Created Monday 03 February 2020

See also: Aviation

Posted by msmash on Monday February 03, 2020 10:45AM

Only three of the world's Top 100 international airports pass basic security checks, according to a report published last week by cyber-security firm ImmuniWeb. From a report:

The three are the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands, the Helsinki Vantaa Airport in Finland, and the Dublin International Airport in Ireland. According to ImmuniWeb, these three “may serve a laudable example not just to the aviation industry but to all other industries as well.” The three are the only airports that passed a long list of security tests that involved checks of their public websites, official mobile applications, and searches for leaks of sensitive airport or passenger data in places like cloud services, public code repositories, or the dark web.

https://it.slashdot.org/story/20/02/03/1917234/only-three-of-the-top-100-international-airports-pass-basic-security-checks

By Hollie Silverman, CNN - Updated 4:36 PM ET, Sun December 13, 2020

(CNN)A man was taken into custody after he climbed onto the wing of an Alaska Airlines plane at the Las Vegas airport Saturday, an airport spokesman said.

Flight 1367 from Las Vegas to Portland was preparing for takeoff from McCarran International Airport when the pilot noticed a person coming toward the aircraft and notified the control tower, Alaska Airlines said in a statement.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/12/us/las-vegas-airport-plane-wing-man-custody/index.html

© 2002, © 2021 by Paul Freeman. Revised 5/18/21.

* Dedicated in the memory of my father, Harris Freeman (1929-2010), who supported my interest in aviation ever since I was a little boy. * “History & mystery combined.” On the following pages, you will find information on vanished or abandoned airfields & their unusual histories. http://airfields-freeman.com/index.htm == Tempelhof == March 13, 2015 The mother of all ‘abandoned’ airports The Guardian asked me to write about Tempelhof for its Cities site focused on urban development. You can read the article here. What follows is an extended version with some minor changes and lots of additional historical detail, along with a gansey-load of photos. Tempelhof was never really abandoned – it has always been under someone’s watchful eye – but the story of a discarded airport nevertheless merits inclusion here. I didn’t bother with the usual guide-points on how to find it, get in, etc. Any Berliner can tell you where it is. https://www.abandonedberlin.com/tempelhof/ == Gibraltar, World’s Only Airport Runway Intersecting a Road == Kaushik Patowary - Nov 3, 2011 Gibraltar Airport or North Front Airport is a civilian airport that serves the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, a tiny peninsula with an area of only 6.8 square kilometres. The lack of flat space on Gibraltar means the peninsula's only runway is bisected by its busiest road, the Winston Churchill Avenue that heads towards the land border with Spain. A pair of flimsy-looking barriers closes vehicular traffic every time a plane lands or departs. Fortunately, it’s not a busy airport. It handles only about 30 flights a week, all flying to and from the United Kingdom. https://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/11/gibraltar-airport-worlds-only-airport.html?m=1 == WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH AIRPORTS? == BY PATRICK SMITH - FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS, airports are often bewildering, maddening places. There is much to be found in the modern-day terminal to enrage, confuse, or vex the traveler. Where to begin? The following list was inspired by a layover I spent not long ago at Incheon International Airport (ICN), serving Seoul, Korea. Not to take away from perennial survey-toppers like Amsterdam’s Schiphol or Singapore’s Changi Airport (amenities at Changi include a movie theater, a swimming pool and a butterfly garden), but Incheon stands as the most functional, attractive, and overall flyer-friendly airport I’ve ever visited. It’s cavernous and immaculate, with a cathedral-like calm throughout. Security and immigration are a breeze; international transit is effortless. The staff at the multilingual information desks are disarmingly helpful. Amenities include free internet, free showers, luggage storage, cellphone rental desks, a post office and massage facilities. Relaxation areas, with sofas and easy chairs, are set away from the main thoroughfares. There’s a cultural center, a museum, and a full-service hotel inside the secure zone, allowing those with extended layovers to rent a room without the need to clear immigration. Or, if you’re feeling energetic, a tour desk arranges free excursions to Incheon city. If you’re headed into Seoul, the airport’s high-speed rail connection will have you downtown in under an hour. Why can’t every airport be like this? https://askthepilot.com/essaysandstories/whats-the-matter-with-airports/ == Which Airport’s Runways Are Furthest From The Terminal? == Daniel Martínez Garbuno - September 23, 2021 As airports grow over the years, some of the newly built runways may be far away from the terminal, making for lengthy taxiing operations upon landing. But, which airports runways are furthest from the terminals? Let’s investigate further. https://simpleflying.com/which-airports-runways-are-furthest-from-the-terminal/ == Chicago's Former Mayor Once Destroyed An Airport Under The Cover Of Night == Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley did everything that he could to kill Meigs Field. Mercedes Streeter - 14 April 2022 11:20AM Just over 19 years ago, former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley pulled an astonishing move that still shocks and disappoints aviation communities to this day. Under the cover of night, Mayor Daley took the law into his own hands and ordered the destruction of famed Meigs Field, impacting aviation for years to come. If you’re not a plane nut but have ever played an older version of Microsoft Flight Simulator before, Merrill