A challenging management issue is emerging at many U.S. airports: As increasing numbers of long-time senior executives prepare to retire, their next-in-line successors typically don’t have the business, management and leadership skills the top positions demand.
There’s more to the new $8 million main runway at Porter County Regional Airport (VPZ) in Valparaiso, IN, than meets the eye. Its point of difference lies beneath the surface in a sub-base built primarily with materials recycled from the previous ailing runway via a process called full-depth reclamation.
As snow removal equipment continues to become more sophisticated and complex, more airports are relying on manufacturers to help train their crews to operate and maintain it. Some are even contracting equipment makers to perform major repairs for them.
Thanks to its location in south-central Maine and an extra-long runway from its early days as a military base, Bangor International Airport (BGR) plays a critical and high profile role in the worldwide aviation network. Depending on the direction of travel, BGR is the first or last major U.S. airport for trans-Atlantic flights to make emergency stops.
A new $46 million rental car facility at El Paso International Airport (ELP) reflects a simple but sometimes-overlooked truth: Airports and rental car agencies both benefit when travelers can rent cars quickly and efficiently in comfortable, carefully conceived structures.
There’s no easy way-or good time-to shut down an airport for three weeks, especially a regional hub that serves as a major tourism gateway. But officials at Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) pulled it off with nary a hitch during a recent $18.5 million runway reconstruction project.
Eppley Airfield (OMA) in Omaha, NE, put its outside-the-box thinking on full display when it opened an interactive art gallery in late April. In addition to selling pieces by regional artists, the new concession features live demonstrations of select artists creating their work-a strategy that is engaging airport visitors and boosting retail sales.
From its very inception, Denver International (DEN) has been a noteworthy U.S. airport, but it recently joined the international big leagues with the addition of a rail connection and a striking on-airport hotel/transit center complex. Last year, DEN served about 54 million passengers and was ranked the sixth-busiest airport in the United States. The new 23-mile rail connection and associated $582 million hotel/transit center are expected to boost airport and convention business by making ground transportation and accommodations more convenient for passengers.
When officials at Meadows Field Airport (BFL) in Bakersfield, CA, started planning to replace the facility’s aging main runway, they expected a price tag of around $10 million. But the initial tally approached $70 million, prompting a bad case of sticker shock.
While some airport operators talk about reducing energy consumption, others take action to make it happen. Orlando International Airport (MCO) recently committed to the goal of using 10% less energy in its facilities by 2018, a move that will significantly reduce operating costs and may boost the airport’s reputation from “eco-friendly” to “eco-friendlier.”
Denver International Airport (DEN) has a new tool at its disposal for managing winter operations: in-pavement sensors that help predict when ice will form on runway and other airfield surfaces. The system includes five clusters of sensors embedded in Runway 17L-35R, one of DEN’s four north/south runways, and three more clusters in adjacent high-speed taxiways. The in-pavement sensors were installed as part of a $46.5 million runway resurfacing project.
From Oregon to Virginia, U.S. airports are slowly embracing the idea of replacing human guards with automated systems to prevent and detect exit-lane breaches. Those who have made the switch report that automated systems improve landside-to-airside security and reduce ongoing operating expenses.
Denver International Airport (DEN) is adding a touch of Hollywood to its nature-friendly culture with a customized television network. The project is not about red carpets and entourages; it’s simply another program to engage passengers and make their travel more enjoyable. A national media company provides specially modified programming for travelers and ultra-targeted advertising is expected to boost non-airline revenue – another ongoing effort at the busy hub.
When environmental concerns prompted the FAA to ban ammonium nitrate (also known as urea) for pavement deicing, airports throughout the country had to find a replacement for the once-standard chemical. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) seems no worse for wear. Its crews now use three different deicing agents, and a revamped purchasing process helps the airport secure a competitive price for each one.
Despite extra challenges from a mid-project military event and an unusually large pool of stakeholders, Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) finished a $13.6 million runway reconstruction project last year – on time, on budget and without any interruptions to commercial airline service.
Emergency crews at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) can now train without the omnipresent danger of blazing flames and structural collapse. There’s no smoke and mirrors involved, just a customized aircraft firefighting and rescue (ARFF) simulator that safely replicates actual emergency situations with virtually no risk to equipment or personnel.
Things are going to the dogs (and cats) at Denver International Airport (DEN), and passengers – as well as airport officials – couldn’t be happier.
With average snow accumulations of 4 1/2 feet per winter, snow removal is serious business at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). Crews plow, blow, broom and deice more than 28 million square feet in airfield pavement alone – the equivalent of a two-lane highway running from the Twin Cities to New Orleans.
As in real estate, “location, location, location” can be crucial for airports. It’s especially true for Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC) in Alaska. The state-owned airport has parlayed its geographic quirk into a competitive advantage. With three runways (all longer than 10,600 feet), special ramp facilities and procedures, and a little help from the federal government, ANC has molded itself into a critical refueling stop for cargo carriers flying the skies between Asia and North America.
A new $3.1 million security system that went online at Miami International Airport (MIA) is providing one of the country's largest international hubs with new tools for detecting taxiway and runway incursions. Funded by TSA, the airport's new system employs a...
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is nothing new at Denver International Airport (DEN). Colorado's busiest airport has used the advanced computer-modeling method for years, investing millions of dollars to collect countless bits of data about its facilities and...
A new security system at Colorado's Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is helping the general aviation airport mitigate its previously recurrent problem of taxiway incursions. The system, designed by Searidge Technologies, uses thermal-sensor cameras and...
The South Carolina Aeronautics Commission (SCAC) is developing a software program to help local land-use planners assess whether proposed commercial and residential developments are compatible with airport operations and safety zones. A law enacted last year by the...
Palm Springs International (PSP) recently joined a small vanguard of U.S. airports using perimeter security systems that employ ground-surveillance radar and infrared cameras to detect intrusions. Contractors completed the installation of the Perimeter Intrusion...
A pending $2.3 million land sale at Louisville International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky marks another step in converting 700 acres previously populated with residential properties into commercial developments that benefit the airport, greater Louisville economy and...
