Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport

On March 26, 2009, The Oregonian (OregonLive.com) reported federal approval of Evergreen International Aviation, Inc.'s "Supertanker", a modified Boeing 747 able to carry over 20,000 gallons of firefighting agent.  What's the big deal?  CHO's newest Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle holds 1,500 gallons.  According to Evergreen, the capacity is SEVEN times greater than existing aircraft utilized for the same purpose.  Equally fascinating is the aircraft's loitering time, that it utilizes pressurization to dispel the agent so it can maintain a higher and safer altitude, and that it can be used for nighttime firefighting.

Give our country's recent experience with drought and wildfires, this advance in firefighting technology may be a lifesaver in more ways than one.

The aviation industry has changed dramatically over recent years with smaller, regional airports being impacted the most.  The rising cost of oil last summer drove many smaller airlines and airports out of business. The current economic downturn has also forced airlines to make drastic decisions in route planning and communities again lost some or all of their air service. Yet through it all, CHO, with the help of Charlottesville and its surrounding communities, has gone against the trend. A few months ago, during route cuts across the nation, we received our third Atlanta flight back. Recently, even though Delta announced a reduction in capacity for 2009, we were notified that our Detroit route would be upgraded to a Regional Jet. These are signs of a community fighting through a tough economy. Our customers' decision to stick with their local airport has demonstrated a need to airlines that cannot be denied. This prompts competition. Fares are far less now at CHO than they were only a year ago. We also understand that CHO will only be as successful as the people that choose to use it. That is why we are asking for everyone that travels through our gates to be heard. We now meet with airlines regularly who are interested in learning about our connection needs. We want to hear about both business and leisure travelers experiences with the hubs we serve, and also the most wanted connections. Feel free to contact us. You are invited to use the blog, the contact page to e-mail us, or call us if you like. We look forward to hearing from you.

If you are an air traveler or have been watching the news lately, you must know by now that Delta has merged with Northwest and will soon have a global reach not seen since Pan Am. Delta has acquired 100% ownership of Northwest and plans to fully integrate Northwest into the Delta family. The Northwest brand will gradually be phased out and Delta's name and brand will replace it. During the integration period, Delta and Northwest will continue to operate their own branded aircraft until the process is complete. You can access much more information about the merger at http://www.delta.com/help/faqs/merger/index.jsp