AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[Jdawgboy]

Is there a reason why there are several military jets flying around this afternoon? Reminds me of when Bergstrom AFB was still open.

I managed to get a picture of this group. There were two other larger looking jets and another group of 3 also flying around. My phone was low on battery or I would have filmed this formation fly low right overhead a few min later.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

To be clear...in ALL instances, commercial airliners must cross at least one runway to reach their gate at DFW.

Are you sure about this? I’m sure abigdeal understood the grey lines were taxiways, the taxiways don’t go around the runways so planes have to taxi across the runway to get to their gate depending on where they landed and what gate they are using.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Is there a reason why there are several military jets flying around this afternoon? Reminds me of when Bergstrom AFB was still open.

I managed to get a picture of this group. There were two other larger looking jets and another group of 3 also flying around. My phone was low on battery or I would have filmed this formation fly low right overhead a few min later.

Football flyover for the Longhorns?

[ATCZERO]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Football flyover for the Longhorns?

Yep! They held west of Bergstrom for 30ish minutes before doing the fly over of UT stadium. There was also an Army parachuter/s right before the fly over.

[Jdawgboy]

That's cool, I forgot there was a home game. What about the others? There were 2 different looking jets that flew towards the south. I guess the 3 may have been the same ones as those in the pic. Yea they kept flying in big loops.

[khowaga]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Are you sure about this? I’m sure abigdeal understood the grey lines were taxiways, the taxiways don’t go around the runways so planes have to taxi across the runway to get to their gate depending on where they landed and what gate they are using.

Yeah, that’s what I was getting at by asking if landings only take place on the outer runways. I’m pretty sure I’ve landed on an inner one and didn’t have to wait to cross an active runway.

I’ve also been on planes that have used the long taxiway that loops around the end before, usually during evening peak hours. I think they’re building one on the other side of the airport, too.

[DMPHL]

Originally Posted by khowaga

Yeah, that’s what I was getting at by asking if landings only take place on the outer runways. I’m pretty sure I’ve landed on an inner one and didn’t have to wait to cross an active runway.

I’ve also been on planes that have used the long taxiway that loops around the end before, usually during evening peak hours. I think they’re building one on the other side of the airport, too.

You may have landed on an inner runway at some point. The inner runways at DFW are more than a mile apart, which exceeds by multiples the FAA minimum required distance for simultaneous independent approaches (non-offset, like at SFO, that is).

It's generally operationally safer, I think, to use outer runways for parallel landings, because there is just more space. So they will, for the most part, do that. But you very well may have landed on an inner runway for whatever reason—airport operational necessity, non-peak time, whatever.

I will say the absolute COOLEST thing in the world is taking off from SFO, speeding down the runway with another plane speeding down right next to you only 700 feet away on a path that intersects the active landing runways as two other planes are approaching, rotating at the same time and then banking away from each other.

[KevinFromTexas]

I was wondering the same thing about the jets flying over. I was at Academy and heard them flying over. I tried grabbing a pic with the phone, but no dice. I didn't realize there was a game. I thought they were flying over for the Veterans Day parade. Derr

[khowaga]

Originally Posted by DMPHL

I will say the absolute COOLEST thing in the world is taking off from SFO, speeding down the runway with another plane speeding down right next to you only 700 feet away on a path that intersects the active landing runways as two other planes are approaching, rotating at the same time and then banking away from each other.

Sure. I mean, it’s no hurtling down the runway toward a concrete wall like at MDW, but I see what you’re getting at

[masonh2479]

ViaAir has announced Oklahoma City and Tucson new nonstop routes from Austin. ViaAir plans to be Austin’s hometown airline with new non stops coming in the future. A crew and maintenance base are being added.

This is good news for the South Terminal which seems to soon be well used. Likely the lower costs of it helped propel ViaAir to invest in further expansion at AUS.

Is ViaAir a dark horse...all of this talk about Delta and I for one did not see this coming, I wonder if they are eyeing Southwest when they say "Hometown Airline".

