Flight Safety Information November 20, 2013 - No. 240 In This Issue 2 dead, 2 missing after air ambulance crashes off Florida coast Sen. Jim Inhofe's son reported engine trouble before fatal airplane crash Six killed in France plane crash Need for pilots to increase in Middle East, says Boeing projection Brussels Airlines Pilots Suspend Strike Study: Some airports will feel holiday crush year-round PHL sees air safety rating upgrade from US FAA next week Myanmar looks to private firms to improve dire air safety record India warns FAA over air safety downgrade Marines deploy mobile air traffic control system, ensure safety at Tacloban airport ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Workshop: Register Now For Discount Think ARGUS PROS The Evolution of How We Build Airports Clear Channel Airports develops 'green' kiosk for Chicago airport 2 dead, 2 missing after air ambulance crashes off Florida coast (CNN) -- Rescue workers scoured coastal Florida waters early Wednesday for two people missing after a Mexico-based air ambulance crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Fort Lauderdale after an apparent engine failure. Authorities found the bodies of two crew members just off the coast, Coast Guard Petty Officer Mark Barney said. Rescuers were searching a 20-square-mile area of the ocean for the other two, the Coast Guard said. The four people aboard the Learjet 35 -- two pilots, a doctor and a nurse -- had just dropped off a patient at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and were headed back to Cozumel, Mexico, when the crash occurred Tuesday evening, airport spokesman Greg Meyer said. A distress call from one of the pilots came just moments after takeoff. "We have an engine failure," the pilot said. An air traffic controller asked him to turn left and keep a certain altitude. "Not possible," the pilot responded. "We're going to do a 180, and we're going to land." Seconds later, he said: "Mayday, mayday, mayday." The two medical staff members worked for Air Evac International, said Albert Carson, the company's director of operations. The pilots worked for a charter company. Authorities have not publicly identified the bodies pending notification of their families. "We're waiting on pins and needles ... waiting for more information," Carson said late Tuesday night. Air Evac International has several bases in Mexican cities that are popular with tourists, as well as in Costa Rica and San Diego. Carson said many of its patients are tourists. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/20/us/florida-plane-crash/ Back to Top Sen. Jim Inhofe's son reported engine trouble before fatal airplane crash Sen. Jim Inhofe's son, Perry Inhofe, reported that his left engine was shut down and that he was having trouble controlling his airplane before he died in a plane crash Nov. 10, according to a newly released National Transportation Safety Board report. Perry Inhofe was flying alone from Salina, Kan., to Tulsa in a twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 built in 1974 and was cleared to land at Tulsa International Airport. During his approach, Inhofe made a left turn and reported to the air traffic control he had a control problem. He then told the controller his left engine was out. "The controller then declared an emergency for the pilot and asked about the number of souls on board the airplane and the fuel remaining," the report states. "No further communications were received from the pilot." Witnesses reported seeing the plane make a shallow left turn between 400 and 800 feet. "During the turn, the landing gear was in the extended position, and one engine propeller appeared not to be rotating," according to the report. "The airplane continued in a left turn and the wings began to rock back and forth at a 10- to 15-degree bank angle. The airplane was observed to then make a right turn, followed by a left turn, and then a steep spiral to the left." The plane crashed about 5 miles north of the airport and burst into flames. Perry Inhofe, who would have turned 52 that week, worked at Central States Orthopedics in Tulsa as an orthopedic surgeon. Following services held Thursday, Sen. Inhofe, R-Tulsa, returned to the Senate floor Monday and thanked his colleagues for their condolences. "I had a horrible loss eight days ago, losing a son," he said. The type of aircraft Inhofe's son was flying has had a checkered past, though advocates of the plane claim it is one of the safest around. Since Mitsubishi began building the MU-2B in 1967, 346 people have died in 152 crashes involving the craft, according to the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents. Ladd Sanger, a licensed pilot and attorney, has worked on 10 lawsuits involving the aircraft and questions its safety. In situations of one-engine failure, like Inhofe's, the airplane "is sometimes impossible to handle," he said. Ladd said his research has shown the plane proves difficult to