Category: Uncategorized

By Peter Aarons, Senior Vice President and Aviation Sector Leader,  Americas for TYLin

As a leader in the aviation industry, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the transformative potential of innovative technologies. One such advancement that has enormous potential is the Multiple Aircraft Ramp System (MARS) gate. This groundbreaking concept is poised to revolutionize airport operations, enhancing efficiency, passenger experience, and environmental sustainability.

Traditional airport layouts often necessitate fixed gate assignments, limiting the flexibility of operations. MARS gates, on the other hand, introduce a dynamic and adaptable approach. By employing a network of adjustable walkways, docking mechanisms, and interconnected platforms, these gates can accommodate multiple aircraft simultaneously, regardless of their size or configuration. This flexibility allows airlines to optimize their schedules, reduce congestion on the tarmac, and minimize ground time for each flight, ultimately improving operational efficiency and profitability.

One of the most significant advantages of MARS gates lies in their ability to accommodate overlapping stands. This innovative feature enables two smaller aircraft to be parked on a single wide-body stand, effectively increasing airport capacity without requiring additional infrastructure. By maximizing the utilization of existing space, airports can handle more flights, reduce delays, and enhance overall throughput.

Beyond operational efficiency, MARS gates also prioritize the passenger experience. With two passenger boarding bridges per gate, travelers can be processed more quickly, reducing wait times and improving the overall airport journey. The system incorporates spacious waiting areas, comfortable seating, and advanced digital signage to keep passengers informed and entertained. By minimizing the distance passengers must walk to reach their aircraft and providing a more comfortable environment, MARS gates enhance the overall travel experience.

From an environmental perspective, MARS gates contribute to a more sustainable aviation industry. By minimizing the time aircraft spend idling on the tarmac, the system reduces unnecessary fuel consumption and associated carbon emissions. This aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainability within the aviation sector and helps to mitigate the environmental impact of air travel.

The MARS gate concept represents a significant step forward in airport infrastructure. By addressing the challenges of congestion, operational efficiency, passenger comfort, and environmental impact, these innovative gates offer a promising solution for the future of aviation. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing such advancements will be essential for ensuring a seamless, sustainable, and enjoyable flying experience for passengers and airlines alike.

About Peter Aarons

Peter Aarons is Senior Vice President and Aviation Sector Leader, Americas for TYLin. With over 30 years of industry experience, spanning all facets of airport development programs, Peter is a trusted advisor, providing on-site management and oversight for numerous master plans and capital improvement programs.

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

By Yuval Kossovsky, MappedIn

Airports are not only gateways for travelers but also significant technology practitioners for streamlined operations, increased revenue, and improved passenger experiences. With an increasing need to connect such complex facets, the foundation for all activity and information sharing starts with location and comprehensive mapping capabilities.

While numerous businesses focus on optimizing specific business functions using indoor mapping technology, airports present a distinct environment that encompasses numerous activities from retail to operations and can derive significant advantages from such technology. In this article, we will explore the latest trends in airport mapping that focus on revenue generation, passenger experience, wayfinding, and the integration of AI and IoT-connected technology.

Public view

Operations view

Location-based Services for Retail Revenue

One of the key revenue generation trends in airport mapping is the implementation of location-based services. By utilizing indoor positioning technology and mobile apps, airports can understand passengers’ locations and provide personalized retail offers and promotions. For example, when a passenger walks past a duty-free shop, they may receive a notification on their smart device with exclusive discounts or links to promotions. This targeted approach can direct passengers using maps to increase discoverability and retail revenue but also enhances the overall passenger experience by offering tailored recommendations.

Digital Wayfinding for Improved Passenger Experience

Navigating through large and complex airport terminals can be a daunting task for passengers. To address this challenge, airports are adopting digital wayfinding solutions that leverage AI and IoT technologies. These solutions provide real-time directions, flight updates, and estimated walking times to help passengers navigate the airport efficiently. Whether navigating a small (OKC), midsize (YYC) or large (LAX) airport or that serves millions of passengers a month, by integrating these digital wayfinding systems into airport maps, passengers can easily locate gates, amenities, and services, resulting in a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience.