ViaAir's Route Map:
https://www.flyviaair.com/route-map

Source:
http://www.austintexas.gov/news/viaa...onstop-flights

[OU812]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Is there a reason why there are several military jets flying around this afternoon? Reminds me of when Bergstrom AFB was still open.

I managed to get a picture of this group. There were two other larger looking jets and another group of 3 also flying around. My phone was low on battery or I would have filmed this formation fly low right overhead a few min later.

I don't know what you're talking about. I don't see nuffin. Nope. Notta.

[masonh2479]

Vice President Mike Pence was in town today. The airport snapped a nice photo of Air Force Two. I can't get enough of the 757 and this livery suits it well.



https://www.facebook.com/abia/

[masonh2479]

Parking garage progress is going smoothly. "The project team is starting to put the formwork up for level 4.
Photo Credits: Taylor Warren, Austin Commercial"

Photos can be found here

In other words, Delta is getting rid of their second "daily" nonstop from Austin effective March 2018. The remaining aircraft will switch from an A319(132 PAX) to a 738(160 PAX). DL SEA-AUS MAR 1.9>1.0 APR 1.9>1.0 MAY 1.9>1.0 JUN 1.8>1.0 JUL 1.7>1.0

The flight remaining will be the early morning departure to SEA and the late evening arrival to AUS and RON overnight. While this may seem troubling, it is more so for SEA than AUS. Delta has been drastically reducing domestic ops from SEA, AUS is not the hardest hit. We will have a loss in capacity of 104 seats per day if the second flight ever was daily, but it wasn't, it was Monday-Friday and was incorrectly reported. The remaining flight will also time with international connections, which the other flight did not do.

Alaska has won the domestic war for SEA.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Parking garage progress is going smoothly. "The project team is starting to put the formwork up for level 4.
Photo Credits: Taylor Warren, Austin Commercial"

Photos can be found here

That's awesome. The contractors they have had working on the airport projects in the last 5 years have done a really good job. I can't wait to see interior photos of the eastern terminal extension once it starts to fill in.

So they are doing a lot of work on 71 in conjunction with the 183 south project. They are building new center lanes to get to/from 183 North Mainlanes as well as new 71 mainlanes starting right before and going to right after the 183 interchange. The loop direct ramps are only being slightly modified but you're going to get an extra lane on 71 while going through the intersection. It's weird they are not building a direct connection to 183 south but I guess it makes sense since it's not a conventional highway. You'll still have to exit riverside to get to 183 south and the south terminal.

Diagram in spoiler tag:
Teal=Proposed Non Toll Mainlanes and Ramps, Orange Grid=Proposed Bridge, Solid Orange=Proposed Non-Toll Reconstruction, Yellow: Proposed Toll Mainlanes and Ramps

I hope they'll add better and more conventional highway signage for the airport at the conclusion of the project. The little "south terminal" sign is pretty weak.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by freerover

That's awesome. The contractors they have had working on the airport projects in the last 5 years have done a really good job. I can't wait to see interior photos of the eastern terminal extension once it starts to fill in.

So they are doing a lot of work on 71 in conjunction with the 183 south project. They are building new center lanes to get to/from 183 North Mainlanes as well as new 71 mainlanes starting right before and going to right after the 183 interchange. The loop direct ramps are only being slightly modified but you're going to get an extra lane on 71 while going through the intersection. It's weird they are not building a direct connection to 183 south but I guess it makes sense since it's not a conventional highway. You'll still have to exit riverside to get to 183 south and the south terminal.

Diagram in spoiler tag:
Teal=Proposed Non Toll Mainlanes and Ramps, Orange Grid=Proposed Bridge, Solid Orange=Proposed Non-Toll Reconstruction, Yellow: Proposed Toll Mainlanes and Ramps

I hope they'll add better and more conventional highway signage for the airport at the conclusion of the project. The little "south terminal" sign is pretty weak.

I have heard that signage is part of this upgraded roadway project for the airport. I know for sure that the parking signage is going to be improved and is part of the current parking garage/admin building project.

I agree the South Terminal signage needs to be better, it almost seems like it is being thrown under the rug. It is a nice terminal and has allowed the airport to entice more low cost carriers to show or add flights.