C. Meigs Field may ring a bell. As the default airport option in the flight simulator, virtual pilots got to depart over Lake Michigan with beautiful Chicago as a backdrop. Flying Magazine reminds us that for 55 years, pilots departing from the strip got to witness Chicago grow into the bustling city it is today. The story of Meigs Field begins with the peninsula that it was constructed on. In 1909, urban planner and architect Daniel H. Burnham published the Plan of Chicago. The book recommended improvements to the city like wider streets, parks, civic buildings, harbors and more. It even called for a highway system that circled the then vastly growing city. https://jalopnik.com/chicagos-former-mayor-once-destroyed-an-airport-under-t-1848789654 == How To Fuck up An Airport == A podcast series about what went wrong at BER, Berlin’s unfinished airport. Every Berliner knows the new airport is late. Few know exactly why. We’re here to explain. BER is the international airport code for Berlin Brandenburg Airport, nickname Willy Brandt. It has also become a signifier of failure, incompetence, corruption and Berlin’s general inability to get its act together. If you’ve flown to Berlin Schönefeld Airport in the last few years, you’ll have seen BER as your plane taxied along the runway. But despite outward appearances, BER is far from finished. It has been under construction for 11 years, blown through six opening dates, three general managers and two state leaders. Costs have ballooned from around €1 billion to at least €5.4 billion. Across this series, you’ll learn why the escalators are too short, why the lights are always on, and why the rooms seemed to be numbered by bingo. We’ll interview insiders and disgruntled workers, chase ghost trains running to the terminal, and go inside the unfinished airport. https://www.radiospaetkauf.com/ber/ == 'Melted Runway' Halts Flights Out of British Military Base == The severe heat wave plaguing Europe is having far-reaching consequences. Kevin Hurler - 18 July 2022 1:05PM According to reports from SkyNews in the United Kingdom, the country’s largest Royal Air Force base—RAF Brize Norton—has ceased all incoming and outgoing flights as severe heat has allegedly caused the runway to melt. Europe is currently in the throes of a severe heatwave, and an Air Force base in the United Kingdom is witnessing some of the harsher effects of these increased temperatures. News broke Monday that the runway at Royal Air Force Base, RAF Brize Norton, melted under the intense heat plaguing the area. We’re told that RAF Brize Norton has a Business Continuity Plan with contingencies for events like this, and incoming flights to the base may have to be sent to nearby locations. https://gizmodo.com/heatwave-uk-flights-air-force-1849189918 == Exploring All of the Denver International Airport's Conspiracies == The massive airport could be home to lizard people, pandemic-inducing antigens, and the Illuminati. Or it could be an airport. Kevin Hurler - 21 July 2022 9:00AM There once was a time when conspiracy theories were both relatively harmless and easy to laugh at. Area 51, the Loch Ness Monster, and the faked Moon landing are some of the sillier theories that have invaded pop culture. One location with its own conspiracy lore is the Denver International Airport, which is home to a plethora of different theories about the end of days. https://gizmodo.com/denver-conspiracies-airport-travel-lizard-people-1849164639 == Do the people who design airports ever fly? == Lots of glass and high ceilings … and a 45 minute walk to your gate. Ann Coulter - Jul 23, 2022 From today’s New York Times: New York’s airports are being rebuilt, piece by piece, in the most ambitious overhaul in decades. WHO GIVES THESE AWARDS??? It might have been rat-infested, dirty, leaking and broken, but it used to take one minute to get from TSA to your gate at the old LaGuardia. Now, it’s a 20 minute walk through a massive shopping mall, requiring “people movers” and stacked escalators. (Gosh, there’s nothing I enjoy more when rushing to catch a plane than stopping to shop for an overpriced sweatshirt at one of a million shops.) The reverse trek from the gate to the taxis is even more of a haul. Can we get the names of the new airport designers and the date of their last commercial flight anywhere? https://anncoulter.substack.com/p/do-the-people-who-design-airports == Why 10,000 pounds of rubber are stripped from runways == Melissa Estrada - Oct 28, 2022, 2:30 PM Following is a transcript of the video. Narrator: Every time a plane lands, each tire leaves around 1½ pounds of rubber on the runway. Tires are stationary until touchdown, when sudden contact with the ground causes friction, quickly bringing them up to speeds of more than 150 mph and producing temperatures around 500 degrees Fahrenheit. That temperature makes the tread rubber melt and bond to the runway and lights that guide pilots. The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger plane in the world, and it has 22 tires. That's over 30 pounds of rubber lost per landing – equivalent to the amount of rubber in two of your car's tires. So, how does all of that rubber get removed? And what's so dangerous about it building up on runways? https://www.businessinsider.com/hazardous-rubber-buildup-removed-from-airport-runways-2022-10 == Six of the world’s most beautiful runways == General Aviation News Staff - October 25, 2022 A recent press release from Artemis Aerospace in England lists the world’s “top six must-see runways.” Check out the company’s choices below, then let us know your favorite runway. Barra Airport, Isle of Barra, Scotland Skiathos Alexandros Papadiamantis Airport, Greece Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Lukla, Nepal Santos Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro Venice Marco Polo Airport, Italy Donegal Airport, Ireland https://generalaviationnews.com/2022/10/25/six-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-runways/ == What are the worst airports to fly into during winter? == Andrew Wulfeck, FOX Weather - November 21, 