- AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – The Texas Department of Public Safety’s Chief of Criminal Law Enforcement will be ABIA’s new Federal Security Director (FSD). U.S. Transporation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced in July that Michael D. Scott will oversee the U.S. Transporation Security Administration’s takeover of airport screening at ABIA by November. [see the following related capsule]
- SAN ANGELO REGIONAL AIRPORT & ABILENE REGIONAL AIRPORT – Arb Rylant began his new job as Federal Security Director (FSD) for both airports in August. Rylant has been San Angelo’s Airport Director since 1996 and resigned to become an FSD. He is a retired U.S. Navy pilot who is still an active general aviation pilot. Rylant is expected to supervise 50-70 federal employees who will screen passengers and baggage at the two airports. The screenings began in September.
- AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – Southwest Airlines recently recognized Its operations at ABIA as being the best of its 59-airpot system for 2001. The decision was based on several factors, including customer feedback on service worker productivity, ramp services and operations. Southwest’s 180 Austin employees oversee 49 daily departures. In 2001, the Austin station handled more than 16,000 departures carrying more than 2 million passengers. The Austin station also moved more than 11 million pounds of cargo and mail last year.
- AMERICAN EAGLE. a subsidiary of American Airlines, announced an upgrade in the airplanes flying from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Laredo and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On the Baton Rouge route, American Eagle is replacing two of its five daily flights with 44-seat Embraer ERJ 140 regional Jets. Similarly, two of the five flights to Laredo will also now be on regional jets. The remaining three flights on each route will continue to be served by Saab turboprop aircraft. American Eagle’s 264-airplane fleet now includes more than 130 regional jets. The new airplanes have larger overhead bins, a closet for hanging bags and a larger bathroom
- BIG SPRING McMAHON-WRINKLE AIRPARK (HANGAR 25)- Nelda Reagan, airport manager, who oversaw the building of the new terminal during her nine and a half years of service resigned her position in June. Reagan cited a desire to relax and focus her attention on her son, an Army sergeant serving in Afghanistan. Good luck Nelda … we will miss you at TAC each year!
- DALLAS/FORT WORTH AIRPORT – Preliminary figures released in July by Airports Council International (ACI) indicated that D/FW Airport retained its strong ranking as the third-busiest airport in the world. The figures noted that D/FW recorded 783,546 flight operations in 2001 – third behind the Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield airport. Numbers of passengers are different from flight operations, and D/FW slipped there slightly to sixth in the world. D/FW was down 9 percent from the previous year, with 55.150,689 passengers. However, airport executives hope to return to 2001 passenger levels by the spring of next year, and those numbers should jump in 2005, when a new international terminal comes on line. The success of D/FW is generally credited with the long and sustained economic growth of the Metroplex. Success at the airport means success for the region.
- EL PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – Sue Critz recently renewed her Master Instructor designation. Critz is an independent flight school operator at ELP where she specializes in primary, instrument, advanced and avionics training. To help put this achievement in its proper perspective, there are approximately 81,000 CFls in the United States. Fewer than three hundred of them have achieved that distinction thus far. The last seven national Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFls while Critz is one of only 13 Texas aviation educators who have earned this prestigious “Master” title. Congratulations, Sue!
- DALLAS/FORT WORTH AIRPORT – Due to heavy traffic demand in May by ethnic Mexicans visiting family and relatives. Aero Mexico added a third Mexico City flight according to Juan Brothers, district manager in Dallas for the Mexico City based airline. AeroMexico which serves 43 cities Mexico and has 12 U.S. gateways is back to about 90 percent of its pre-September 11 traffic. Its morning and afternoon flights out of D/FW airport are running more than 70 percent full, while the new evening flight is already about 45 percent full. “It’s improving steadily and we’re happy with it. . .it’s ramping up … and this flight wasn’t supposed to come on until spring 2003, but the demand was here.” said Brothers.
- GEORGETOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT – Scott & While Memorial Hospital recently relocated its medical helicopter to Georgetown from Taylor’s [airport] pad. The medical helicopter typically flies four to five times a day. With the expansion of Scott & White’s business in Georgetown, including the construction of a new facility in Round Rock, it is expected that another flight will be added in the near future.
- HOUSTON-CONTINENTAL AIRLINES – Continental announced in June a multi-year marketing partnership with NFL-Houston Texans signing on as its “official airline.” The agreement includes cooperative advertising and joint marketing, promotions, in-stadium signage and other hospitality opportunities: including charter flight services for the team’s travel throughout the season.
- HOUSTON-CONTINENTAL AIRLINES – Continental will initiate daily nonstop flights between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Villahermosa, Mexico in December 2002, pending government approval. The new Continental Express service aboard the latest version of Embraer’s fast, quiet 50-passenger ERJ-145 ExpressJet, will feature Spanish-speaking flight attendants, as do most Continental flights to Mexican and Latin American destinations. Bilingual customer service representatives will be available to assist passengers at ticket counters and departure/arrival gates.
- LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, San Antonio – The Air Forces 341st Training Squadron oversees the bomb-sniffing dog training program for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), created by Congress after the September 11 attacks to ramp up safety at the nation’s airports. Dogs go through a pre-training period before being matched with a human trainee at Lackland, and together they learn how to find bombs craftily stashed in luggage, buildings, airplanes and elsewhere.
- LUBBOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – “Silent Wings Museum” opens on October 19, at the site where South Plains Army Air Field was in 1943. The collection features gliders from WWII and the museum commemorates the glider’s role in the war. The museum is owned and operated by Lubbock Aviation Administration: the museum director is Joe Hays and museum curator is Roben Tidwell.
- NEW BRAUNFELS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT – The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Southwest Regional Fly-In will be moving to New Braunfels on the third weekend in May 2003. This year’s fly-in was held in Abilene on September. Originally, the fly-in began in Georgetown in 1964 by Tony Bingelis and his chapter 187 from Austin. It later moved to Kerrville and then to Abilene.
- SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROGRAM – U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta recently announced grants to 40 communities in 38 states under this new program that helps small communities enhance their airline services. The grants, totaling $20 million, will help the communities address their local air service problems, such as high fares and insufficient levels of service. Grant awards go to Texas airports: Abilene Regional Airport ($85,010) and Beaumont/Port Arthur, Southwest Texas Regional Airport ($510,000).
- STATE OF TEXAS – John Campbell. Spinks Airport, was selected to represent Texas and fly the Texas State Flag in August to New York in connection with “Flight Across America.” The flag Campbell carried was awarded to the State of New York to honor the victims of 9/11.
- TEXAS-FOREIGN TRADE ZONES – Fort Worth Meacham Internation Airport and Dallas Executive Airport have obtained status as foreign trade zones under an extension of the zone in place at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The status, granted in May under the Foreign Trade Zones Act of 1934, allow manufacturers to bring in parts or materials from foreign sources without paying duty and to incorporate them into products using U.S. parts. If the finished product enters the U.S., companies pay duty on the value of the foreign content only.
- TEXAS PILOTS HOST U.S. ULTRALIGHT PILOTS ASSOCIATION (USPA) – Kudos to Floyd McClennahan who drummed up local merchant support to make U.S. Ultralight Pilots Association (USPA) members feel welcome at their July meeting m
Port Aransas, Mustang Beach! - U.S. TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT · Marion C. Blakey, current chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, has been nominated to replace former FAA Administrator Jane Garvey. Blakely has held numerous positions in the federal government. General aviation leaders are pleased with this nomination.
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3135
(979) 317-2000