AI-powered Chatbots for Enhanced Customer Service

Communication plays a crucial role in passenger experience, and airports are turning to AI-powered chatbots to provide instant assistance and support. These chatbots can be integrated into airport maps, allowing passengers to interact with them for real-time information regarding flight statuses, gate changes, baggage claims, and more. AI-powered chatbots can even handle multiple inquiries in different languages simultaneously, overcoming customer language barriers, shortening wait times, and improving overall customer satisfaction.

Visual Positioning Systems for Accurate Indoor Positioning

VPS addresses the key navigation obstacles encountered in indoor environments and complex spaces with limited GPS availability such as airports. It accurately determines and locates visitors based on a visual scan of their surroundings with a mobile device. This technology simplifies positioning in challenging settings by providing dependable location data in situations where traditional indoor positioning systems fall short.

Smart Infrastructure

Another trend in airport mapping is the integration of IoT-connected devices for smart infrastructure. By deploying sensors and smart meters, airports can monitor important areas or systems. For example, sensors can detect occupancy levels in different areas of the airport, allowing for efficient deployment of resources. Sensors can also monitor energy consumption, lighting, and HVAC systems in real time. This not only reduces energy costs but also enhances sustainability efforts. By integrating IoT devices into airport maps, airport operators can have a comprehensive view of their infrastructure, ensuring optimal operations and cost savings.

Data-driven Optimization
AI and IoT technologies enable airports to collect vast amounts of data that can be utilized for optimization. For instance, By connecting transportation data sources, airports can provide shuttle schedules and routes between parking garages, rental cars, and different terminals. Additionally, airports can use data analytics to optimize pricing strategies for parking based on availability or distance, and determine optimal wait times in security or customs areas, and other services, maximizing operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction.

Mappedin’s experience in working with large enterprises, complex venues, and technology-driven businesses, has provided unique insight into the integration of digital mapping technology solutions across many industries. As Mappedin’s airport mapping solutions continue industry advancement, we can expect further innovations that will transform the way we navigate and experience airports. Learn more about Mappedin airport solutions and see how indoor mapping technology can benefit any transportation hub.

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Yuval Kossovsky has spent the last decade developing the enterprise indoor mapping program for Apple and driving the global adoption of IMDF. Over the past 15 years, he’s worked with the aviation community, most notably with the Apple iPad as EFB for airlines program and airport maps for Apple Maps.

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

By Wayne Arvidson, CTO, Verticals, AI & Computer Vision, Dell Technologies

Anyone who has been tracking the progress of artificial intelligence (AI) knows that the past year has seen the emergence of game-changing tools in the mainstream such as natural language processing (NLP) and multimodal large language models (LLM), AI-powered digital twins, convolutional neural networks (CNN) and more. There is no doubt that such tools are lowering the barrier to entry to customized business insights. Outcomes that once required a team of highly skilled technical people can now be achieved in a far more cost-efficient and effective way.

Embedding these game-changing technologies requires a blueprint. As accessible as these technologies have become, airports need to fully understand the road ahead if they want to implement them efficiently and cost effectively. They need to be realistic about what they can do in-house and what technology solutions and consultancy and support services they need to buy-in.

The starting point of the blueprint is to define the desired outcome as this will establish the workflow. Having measurable goals and objectives defined at the outset is key to tracking progress, performance and whether the value delivered aligns with expectations. The workflow will vary depending on whether the airport needs a customized outcome or can leverage existing outcomes delivered by readily available applications.

The next stage is to identify the data sources that contain the information that need to be analyzed to deliver actionable insights, and where the work should take place. For example, video data is too large to be moved to a central location and needs to be analyzed where the activity is actually taking place to deliver real-time insights.