2022 4:27am As millions prepare to fly for the holidays, a look at an airport’s delays and cancellations can give travelers a preview of whether they’ll need to pack their patience during the winter months. AAA expects winter travel to be very near pre-pandemic levels and warns that airlines have taken steps to avoid long delays. “Airlines have cut less popular/profitable routes to have sufficient personnel to avoid flight delays and cancellations. Those flying between the most popular routes will see airfares that are 22% more expensive with an average of $166 round trip,” AAA said in a news release. Despite airlines’ best intentions, a FOX Weather analysis of data provided by FlightAware found which airports tend to be home to the most problems from December through February. During the last six winter months, Newark Liberty International took the top spot for having the highest percentage of delayed and canceled flights among the largest U.S. airports. Based on scheduled flight plans, an average of 29 percent of planes either faced a delay or cancellation. https://nypost.com/2022/11/21/what-are-the-worst-airports-to-fly-into-during-winter/ == Fierce opposition to ‘mega airports’ continues to grow in mostly rural counties == Deborah Horne, KIRO 7 News - November 22, 2022 at 8:38 pm PST OLYMPIA — There’s fierce opposition to the state’s plan to build or expand airports in at least four communities along the Interstate 5 corridor. There are “Stop the airport” groups in King, Pierce and Thurston counties. That’s where the state is considering expanding airports or putting in a brand-new airport to ease pressure off the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac. One group, Stop Olympia Airport Growth, is meeting in Olympia on Tuesday night to oppose expansion of the capital city’s regional airport. They are meeting to discuss issues regarding noise pollution, habitat destruction and health impacts they say an expanded airport will bring — and they are far from alone. When composer and singer Dawn Sonntag moved to the rustic Sunwood Lakes neighborhood in Thurston County three years ago, she thought she had found the perfect place for her work and her family. “We instantly knew that this was where we wanted to live,” said Sonntag. But last summer, the state’s Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission, or CACC, released three potential sites for a second international airport in Western Washington. https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/fierce-opposition-mega-airports-continues-grow-4-mostly-rural-counties/I2BGMZKBLVA33PELFDO2352ZDI/ == Airport Runway Names Shift with Magnetic Field == World Magnetic Model helps ensure accurate navigation for aviation, more November 20, 2017 / Updated May 25, 2021 Earth's magnetic field is constantly changing, and while large-scale changes, such as a complete reversal of the magnetic field, happen over several thousand years, smaller changes over shorter periods affect all forms of navigation. In aviation, Earth's changing magnetic field affects airport operations and causes runway names to change. For example, the Fairbanks International Airport in Alaska renamed runway 1L-19R to 2L-20R in 2009 when magnetic north shifted enough to mandate a change. And the airport operators know—from NCEI’s World Magnetic Model (WMM) and other sources—that they'll likely need to update the name again in 2033, according to a spokeswoman for the airport. That model, developed by NOAA and its partners, provides guidance for many who need accurate navigation tools. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/airport-runway-names-shift-magnetic-field == Uber Launches Step-by-Step Maps to Help You Navigate Airports == The rideshare company plans to add a host of new features to make relying on an Uber post-plane ride easier at more than 30 airports. Lauren Leffer - 7 March 2023 Most airports come equipped with very clear signage at every possible turn: baggage claim one way, international gates the other way, restrooms straight ahead. However, if those indicators have ever failed you, Uber is here to help. The rideshare company seems to be tentatively expanding into a mapping and directions app. Uber will “soon” begin offering step-by-step, visual and written instructions for getting from landing gates to one of the company’s pickup areas at more than 30 airports in the U.S. and abroad, as announced in a company press release on Tuesday. https://gizmodo.com/uber-airports-google-maps-ride-share-jfk-1850196486 == US airports now have software to prevent aircraft from landing on taxiways by mistake == The technology has already proven useful. Jon Fingas - March 9, 2023 12:36 PM Pilots have to worry about more than just mid-flight crashes and bad weather — they also risk a collision if they land on the taxiway instead of the runway. Thankfully, they have now have a digital safeguard. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tells Axios that 43 major US airports are now using ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction (ATAP), a software platform that warns air traffic controllers if an aircraft is lining up to land on a taxiway by mistake. An aviator shouldn't endanger lives on the ground simply because they're inexperienced or fatigued. The system relies on standard radar along with other sensors. It also works regardless of aircraft size — it can flag small turboprops and large airliners. ATAP first saw use at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in 2018, and the FAA says it finished software upgrades at compatible airports last September. Some of the airports using the tech include Boston Logan, Chicago O'Hare and New York's JFK. This is more than just a theoretical exercise. The FAA notes ATAP has caught over 50 potential taxiway landings since 2018, and there have been eight alerts so far in 2023. While accidental landings are far less common than crashes (and thus far less deadly), the software may still be helpful even if it prevents chaos from an aircraft disrupting the