control at low speed, such as during take off and landing. "The accident rate speaks for itself," he said. The Federal Aviation Administration reviewed the certification in of the MU-2B in 1983 and 1996 after a number of crashes but did not make any drastic recommendations for the aircraft. However, a high number of fatal crashes in 2005 and 2006 prompted the FAA to take another look at the certification and requirements for pilots. In the report, the FAA found accidents involving loss of control in flight were 3.5 times higher than similar twin-turboprop airplanes designed in the same era. The FAA determined anyone flying the MU-2B must go through the equivalent of a commercial multi-engine pilot's training, which includes flying with just one engine. The certifications are done annually. Inhofe was certified as a commercial pilot. Pat Cannon, who has logged more than 11,000 hours in the MU-2B, is the president of Turbine Aircraft Services and conducts training and demonstrations with the aircraft. Cannon said the plane is the "safest turboprop out there," and called claims of control problems "baloney." "A lot of the accidents that happened were with people who were not trained or improperly trained," Cannon said. He said he and Mitsubishi pushed for the stricter regulations on pilots for years before they were implemented. Since then, the airplane has only been involved in three crashes, including Inhofe's. With proper training, Cannon said, one-engine flight should not be a problem. "It's never a dream to fly with one engine. But an engine failure in this airplane in accordance with your training is a nonevent," Cannon said. http://newsok.com/sen.-jim-inhofes-son-reported-engine-trouble-before-fatal-airplane-crash/article/3906298 Back to Top Six killed in France plane crash At least six people were killed on Tuesday when a small plane crashed in Yonne in France, local media reported. The accident took place around 11.30 a.m., when a small business plane connecting Annecy in southeastern France and Toussus-le-Noble in central northern France, crashed near the village of Mouffy, reported Xinhua citing local media. The TBM-700 plane, made by French constructor Socata and registered in the U.S., was pulverised, killing its six passengers, the RTL radio said. The reason behind the crash could not be immediately known. http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/six-killed-in-france-plane-crash/article5370697.ece Back to Top Need for pilots to increase in Middle East, says Boeing projection Airlines in the Middle East will need nearly 100,000 new pilots and technicians over the next 20 years to support expanding demand for new airplanes, according to a projection by Boeing. North America, meanwhile, will need 85,700 pilots and 97,900 technicians over the next 20 years, according to the 2013 Pilot and Technician Outlook released at the Dubai Air Show this week. The aviation industry in the Middle East is growing faster than the world average, the outlook said. "We're seeing a significant, urgent need for competent aviation personnel in the Middle East and across the globe due to the growth in airline fleets," Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services, said in a statement. "We are working hard with airlines, regulators, independent flight schools and other industry groups to make training accessible, affordable and efficient so that anyone in the Middle East - or anywhere else in the world - who qualifies can become a pilot or maintenance technician in this high-tech industry." The 2013 outlook projects significant increases in pilot demand, compared to previous forecasts, in all regions of the world except for Europe, which declined slightly over last year's outlook. In the Middle East, more than 60 percent of the pilot demand will be driven by increased deliveries of twin- aisle, widebody airplanes. The introduction of more-efficient and smarter planes will require fewer mechanics over time, as aging aircraft, which tend to require more maintenance, are retired from service. New airplane technologies with more advanced components are likely to lead to lower maintenance requirements and lower technician demand in some areas. By region, the outlook projects demand for 192,300 pilots and 215,300 technicians in the Asia Pacific; 99,700 pilots and 108,200 technicians in Europe; 48,600 pilots and 47,600 technicians in Latin America; 16,500 pilots and 15,900 technicians in Africa; and 15,200 pilots and 18,000 technicians for Russia and CIS. The increased demand has gotten the attention of the airline industry, Carbary said, who noted that the new generation of pilots and technicians need to be trained in new ways. Boeing is continuing to look at innovative training methods, including tablets eBooks, gaming technology and three-dimensional electronic modeling techniques as it moves away from paper and chalkboard-based learning, she said. "We need to make sure aviation is as great