This sets the groundwork for a clear pathway for handling the data. It’s important to take a broad view of the range of data sources available to avoid data siloing. This allows multiple insights to be extracted from that same pool of data. For example, the same frame of video can deliver safety, operational, and passenger experience insights simultaneously.

Airports have a number of options open to them to explore their data (looking at the structure, patterns and relationships that exist in it), and enrich it (enhancing it by adding data, context or other information from other sources). This requires data architects or specialized tools to decide which data integration process they will use to combine the data from these multiple sources into a single, consistent dataset.

The next step is to create and refine the model, typically starting with an integrated one from a third-party application or marketplace. This phase is generally not needed with an off-the-shelf application as the model is already embedded. Once defined, the model then moves from the development and testing environment into real-world implementation. The model and its inputs and outputs are monitored and analyzed against specific metrics and benchmarks to measure the performance, reliability, and effectiveness and to gain insight on its performance and behavior via observability tools.

To conclude, these new low-code, no-code tools are now readily accessible

In conclusion, start with the desired business and operational outcomes that you are trying to achieve. This will define the workflows required. Then, look at your data holistically, as this will provide multiple insights across all your data sets, delivering them in the context of the specific business operation consuming it. With this exciting set of new tools available, you now have the ability to achieve outcomes customized to your business practice and facilities.

Visit the Dell Technologies and NVIDIA booth at the ACI Annual Conference and learn more about how we are helping airports across the globe during our solutions showcase on Monday September 9^th at 10:00am.

Wayne Arvidson, CTO, Verticals, AI & Computer Vision, Dell Technologies

Wayne has over 25 years of senior management experience in companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 50 firms. He currently drives market strategy for Dell Technologies’ Computer Vision and Edge Verticals practices. The team is responsible for identifying and managing strategic technology partners that create solutions to make the world a safer and smarter place. He is helping to drive industry transformation by educating the market on the role these solutions play as the foundation of a “safe + smart” infrastructure.

Wayne’s articles have appeared in numerous industry publications, and he is a regular speaker at industry events. He currently serves on the Security Industry Association committees for International Relations, Marketing & Membership, Homeland Security, Government Affairs, Video & Vision, and Body-Worn Video Technology and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, focusing on Law Enforcement Information Management. He also serves on the Steering Committee at Airports Council International.

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

By Tam Osentowski, Global VP of Transportation, Schneider Electric

Airports stand at a crossroads, facing the pressing need to invest in electrification, green technologies, and operational efficiency while also addressing challenges related to expanding capacity, government regulations, technological advancements, and enhancing passenger experience. The good news is amid these complex demands, solutions already exist to help airports overcome these challenges and transition toward a sustainable and efficient future.

The challenge of electrification and green technologies while addressing operational efficiency

As the world shifts towards sustainable practices, airports are under increasing pressure to electrify their operations and integrate green technologies.  When an airport implements electric ground support equipment (eGSE), electric vehicle and bus charging infrastructures, and possibly in the near future, electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts, it must also consider the financial burden of upfront costs and infrastructure limitations of the electrical grid.

Operational efficiency is pivotal for airports striving to balance sustainability with functionality. With over 200 disparate systems, the lack of data points is not the challenge, it is the lack of actionable insights.  Having a birds-eye view of energy consumption offers a path that allows operators to identify and eliminate waste and use the data.   However, achieving this efficiency amidst a backdrop of financial burdens, cybersecurity and evolving government regulations is no easy feat.

The digital transformation toward sustainability

To successfully overcome these challenges, airports need to adopt a strategic approach, employing effective planning, streamlined processes, and valuable operational insights. Digitalization will play a crucial role in enabling this transformation. By becoming digitally connected, a smart airport can then access real-time data and leverage advanced analytics to provide meaningful information to the right people at the right time.