This recent ViaAir expansion and announcement of a base is likely thanks to the much lower costs airline have to pay to use the South Terminal compared to Barbara Jordan.

Allegiant's expansion took off thanks to the South Terminal too. The airport really is lacking in the signage department and I can see why so many people are clueless and might miss their flight.

Welcome to the forum!

[masonh2479]

Accidental Post, Disregard

[freerover]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

I have heard that signage is part of this upgraded roadway project for the airport. I know for sure that the parking signage is going to be improved and is part of the current parking garage/admin building project.

I agree the South Terminal signage needs to be better, it almost seems like it is being thrown under the rug. It is a nice terminal and has allowed the airport to entice more low cost carriers to show or add flights.

This recent ViaAir expansion and announcement of a base is likely thanks to the much lower costs airline have to pay to use the South Terminal compared to Barbara Jordan.

Allegiant's expansion took off thanks to the South Terminal too. The airport really is lacking in the signage department and I can see why so many people are clueless and might miss their flight.

That's good to hear that new signage is a part of the plan. They should get one of those big signs with the names of the terminals and the airlines that fly out of the terminals. I also think they either need rename the terminals A and B or rename the main terminal the "Barbara Jordan NORTH terminal". A lot of airpots have terminals named after people and still have a conventional terminal designation.

I completely agree about the value of the south terminal. The company they picked to renovate it has done a good job getting as much as they could out of the few million they spent on the refurb and thus can keep the gate rentals relativity low as they recoup their investment. The new consolidated maintenance center they are building at the northeast side of the airport should make the demo of many of the buildings near the south terminal possible.

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Welcome to the forum!

I've been on the forum as user "brando". Wanted to change to something generic.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by freerover

That's good to hear that new signage is a part of the plan. They should get one of those big signs with the names of the terminals and the airlines that fly out of the terminals. I also think they either need rename the terminals A and B or rename the main terminal the "Barbara Jordan NORTH terminal". A lot of airpots have terminals named after people and still have a conventional terminal designation.

I completely agree about the value of the south terminal. The company they picked to renovate it has done a good job getting as much as they could out of the few million they spent on the refurb and thus can keep the gate rentals relativity low as they recoup their investment. The new consolidated maintenance center they are building at the northeast side of the airport should make the demo of many of the buildings near the south terminal possible.





I've been on the forum as user "brando". Wanted to change to something generic.

A renaming really is in order, your example fits well! Welcome back to the forum then

[khowaga]

Originally Posted by freerover

That's good to hear that new signage is a part of the plan. They should get one of those big signs with the names of the terminals and the airlines that fly out of the terminals. I also think they either need rename the terminals A and B or rename the main terminal the "Barbara Jordan NORTH terminal". A lot of airpots have terminals named after people and still have a conventional terminal designation.

I completely agree about the value of the south terminal. The company they picked to renovate it has done a good job getting as much as they could out of the few million they spent on the refurb and thus can keep the gate rentals relativity low as they recoup their investment. The new consolidated maintenance center they are building at the northeast side of the airport should make the demo of many of the buildings near the south terminal possible.

Isn’t the South Terminal privately owned, though? That might have something to do with the inconsistency.

Well, that and the part where they put up a bunch of signs when it first opened, then abruptly shut a year later when Viva Aerobus pulled out and eventually took them down, and now they have to put them up again. You know someone at TXDOT is probably dragging their feet on it just because.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by khowaga

Isn’t the South Terminal privately owned, though? That might have something to do with the inconsistency.

Well, that and the part where they put up a bunch of signs when it first opened, then abruptly shut a year later when Viva Aerobus pulled out and eventually took them down, and now they have to put them up again. You know someone at TXDOT is probably dragging their feet on it just because.

I hope some of those flights to Mexico come back : /

The south terminal is now publicly owned but privately operated by Highstar Capital. They manage a few other "budget terminals" around the world. I think they have a 40 year lease. I don't think that has much to do with the signage. They might not have wanted to spend a bunch of money on new signs when the highways were going to get worked on anyway.

Still, really annoying you will still have to go through the Riverside light to get to 183 SB and the South Terminal.