Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "sacramento international airport"

Airport provides music to travelers

2011-12-16T01:59:59Z

Sacramento International Airport’s new Terminal B echoes with the sounds of local musicians this holiday season, with airport officials saying they want to add to the flying experience, especially since travelers are recommended to arrive earlier.

“Under normal circumstances, we advise them to get here 90 minutes earlier,” said airport spokeswoman Laurie Slothower. “For the holidays, we’re saying two to two and a half hours early because there are so many little stresses that can be alleviated if you get here early.”

Travelers who haven’t been to the new terminal – which opened in October – should check the airport website to be sure they know where their airline is located.

Anyone traveling with gifts might want to leave them unwrapped, as Transportation Security Administration officials may search the packages, and Slothower said snow globes are another holiday item to be wary of, as they typically cannot be taken in carry-on luggage due to their liquid content.

Bustling holiday traffic has a new soundtrack on Thursdays and Fridays – more harmonic than the typical footsteps, clacking luggage wheels and security announcements.

A number of local musicians perform on the third floor of Terminal B Thursdays and Fridays, giving travelers on layovers – as well as people waiting to meet passengers – something to listen to before they jet off.

For a schedule of all performers, click here.

“It’s something the airport wants to do to sort of thank customers,” Slothower said. “It’s something that’s pleasant for them.”

Ron Goldberg, a musician from Davis, sang and alternated playing a ukulele, guitar and mandolin Thursday afternoon.

Goldberg said he has been playing at the airport during the holidays for five years.

“My music is varietal,” he said. “I’ve tried lots of different styles in my lifetime, and I try to mix it up as best I can – folk and blues and country, reggae, calypso and a couple other directions.”

He added that the new terminal is quieter than the baggage return in the older Terminal A, allowing the music to be more pure.

“This is really a lovely spot,” he said. “This is a musically much more conducive sight.”

Passengers listening to Goldberg Thursday said the music gave them something to do during their downtime.

“If you’re not in a hurry, it’s a great thing to take a minute with,” said Mike Kolesar, a 55-year-old salesman from Elk Grove who travels through the airport about three times per week.

“This was perfect,” he said. “(Goldberg) interacted well with the audience and engaged us and asked us what we liked to hear.”

Kelly McDonald, a 50-year-old saleswoman from Seattle, said she thinks airports with live music provide a better experience.

“It’s a must,” she said. “It adds such a great level of charm to the atmosphere. Not a lot of airports are doing it, but it seems like more and more are, and it’s very enjoyable.”

The musicians performing at Sacramento International Airport are paid for their performances, with a total entertainment budget this holiday season of $18,500.

Ticketed passengers in Terminal B can spend their layovers or preflight waits getting free photos with Santa Claus at gate B17 until Dec. 23, Slothower added.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

TSA adds full-body scanners to new terminal

2011-10-29T01:11:16Z

Sacramento International Airport received the first wave of advanced imaging technology scanners – commonly called full-body scanners – after the opening of Terminal B earlier this month, and the rest should be installed by the end of November.

The scanners, which each cost between $150,000 and $170,000 and are paid for by the Transportation Security Administration and are designed to detect both metallic and nonmetallic threats to security, namely explosives, according to TSA spokesman Nico Melendez.

“The walk-through metal detectors do a great job finding metallic items, but they aren’t as effective at finding explosives,” Melendez said. “The threat as we know it is definitely explosives.”

The new scanners use radiation to take a picture of a passenger, and according to the TSA, the radiation used on the scanners is significantly less than a cellphone transmission.

Passengers going through security checkpoints must stand with their arms raised while the scanner takes an image of them, which is then displayed as a generic outline of a person. If the scanner picks up any “anomalies” on the person, a yellow box appears over that spot on the image.

Those anomalies can be anything from a cellphone in a pocket to a bomb made of plastic explosives – which might not trigger a traditional metal detector.

The detailed image of a person’s body is automatically processed by a computer in a similar way that some digital cameras and social media sites detect faces in photos – by scanning the image through a set of parameters of what is expected to be there.