a career option for the world's youth as it is for us," Carbary said. http://www.kansas.com/2013/11/19/3128862/need-for-pilots-to-increase-in.html Back to Top Brussels Airlines Pilots Suspend Strike Pilots at Brussels Airlines suspended a strike on Tuesday after a second day of flight disruption brought concessions from the Belgian carrier. The pilots have contested the airline's decision to enforce retirement at the age of 58, along with issues such as the distribution of annual leave and pension contributions. The airline, in which Lufthansa owns a 45 percent stake, cancelled 40 round trip flights on Tuesday mainly to and from European destinations, though services to New York and Nairobi were also affected. On Monday, 49 return flights were cancelled. "There is an initial agreement," an airline spokesman said. "It will take some hours to get back to normal. We expect some consequences until tomorrow morning." Talks lasting into the early hours of Tuesday failed to break the deadlock but management decided later to waive the requirement to retire at 58. Unions have suspended their action until the end of next week, pending a deal. More than 6,000 passengers were affected on Monday. Most were found seats with other airlines, but several hundred had to be put up in hotels overnight, some as far away as Antwerp because there were not enough hotel rooms available in Brussels. It was the first strike at the airline, initially called SN Brussels Airlines, which was founded in 2002 after the collapse of Belgian carrier Sabena. http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1384864528.html Back to Top Study: Some airports will feel holiday crush year-round Within the next decade, 24 of the country's busiest 30 airports will become as congested twice every week as they are on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, according to a travel-industry study obtained by USA TODAY. Several of those airports threatened with year-round congestion - Chicago O'Hare, Phoenix, Houston Bush, Charlotte and Newark - each double their average number of passengers for the holiday, according to the study by Cambridge Systematics for the U.S. Travel Association. The year-round crush could arrive more quickly in spots. Seven airports - New York's JFK, Las Vegas, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago Midway, Honolulu and San Diego - will see holiday-style congestion twice weekly by 2016 that is 30% to 46% more than average, according to the study of Orbitz passenger figures and Federal Aviation Administration projections. "The amount of travelers keeps increasing, and we haven't kept up with that increase," said Roger Dow, CEO of U.S. Travel Association, a non-profit advocating for travel from members including airlines, hotels, rental- car companies, destination locations and local tourism offices. "It's going to be a real problem down the road - and down the road is right on top of us." Congestion at the busiest airports is projected to grow both from more passengers and because airline consolidation is funneling travelers through fewer hubs. Travel and transportation experts worry that if nothing is done to ease crowding at key hubs, longer security lines and delayed flights will discourage people from flying. "We're going to see a rise in passenger frustration," said Erik Hansen, director of domestic policy at U.S. Travel. "As a result, that will dampen demand for travel. People will decide not to take trips." In another study to be released at a U.S. Travel Association conference Wednesday, the Eno Center for Transportation, a non-partisan think tank that seeks to improve transportation, found that a lack of improvements at four international hubs could threaten billions of dollars in lost travel. Because of congestion at JFK and Newark, the USA is projected to lose $6 billion in 2016 primarily from overseas travelers who decide against visiting, according to the Eno study. At two other airports studied, weather delays at San Francisco will grow worse and traffic congestion around Los Angeles will discourage travel, according to the study. Joshua Schank, Eno's CEO, said the problem is that federal funding to add runways or expand terminals is spread among smaller airports without providing enough for key hubs. "The concern is that we're spending a lot of money on airports that have low traffic," Schank said. Congress raided the Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants for construction projects, this year to halt FAA furloughs of air-traffic controllers. Congress has also refused in recent years to raise the fee capped at $4.50 per passenger that airports charge for improvements, such as expanding the number of airline gates. Despite that reluctance, travel advocates say local voters will pay more for local construction. One statewide and 20 local ballot initiatives for highway, bridge and transit projects were approved in the Nov. 5 election, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. "The