a helicopter maintenance base, an extensive helicopter parking and servicing apron, and a dispersal apron for helicopter loading and dispatch. Also forming part of a later phase of development of Al Khor airport, LEAPP designed a runway for turboprop and business jet use, a second future runway for cargo operations, and a master plan to enable the airport to be used for general and business aviation, flight training, and ultimately for regional cargo services.

LEAPP prepared a business plan for the airport operation in its first phase and carried out capital costing and financial analysis of the airport operation.