At the facility infrastructure level, one impactful solution is the implementation of an integrated Building Management System (iBMS). This system offers a unified view, or a ‘single pane of glass’ for centralized monitoring and control of various systems such as HVAC, lighting, and security. HVAC itself can represent up to 60% of an airport’s energy consumption.   With an iBMS, an airport can improve visibility, coordination, and maintenance of these valuable resources while supporting the airport’s goals of decarbonization and achieving green building certification. The iBMS facilitates informed decision-making and proactive maintenance, thus contributing to operational efficiency and cost savings.

By implementing a power management system and advanced analytics, airports can revolutionize their operations, becoming significantly more efficient and environmentally friendly. The power management system allows for the intelligent control and monitoring of energy usage, optimizing the distribution of power throughout the airport infrastructure. Coupled with advanced analytics, airports can gain valuable insights into their energy consumption patterns, enabling proactive decision-making and the identification of opportunities for efficiency improvements. This not only reduces operational costs but also minimizes the airport’s environmental footprint by curbing energy wastage and promoting the use of sustainable energy sources.

The Path Forward

With newer business models, such as Energy as a Service (EaaS), an airport can consider a way to get its capital expenditure projects completed as JFK did for the New Terminal One (NTO).  Using an EaaS model to design, construct, and operate an integrated microgrid infrastructure, NTO receives sustainable, resilient, and cost-predictable energy without the upfront costs.

Moreover, by leveraging Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Power and Building Management System solutions, airports can navigate the complexities of electrification, green technologies, and operational efficiency. These solutions enable airports to monitor and manage their energy consumption, integrate renewable energy sources, and ensure the seamless operation of critical systems. Learn more about our solutions at https://www.se.com/ww/en/work/solutions/for-business/transportation/

About the author

Tam is Vice President, Global Transportation Segment where she is responsible for the strategy, sales & deployment of Schneider Electric’s portfolio for infrastructures of the future across 40 countries. Tam has been at the forefront in defining and delivering solutions to address customer pain points through her 22-year tenure at Schneider Electric.  Her expertise in sustainability consulting services and strategic customer experience management allows her to deliver tailored services for new and existing customers, with a particular focus on leading electrification efforts to build more sustainable operations.

 

Dan Griffiths, Parsons’ Emerging Contaminants Practice Director

For many years, airports worldwide were required to use aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for fire suppression. While effective in extinguishing fires, AFFF contains per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of chemicals now recognized as emerging contaminants due to their persistence in the environment and potential health risks. Unfortunately, the recommended fire response protocols and training requirements led to widespread PFAS releases into soil and water, posing significant environmental challenges.

With the EPA’s new PFAS requirements, emerging contaminants are an area of concern for many airports. Recognizing the pressing need for an effective solution, Parsons has developed a new patented technology called Hot in-situ chemical oxidation (Hot ISCO) to address the issue of PFAS contamination in soil and groundwater. This groundbreaking technology is a significant step forward in environmental remediation and cost-effectively destroying PFAS underground, ensuring that aviation clients can meet the latest regulatory compliance requirements and maintain the highest standards of environmental stewardship.

Understanding PFAS Contamination

PFAS are synthetic chemicals that are resistant to heat, water, and oil, making them useful in various industrial applications. However, the chemical properties that make them so useful also make them persistent in the environment and difficult to address. Traditional remediation methods have been shown to be ineffective or only partially effective at addressing PFAS, often transferring or transforming PFAS rather than destroying these compounds.

The persistence of PFAS has led to widespread contamination of groundwater sources near airports and other sites where AFFF was used extensively. This contamination poses risks not only to human health but also to ecosystems that rely on clean water sources.

Introducing Hot ISCO: An Innovative Solution

Parsons’ Hot ISCO technology offers a promising solution by combining a slight temperature increase above ambient conditions with a metals-based catalyst and an off-the-shelf low-cost oxidant. This combination produces high-energy radicals capable of destroying PFAS, leaving non-toxic products including carbon dioxide and fluoride salts.