motivation has to come from the traveler - that's how Congress is going to act," Hansen said. "Voters, travelers, Americans are willing to pay for projects that they know are going to improve their quality of life." Airports face a backlog of $71.3 billion in essential projects that need to be completed by 2017, according to the industry group Airports Council International-North America. Even after recent runway expansions at Atlanta and Chicago O'Hare, those airports face congestion along with 13 others: Newark, Fort Lauderdale, New York's JFK and LaGuardia, Las Vegas, Chicago Midway, Oakland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Long Beach, San Francisco and John Wayne in the Los Angeles area, according to the travel association's report. The airline industry noted that total passengers screened at airports dropped during the recent economic collapse and hasn't climbed back to its peak. Victoria Day, spokeswoman for Airlines for America, said carriers have improved their performance during the past five years with investments, such as electronic check-in, and milder weather. Schank said airport funding and priorities could be debated in the next FAA policy bill in two years. The FAA and Congress must monitor any increase in passenger fees to protect against gouging airlines and passengers, he said. "I don't think they are beyond our reach," Schank said. http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/11/19/crowded-airports-thanksgiving-travel/3633471/ Back to Top PHL sees air safety rating upgrade from US FAA next week The Philippines may soon get to launch more flights to the United States, following an air safety rating upgrade from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) expects to happen as early as next week. An FAA team is arriving early next week to stage a mini audit of the Philippine situation and will probably make a major announcement, Capt. John Andrews, CAAP deputy director general, said in a press conference Pasay City on Tuesday. "This Monday, John Barbagallo who is the manager of the flight service department of the US FAA, together with James Spillane who is the area manager of Asia Pacific Rim are going to CAAP for the possible lifting of the ban of the Category 2 on the Philippine aviation," said Andrews. In 2008, FAA downgraded the CAAP safety rating to Category 2 from Category 1 based on findings of the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), citing the failure of CAAP to meet ICAO safety standards on the oversight of air carrier operations. Under Category 2 status, Philippine carriers were allowed to continue current operations to the US but under strict FAA surveillance. "Now this is significant because five years ago, when the Philippines was rated or given this Category 2 rating, it was also Barbagallo who headed the contingent that saw that we were deficient in safety aspects," Andrews told reporters. "He is coming back here after several FAA representatives he had sent over for the past several months made reports to him that we are ready for lifting," he added. In the last four months, FAA teams were in the Philippines for a continuing evaluation of aviation safety standards, according to the CAAP official. If the Philippine does not get a Category 1 upgrade from the FAA before the year is out, Andrews said he is quitting his job. "... If that does not happen the buck stops at me. If this does not happen before the end of the year, I will no longer be here. That is my commitment." Last February, ICAO lifted the remaining aviation safety concerns on the Philippines which prompted the European Union to lift a 2010 ban on Philippine carriers in European skies. "I am confident that there are no more safety issues as far as we are concerned, and this has been confirmed by no less than the EU and ICAO," Andrews noted. Under Category 1 status, flag carrier Philippine Airlines can expand its US operations, according to the CAAP official. "PAL is the only one that operates in the US," Andrews said. "They will be able to use their more efficient aircraft as replacement for the old aircraft they are using now, which is no longer competitive as far as operations are concerned. "We will be probably be opening up new routes to the US because our routes to the US is practically limited - depending on traffic of course," Andrews added. