There’s a widening gulf in America these days. No, I’m not referring to politics. Lord knows we’ve heard enough on that topic lately and are ready to take a break, please. What I’m referring to is the state of today’s airports. With the...
Evolution of an Issue Three years ago, we brought you our very first Runway & Ramp Special Edition. It seemed like a logical decision. We were already running multiple airfield articles in many issues, and we still had a growing backlog of excellent leads. Plus,...
What Works While I would like to believe that the only communication vehicle our industry needs is a publication like Airport Improvement, I'm not naïve enough to tell you so. Fact is, there are numerous ways to communicate: publications, texting, Twitter,...
The American Dream is predicated on doing more, better, faster. Each generation expects more. As parents, we set our children up to accomplish more than we did. It's ingrained in our culture. Aviation is no different. Our airports process more passengers, offer...
Everyone knows an airport that dutifully writes a master plan, gets it approved and promptly places it on a shelf, where it remains unopened for 15 to 20 years until the next plan is due. Not at MSP. Officials there frequently reassess their capital program, which...
The year 2011 brought us many headlines with percentages - especially references to the Occupy Movement's 1% and 99%. The percentages were cited so often, they ceased needing explanation. Like the numbers themselves, the groups and ideas they represent were nowhere...
Airports generally aren't situated atop deposits of minerals, gas or other resources that can readily be turned into cash. And taking passengers' gold and silver fillings is probably out of the question. There are, however, ways to mine airports' other...
The difference between the forces of action and inaction has seemingly never been greater. In my entire lifetime, I have never been more frustrated with government as I have been this year. Topping the list by a long shot is Congress. Dropping the ball with FAA...
Looking out the window of a cab snarled in traffic from downtown Montreal to the airport, I had time to reflect on the SWIFT conference that brought me to Quebec's fair city. All of the construction barrels and cranes reminded me that making improvements is just cause...
The primary reason this issue is "special" is broadcast on its cover: Runway & Ramp Special Edition. The number of great story ideas continuing to pour in about airfield operations was so incredible, devoting an entire issue to the topic was simply one of those...
My youngest son, Will, is on a new soccer team. The team's first game won't be played until late August; but parents and players began networking with each other and the coach in June to size up who's going to do what and who will play where. The same thing happened...
The recent Airport Cities Conference in Memphis reminded me a lot of ground transit's Rail~Volution. The emphasis of each conference isn't just airports or train systems; it's about how the respective industries fit into the bigger picture. Both realize they're not...
A checked bag fee of $20 is a harder pill to swallow than a $7 PFC, right? Not true. Charging $20 for a checked bag is pure capitalism at its best. A PFC of $7 is an unjust fee or tax - another example of government gone amuck. Although the $20 baggage fee from the...
From personal splurges on that perfect holiday gift to multi-billion infrastructure projects, spending makes the economy go 'round. Yet there seems to be a chorus of demands on the political front to curb governmental spending. We talk incessantly about it;...
Never have I been happier about moving forward in time. The past two months have been excruciating. The recent elections were the most painful I can remember. While I confess to being a political junkie, I am becoming increasingly turned off by the behavior and...
You're a commercial carrier airport and your dominant airline asks to add more flights. What do you say? Or, you're a GA airport and your FBO wants to add an avionics shop to its robust maintenance business. Or say you're a consulting firm and an airport client...
Paul Bowers No matter what the economy, there are always companies that belie current conditions - successes during recessions and failures in boom times. It's simply a matter of mindset, conviction, planning and getting the word out. Last month I was in Tampa for the...
Paul BowersNeed evidence of change? Just look at my updated photo. What worked fine for years is no longer suitable. My wife said the old photo made it look like our son had become publisher. I got the point. Change and new norms are rampant in the airport community,...
Growth opportunities can emerge at any time, not just when business is booming. Quite frankly, some of the best ideas come when business is off and the pressure is on. How is it that some businesses, events and products are able to launch and flourish while others are...
Paul BowersAs a runner, experience has taught me that compensating for one part of my body generally causes problems in another. Running to protect a sore ankle, for instance, can lead to knee or hip problems. Why? Because everything is connected. When you change the...
Paul BowersLike many of you, I've been in this industry for many years. And why not? It's a great industry that really gets into your blood. All too often when we look at our airports, businesses and industry, it's difficult to pinpoint when direction has changed or...
Just another day at the airport. What, you may ask, do goats, horses and tents have to do with running an airport? The answer is everything. Everything creative that is. The topic came up at this year's Airport Consultants International-North America meeting in Austin...
Paul BowersWe're heading into the 4th Quarter. The bottom hasn't dropped out of the industry. Rather we're moving on and doing what what's needed to grow and prosper. Based on travels throughout the industry over the last few months, as well as story nominations...
Paul BowersThe older we get, the more we understand how not much of anything is really new. Conditions may be changing; but really, what's new about volatility of energy prices, shortages of material, fluctuating passenger counts/business or even leadership? We've had...
No airport's project work is ever complete (and I'm not talking about change orders here). Fluctuating passenger numbers and obsolescence dictate this. And fortunately, people are never tapped out of good ideas either. These truths were instrumental in the creation of...
