Intention to Impose & Use PFC Application Number 20

Wednesday, May 2

Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority
Notice for Public Comment
Intention to Impose & Use PFC Application Number 20

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority (Authority) is posting this public notice as part of the passenger facility charge (PFC) application process under 14 CFR § 158.24 for the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (Airport).  The Authority will be notifying the Federal Aviation Administration of its intent to file PFC Application No. 20. As part of this procedure, the Authority is providing the following information regarding the proposed applications: 

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

The Airport Authority intends to apply for impose & use authority for PFC Application No. 20 in the amount of $3,285,054 as follows: 

Airfield Lighting &Vault—Local Share Reimbursement – $165,889
Runway 21 Extension Preliminary Design—Local Share Reimbursement- $1,242,634
Runway 21 Extension – Phase 1A—Local Share Reimbursement– $998,354
Runway 21 Extension – Phase 1B, Offset Localizer—Local Share Reimbursement $121,426
Runway 21 Extension – Phase 1B, Embankment—Local Share Reimbursement $756,751

PFC LEVEL

The Authority will maintain a four dollar and fifty cent ($4.50) charge on passengers enplaned at the Airport.

PROPOSED CHARGE EFFECTIVE DATE & ESTIMATED CHARGE EXPIRATION DATE

The proposed charge effective date for PFC Application No. 20 is January 1, 2013 and the proposed charge expiration date for PFC Application No. 20 is August 1, 2016 (or until collected revenues plus interest thereon equal the allowable costs of the approved projects, as permitted by regulation).

These dates are estimated based on zero percent annual enplaned passenger growth and 95 percent collectibility on enplaned passengers.

The Authority is also seeking to amend the charge expiration date of PFC Application No. 11-19-C-00-CHO from September 1, 2016 to January 1, 2013.  The reason for this change is that the Authority has been collecting PFC revenue faster than anticipated.

ESTIMATED TOTAL PFC REVENUE

The estimated PFC impose and use authority for PFC Application No. 20 totals $3,285,054.

The total PFC impose authority approved for all PFC applications including PFC Application No. 20 is $13,647,484.

The total PFC impose and use authority approved for all PFC applications including PFC Application No. 20 is $13,647,484.

AUTHORITY POINT OF CONTACT

As required under 14 CFR §158.24, the Authority will be accepting public comments on the proposed applications up to forty-five (45) days after the date of posting this public notice on our Internet Web site, www.gocho.com.  Any comments should be sent in writing to Penny D. Shifflett, Finance & Accounting Manager, Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority, 100 Bowen Loop, Suite 200, Charlottesville, VA 22911, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (434) 973-8342.   

Barbara Hutchinson, Executive Director Resigns

Wednesday, February 22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority Executive Director, Barbara Hutchinson, has resigned from her position at the Authority. 

In announcing her resignation, Ms. Hutchinson said, “I have been blessed by many opportunities and adventures during my time with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority.  I am leaving to begin a new chapter in my life that provides for a slower pace to spend time with my parents, family and friends.  I wish CHO the best and know that it is in the hands of a great team.”

William Pahuta, Airport Authority Deputy Executive Director, will serve as Interim Executive Director until Hutchinson’s replacement is selected.

William J. Kehoe, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Airport Authority, said, “We appreciate Barbara’s many years of dedicated service to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority. We wish her well in her future endeavors.  We have complete confidence in Bill Pahuta’s ability to lead the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport as the Interim Executive Director.”

Delta Airlines to Begin 50 Seat Jet Service from C-Ville (CHO) to LaGuardia, NY (LGA) in Summer 2012

Friday, December 16

Delta Airlines to Begin 50 Seat Jet Service from Charlottesville (CHO) to LaGuardia, NY (LGA) in Summer 2012

Schedule Changes Coming for US Airways CHO-LGA Service Beginning December 25, 2011

Wednesday, November 23

DETAILS:

Beginning December 25, 2011 the current CHO – LGA service will no longer be provided for US Airways by the subsidiary carrier Mesaba Airlines. There will be a one week gap in service until US Airways resumes its CHO-LGA schedule under the subsidiary carrier Piedmont Airlines on January 6, 2012. The new schedule includes 3 daily flights on weekdays and 2 on Sundays, all with 37-seat Dash-8’s.