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/336289/economy/business/phl-sees-air-safety-rating-upgrade- from-us-faa-next-week Back to Top Myanmar looks to private firms to improve dire air safety record YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar aims to lure private companies to upgrade and run nearly half its airports in a bid to spruce up its poor record on air safety and support a fast-growing tourism industry, officials said on Tuesday. Myanmar has an air accident rate nine times the world average, aviation authorities say, and there are fears the figure could rise as the government aggressively expands the industry and private airlines add flights in a growing economy. The government plans to invite local private firms to upgrade and run 32 of the 69 airports across Myanmar "with intent to improve the service as well as the image of the airports", said a senior official of the Directorate of Civil Aviation, who sought anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media. Myanmar's main international airport in Yangon has been modernized, but many domestic terminals are poorly run, lack basic technology and safety equipment and in some cases, are in urgent need of repair. The Japanese International Cooperation Agency has provided a grant to install safety equipment at some airports, with Japan's Sumitomo Corp picked as the prime contractor, said Akihito Sanjo, a Yangon-based representative of the agency. "Most airports (in Myanmar) are small and in terms of safety and security, they're dangerous," Sanjo said. Four of the country's tiny fleet of domestic commercial aircraft were involved in serious accidents in 2012, one of them deadly. The number of seats booked in and out of Myanmar during the peak tourist season from November 2012 to February 2013 jumped to 80,000 from 50,000 a year earlier. That figure is expected to surpass 100,000 for the corresponding 2013/2014 period, according to the CAPA Center for Aviation, which advises airlines, and flight industry database Innovata. Sanjo met the DCA on Tuesday to launch the program to install safety equipment at airports, including international terminals in the two biggest cities of Yangon and Mandalay. "We haven't decided yet on the exact system to transfer the operation to the private sector," the DCA official said. "We'll do it after finding out their opinions and carry it out through tenders." A $150-million contract to upgrade Yangon airport was recently awarded to a consortium led by an affiliate of Asia World, a conglomerate run by Tun Myint Naing, also known as Steven Law, the son of the late Lo Hsing Han. With his father described as a drug kingpin-turned-tycoon by the United States in 2010, Tun Myint Naing is subject to U.S. sanctions. A Japanese consortium led by Mitsubishi Corp has agreed to revamp the airport in Mandalay. The government plans to build a $1.5-billion international airport to service Yangon at Hanthawaddy, northeast of the city, and awarded the contract to a consortium headed by South Korea's state-run Incheon International Airport Corp. http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCABRE9AI0IA20131119 Back to Top India warns FAA over air safety downgrade India has warned the US to expect retaliation if the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgrades the former's air safety rankings. Retaliatory action could include a year's embargo on the delivery of Boeing Co.'s 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Air India Ltd. The FAA has decided to inspect Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) next month, again, for compliance with corrective measures on 33 deficiencies that came to light in a September 2013 audit of the Indian regulator. It could possibly downgrade India's safety rankings to category II from category I after the audit. A category II safety rating means the civil aviation authority does not comply with International Civil Aviation Organization standards and is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel and record-keeping, or inspection procedures, according to FAA. Indian airlines will not be able to increase flights to the US and additional checks will be imposed on existing flights of Air India and Jet Airways (India) Ltd if a downgrade takes place. It may also hurt airlines like Singapore Airlines Ltd and AirAsia Bhd that have proposed joint ventures with Tata Sons Ltd and may want to fly to the US. "There will be an equal and befitting response, which will include a one-year ban on delivery of any new Boeing Dreamliners for Air India," said an official, as per a report in Mint by Tarun Shukla. A downgrade of India's air safety rankings will mean that Boeing, General Electric Co., maker of the engines that power the Dreamliner, and Honeywell International Inc., which manufactures other components that go into the jet plane, and "others will all suffer," the official said. "It has been communicated to them informally," the official added. Boeing has a USD six-billion order from Air India for 27 Dreamliners, of which less than a dozen have been delivered to the state-owned airline. Only 14 of the 27 aircraft have been cleared by the government to be inducted into Air India so far as part of a turnaround plan for the airline, in which the government is infusing nearly USD six billion. A decision on the induction of the remaining 13 Dreamliners is expected to be taken in 2014 by the government. While a downgrade does not reflect on the safety of India's airlines-the rankings measure