Key Components of Hot ISCO:

1. Temperature Rise: Unlike traditional thermal treatments that require high temperatures, Hot ISCO operates with only a modest increase above ambient temperature.
2. Metals-Based Catalyst: The inclusion of specific metals acts as a catalyst that uses the thermal energy more efficiently to produce free radicals of sufficient energy to breaking down PFAS molecules.
3. Oxidant: An oxidizing agent is introduced into the contaminated medium, which reacts with catalysts and the PFAS compounds under the influence of heat to completely degrade the PFAS to non-toxic end products.

Benefits of Hot ISCO Technology

1. Efficiency: By targeting both soil and water contamination simultaneously using low-cost reactants.
2. Cost-Effectiveness: The modest temperature rise required reduces energy consumption compared to traditional thermal methods.
3. Environmental Safety: The process degrades PFAS into non-toxic products rather than merely transferring contaminants between media or transforming regulated PFAS into other PFAS molecules.
4. Scalability: This technology can be scaled up for large-scale applications at various contaminated sites.

Laboratory Work and Field Trials

The development of Hot ISCO involved extensive laboratory research followed by field trials. Initial lab results demonstrated significant reductions in PFAS concentrations within treated samples.

Field trials confirmed these findings after the successful application at contaminated sites without causing secondary pollution or adverse effects on surrounding environments.

Delivering a cleaner world

Hot ISCO technology marks an important step forward in PFAS management, protecting the environment and enhancing the operational efficiency and sustainability of aviation clients globally. Leveraging this advanced approach offers an efficient yet environmentally safe means for degrading persistent pollutants like PFAS into harmless end products—a significant development for addressing remediation needs from the historical use of AFFF at airports and other environmental remediation efforts worldwide.

 

About the Author

Dan Griffiths, Parsons’ Emerging Contaminants Practice Director, has +28 years of experience designing and implementing investigation plans/remedies for complex sites impacted by emerging contaminants, chlorinated solvents, metals, and explosives. He leads Parsons’ R&D for remediation advancement and contributes to the company’s in-situ guidance documents for the Air Force and ITRC.

 

The stories of 9/11’s aviation’s heroes continue to prove that today’s young aviation managers – tomorrow’s leaders – can learn lessons and apply them to meet challenges in their personal and professional lives.

The Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University, which offers Edge4Vets, and Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) partnered in 2024 to expand the “Reclaiming the Sky” Resiliency Project build on gains made during the “pilot” program of 2023. SSP America provided sponsorship support to make the program possible.

Young Professionals, those under forty years of age who work in middle management jobs at airports and airport service companies across the US and Canada, were invited to read the stories of aviation heroes profiled in the book, “Reclaiming the Sky,” by Tom Murphy, and participate in a workshop with aviation mentors to explore the lessons of resiliency.

As a follow up, they were offered a chance to compete in an essay competition to express what they learned. Three winners were announced this week and will be presented with their awards of $1000, $500 and $250 at ACI-NA’s annual conference in Grand Rapids, MI on September 10.

The winners are First Place: Eric Caplan, Sustainability and Resilience Program Director, Tampa International Airport; Second Place: Fabian Guevara, Analyst, Connico; and Third Place, Megan Adair, Executive Assistant, Departure Media.

Their winning stories can be read at ReclaimingTheSky.com.

Young Professionals were given free Ebook copies of “Reclaiming the Sky” and a chance to read the stories of airport and airline employees who came to work in New York, Boston and Washington, DC on the morning of 9/11 expecting a normal day, only to find that “just doing my job” was to become the creed of heroes. The stories tell how the front-line aviation employees responded with courage, selfless and resiliency that day and in the weeks and months that followed to rebuild their lives and reclaim hope – while helping to get the country moving again.

The top award, the “Susan M. Baer Award,” is named for Susan Baer who was General Manager of Newark Liberty International Airport on 9/11.

In addition to cash prizes, first, second and third place essay winners have earned free registration to ACI-NA’s annual conference in Grand Rapids, MI, in September to meet with today’s leaders and build their network of aviation contacts.