queue. https://www.engadget.com/us-airports-now-have-software-to-prevent-aircraft-from-landing-on-taxiways-by-mistake-173646341.html == FAA Deploys New Software to Prevent Taxiing Plane Collisions == ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction notifies controllers when a plane is waiting on a taxiway to prevent crashes if an inbound flight has to land on that tarmac. Kevin Hurler - 9 March 2023 The Federal Aviation Administration has fitted dozens of airports nationwide with new software to prevent, what it calls, “wrong-surface landings,” where inbound planes crash into aircrafts waiting on taxiways. As detailed by Axios, the software is called ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction (ATAP), and uses radar and sensors to detect planes that are lining up on airport taxiways—not runways—and preparing for takeoff. The software will then notify air traffic controllers, who can then notify the pilots of inbound aircrafts, thereby preventing wrong surface events. The FAA told Axios that there were 1,641 of these events from October 2016 to the end of 2022, though 83% of those events did not involve commercial aircrafts. https://gizmodo.com/faa-airplanes-air-travel-united-delta-airport-1850206883 == The Reason Why You Have To Walk So Much Inside New Airport Terminals == Gary Leff - April 29, 2023 Larry Summers, former Clinton Treasury Secretary, Obama chief economic advisor, and Harvard President, observes that “the newer the [airport] terminal, the less convenient it is to use” thanks to all of the long walks and wonders why that’s the case. The reason is actually simple economics, but to see that you have to be aware of the details of how terminals are financed, and how airport revenue agreements work. When an airport authority brings in private companies to finance construction of a new terminal, there’s rarely much discussion of how those companies will make their money. One of the primary ways is from concessions. They’re going to rent out space in the terminal to retail shops. https://viewfromthewing.com/the-reason-why-your-walks-are-so-long-inside-new-airport-terminals/ == Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields == © 2002, © 2023 by Paul Freeman. Revised 8/29/23. * Dedicated in the memory of my father, Harris Freeman (1929-2010), who supported my interest in aviation ever since I was a little boy. * “History & mystery combined.” On the following pages, you will find information on vanished or abandoned airfields & their unusual histories. As a pilot, a particular interest of mine has always been the abandoned airfields that dot the landscape of much of this country. Both for their potential safety value to a pilot in an emergency, and also for their sometimes fascinating history, this particular topic has always held my curiosity. When I'm a passenger on commercial flights, I've always found myself looking out the window, constantly looking for airfields below. When I fly as a pilot myself, I've always tried to land at as many airports as possible, to learn a little about each one. http://www.airfields-freeman.com/ == The Scourge of Airport Noise == August 30, 2023 EARLIER THIS MONTH month I was in Berlin, boarding a plane at the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport. Walking through the lobbies and concourses, something felt different. I couldn’t quite place it. The airport, only three years-old is spacious, clean, and well laid out. But it was more than that. It was something else. Then it hit me. It was quiet! From the time we walked through the front doors, until the moment we arrived at the gate, not a single public address announcement played. Not one. The speakers were silent. Every airport in the world should follow this model. Indeed, some are quieter than others, to varying degrees. Copenhagen and Amsterdam, for example, keep announcements to a minimum. But on the whole, airports are some of the noisiest public spaces we have, and the loudspeaker is mainly to blame. Sure, terminals are packed with wailing babies, chattering TVs, and airport architecture seemingly designed to amplify, rather than quash, the collective racket of hundreds of people. But it’s those public address announcements that are the most aggravating culprit. Ninety percent of them are useless in the first place, and they’re often delivered at a volume severe enough to shatter windows. And with all the various microphones and speakers targeting different sections of a terminal, it’s not uncommon to hear two or three announcements blaring at the same time. https://askthepilot.com/airport-noise-scourge/ == Why Is It So Hard to Build an Airport? == Brian Potter - Mar 04, 2024 Airports are a critical piece of modern infrastructure. Aviation contributes an estimated 8% to global GDP through direct and indirect effects (ie: the businesses and commerce that it enables), and an estimated 25% of companies’ sales rely on air transport. In 2022, civil aviation in the US flew over 850 million passengers, generated more than a trillion dollars in economic activity, and was responsible for most long-distance inter-city trips. All this was made possible by 550 commercial airports, the largest 50 of which handle more than 80% of air traffic.1 Despite their importance, airports are enormously difficult to build, not only in the US but around the world. Airport construction is nearly always vigorously opposed by various interest groups, often successfully. As air travel greatly expanded in the 1960s and 70s, there were “no more virulent domestic conflicts… in the advanced industrial world than those over airport construction.” In her history of US airports in the second half of the 20th century, Janet Bednarek notes that building a new airport was so “extraordinarily difficult…that very few completely new major commercial airports were constructed.