the ability of the Indian regulator to follow safety processes and not that of the airlines-India risks being perceived in a negative light. It could also hurt business sentiment. http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/india-warns-faa-over-air-safety-downgrade-22346 Back to Top Marines deploy mobile air traffic control system, ensure safety at Tacloban airport TACLOBAN, LEYTE, Republic of the Philippines - Marines with 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, in support of Joint Task Force 505, set up an air traffic navigational, integration and coordination system at Tacloban airport, Leyte, Republic of the Philippines, Nov. 17 during Operation Damayan. The system allows air traffic controllers to contact incoming and outgoing aircraft and analyze flight patterns. Additionally, the controllers use the mobile system to guide pilots through their final approach to the runway when visibility is poor. "The last time we were able to use the system was during an exercise, and now it is going to play an effective role during a real-world operation," said Gunnery Sgt. Lee A. Pugh, a radar chief with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, currently assigned to 3rd MEB. The air traffic control tower at Tacloban airport was severely damaged by Typhoon Haiyan and is limited in its ability to manage the high volume of daily air traffic. The system will assist the Philippine Air Force in operations based out of Tacloban. With the system in place the Philippine Air Force will better be able to manage multiple flights at once, according to Sgt. Jonathan Haasl, a radar electronics technician with MACS-4. With frequent inclement weather in the Asia-Pacific region, the system plays a vital role in assuring the pilots, crews, aircrafts and most importantly, the aid supplies make it safely to their destination, according to Pugh. "There are several components that make up the system, like the portable electric units, air-surveillance radar system, radios and a precision approach radar system," said Pugh. The unit's expeditionary capabilities are enhanced due to the mobility of the system. "The unique feature of the system being mounted on multipurpose-tactical vehicles makes it easy for us to move to essential areas where it can make a difference, while not wasting valuable time," said Pugh. The system is a key capability of Marine Corps crises response around the world, whether a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief scenario or contingency operations. "The system provides on the spot air surveillance and a rapid response, which is useful to expeditionary airfields like the one at Tacloban," said Col. Brian W. Cavanaugh, the commanding officer for the 3rd MEB aviation combat element. Besides bringing precision approach information to aircraft preparing to land, it is also useful in joint and bilateral operations, providing a safer environment for aircraft in the area, according to Cavanaugh. "The safety of all the people on the aircraft is the most important part of the mission," said Cavanaugh. "With this system, we can guide pilots to a three foot by three foot square safely and efficiently." http://www.dvidshub.net/news/117051/marines-deploy-mobile-air-traffic-control-system-ensure-safety- tacloban-airport#.UozCrsSsiSo Back to Top ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Workshop: Register Now For Discount Unmanned Aircraft Workshop The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) course is designed to identify the key concepts, attributes, and challenges of UAS operations. The UAS sector is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic segments within aviation industry. Currently the majority of UAS growth has been in support of military and security operations however, recent congressional mandates have unlocked a bourgeoning civilian market with interest in a broad range of uses such as aerial photography, precision agriculture, mapping, monitoring climate and environmental conditions, and public safety. Attendees will gain knowledge of: * UAS System Components and Classification * UAS Design and limitations * Regulatory Environment for UAS * Issues Associated with UAS Airspace Integration * Future and Current Trends affecting the UAS Industry Course Topics: * The UAS Market * UAS Systems Design and Development * UAS Sensors Packages * UAS Navigation Systems * National Airspace System Integration Who Should Attend: This Course is designed for UAS Engineers, Transitioning Military UAS Operators, Mission Coordinators, Entrepreneurs, Field Service Representatives, UAS Technicians, UAS Program Managers or others wishing to obtain further knowledge of UAS operations. Course Dates: Course Location: Course Fee: April 1-3, 2014 ERAU Daytona Beach Campus, FL Standard Course Fee: US $1,450 Early Bird Fee (prior to January 31, 2014): US $1,300 For more information, Please contact Sarah Ochs, Director of Professional Programs Tel: 