The project, which supports the development of the next generation of aviation leaders, is planned for expansion in 2025, including extending participation to University Aviation Association and its 128 member schools with 95,000 aviation high school and college students in North America.

Young Professionals participating in 2024 included: Kevin Podsiad, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority; Kristin Jewell, Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport; Eric Caplan, Tampa International Airport; Terasia Arrington, Charlotte Douglas International Airport; Caleb Claxton, Connico; Elie Germain, Connico; Veronica Takacs, Connico; Fabian Guevara, Connico; Faroq Al-Rjoub, Connico; Noah Yarnell, Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority; Elizabeth Cunninghan, Philadelphia International Airport; Carey Metcalfe, Minneapolis St Paul International Airport; Bulent Ulas, River Island Airport Solutions; Kerry Adams, Departure Media; Megan Adair, Departure Media; Armin Mahboubi, Jazz Aviation LP.

Judges for the essay competition included aviation industry leaders: Bob Stanton, Cedric Fulton, Lysa Leiponis, Eileen Ammiano, Kathy Denker and Debbie Roland.

For more information, visit ReclaimingTheSky.com. For aviation companies looking to participate in the expansion in 2025, contact Tom Murphy at Tom@edge4vets.org.

Award winner video

Liliana Bustos,  Chicago Department of Aviation

As a new employee in the air cargo industry, every day is a thrilling look into the world of global logistics. Air cargo operations at O’Hare Airport are fast-paced and ever-changing. Each day presents new challenges and opportunities for growth and learning. Patrolling the airfield has quickly become my favorite activity. Observing just how quickly things move—from the moment a plane touches down on a runway to the moment people start unloading the freight—makes the air cargo process run like a well-oiled machine. It is truly impressive to see how many souls it takes to keep cargo operations running smoothly, which is something you don’t typically realize when you’re on the receiving end of a package. Understanding proper handling procedures, FAA guidelines, and the network of airports and carriers, brings the air cargo process full circle. I am grateful for my membership as a young professional with the ACI-NA Cargo Steering Committee, which has opened my eyes to the world of cargo beyond O’Hare. My committee colleagues have encouraged and supported my growth at conferences, presentations, and beyond. As a young professional, it is reassuring to know that I will continue to forge connections and contribute toward positive changes in the field. It has been a privilege to work at an airport that plays such a vital role in keeping global trade moving forward, and I look forward to any challenges the world of air cargo may present.

Brian Drake, Assistant Vice President, Unison Consulting, Inc.

Consider how periodic reviews of grants and PFC funding with your capital program can generate out-of-the-box thinking and stimulate new approaches to securing valuable funding for your airport projects.

Here are a few real-world examples of how Unison Consulting was able to partner with clients to garner much-needed revenue:

• In recent years, we secured $1.8 million in AIP discretionary funds for a small hub airport supplemental environmental impact statement resulting from litigation against the airport.
• We showed one of our medium clients a project that reduced the number of gates while still meeting the “significant contribution” standard applicable to the airport at the time for collecting PFCs at the $4.50 rate. This enabled the airport to increase its annual PFC collections by 33% and meet its capital needs.
• For a medium hub airport, we proved an airport’s PFC projects initially approved at the $3.00 rate met the same “significant contribution” standard to qualify for the $4.50 rate, enabling the airport to avoid a 33% reduction in annual PFC collections.

For expert analysis, consider contracting financial experts who know the airport business to assist with the financial review of your airport. Often, you will realize a substantial return on investment.

Unison Consulting’s Finance Team provides airport clients with a wide range of financial services. With experience at over 100 airports, our team offers a strategic approach tailored to our clients’ specific goals and objectives. We have successfully completed numerous projects for airports of all sizes and welcome the opportunity to meet with you to understand your goals and objectives and present details of our relevant experience.