Mesaba Airlines is a regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation. Its flights are operated under the name Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines and US Airways Express for US Airways. Piedmont Airlines, Inc. operates as an US Airways Express carrier and is a wholly owned subsidiary of US Airways (LCC).

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport is a non-hub commercial airport with four airlines serving Central Virginia with direct service to six major destinations and multiple one-stop flights worldwide. For more information and the latest travel news, visit www.gocho.com.
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Airport Conducting Live Fire Training and Triennial Disaster Drill

Monday, September 12

Media Alert
For more information, contact:
Jason Burch
434.973.8342
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

WHAT:   Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) Triennial Disaster Drill

WHEN:    September 17, 2011

WHERE:   
100 Bowen Loop
Charlottesville, VA 22911
434.973.8342

DETAILS: 

Up to 200 participants from many of Central Virginia’s local emergency service agencies will participate in the CHO’s FAA required triennial disaster drill on Saturday, September 17, 2011 from 9:00 am – 2:00 p.m.  Local media coverage is invited; however, logistics of entering the drill area for security reasons will require a meeting time and an RSVP.  The drill will include the use of equipment and techniques to create a realistic environment enhanced by volunteer role players.  Albemarle County Police and local fire, rescue and other emergency agencies will be dispatched from a central staging area simulating actual response times.   

It is respectfully requested that the media help publicize this event to inform the public that all activities seen near the south end of the airport beginning Monday, September 12, 2011 and ending at the completion of the drill on Saturday, September 17, 2011 are part of training, and may be visible from adjacent roads.

All media personnel desiring to set up to view the drill are required to RSVP to Jason Burch at 434-973-8342 prior to 4:30 pm, Thursday, September 15, 2011.  Directions for parking and meeting location will be given at that time. 

Daily operations will not be affected. Signage will notify travelers and broadcasts will be made in the terminal to keep everyone informed.

About Charlottesville Albemarle Airport
The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport is a non-hub commercial airport with four airlines serving Central Virginia with direct service to six major destinations and multiple one-stop flights worldwide. For more information and the latest travel news, visit www.gocho.com.

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Airport Reading: Charlottesville Area and Aviation News of the Week, May 30

Tuesday, May 31

• Watch out for hefty surcharges, now being added to “award” tickets earned with frequent flier miles.
• Fair warning for air travelers who drink too much before boarding, then flirt and creep out fellow passengers. That kind of behavior got one passenger banned for life.
• Everyone hates them, but add-on fees add up to serious revenues for the airlines. The Wall Street Journal reports that an additional $22 billion in revenue comes from special fees added to ticket sales.
• If you’re visiting Charlottesville this month, make a stop at the downtown mall for a special photo exhibit honoring the sacrifices of our armed forces.

New American Airlines Service at Charlottesville Albemarle Airport

Friday, March 18

AMERICAN EAGLE AIRLINES ANNOUNCES JET SERVICE
FROM CHICAGO O’HARE TO CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

Eagle Offers Two Daily Nonstops, Beginning June 9

FORT WORTH, Texas - American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will fly two daily round-trip flights between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport in Virginia, beginning June 9. The new service will be operated with 44-seat Embraer jets.

“We’re delighted to serve the Charlottesville area from our cornerstone hub in Chicago,” said Gary Foss, Vice President - Planning and Marketing for American’s regional network. “Now, it will be easier for Charlottesville residents to access the United States and the world through American’s gateway at O’Hare International Airport.  Likewise, the Chicago connection will make Charlottesville’s many historic sites - and the University of Virginia - easily accessible to the world through one of American’s largest hubs, offering convenient connections throughout the oneworld^® global network.”

