CHO Receives Certificate of Achievement

CHO just won its 19th Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada for its FY 2010 comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR).  This award is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management (especially for our very small administrative staff). 

In keeping with our staff’s vision, the CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.  Amazingly, CHO was one of only two airports in Virginia to produce a CAFR and receive the certificate of achievement in FY 2009, and one of only thirty-three airports in the United States to produce a CAFR utilizing the GFOA guidelines.

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Upcoming Spring Aviation Events Around Virginia

Spring affords a number of opportunities to be outside enjoying the weather and aviation:

• May 7, 2011: The Flying Proms Symphonic Airshow Spectacular with the VA Symphony Orchestra takes place at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach.  This British tradition showcases the beauty of vintage aircraft flying man maneuvers accompanied by live music performed by a symphony orchestra.  Tickets start at $35.  Visit www.militaryaviationmuseum.org for more information.
• May 14, 2011: 4th Annual Fly-In/Drive-In, EAA Chapter 1442, at William M. Tuck Airport in South Boston, VA.  All types of aircraft, antique cars, motorcycles, and radio controlled aircraft will be on display.  Food available.  Free admission.  9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.  Contact ldcollie@verizon.net.
• May 14-15, 2011: AirPower Over Hampton Roads – 2011 Langley Air Show will take place in Hampton, Virginia.  Admission and parking are FREE.  Visit www.langleyairshow.com for more information.
• May 20-22, 2011: Warbirds Over the Beach Airshow will take place at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach.  The Museum owns and displays dozens of aircraft from the 1940s and earlier, which are all restored to flying condition.  Many more aircraft from other museums will be on display as well as personal collections from around the country.  Tickets start at $25.  Visit www.militaryaviationmuseum.org for more information.
• June 18, 2011: Become a Pilot Day will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, VA.  Visit www.nasm.si.edu/becomeapilot



I hope you have an opportunity to take advantage of one of these events!

 

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Airport Reading: Charlottesville Area and Aviation News of the Week, May 16

• House Republicans are moving toward removing funding for additional TSA body scanners, making it even more unlikely that CHO Airport will ever have the technology on site.
• A smuggler in the Bangkok airport was found with baby leopards, panthers and a bear in suitcases - definitely not approved cargo.
• A group of students from Charlottesville High School are conducting a high-flying experiment on board a NASA weather balloon. The student team is a finalist in NASA’s 2nd Balloons at High-Altitude Flight Competition

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Summer Travel

This was not a stellar weekend for aviation.  First a computer failure at United Airlines resulted in at least 31 flight cancellations (and an ensuing impact).  Second, a bomb threat from an individual at an airport ticket counter in Dayton OH resulted in flight delays at Reagan National.  Finally, summer storms continued their routine assault on summer travelers.

Did you know that summer storms have a more significant impact on travel than winter storms?  Winter storms tend to be more predictable because they can be forecast with greater accuracy.  Summer storms tend to be the pop-up variety.  Winter storms tend to be, well, winter storms.  How often do winter storms include intense lightning?  Summer storms create conditions on airports that most of us don't want to be in - water, metal and lightning.  Rest assured I am not a disgruntled customer fussing at the flight attendant because boarding was delayed while lightning danced around the aircraft ramp.  Summer storms especially wreak havoc over major hubs where a return to normal operation is usually a tedious process.  Aircraft must return to a normal patter after being diverted or delayed so the impact may last hours beyond the storm event.  The U.S. Department of Transportation reports bad weather is responsible for 60% of all airline delays.

What does this mean to a traveler?  Patience certainly keeps blood pressure in check but a few moves may prevent a storm encounter.  Buy tickets for early morning travel.  Storms tend to be more intense in the afternoon when the temperature has increased.  F;lying earlier in the day also builds in more opportunities to make changes before frequencies run out.  Build in time for delays - don't schedule the second leg of a flight close to the first leg arrival time.  It's a lot more fun to leisurely stroll to the gate with a coffee than run and find it has been delayed or cancelled due to storm.  Leave enough travel time to accommodate a delay or cancellation (e.g. if you are flying to a "job interview" of a lifetime, for heaven's sake don't go on the last flight available to make it there on time).

Finally, fly with the right attitude.  Going with patience and a positive outlook certainly makes for a better time for you and your planemates.

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Aviation & Regional News of the Past Week

• Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport is mentioned in this past week’s edition of The Hook; no plans for the USDA to perform Canada goose mitigation this season. http://www.readthehook.com/98505/whatever-happened-10-updated-stories

• New airplanes may be in the skies soon; American Airlines and Delta have placed orders for hundreds of new aircraft. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/01/uk-airlines-orders-idUSLNE76003A20110701

• In the weird aviation news category, more than 150 turtles disrupted more than a dozen flights at JFK this week. The turtles were on a trek across the tarmac to find a place to bury their eggs. March of the turtles.

• MarketWatch provides some good travel tips for keeping your property safe. MarketWatch's latest tips.