Brian Drake, Assistant Vice President|
Unison Consulting, Inc.
(949) 462-9036 | briandrake@unison-ucg.com

Brian has over 16 years of airport financial experience. Brian’s financial expertise in airport finance allows him to provide creative solutions to airport executives. Brian specializes in complex financial modeling to support all types of airport projects.

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

By Tom Murphy, Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University

Today’s young employees at airports and students studying aviation will be tomorrow’s leaders. Undoubtedly, they will face challenges.

The Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University, which also offers Edge4Vets, is partnering with Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) to build upon progress made in 2023 with the “Reclaiming the Sky Resiliency Project” to give our industry’s young professionals (age forty and under) an opportunity to learn resiliency lessons from the aviation heroes of September 11. 2001 and develop tools to meet those challenges.

The program, which was also introduced this spring to include aviation students studying in the University’s Aviation Association’s 128 member schools, is being supported by leading aviation organizations, including SSP America and others committed to developing the next generation.

Participants in the program will have a chance to read the stories of airport and airline employees who went to work in New York, Boston and Washington, DC on the morning of 9/11 expecting a normal day, only to find that “just doing my job” was to become the creed of heroes. Their stories are chronicled in Reclaiming the Sky, by Tom Murphy, an aviation consultant and Director of the Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham. He saw first-hand how his aviation colleagues responded with courage, selflessness and resiliency to 9/11 to rebuild their lives and reclaim hope.

The young professionals in the 2024 program will have a chance to read Reclaiming the Sky and attend an online workshop on July 19 to discuss what they learned with their peers and aviation executives. Participants will be invited to write an essay to share how they can apply the resiliency lessons as “tools” to meet challenges in their lives and be eligible for cash awards ranging from $250 to $1000. The top award will be called the “Susan M. Baer Award.” In addition to cash prizes, first, second and third place essay winners will  receive a complimentary registration to ACI-NA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Grand Rapids, Michigan in September and will be recognized for their achievement.

Participation in the young professional program is open to employees of ACI-NA member airports/organizations, that are age 40 and under. There will be 25 openings.

Register here.

For full details on the program, visit ReclaimingTheSky.com.

For more information, please contact Tom Murphy at Tom@edge4vets.org.

 

The “Reclaiming the Sky Resiliency Project” gives today’s “Young Professionals” at airports a chance to learn resiliency skills from the example of 9/11’s aviation heroes. The project is offered for airport employees under 40 by the Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University and Airports Council International – North America and with support from major aviation companies, such as SSP America and others. Full details at ReclaimingTheSky.com.

 

 

 

Journeys and airports go hand-in-hand.  As we mark as another Earth Day, today is a good opportunity to reflect on our industry’s own journey of creating and fostering  a more sustainable industry.  Airports are in the business of being good neighbors to the local communities they serve, and our commitment to thinking about the future has never been stronger.

The journey toward our industry’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is only possible through collaboration and awareness.  North America airports joined the global conversation in 2014 when the industry joined as a partner in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program, a certification program that recognizes the steps airports take to manage and reduce their CO2 emissions through independent assessment and verification. This year, we are proud to celebrate our 10-year anniversary of our partnership and participation with airports that are taking proactive steps to reduce and manage their CO2 emissions.

10 years ago, ACI-NA and ACI Europe signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) officially aligning ACI-NA with Airport Carbon Accreditation Program. Since then, the North American program has grown rapidly.  

We started with one airport earning their accreditation in 2014. This past year, in Long Beach, CA, ACI-NA recognized more than 70 airport participants in our annual ceremony. Throughout the ceremony, airports were recognized on six levels of commitment to lowering their CO2 emissions. Those six levels are mapping, reduction, optimization, neutrality, transformation, and transition.  See all of the participating North American airports here.

As an ambitious industry, airports are doing their part to be good partners by promoting sustainability and environmentally responsible practices.  We applaud the North American airports that have joined the Airport Carbon Accreditation program to lower their carbon footprint. We look forward to the growth in the program as these airports set our industry on a path toward continued success in innovation and sustainability.