b'PUBLISHERS COLUMN 9The Best and the BrightestAll too often I hear criticism that airports are risk-averse. That theMSPA team from the airports collection of public employees would rather stay the course andcommission that owns and operates follow what has been standard practice for years than push theMinneapolis-St. Paul International earned envelope and risk losing precious funding, or worse, possibly bea U.S. patent for a machine learning embarrassed locally or in front of their industry peers.technology that collects aircraft noise data. This September issue is a testament to the culture of brave risk- Wow, how innovative is that?!taking that pushes the status quo. What airports deserve a specialHeres one last airport I need to recognize: SEA.shout-out for innovation? Earlier this year, we wanted to do a storyPAUL BOWERS, PUBLISHERDSMDes Moines International implemented an ORATabout homelessness at airportsa problem that some commercial program that began as the design phase of its new terminalcarrier airports have to deal with. Its messy, and none of the was barely underway.airports contacted wanted to go on record and participate in a story LNKWhen traditional avenues failed to produce results,about ituntil I called Seattle-Tacoma International. The folks there Lincoln Airport used American Rescue Plan funds to start itshave come up with a program that is very promisingand stresses own airline. OK, technically its not the airports airline, but itmore compassionate response strategies. Plus, they were willing to devised a very innovative way to secure scheduled air servicetalk about it openly to benefit the rest of the industry. that it controls. My goal for each and every issue is that youre glad you took the PGVPitt-Greenville Airport secured CARES Act funds for newtime to read it because you learned something. Let me know if we corporate hangars to offset revenue losses incurred during thehave succeeded with this issue.COVID-19 pandemic.Cheers!#1 new innovations from hogwater blasting choice for airportsrubber removal, paint removal, paint rejuvenation, terminal cleaning triple spray barhog tuskautonomous navigationwww.TheHog.com 1-772-214-1714AirportImprovement.comSeptember 2023'