When introduced in 2007, the imaging system was far more detailed than it currently is, prompting invasion of privacy concerns. Critics claimed the image was essentially a nude photo of a passenger. At that time, a TSA agent sat in a separate room and viewed the image, which critics said showed too much detail of the people being scanned, and there were fears of what happened to the image after the passenger left.

Passengers can decline the imaging, at which point TSA officials will check him or her in other ways, including a pat-down.

A software upgrade over the summer made the computers automatically process the detailed image, Melendez said.

“It’s not passenger-specific anymore. It’s a generic image, and there is no security officer in another room.”

Now, the generic image is shown to the passenger and does not reveal details of his or her body.

The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the move, though some concerns still remain.

“This technology represents a significant improvement for privacy over the scanners that reveal naked images to human screeners. That is a very good thing. It shows that the outcry against these scanners ... has had an effect, and that the TSA has been forced to respond and implement a less invasive system,” ACLU spokesman Jay Stanley wrote in a July 20 press release.

Later on in the release, however, Stanley addressed what the ACLU says is still a problem: “This system remains an intrusive search underneath individuals’ clothing. Privacy concerns especially remain for those who have “anomalies” that must be investigated, such as people with adult diapers, prosthetic breasts following mastectomies, colostomy appliances, catheter tubes – even just lumps on their body.”

Passengers interviewed by The Sacramento Press Friday had differing opinions on the scanners and their effectiveness.

“I don’t think we need them,” said Frank Kams, a 55-year-old salesman from Chino Hills, Calif. “I think it’s probably more of an inconvenience. I’ve been through the scanners eight times, and I don’t think there’s any guarantee they could stop an attack.”

He added that he thinks the new imaging technology is better than the more-detailed images from the past three years.

Lance Abbot, a 42-year-old insurance company employee from Dallas, said he isn’t bothered by the machines.

“They don’t bug me,” he said. “It’s good to know they are doing something to try to stop terrorism.”

Amanda Laramie, a 26-year-old consultant from Boulder, Colo., said she doesn’t feel any safer flying due to the scanners’ installation, but they aren’t an inconvenience or an invasion of privacy.

Another consultant from Boulder, 38-year-old Melissa Stratman, said she doesn’t put much faith in the airport security screening system in general, and doesn’t think the scanners add very much to it.

“The reality is, we were never worried about liquids until someone tried to blow up planes with them,” she said. “I don’t think they’re really thinking ahead to what the next threat could be. And any system that relies on you to tell them what is in your bag, like the liquids, I just think it’s set up for failure.”

Currently, five scanners are installed at Terminal B, Melendez said. Three additional scanners will be installed at Terminal A by the end of November.

“Having the new terminal built made installing the first five much easier,” he said. “We still have some logistical problems to sort through before we can put the others in at Terminal A.”

All eight of the machines are of the “millimeter wave” style, where passengers stand inside the scanner. The millimeter wave scanners all have the software upgrade to show the less-detailed image.

The other type of scanner installed at some airports – known as a “backscatter” scanner – is not used at Sacramento International Airport. Those machines do not yet have the software upgrade and still show a more detailed image, but the upgrade is expected to come later this year.

Airports across the nation have been getting the new scanners since 2007, with about 500 units bought and installed in 2010, Melendez said, adding that 300 are being installed this year.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Photos of Airport Terminal B Grand Opening

2011-10-03T18:44:58Z

Here are more photos from Saturday night's big celebration of The Big Build, the name of the Sacramento International Airport's new Terminal B project:

For more info CLICK HERE>>>

Community Day gives locals a preview of airport's new Terminal B

2011-10-03T05:31:23Z

Sacramento International Airport’s new Terminal B opened to the public on Sunday to give locals a preview of the $1.03 billion project before it opens for air traffic on Oct. 6. Airport spokeswoman Karen Doron said nearly 4,500 people made reservations to observe the terminal's new art and its elaborate design.

“It’s beautiful,” said Merrilyn Hirsch, a 65-year-old retiree. “They really got their money’s worth.”

Starting at 10 a.m., guests lined up to be the first to see the architectural feat. They were led onto the trains, called “people movers,” and brought from the terminal’s “land side” to the “air side.” The trains sped across the airport and went back and forth every two minutes, bringing more people with them.

