10 TERMINALS July | August 2026 AirportImprovement.com SAT When no one was happy with the initial options, two other shades were applied before designers made their final choice. “Ultimately, Terminal C is going to benefit because we had the opportunity to see what [the paints] looked like in a real-life, full- sized environment,” Trupiano notes. The project team for the ground loading facility benefited from the iterative process, too, because workers there could immediately roll into painting the remaining columns with the approved color. Other design choices were made further in advance, including the decision to futureproof the ground load facility for when airlines are eventually reassigned to new, yet-to-be-built gates. For example, the U.S. Customs corridor was fabricated for easy subsequent removal. This will help SAT convert the space into a 100% domestic facility after a new Federal Inspections Station is ready in Terminal C. “Everything we did was to make this building flexible and usable going forward,” O’Krongley remarks. Ready. Set. Go. Such flexibility is a direct byproduct of careful planning. Under the direction of Program Manager Rich Stinson, SAT uses a thorough Operational Readiness, Activation and Transition (ORAT) program. These efforts are closely assisted by Jacobs, a technical professional services firm headquartered in Dallas with clients around the world. Elizabeth Mayo, a senior ORAT consultant with the company, says Jacobs was brought to San Antonio during the predesign phase of Terminal C, and those working on that project recognized the unique opportunity to also apply ORAT principles to the ground loading facility job already underway at Terminal A. “ORAT is very much about how you manage operational change,” Mayo says. “How do you go from your existing facility into your new facility? What processes need to be updated? What needs to be validated prior to opening? Who needs to be trained, and on what do they need to be trained? “Being able to do that on a smaller scale helps all of the stakeholders to orient themselves with [knowledge of] what it really takes to become operational.” Operational readiness, she adds, is about more than just design and construction completion. “It’s making sure you really understand how you’re going to operate, and that you’ve done the trials and training to actually bring that into reality,” says Mayo. One example occurred two days before the new ground loading facility welcomed its first live flights in early April. A group of 40 to 50 airport stakeholders walked through processes similar to those that would occur when aircraft and passengers arrived at the new gates. Access card readers that had been functional in prior tests were found to be out of configuration for many of the building’s likely ELIZABETH MAYO www.sprung.com | 1 800 528 9899 | info@sprung.com ALLENTOWN | ATLANTA | CALGARY | DUBAI | DUBLIN | HOUSTON | LOS ANGELES | SALT LAKE CITY | SAN FRANCISCO | TORONTO • Widths from 30’ to 200’ by any length • Limited foundation requirements Snow Removal Equipment Storage Airport Solution of the Month Flexible solutions for terminal and airport operations: Also suitable for: • Snow removal equipment storage • Vehicle inspection facilities • Auxiliary baggage handling structures • Year-round climate control • Lease or purchase options available DIA, Denver, Colorado
View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.