“The announcement that American Eagle Airlines will now be adding jet service from Chicago to Charlottesville, Virginia, is very exciting news for Charlottesville, Albemarle, and the surrounding areas,” said Congressman Robert Hurt (R-VA). “Not only will the additional flights bring added convenience and service for residents and businesses, but it will also promote important economic development for the entire region. I welcome American Eagle to the 5th District of Virginia.”

“This new daily American Airlines jet service to Chicago offers the Central Virginia region direct access to the third busiest airport in the world,” stated William Kehoe, Chairman of the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport Authority Board of Directors.  “Their decision to invest in the future of our community will provide a significant opportunity not felt by many cities in today’s economy and I am confident they will be delighted by the results of this new partnership”.

Here is the schedule, beginning June 9 (all times local):

Chicago O’Hare to Charlottesville

Charlottesville to Chicago O’Hare

*First flight begins June 10, 2011

About American Eagle

American Eagle operates more than 1,500 daily flights to over 170 cities throughout the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico and the Caribbean on behalf of American Airlines. American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection^® airlines serve 250 cities in 50 countries with, on average, more than 3,600 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American’s award-winning website, AA.com^®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines fares are also available through Kayak.com and Priceline.com, as well as thousands of travel agencies worldwide. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld^® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve approximately 900 destinations with more than 9,000 daily flights to 145 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com and AAdvantage are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR).

Health Department Issues Alert for Measles Exposure in the district of Columbia

Tuesday, March 1

This warning is related to the passenger identified with measles that travelled through Dulles airport a few days ago. See the full report here.

FAA Forecast Predicts U.S. Airlines Could be Transporting 1 Billion Passengers a Year by 2021

Tuesday, February 15

The Federal Aviation Administration released its annual forecast today predicting that air travel will more than double in the next 20 years. See the FAA Press Release for more information.

US Airways Adds Eighth Canadian Destination

Wednesday, February 9

CHO Customers are now one stop and a few hours away from one of the oldest cities in North America. See the US Airways Press Release for the details.
Photo provided by http://www.toursquebec.com 

“Celebration of Glass” Exhibit Comes to an End at CHO

Monday, February 7

For the winter of 2010 CHO’s terminal was filled with bright colors and shimmering glass. Four local artisans working in different styles had their skills on display in the Gate 5 exhibit area. From stained glass to free style art, the exhibit demonstrated a variety of ways glass can be used as an expressive art form.

The first to display his talents was Chad Trent from Cosmo Glass Works in Roanoke, VA. Chad specializes in marbles, paperweights and jewelry. His skills with a torch have produced unbelievable works of art. He started off making beads out of soft glass, but was soon attracted to the ethereal and organic colors of borosilicate glass. Chad soon fell in love with making marbles, fascinated by the amount of detail that could be fit into a small orb of glass. Chad’s work can be seen at www.cosmoglassworks.com.

Next in the exhibit was Jo Perez from Charlottesville, VA.  Jo’s display of stained glass filled the largest window in gate 5 and her handmade glass lamp shades decorated the administration offices. She created a variety of stained glass projects using both lead came and copper foil techniques.  Lead cames have been used for more than ten centuries and can be found in the famous cathedrals of Europe.  They form a beautiful and consistent line throughout the work.  The copper foil technique was perfected by Louis Comfort Tiffany and can be seen in his lampwork.  It allows for very intricate and detailed work. More of Jo’s work can be seen at www.darkhollowglass.com.

The third artist to celebrate a very unique style of glass art was Diana Branscome of branscome glass. Diana takes bottles that had been on the way to the recycling center or landfill and transforms them into lightly functional home accents. Branscome Glass strives for a minimum impact in the course of producing recycled glass art.  The raw materials come from local restaurants, the website is 100% solar-powered, and packaging is recycled and reused. Her work can be seen at www.branscomeglass.com.