386.226.6928 * email: case@erau.edu daytonabeach.erau.edu/usa Back to Top Back to Top The Evolution of How We Build Airports For most people, airports are places to rush through and minimize time in. You select the security line that looks to fastest, then hunt down the free Wi-Fi. The airport, however, holds a special place in the urban landscape. Its evolution, from close-in Love Field where JFK and Jackie landed in Dallas, to far-flung outpost like Denver International, reflects changes not only in travel but in the culture. When hot-air balloons took off before the turn of the 20th century, they did so from parks and gardens. The first airfields were simple and straightforward acts of engineering, according to Sonja Dumpelmann, co- curator with fellow landscape architecture faculty member Charles Waldheim, of "Airport Landscape: Urban Ecologies in the Aerial Age," a major exhibition in the lobby of Gund Hall at Harvard's Graduate School of Design through December 19. When land was leveled and paved over, the chief requirement was for aircrafts to be able to land in all directions, depending on wind and weather conditions. As commercial flight took off, as it were, from the middle of the 20th century, the airport started to be a little bit more like the city train station - much more functional, but relatively close-in, exemplified by National Airport in Washington, D.C. If there was a cozy and nestled quality to those operations, the burgeoning traffic and passenger demands of the latter half of the 20th century prompted leap-frogging further and further away from town, serviced by multi-lane roadways carved into the landscape. In the move to the outskirts, airports went from a mere 100 acres to 17,500 - the size of the sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth complex, prominently featured in the exhibit. The tentacles of parking, rental car, and taxi, bus, and limousine operations spread out. With the post-9/11 security industrial complex added, many airports hold the single greatest number of employees in a metropolitan area. They are major institutions, part of the city's identity, if not its fabric. Today, the narrative has come full circle. Major metropolitan areas consider a rail link to the airport to be prerequisite. European airports are getting back in touch with nature, deploying green tactics to better manage storm and wastewater, being more thoughtful about open space, and integrating wildlife - though going easy on the avian, keeping in mind the disastrous consequences of bird strikes in jet engines. The most compelling part of the story may be the places left behind - the mostly close-in airports abandoned as hopelessly obsolete. These places get filled in quickly and their past put behind them. Stapleton in Denver comes to mind, where a New Urbanist neighborhood has risen up on the runways. I remember on a tour some years ago, the guides didn't even want to talk about where the terminal and the taxiways were. That was the past, and they had moved on. "Airport Landscape" was revelatory on this phenomenon - just how many former airports are being reclaimed and transformed, hundreds of sites, all around the world. Some are being handed back to nature, with green grass poling up through the disintegrating tarmac. The Stapleton model seems most prevalent, however: a filling-in of valuable real estate, a re-imagining of open space and housing in vital patches of the expanding city. The old sites - and many existing ones, like National or Boston's Logan Airport, enduring through all the change, like ballparks built in 1912 - have an inherent relationship with the metropolis that cannot be denied. http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/11/evolution-how-we-build-airports/7638/ Back to Top Clear Channel Airports develops 'green' kiosk for Chicago airport Clear Channel Airports, a division of San Antonio-based Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc., has developed a new Green Education Kiosk for the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) to use at O'Hare International Airport. The kiosk is constructed using sustainable materials and will serve as a centralized hub for displaying the CDA's environmentally green airport initiatives. "We are proud to feature this new permanent exhibit which showcases our industry-leading sustainability initiatives, past, present and future, at O'Hare and Midway International Airports," says CDA Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino. "The exhibit will help educate O'Hare travelers and employees about the merits of going green by highlighting our efforts at Chicago's airports to conserve energy, reduce waste, protect natural resources and manage land in a sustainable manner." Clear Channel Airports is a leader in airport advertising conceptual displays. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/blog/morning-edition/2013/11/clear-channel-airports-develops.html Curt Lewis