Tom in NO From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 7194 posts, RR: 40 Posted (11 years 6 months 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 609 times:
Just received my latest newsletter from the Southeast Chapter of the American Asscociation of Airport Executives (airport managers association).
Come to find out that the Richmond Int'l Airport in Virginia has slashed 13% of its work force, including its entire Airport Operations Department, some of which were with the airport for 20-30 years. The airport manager declined to comment.
For those who are unfamiliar with airport management, and most operations departments, Operations Agents are the ones responsible for performing airfield lighting and debris inspections, coordinating construction projects, wildlife control, security, issuing NOTAMS, etc; they basically ensure that the airport is safely operated.
It's disappointing to again have it pointed out that the last thing on the minds of aviation managers is safety. Too many times we see safety take a back seat to revenue enhancement, marketing, and politics.
Any comments from others in the airport management crowd?
Tom in NO (at MSY)
PS: Now that their Ops department is gone, I wonder who's doing RIC's runway inspections? I'm not sure I want to know.
"The criminal ineptitude makes you furious"-Bruce Springsteen, after seeing firsthand the damage from Hurricane Katrina
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (11 years 6 months 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 575 times:
I'm sure the person(s) who were behind this fully considered the potential side effects on their Part 139 certification, right?
Sounds pretty short-sighted...
Maybe they're delegating the inspection stuff of other folks... If so, it'd remind me of one day at an un-named west Texas airport, where frozen precip had been following all morning. Braking action had been NIL for several hours, and thus nobody had gone it there for awhile. They'd been working on the runway (precip still coming down) and I called to get a braking action report, and the good 'ol boy gave me one. I presumed it was by a vehicle (since no arrivals) and asked if he had any MU or other values, or whether it was just two rednecks sliding down the runway in an airport pick-up truck. (My attempt at some humor).
The whole office heard me ask this question, and everyone broke up laughing when I repeated (in my best Bob Newhart imitation) the fellow's answer back to him: "Oh, so it WAS two rednecks sliding down the runway in an airport pick-up truck."
Tom in NO From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 7194 posts, RR: 40 Reply 2, posted (11 years 6 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 555 times:
OPNLguy:
Perhaps, when winter comes to RIC, they'll revert to the old "lunch-box" test for measuring runway braking action.
That's the test where you put a metal lunch box on the seat next to you, then high-tail it down the runway. After a time, you hit the brakes.....if the lunch pail stays on the seat with you, then the braking action is "nil"; if the lunch box slides off the seat, then the braking action is "good".
Tom in NO (at MSY)
"The criminal ineptitude makes you furious"-Bruce Springsteen, after seeing firsthand the damage from Hurricane Katrina
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (11 years 6 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 544 times:
Now, just imagine the potential situation with RIC substituted for MSP... (Hey Zeke, how slipperity *is* it....?)
KMSP 262253Z 06016G26KT 1/2SM -SN BR
ATCSCC ADVZY 073 MSP/ZMP 11/26/01 MSP ARRIVAL DELAYS
MSP RUNWAYS ARE BEING SANDED AND CHEMICALLY TREATED DUE TO A !NIL! BRAKING ACTION REPORT. MSP WILL BE ON A SINGLE RUNWAY OPERATION UNTIL 2315.
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From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 7194 posts, 
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