“ Of the 50 largest airports in the US, the average age is 82 years, and only three have been built in the last 50 years. The US has built more commercial nuclear reactors in the past 25 years (two) than it has major commercial airports (none), even though air travel increased by almost 50% over that period. https://www.construction-physics.com/p/why-is-it-so-hard-to-build-an-airport == These Are World's 20 Best Airports == None of them are located in Africa or South America. Only one is in the western hemisphere. Melvin Backman, Quartz - 18 April 2024 These are the best airports in the world according to Skytrax, an “air transport rating organization.” By surveying travelers across more than 570 airports, the ranking tracks satisfaction across categories like check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, and security through to departure at the gate. Here are the top 20. https://gizmodo.com/best-airports-in-the-world-2024-1851420427 ===== Airport Names ===== == Where the 'X' in PDX comes from == Portland International Airport is commonly known as 'PDX,' but the story behind where the 'X' comes from may not be as widely known. Devon Haskins, KGW Staff - 9:21 AM PDT June 15, 2022 / Updated: 9:21 AM PDT June 15, 2022 PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland International Airport has become well-known for a cultural phenomenon: As part of a tradition, travelers take photos of their feet against the famous green carpet. The airport is also well-known as 'PDX,' but where the 'X' comes from may not be common knowledge. More than 19 million passengers traveled through PDX in 2019. It's ranked as America's favorite airport, according to Travel + Leisure magazine — a mark Oregon's busiest airport has held multiple times before. The airport sits along the Columbia River in Northeast Portland and construction began in the 1920s. “This is a time when people are beginning to think about the possibilities of commercial aviation,” said Carl Abbott, a retired urban studies professor at Portland State University. https://www.kgw.com/article/travel/whats-in-a-name/whats-in-a-name-p-d-x-portland-international-airport/283-3f51b97a-3943-4d94-9226-0509b1fc7816 == The Maddening Mess of Airport Codes! == CGP Grey - 2 December 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfOUVYQnuhw ====== Airports ====== == Dallas Air Traffic Rerouted As FAA Probes Faulty GPS Signals == Posted by BeauHD on Tuesday October 18, 2022 03:40PM An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: <blockquote> Flights into the Dallas area are being forced to take older, cumbersome routes and a runway at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was temporarily closed after aviation authorities said GPS signals there aren't reliable. The Federal Aviation Administration said in an emailed statement Tuesday it's investigating the possible jamming of the global-positioning system that aircraft increasingly use to guide them on more efficient routes and to runways. So far, the agency has found “no evidence of intentional interference,” it said. American Airlines, the primary carrier at DFW, said the GPS issue is not affecting its operations. Southwest Airlines, which flies from nearby Love Field, said it also isn't experiencing any disruptions. The FAA reopened the closed runway earlier on Tuesday. </blockquote> https://tech.slashdot.org/story/22/10/18/2040239/dallas-air-traffic-rerouted-as-faa-probes-faulty-gps-signals == Washington Needs a New Sea-Tac-Sized Airport — No One Wants It Near Them == Sunday, November 13, 2022 12:24 pm - Dominic Gates / The Seattle Times By 2040, Western Washington will need another large airport. State officials are studying where to locate one that covers more acres than Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Without it, air travel will snarl and air cargo shipments stall as the region's projected population growth pushes far beyond the capacity of Sea-Tac and Everett's Paine Field. The problem is, nobody wants a major airport anywhere near their backyard. A state commission last month narrowed the search to a shortlist of three locations in rural Pierce and Thurston counties, and by June 15 must settle on a single site that it will recommend to the Legislature. In a confusing wrinkle, the state Department of Transportation is also still assessing a fourth site. Just west of Enumclaw in Southeast King County, this location would eat up significant green space halfway between Seattle and Mount Rainier. https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-needs-a-new-sea-tac-sized-airport-no-one-wants-it-near-them,303568 == Parallel Runways: 5 Airports That Have Them == Simple Flying explores five out of more than a 100 airports with parallel runways. Rytis Beresnevičius - 25 October 2023 Worldwide, there are over 100 airports with parallel runways, which are two or more runways at the same airport whose centerlines are parallel. As a result, these runways are designated either left or right: for example, Runway 21L and Runway 21R instead of just being named Runway 21. If an airport has three parallel runways, the middle would be Runway 21C. However, if an airfield has more than three parallel runways, the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Annex 14, covering aerodromes, recommends designating them as L, LC, RC, R, or L, LC, C, RC, and R. Knowing that there are more than a handful of airports with parallel runways, Simple Flying picked five that could pique your interest as a bucket list destination. https://simpleflying.com/airports-with-parallel-runways-list/ == These 2 Small Airports Have The Longest Runways In The World == Luke Bodell - 22 March 2025 There are many reasons why some runways are built longer than others, ranging from terrain type, altitude, weather conditions and other factors. When it comes to commercial runways, they typically measure anywhere from 1,800 meters (4,921 feet) to 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) for large international airports, but there are extremes that go either side of those figures. For example, Denver International Airport (DEN) has a massive 4,877-meter (16,000 feet) runway due to its high elevation, while London City Airport (LCY) has a runway measuring 1,508 meters (4,948 feet), which used to be just 1,080 meters (3,543 feet). On the subject of ultra-long runways, there are currently two airports