The final artist to join the exhibit was Vee Osvalds. Based at the Mcguffey Art Center in Charlottesville, VA, Vee has been working with stained glass since 1973. Although talented in a variety of glass styles, his CHO display concentrated on the Dalle de Verre Glass. It is a chunkier stained glass style. Using 1” thick dalle glass and epoxy resin, Vee Osvalds produced small autonomous panels that were hung in front of terminal windows and placed on stands in one of the exhibit cases. The glass is faceted (chipped) before being cast into the opaque resin. Thus when the direct light shines behind the panel, the glass creates a jewel like appearance. Learn more about Vee and his beautiful work at www.osvaldsstainedglass.com.

The exhibit was enjoyed by passengers and employees alike. Each of these artists were great examples of the high level of skill Central Virginia has to offer.

Winter Weather Advisory Update

Monday, January 10

Winter weather has impacted some flights to and from CHO. All remaining CHO - Charlotte flights are cancelled for Tuesday, January 11, 2011.
Please check the Fight Status / Tracking section frequently. The following links will also assist you in staying up to date with the latest related airline travel information:

Delta Airlines, with service to Atlanta, GA.

US Airways, with service to LaGuardia, NY, Philadelphia, PA and Charlotte, NC.

United Airlines, with service to Washington D.C. (Dulles)

Forecast of Nor’easter Impacts Scheduled Flights

Sunday, January 9

The forecast for snow and ice for the East coast beginning on Monday and into Tuesday has already impacted airline schedules.  Delta has already cancelled some flights into/out of Atlanta because of the storm.

Please check with your airline to make sure your flight on Monday or Tuesday has not been delayed or cancelled.

www.delta.com

www.united.com

www.usairways.com

Check online at http://www.gocho.com/airport/info/flight-status-tracking/ or http://flightaware.com/live/airport/KCHO.

Flying from CHO during Snow

Wednesday, December 15

Our forecast for 2-4” of dry snow shouldn’t impact flights at Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport.  However, if you are flying and want to be certain of your flight status, check our flight status web page at www.gocho.com/airport/info/flight-status-tracking/.  Connecting hubs aren’t supposed to receive any accumulation so hoping everyone gets to their destination on time.

TSA Screening at CHO

Tuesday, November 23

In response to recent changes with airport Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) screening procedures, the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) would like to share with passengers the screening procedures they can expect at CHO this holiday season.

The TSA at CHO does not have or use advanced imaging technology, sometimes referred to as “body scanners”.  TSA procedures at CHO include passengers screened by walking through a magnetometer, existing technology that has been in use at the Airport for a number of years. While federal officials have stated the resolution pat-down procedure was only deployed at airports with body scanners, to serve as an alternative to the scanner, CHO has not received any communication from TSA to indicate why it is now required at CHO, even though it is a “last resort’.

If an alarm sounds when a passenger walks through the magnetometer, and the TSA agent cannot resolve what is causing the alarm, the TSA agent will conduct a standard pat-down.  The controversial “resolution pat-down” is only undertaken if the standard pat-down does not resolve the alarm.  A resolution pat-down is only conducted by a TSA supervisor and is done in a curtained area for privacy.  From October 29 through November 22, only 1 resolution pat-down has been conducted by TSA at CHO.

Members of social networking sites are publicizing an effort to conduct a civil “national opt-out day” on Wednesdsay, November 24, traditionally the busiest travel day of the year.  CHO wants passengers to know there is nothing to opt-out of at CHO since body scanning technology is not in use.

Advanced imaging technology has not been used at CHO and the TSA has not shared plans to install the new scanners at the Airport.  The Airport has requested equipment upates unrelated to the “scanners” to increase efficiency for passengers.  Specifically, the airline operations area and outbound bag system was modified in 2005 to allow for the installation of advanced inline screening equipment to speed up the process of screening checked luggage, and that equipment has not been installed by the TSA as originally scheduled, therefore extending the time needed to screen passengers checked luggage.  Other than that, the local TSA process has been very successful at CHO and from a security standpoint, has not demonstrated a need for improvement.

CHO reminds passengers that to avoid sounding the alarm during the security walk-through at CHO, passengers should dress for screening success.  Wear no metal and inform the TSA screener in advance of any non-visible item that cannot be removed (e.g. orthotic brace).  Take all jewelry, belts and other metal off prior to commencing the screening process.