Once off-board, attendees were greeted by an array of new restaurants, stores, artwork and airport gates.

Many of the shops and restaurants were open and packed with people. Among the restaurants were Sacramento favorites such as Jack’s Urban Eats, Cafeteria 15L and Esquire Grill. Many of these restaurants feature “patio” seating similar to their downtown counterparts.

Much of the artwork is interactive. Guests can walk inside of Mildred Howard’s “The House Will Not Pass for Any Color but Its Own” to observe it from every angle.

“Your Words are Music to Their Ears” by artists Po Shu Wang and Louise Bertelsen can be used to create music by typing e-mails over the Internet on its built-in keyboard. Its ethereal sounds filled the terminal as people sent out messages of their own.

“I think it’s wonderful that the city cares so much about art,” local artist Mari Selah said. “It’s great that they put so much care into aesthetics.”

As the day went on, people were free to go from the air side to the land side.

On the land side, the terminal was full of people buying commemorative shirts and taking pictures in the empty check-in counters. They were dwarfed by Lawrence Argent’s “Leap” hovering above and around them.

But not everybody was so satisfied with the event. Business consultant Brian Dillon said he felt the event was poorly organized.

“There’s no security,” he said. “We were all told to make reservations and bring identification, but then they just let everyone in without checking them. I brought a lot more than I actually needed.”

Even with the slight confusion, most people seemed to enjoy the terminal and all the new things it had to offer.

“I can’t wait to take my first trip out of here!” Hirsch said.

New airport Terminal B celebrates grand opening

2011-10-03T03:24:17Z

More than 1,000 people attended a party Saturday that included Cirque du Soleil performers dancing with hoops, walking on stilts and performing acrobatics from 40-foot-long ribbons hanging from the rafters to celebrate the grand opening of the new Terminal B of the Sacramento International Airport.

“We didn’t want to stand in the shadow of another city,” Hardy Acree, director of airports for Sacramento County Airport System, said Saturday. “We wanted to create our own identity here in Sacramento and with this, we certainly have.”

The party – hosted by the architect and construction firms responsible for the terminal project, Corgan Associates and Turner Construction – was a grand spectacle with live music, food and wine, and gave members of the public a chance to explore the new terminal without buying an airline ticket.

The celebration marked the long-awaited end of an 11-year, $1 billion-plus project, Acree said.

The new 669,000-square-foot Terminal B features a modern steel and glass architecture with spacious waiting areas for the 19 new gates. The high-tech terminal includes more than 20 self check-in ticketing kiosks along with four baggage claim rotundas.

The main difference between Terminal A and the new Terminal B is that arrivals and departures are on separate levels in the new terminal, making it more convenient for people to drop off and pick up travelers.

“This will now be the central terminal,” said Phil Mein, lead planning architect for Corgan Associates. “If we need to expand in the future, we’ll build additional concourses. We have plenty of room. The plan is for this to last at least 50 years.”

Along with more than 40,000 square feet of concession space, the new Terminal B boasts more than $8 million in public art projects – money well spent, some local art enthusiasts say.

“This is fabulous,” local attorney Steve Felderstein said of the terminal interior. “Between the Crocker Art Museum and this, we’re transported to a wonderful place.”

Mein also described some of the energy-efficient features of the terminal, including windows and skylights controlled with louvers to keep the heat out while letting in plenty of natural light.

Another interesting feature of the terminal is the redwood beams in the ceiling.

The wood is old-growth redwood that was harvested in northern California in 1919 and 1920, and used to build the Franklin-Thornton bridge in the southern part of Sacramento county, according to Acree.

When the bridge was deconstructed in 2003, the Sacramento Department of Transportation had plans to sell it, so the wood was kept in storage at Franklin Airfield – until Acree came along and decided that he could put it to good use in the Terminal B project.

“We took the wood and made part of our past into part of our future,” Acree said. “It’s salvaging a piece of material that you really can’t recreate, and putting it to a functional use and captured a part of our history.

Acree said the terminal project began with an original budget of $1.08 billion, and ended up $65 million under budget – and four months ahead of schedule.

“We did the right things and we did them the right way,” Acree said.

Acree added that now that the new terminal is moving into operational mode, it will mean another 225 jobs for the area.