that jointly hold the title of having the longest runway in the world - Ulyanovsk Vostochny Airport (ULY) in Russia and Shigatse Peace Airport in China, which both have runways extending 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) long. https://simpleflying.com/2-airports-longest-runways-world/ ===== DIA - Chicago, IL USA ===== == Denver Is the Worst Airport in America—Second Place Isn’t Even Close [Roundup] == by Gary Leff on May 2, 2025 News and notes from around the interweb: The 10 Worst Airports in the U.S. (HT: Paul H) Silliness! Only Miami and Philadelphia are reasonably-ranked. Washington National and San Francisco airports are among the very best in the country. Denver isn’t #10 worst, it’s the worst. Here are the actual best and worst. Security at Denver is regularly a mess. The train to the concourses breaks down frequently. The place is too far from the city. It’s a fine place to be as long as you’re a connecting passenger, and not changing terminals. https://viewfromthewing.com/denver-is-the-worst-airport-in-america-second-place-isnt-even-close-roundup/ ===== EWR - Newark, NJ USA ===== == Trauma leave, closed runways and 3D-printed parts: Chaos has ensnarled Newark airport. Here’s what’s really going on == FAA said no one was hurt and operations were not interrupted as a result of Tuesday’s communication outage at Newark Erin Keller - Tuesday 20 May 2025 22:08 BST Newark Liberty Airport, one of the busiest airports in the country, experienced its fourth air traffic communication outage in three weeks on Tuesday, amid concerns of aging systems and ongoing air traffic controller staffing shortages. The FAA said a brief two-second radio frequency outage occurred at 11:35 a.m. on Tuesday, affecting the Philadelphia TRACON facility that manages Newark's air traffic. All planes remained safely separated, operations are normal, and an investigation is underway, the FAA said. But it’s the latest trauma-inducing experience for Newark Airport air traffic controllers in recent weeks due to issues with signal lines from a New York FAA facility, including outdated technology, copper wires and more. https://www.independent.co.uk/us/travel/newark-liberty-airport-outage-faa-air-traffic-control-b2754584.html == The Newark airport crisis is about to become everyone’s problem == A shortage of air traffic controllers, bungled IT management, outdated technology, and a brewing disaster in our airspace. Darryl Campbell - May 25, 2025, 5:00 AM PDT There are too many planes in the sky. In 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supervised nearly 16.8 million flights in American airspace — half a million more than the year prior. To manage all of those airplanes, however, the FAA uses an air traffic control system designed in the early 1990s — when features like trackballs and color monitors were new, and air traffic controllers handled less than half as many flights every year. Like many government agencies, the FAA has faced chronic budget constraints and poor oversight in the ensuing two decades. Not only is its system functionally obsolete; it’s also badly understaffed. Too often, the agency must scramble to find the least-bad solution for its mounting problems — and not all of these solutions are good or even safe. One such scenario has been unfolding at Newark Liberty International Airport for the last year. And it hasn’t just created delays and cancellations — it has put people’s safety at risk. https://www.theverge.com/planes/673462/newark-airport-delay-air-traffic-control-tracon-radar ===== HIO - Hillsboro (Portland), OR USA ===== == Hillsboro Airport leads in close calls, safety risks on runways in the Northwest == The FAA tracks “runway incursions” at airports around the country. Most airports report a handful of issues each year. The Hillsboro Airport reported 30. Evan Watson - 3:19 PM PDT June 1, 2023 / Updated: 3:19 PM PDT June 1, 2023 HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Hillsboro Airport leads the Pacific Northwest in runway incursions, which are close calls or safety risks on airport runways, according to Federal Aviation Administration data. The FAA tracks and regulates runway incursions, calling them one of the agency's “highest safety priorities,” making sure pilots don't enter or exit a runway at the wrong time. “When that happens, there is a risk of collision with other aircraft that may be landing or departing on that runway, that could result in injury or fatalities,” said Hassan Shahidi, the president and CEO of Flight Safety Foundation, a independent organization that advocates for aviation safety. While most airports report a low number of runway incursions annually — Portland International Airport reported three over the past three years — the Hillsboro Airport (HIO) reported 30 runway incursions between February 2022 and February 2023. “Anytime you see some of these numbers there should be concern,” Shahidi said. https://www.kgw.com/article/news/investigations/hillsboro-airport-safety-risks-runway/283-e17ed518-3fc9-4d10-af10-a3c4f5c9580e ===== LHR - Heathrow - London, UK ===== Named London Airport until 1966 == Heathrow warned it cannot afford a third runway == Heathrow’s £20bn third runway could be in use by 2035 - AFP Luke Barr - Sat, May 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM PDT Heathrow has been warned that it cannot afford a third runway without loading the business with billions of pounds more debt. In a damning new report, the ratings agency S&P Global said the planned expansion will potentially imperil the airport by significantly increasing its borrowings, which are are already as high as nearly £20bn. As well as increasing debts, S&P said the project would also lead to higher passenger charges at Heathrow, which are already among the highest in Europe. According to S&P, this “could lead to a weakening of Heathrow’s competitive position relative to other European hubs” – raising fresh concerns over the airport’s status as a global transport hub. Heathrow has insisted that the planned expansion will not need any financial support from the taxpayer, although S&P claims it will not be able to afford a third runway without a significant cash injection from its shareholders. The airport’s backers are largely made up of overseas investors, led by French private equity giant Ardian, the Qatar Investment Authority and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. S&P said: “Notwithstanding Heathrow’s strong regulatory environment and superior competitive position, we believe that our issue ratings on Heathrow’s debt have limited headroom for significant additional leverage. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heathrow-warned-cannot-afford-third-130000147.html ===== ORD - O'Hare - Chicago, IL USA ===== == American, United Want Out Of Deal To Modernize Chicago O’Hare == Gary Leff - December 2, 2023 American Airlines and United Airlines want Chicago O’Hare’s expansion that they signed off on in 2018 slowed down – or stopped – as the project runs $1.5 billion over budget. Somehow the carriers are surprised that a massive public infrastructure project, in Chicago no less, is spending far more than originally projected? And in fact it’s only just the ‘next phase’ where a 24% projected cost overrun totals $1.5 billion more than expected. That’s before construction on the new terminal even starts! The project’s total cost has grown from $8.7 billion to a projected $12.1 billion. So the terminal’s overrun is only one piece of an overall $3.4 billion price increase. https://viewfromthewing.com/american-united-want-out-of-deal-to-modernize-chicago-ohare/ == Why This Airport Is Among The Top 5 Worst In The US == Mark Mahon - 28 April 2025 Commercial aviation is a competitive business, and so is the airport experience. The flying public—nearly three million Americans flew on an airplane on any given day last year—engages in a myriad of activities while at major commercial airports, from security screening to food consumption, business networking to aircraft boarding. The quest to please the aviation consumer begins before the consumer boards an aircraft. As the nation heads toward the busy upcoming summer flying season, recent passenger surveys have yielded winners and losers in the all-important airport experience domain. Which eight-decade-old American airport has recently experienced passenger experience and flight disruption issues? Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). Changes are coming, though, for the world's eighth-busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic. https://simpleflying.com/why-this-airport-is-among-the-top-5-worst-in-the-us/airport-top-5-worst-us/ ===== PDX - Portland, OR USA ===== == Portland International Airport makeover making progress == Harriet Baskas - 9 September 2022 With the exception of the new consolidated car rental center, Oregon’s Portland International Airport (PDX) looks pretty much the same from the outside. However, step into the lobby these days and it’s clear that something’s up. The terminal lobby is a construction zone. The finished ceiling is gone. And so is the pre-security strip of local retail shops. Giant signs made to look like sticky notes acknowledge the disruption and offer clues about what’s going on with the multiyear $2 billion PDX Next remodel project in progress. There’s even a tub of foam earplugs that anyone can dip into in case the noise gets too loud. https://thepointsguy.com/news/portland-international-airport-make-over/ == Portland Airport Grows With Expansive Mass Timber Roof Canopy == 12.05.24 - Adrian Madlener As an alternative to concrete and other conventional composites, wood has re-emerged as a popular building material. Long thought of as too fragile and prone to damage, this natural resource has been re-engineered into a suite of fortified structural elements known as mass timber: glued, nailed doweled panels and beams able to shore-up everything from large residences to full-scale skyscrapers. The especially articulated roof of the recently expanded main terminal at Portland Airport (PDX) might be its most impressive application yet. Nationwide architecture firm ZGF implemented glulam (glue laminated) Douglas Fir for this massive nine-acre canopy, not only as an innovative and sustainable solution but also as a nod to local ecology and deeply-rooted cultural traditions. It’s a far cry from the standard glass and steel found at any other airport around the globe. The surrounding region is known for its dense old growth forests and thriving lumber trade. Most of the 3.5 million planks implemented in the project were sourced from smaller family operated and sustainably minded purveyors, as well as indigenous nations, based within a 300-mile radius; accounting for a notable reduction in the new building’s embodied carbon footprint. https://design-milk.com/portland-airport-grows-with-expansive-mass-timber-roof-canopy/ ===== SAN - San Diego, CA ===== == San Diego Airport Has Run Dry of Jet Fuel, Resulting in Lengthy Diversions For Some United and British Airways Flights == 2nd January 2023 - Mateusz Maszczynski San Diego International Airport has reportedly run dry of jet fuel after a major fuel pipe leaking serving San Diego County proved harder to fix than initially anticipated. As a result, some flights from the airport are now being canceled, while others are being forced to divert for short refuelling stops. A short ‘Notice to Air Missions’ (NOTAM) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration notes that San Diego Airport could be without any Jet-A fuel until January 7. Some airlines have avoided major disruption by ‘tankering’ extra fuel on inbound airports to San Diego. Tankering involves carrying extra fuel from the origin airport in order to avoid refuelling at the destination airport. Tankering isn’t, however, favored by airlines because the additional weight of all that extra fuel increases costs and is worse for the environment. It’s also not possible for all planes, especially long-haul flights, to tanker because there’s simply not enough space in the fuel tanks. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2023/01/02/san-diego-airport-has-run-dry-of-jet-fuel-resulting-in-lengthy-diversions-for-some-united-and-british-airways-flights/ ===== SEA - Seattle (Tacoma), WA ===== == Seattle Discovers Its New $1 Billion Airport Terminal Can’t Fit The Long-Haul Planes it Was Designed to Handle == 9th April 2023 - Mateusz Maszczynski The Port of Seattle says it could cost as much as $78 million to fix an apparent design flaw with the new International Arrivals Facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which was meant to be able to handle up to 20 long-haul wide-body aircraft at any one time. The $1 billion construction project, the largest in the port authority’s history, was designed to nearly double the number of international gates at Sea-Tac, but port officials now say the facility can only handle 16 aircraft at a time because of flaws in the layout. In a strongly worded letter to Clark Construction which was the firm responsible for the IAF’s design and construction, the Port of Seattle claimed that the shortfall of available gates could cause damages “in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars over the expected life of this project.” The IAF includes the world’s longest pedestrian aerial walkway over an active taxi lane, as well as a new grand hall that replaces a half-century-old customs and baggage reclaim hall. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2023/04/09/seattle-discovers-its-new-1-billion-airport-terminal-cant-fit-the-long-haul-planes-it-was-designed-to-handle/ ==== Video ==== == This Bridge Was Lifted Above An Active Runway == Sep 8, 2022 - Build In Brief - The B1M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXhXUIKn3J4 ===== SMF (Sacramento, CA) ===== ==== Flight Delays ==== == Sacramento airport goes no-fly after AT&T internet cable snipped == Police say this appears to be a 'deliberate act.' Brandon Vigliarolo - Fri 19 Apr 2024 20:30 UTC Sacramento International Airport (SMF) suffered hours of flight delays yesterday after what appears to be an intentional cutting of an AT&T internet cable serving the facility. The airport notified passengers of an issue with internet connections at both Southwest and Delta airlines facilities at SMF yesterday morning, with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) later confirming that an AT&T internet and phone line serving the airport was cut in what appeared to be a “deliberate act.” SCSO spokesperson Sergeant Amar Gandhi told local news sources that the sheriff's office, which provides security services for SMF, was notified of an issue at 0130 local time yesterday. Repair crews noticed the deliberate nature of the damage when they arrived on scene. “It looks like someone who knew what they were doing,” Gandhi told local NBC affiliate KCRA. “So this wasn't just a couple of teenagers ripping some wires out as a prank. [It] looks very deliberate.” An SMF spokesperson told The Register that there hasn't been a suspect identified, and that no additional damage was caused. The airport also isn't aware of any additional threats at this time. SMF listed flight delays of over two hours yesterday, while arrivals were also delayed, KCRA said. Service was restored by 1135, the airport said. https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/19/sacramento_airport_outage/ ====== Concessions ====== == Tweet About $28.50 Beer at LaGuardia Sparks Audit of New York Airport Concession Prices! == Chris Carley - August 3, 2021 Restaurants and stores at New York’s three major airports are reportedly facing an internal audit — after someone tweeted an image of a LaGuardia bar charging nearly $30 for a glass of Sam Adams beer. Plus, Delta apparently won’t require its passengers to be mandated against COVID-19 (at least not yet). Ed Bastian explained why. Those are some of the day’s travel stories I thought you, too, may find interesting. Not a Hoppy Camper: Traveler Posts Image of LGA Bar’s Beer Menu Twitter user Cooper Lund posted this picture of a beer menu inside a LaGuardia airport bar: https://eyeoftheflyer.com/2021/08/03/tweet-of-28-50-beer-at-la-guardia-sparks-audit-of-new-york-airport-concession-prices/ == The FAA Begs Airports to Stop Letting Passengers Take Booze Onto Planes and Wreck Stuff == The FAA has asked airports to more strictly enforce policies that prohibit passengers from bringing airport alcohol onto planes. Tom McKay - 5 August 2021 1:10PM The Federal Aviation Administration is practically begging airports to stop selling to-go alcohol that passengers can take onto flights, ABC News reported on Thursday, citing a dramatic spike in unruly passengers and violence against flight crews since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic. According to ABC News, the FAA has advised airport police to make more arrests of disruptive passengers and is asking bars and restaurants not to let patrons leave with alcoholic beverages—which many bring with them through boarding, despite current rules prohibiting them from doing so. https://gizmodo.com/the-faa-begs-airports-to-stop-letting-passengers-take-b-1847429341 ====== Radio ====== ===== Radio Traffic ===== == LoFi Air Traffic Control == https://www.lofiatc.com/ ====== Security ====== == Can Airport X-Ray Scanners Damage Your Phone or Laptop? == Ever find yourself worried when you're in an airport and about to send your electronics through the security scanner? Here's everything you need to know about that. Lachlan Roy - Updated Dec 04, 2021 If you've ever gone on a flight, then you know the drill. You have to go through security where you're asked to place all your personal belongings in a tray, which goes through a scanner while you yourself pass through a metal detector—or, more recently, a whole-body scanner. Have you ever wondered how they can see the contents of your bag without opening it? Perhaps you've wondered if the x-ray machine is harmful to the electronics in your bag. In this article, we'll explain what X-rays are, how they work, and how they might affect your electronic devices. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/can-airport-x-ray-scanners-damage-phone-laptop/