The Ocean City, NJ, area is known for beaches, boardwalks and unspoiled hiking areas. But some of the very features that make it attractive for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts make it difficult for the local general aviation airport. Located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Great Egg Harbor Bay, Ocean City Municipal (26N) is prone to erosion problems from high tides and safety hazards from birds.
By their very nature, airports require nimble communication teams. One day, it’s a routine personnel announcement or upbeat ribbon-cutting ceremony; but the next can bring an all-out media frenzy about COVID-19. The topics airports must address run the gamut, and so do their communication strategies.
Commercial growth, safe aircraft operations and environmental sensitivity go hand-in-hand at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Toward that end, the airport’s 2018 master plan update dovetails with its wildlife hazard management program. A big part of the equation is environmental stewardship and managing wildlife hazards to enhance airfield safety.
Chattanooga Metropolitan (CHA) has managed to turn unused land alongside its runways and taxiways into an environmentally sound source of electricity that powers the same amount of energy that CHA facilities at the Tennessee airport use each year.
Removing foreign object debris (FOD) from its four runways, 18 major taxiways, ramps and other airfield areas is a constant priority for the Tennessee airport. Last year alone, crews removed nearly 400 pieces of FOD, thus preventing the items from being ingested into aircraft engines and causing costly damage.
Visitors at Nashville International Airport (BNA) will have new and more diverse food/beverage and retail options in the new year. The concessions update focuses on adding locally authentic options and signals a change for the Tennessee airport that serves 14.9 million passengers annually.
The Mobile Airport Authority moved one step closer to shifting commercial service from Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) to Mobile Downtown Airport (BFM) when it unanimously approved an outside feasibility study about the idea in August. Further assessments, planning and approvals are still necessary to make the idea a reality, but officials are excited about the possibilities of moving airline traffic to the city’s more conveniently located general aviation facility.
