- TAYLOR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT’s gain and Austin Bergstrom’s International Airport’s loss: Mike Green, Mike Green & Associates, and Stuart Ashmun, Autorate, Inc. have now relocated their helicopter refurbishing business to Taylor. With the completion of runway construction in November, these entrepreneurs expect a positive effect on their business. -the attraction of new businesses and international clientele.
- HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM – The Houston airport system has revamped its website in a number of ways, including changing to a simpler address. The new site includes weather, traffic, flight arrival, and facilities information. The site link to Bush Intercontinental Airport provides terminal maps, amenities, and a parking map with rates. Visit the Houston Airport System at www.Houstonairportsystem.org.
- SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – U.S. Airways will begin offering three daily nonstop, round-trip flights between San Antonio and its Charlotte North Carolina hub starting December 9. The Arlington, Virginia- based airline also plans to start daily flights to San Antonio, Austin and Portland, Oregon starting June 2002.
- AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – There were, in July, 702,726 travelers that used ABIA, and 4.5 million so far this year, up 1.4 percent from 2000.
- PRESIDENT’S HELICOPTER UNIT – Marine Colonel John E. Page was recently selected as Commanding Officer of the HMX-1 Presidential Helicopter Squadron that will fly President George W. Bush. Page, a Texan, often visits his parents, Kenneth and Susan Page, who live in Austin. We are especially proud of John, since Susan works for TxDOT Aviation Division. Congratulations John!
- ROBERT GRAY ARMY AIRFIELD – Air Force One, with President George W. Bush aboard, has landed at Robert Gray Army Airfield at Killeen more than twice in Bush’s presidency. Bush has stopped at Robert Gray on his way to his Crawford ranch located about 60 miles northeast of Fort Hood, Texas.
- SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – In March, the San Antonio City Council approved a contract with Keiser Phillips Associates LLC (PA) to develop an Air Cargo Flow Study. The study will be the first step in an overall marketing strategy to leverage San Antonio International Airport and Kelly USA in the creation of an “Air Cargo Center for the Americas.” The Flow Study will include air cargo forecasts and an assessment of infrastructure and facility requirements. It should be completed by year-end.
- HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM – HAS handled 4,012,939 total passengers in June and over 22.5 million total passengers so far this year. IAH served 3.2 million passengers, HOU had 798,163 and Ellington Field (EFD) had 4,425 travelers in June. Year-to-date, IAH has served 17.97 million travelers, HOU handled 4.5 million and EFD registered 28,254 passengers. HAS handled 60.9 million pounds of cargo in June and over 356 million pounds for the first half of 2001. The U.S. and world economies may have slowed down, but Houston’s airports continue to grow.
- AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – ABIA’s parking space expansion is set to open this fall with an additional 589 parking spaces available to the public, bringing the total parking spaces on its grounds to 11,366. HONDO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT – No one was injured, but 19 aircraft were lost in August when fired destroyed a World War II-era hangar at the airport near San Angelo, Texas. The exact cause of the fire has not been determined, but it appears to have been started in a fuse box on the northwest side of the 32,000-square-foot building. The damage estimate from the fire is roughly 3.5 million.
- El PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – Mike Nicely, manager of Texas Airports Development Office with the FAA, recently honored Leticia Ordonez, EPIA, program manager, for her efforts in the development and implementation of EPIA fiscal year 2001 projects – some of the major airport projects in which Ordonez was instrumental were a new air cargo center, a runway extension, the Yarbrough extension project and the La Placita project.
- SPITFIRE BACK IN TEXAS – The Supermarine Spitfire Mk 9/16Le, a rare non-bubble canopy version of the Mark XVILe, has finally arrived home at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston. Restored in Florida, the Spitfire went to Hooks Airport north of Houston for its final paint job. The markings for the museum’s Spitfire represent those of Lance Wade, a Texan who scored 23 victories flying with the Royal Air Force in the Mediterranean Theatre. By the end of WWII, more than 22,000 Spitfires of all types had been built, making it the second-most produced aircraft in the Allied arsenal. In addition to serving with the United Kingdom, Spitfires were also operated by the United States, France, Soviet Union, Turkey, Belgium, and both Israel and Egypt in post war Mid-East conflicts.
- AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2001 – along with an estimated attendance of 750,000 participating in the event, EAA Air Venture 2001 saluted “Aviation Firsts” with an outstanding lineup of people and aircraft, including many first-time visitors to the annual celebration of flight. Total estimated aircraft flown to the event: 10,000; total showplanes, 2,481; international visitors registered: 1,819 from 72 nations; and media attending: 780 from 5 continents (North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia).