For decades, Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) received its jet fuel from an off-airport Shell storage facility supplied by a pipeline running from Chicago-area refineries up the western shore of Lake Michigan through Milwaukee to Green Bay, WI. But in 2016, the pipeline operator decided to decommission the segment of pipeline north of Milwaukee, and Shell consequently announced plans to sell the facility that supplied all of MKE's jet fuel.
Plenty of unknown challenges emerged when COVID-19 turned the industry upside down in a matter of weeks. San Diego International Airport (SAN) also found an opportunity. While air traffic is at record lows due to the global pandemic, the metropolitan airport is analyzing how the noise data it routinely collects correlates with the number of noise complaints from the community.
Spoiler alert: The relationship is not what you might expect.
The Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo, held at Florida's Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), is one of the world's largest aviation events. The popular fly-in and airshow are such a big to-do that the FAA dispatches its most experienced air traffic controllers to manage the 1,200+ daily operations it draws. This would have been the 46th Sun 'n Fun, but like most large events in 2020, it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Central Iowa may not be the first location that springs to mind for cutting-edge technology breakthroughs, but Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is defying that stereotype. The small hub facility is the first U.S. airport using electrically conductive concrete with embedded electrodes to heat airside pavement. Two test slabs installed on DSM's general aviation apron in 2016 are producing promising results.
The airfield at Spirit of St. Louis (SUS) Airport is safer and brighter following a $1.34 million project that overhauled its main runway with freshly renovated concrete and upgraded lighting. Since Runway 8R-26L was already scheduled for pavement rehabilitation, SUS management figured it was an opportune time to upgrade the runway's lighting, too.
With winter weather that is beyond unpredictable, Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) needs top-notch expertise and equipment to keep its airfield clear for aircraft operations. 'There's no typical winter here in Buffalo,' says Airfield Superintendent Joe Guarino. 'There's always something different that happens during a snow event.'
Robbie Lambert recalls his flight instructor repeatedly telling him, 'If you can land at Paoli, you can land anywhere.' It was a profound statement coming from an experienced veteran who once worked as a bush pilot in Alaska. 'With practice, Lambert learned to navigate the challenges of Runway 2-20 at Paoli Municipal Airport (I42) in southern Indiana'and now serves as president of the Paoli Board of Aviation Commissioners.
Last fall, the Winnipeg Airport Authority received a $30 million grant from the National Trade Corridors Fund, a Canadian transportation infrastructure investment program. That money will be put toward a $62 million project to increase cargo capacity at YWG. The airport is a key transportation hub for central Canada, the Canadian North and for Canada's international trade.
The newest painting at Centennial Airport (APA) in Englewood, CO, is far too large for a frame. The compass rose, painted by The Ninety-Nines Organization of Women Pilots, adds a crisp, colorful graphic to the ramp outside the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.
There were plenty of factors that could have forced Bismarck Airport (BIS) to shut down while crews replaced its 8,794-foot main runway: an unusually high water table, the diverse needs of five different air carriers and a construction schedule heavily influenced by funding. Despite these challenges and an early winter snowstorm, the North Dakota airport managed to remain open for traffic throughout the $64 million project. When airport officials started planning the project with engineering consultant KLJ, the FAA indicated it would need to deliver funding over three years.
The location of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is both a blessing and a curse. While the nearby San Francisco Bay provides stunning views for passengers, roughly 10 miles of waterfront perimeter are challenging to monitor and secure. The crucial job is further complicated by notoriously foggy weather that hampers visibility.
People use the phrase 'Don't paint yourself into a corner' to offer advice about everything from business strategies to personal relationships. It also can apply, somewhat literally, to airports that establish years of fixed budgets for airfield marking projects. Sadly, many end up overspending.
The maintenance team at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is well-known for its expertise in snow removal. But after the snow stops flying, crews quickly turn their attention to a myriad of other duties. Much of the off-season work centers on landscape management to help deter wildlife on the airport's 2,930-acre campus.
