Industry Insider columns

Will Public-Private Partnerships Propel the Next Big Wave of Airport Improvements?

March-April
2017
The United States may boast the world's top economy, but that's not evident when travelers arrive at our front door. Sadly, U.S. airports do not impress international travelers. In fact, not a single one made the top 25 in Skytrax's 2016 survey of the world's best airports.

Now is an Ideal Time to Support Inclusion

January-February
2017
More than 30 years ago, Congress recognized the importance of equity and inclusion in airport contracting by enacting legislation to facilitate participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs). In 1987, it added a separate, similar program focused on Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBEs).

More Than Just Fundraising

November-December
2016
When Brian Ryks, former executive director at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, approached me about spearheading the Gateway Transformation Project Fundraising Campaign, I instantly knew we were pioneering a path that no other airport had ever taken.

Think About It

October
2016
It was early July 2014, when I received word that a commercial aircraft carrying more than 140 passengers experienced a close encounter with a UAS (unmanned aircraft system) on final approach to our airport. While I was already plugged in to the UAS issues that were growing around the country, this hit home and got my full attention.

TSA Screening Partnership Program is Good, But Certainly Not Perfect

September
2016
In March, suicide bombers attacked the departures hall at Brussels Airport, killing 16 people. In June, dozens were killed when Istanbul Ataturk Airport came under siege. Closer to home, Dallas Love Field suffered a single fatality this June, when city police shot a man who confronted them after throwing rocks at his ex-girlfriend's car as passengers streamed out of the baggage claim area.

The Importance of Disability Compliance

July-August
2016
Mamie Mallory is the FAA's assistant administrator for Civil Rights. As such, she is the principal advisor to the administrator on civil rights, equal employment opportunity, diversity and affirmative action. Q&A

A Call to Action on Runway Condition Reporting

May-June
2016
Later this year, airport operations will enter a brand new era. For the very first time, they will be implementing procedures designed by aircraft manufacturers, pilots, performance engineers, safety professionals and other airport operators.

Avoiding Winter Woes

March-April
2016
Few news reports grab my attention more than regulatory action within the industry. When I heard about airports being fined for activities related to winter operations, my first inclination was to find out what happened so my airport could avoid the same consequences. Then I began to worry whether our industry is somehow failing in this area.

3 Crucial Challenges for Airports, Aviation & the Economy

January-February
2016
As I end almost two decades at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport - including 11 years at the helm - I reflect on three challenges that will shape the future of airports, aviation and the economy. The first is evolutionary and the second is redefining the U.S. airport system. But the third demands a revolution and, in fact, may be an existential threat to aviation.

It Ain't Easy Seeing Green

November-December
2015
Green is the new black. And the trend sees design and construction industry project teams certifying the "greenness" of buildings through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. But the rating for the environmental impact of horizontal infrastructure such as runways and aprons lags due to the lack of a comparably influential certification standard. That has changed.

Are You Complying with Updated Training Requirements for Specialized Airfield Maintenance Workers?

October
2015
The name Advisory Circular (AC) is a bit of a misnomer, as many are more mandatory than advisory in nature. The latest version of AC 150/5340-26(C), Maintenance of Airport Visual Aid Facilities, is a clear example of an FAA document that does more than advise.

Customers Rule - Even During Capital Improvement Programs

September
2015
The airport community universally agrees that customer service excellence is a critical component of an airport's success. We further concur that exceptional customer service can generate revenue not only from air travelers, but also from those sending off or greeting passengers.

Ascending to New Heights with Drinks on the Go

July-August
2015
Whether it's for business or leisure, people are visiting Nashville like never before. As Nashville experiences a time of unprecedented growth and opportunity, so does Nashville International Airport (BNA). BNA served more than 11 million passengers in 2014, setting a new record for the airport. This means more opportunities to provide the Nashville Airports Experience - our customer service mantra - to each and every traveler.

Air Service Development Strategies

May-June
2015
Air service development should be easy. In theory, all it takes is convincing an airline that it can make a profit serving your market; but that's really not enough. Given the limited amount of aircraft airlines have to deploy and the larger number of airports vying for service, you must also demonstrate that a carrier can make more money in your market than elsewhere. How this is done is very different from one airport to the next.

Read, Write & Win

March-April
2015
The evolution of technology has turned us into great electronic communicators. We are obsessed with sending emails, text messages, tweets, etc. Unfortunately, we no longer communicate very well or very accurately on paper. Often, our written messages are loaded with misspelled or missing words, poor sentence structure and punctuation problems.

Airport Robots Are Already a Reality

January-February
2015
When I asked Professor Kostas Daniilidis about the future of robotics at airports, he smiled and responded, "Well, what would you want?"...

Pages

FREE Whitepaper

PAVIX: Proven Winner for All Airport Concrete Infrastructure

PAVIX: Proven Winner for All Airport Concrete Infrastructure

International Chem-Crete Corporation (ICC) manufactures and sells PAVIX, a unique line of crystalline waterproofing products that penetrate into the surface of cured concrete to fill and seal pores and capillary voids, creating a long lasting protective zone within the concrete substrate.

Once concrete is treated, water is prevented from penetrating through this protective zone and causing associated damage, such as freeze-thaw cracking, reinforcing steel corrosion, chloride ion penetration, and ASR related cracking.

This white paper discusses how the PAVIX CCC100 technology works and its applications.

 

 

Digital Issue:

May/June Digital Issue

Connect

Twitter



Publisher's Blog

What’s in a Name?
I’m all for improving our airports. But do new names necessarily make them better?
more >>

# # #

Industry Insider

Cyberattacks on the Aviation Sector: Threats, Trends and Strategies
The aviation industry has been a prime target for nefarious cyberattacks over the last few years.
more >>

Project Nominations

Know of a project that should be covered in a future issue of Airport Improvement?

Artscapes

Art Without Borders - San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Art Without Borders - San Diego International Airport (SAN)
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is celebrating that longtime binational bond with a temporary art exhibit titled...
more >>

# # #

# # #

# # #

# # #

# # #

# # #

# # #

# # #


# # #
 

# # #