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Airport Conducting Live Fire Training and Triennial Disaster Drill

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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STATION 9: Airport Firefighters

Station 9 is owned and operated by the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport Authority and includes a full complement of personnel, equipment and apparatus designed to provide state-of-the-art fire rescue services to the passengers, employees and visitors of the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO). Station 9 activities include mitigation of and response to structural and aircraft fires, as well as response to medical emergencies, fuel spills and other airport related emergencies at and immediately adjacent to the airport.

The firefighters at CHO conduct training monthly and are held to federal guidelines regarding Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting. Like many small commercial airports, CHO’s Station 9 crew has other responsibilities. Currently, the airport maintenance employees and public safety officers are trained as firefighters, first responders and EMT’s.

The rescue equipment used at CHO is designed for emergencies on an airfield and is built for speed, water-carrying capacity, off-road performance and fast agent discharge rates.  Unlike traditional fire trucks, airport rescue vehicles are also designed to pump water and move at the same time. Each of CHO’s 3 trucks can shoot foam, water or a dry chemical depending on the type of hazard. The goal is to put out 80 percent of a fire before a member of station 9 ever steps foot on the ground.

Click Here to See Our Station 9: Airport Firefighters Photo Set on Flickr

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Virginia Airport System Economic Impact Study Released

Governor Bob McDonnell announced yesterday the results of the Virginia Airport System Economic Impact Study which details the contributions of CHO, along with 65 other public-use airports to the Virginia economy. According to the study, in 2010 the commercial service airports of Virginia produced $28.8 billion in economic activity, which supported 259,000 jobs with payroll in excess of $11.1 billion. CHO had a total economic impact of 1,267 jobs for the Commonwealth with a total payroll of $41 million and contributed to $129 million in economic activity.

Follow the link for access to Governor Bob McDonnell's press release: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=880

To read the Virginia Airport System Economic Impact Study, visit http://www.doav.virginia.gov/

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Unique Aviation:  Airport Fights Mother Nature with CASPER

Seeding fog?  No, that doesn't mean planting.  CASPER?  Not the friendly ghost.  Combined, however, a creative response from an airport to a natural phenomenon that limits the airport's ability to serve its customers.

Rogue Valley-Medford International Airport (MFR) is a commercial service airport located in Jackson County, Oregon.  With over 630,000 annual passengers, It is served by four commercial airlines while three fixed base operators provide general aviation services.  Due to its geographic location, portions of the Rogue Valley experience temperature inversions during the winter which produce signifcant fog and can last for weeks (see wikipedia).  Visibility is reduced and as a result aircraft operations at the Airport can be severely impacted.  Rather than accept this limitation and its economic impact on the surrounding region, the Airport staff has developed a fog-reducing system known as CASPER, “cable attached system providing effective release”.  This system, created in the airport operations shop, disperses dry ice particles over fog, which in turn bind to the fog particles causing them to freeze and dissipate.  The seeding is completed using a remote-controlled vehicle pulling a helium balloon and replaces an older system that required using an aircraft to seed the fog.  Safety testing has been completed, and the FAA has certified the use of CASPER.

Saving time and fuel, reducing risks and eliminating an impediment to successful aircraft operations.   A huge win-win for this Airport and the region it serves.  What unique system or process being used in airport operations have you heard about?

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CHO’s Runway is Groovy

If you are flying to or from CHO today there is a good chance you will be flying in the rain. What you may not notice is that the 6000 foot runway you’re using has grooves.

The purpose of grooving is to help shed water from the runway to eliminate hydroplaning. The grooves also present a rougher surface to aircraft tires, increasing traction. This results in shorter braking distance of aircraft on wet pavement. According to the FAA and from our own observations, grooved surfaces drastically reduce all types of skids on runways during inclement weather such as rain or snow. Next time you fly out of CHO, take a look at the runway. You won’t see anything as groovy on the road.

Stay tuned to learn how CHO handles snow!

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Team CHO gives a day for the United Way

On September 28, 2011 Team CHO headed out early to take on a 2011 United Way Day of Caring Project. Arriving at the Greene County Childcare Center armed with all the tools and manpower to tackle the job, the group of volunteers spent the day tearing up an old wore out deck and replacing it with all new lumber. After a day of hard work - the new deck looked really good! The kids now have a great place to ride their trikes!  Everyone at the center was very thankful that the CHO team had taken on their project and had such an awesome crew!

See the rest of the photos on our Flickr page here!

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All Accounted For: Team CHO Airport Survives the Tough Mudder

On October 22, 2011 Team CHO Airport joined thousands of challengers looking to earn an orange headband at the sold out Tough Mudder in Wintergreen, VA. Touted as “probably the toughest event on the planet, the 10 mile obstacle course, designed by British Special Forces, tested all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie.” With an average completion rate of 78%, the goal is to simply finish.  Overcoming obstacles like death march, boa constrictor and electroshock therapy to name a few, makes most mud runs seem like a walk in the park. According to the Tough Mudder site, this race has ten times more participants than any other mud run and half a million participants globally. To date, Tough Mudder has raised over two million dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project.



Team CHO Airport consisted of Public Safety Chief Bryan Jones, Public Safety Corporal Travis Ratcliff, Maintenance Tech Jack Cross and Director of Air Service and Marketing Jason Burch. All survived and after a few days of recovery, most will be back training for next year’s event!
Click here to see pics. Check out more Tough Mudder action here.

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