Brent Kelley, design director for the Big Build Program from Corgan Associates, officially opened the terminal by sharing a toast with the crowd:

“Here’s to the newest, most modern and easiest to use airport facility in the country. May it forever change the history of Sacramento. May it bring prosperity to the community and be a source of pride for Sacramento. Cheers!”

Airlines with stations at the new Terminal B will include Aeromexico, American, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue and Southwest.

“It’s a beautiful terminal,” City Councilman Steve Cohn said, “but the true test will be how it works for customers. It may be pretty, but more importantly, it’s got to work.”

The new terminal building will receive its first travelers late Wednesday evening from incoming flights, and the first departures out of the new terminal will take off at 6 a.m. Thursday.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter with The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

New airport terminal built for ease of use

2011-09-14T00:22:01Z

An intuitive travel experience is one of the main goals of Sacramento International Airport’s new Terminal B, according to airport officials.

Made up of two buildings – a “land side” portion with ticket counters, and an “air side” portion with security and aircraft gates, connected by two trains – the new terminal is designed to be linear and make passing through the airport very easy, said airport spokeswoman Karen Doron.

The $1.03 billion facility will open Oct. 6.

One of the ease-of-use features in the waiting area at each gate is the seating arrangement. The familiar rows of seating common to many airport waiting areas are not the standard in the new facility. Terminal B seating is set up in pod formations, with pairs of chairs coming off of central mounting points, giving the waiting areas a more pleasant feel.

“Even though we might have less seats, there is more space for people, because all the seats we have will be used,” Doron said. “Usually, there is a lot of wasted space because people don’t want to sit next to strangers.”

Another feature of many of the seat pods is their being geared toward easy use with technology.

Numerous seating areas provide an electrical outlet for each seat, allowing travelers to power their computers or charge other electronic devices such as cellphones and digital music players.

Wireless Internet is also free throughout the terminal, Doron said.

For those who want to relax before a flight, approximately 15 wooden rocking chairs are available.

The elevated trains that move travelers between the "land side" and "air side" of the terminal are two fully automated ones operating on opposite schedules to minimize the time travelers must wait between entering the terminal and reaching the security checkpoint.

Unlike some airports, the trains come inside the building and unload passengers from one side, then open the doors on the opposite side to allow new passengers in.

“It’s not like the New York subway, where you have everyone entering and leaving through the same doors,” Doron said.

Baggage carousels for domestic flights are on the ground floor of the “land side" portion of Terminal B. A single carousel for international arrivals is on the “air side" area, just past the ground-floor customs checkpoint.

Passengers purchasing tickets will be on the second floor, separate from the passengers picking up their baggage to help keep traffic flowing easily.

The third floor, known as the transfer level, holds the trains connecting the buildings.

Two glass-enclosed elevators and several banks of escalators take passengers where they need to go. Glass walls and ceiling areas let in plenty of natural light and reduce the airport’s electricity usage.

Airline representatives interviewed Monday said they are happy with the new terminal and are excited to move their operations to it for flights, which start at 6 a.m. Oct. 6.

“It’s a beautiful place, and I know our employees are really excited,” said Katie McDonald, spokeswoman for Southwest Airlines. “I think it’s a testament to Sacramento to have such a beautiful facility.”

Emily Gaber, general manager for American Airlines in Sacramento, said she is also looking forward to moving into the new facility.

“Of course we’re very excited for our customers, because they’ve been using the terminal from the ’60s, and it’ll be nice to bring them into an updated center,” she said.

“Also, I love art,” she added. “I love going to museums, so the artwork in here is really exciting. I love the rabbit, and I love the mosaics.”

Giancarlo Mulinelli, regional sales director for AeroMexico, said the terminal provides all the facilities he wanted to see.

“We have a lot of expectations,” he said. “The Mexican market flies with a lot of bags, and just having these awesome facilities is very good for our customers. It’s very customer-service oriented, and it is a huge impact for both our airline and Sacramento.”

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Art installed in Terminal B, opens Oct. 6

2011-09-13T03:55:23Z

Art installations are largely complete as the Sacramento International Airport’s new Terminal B readies to open Oct. 6, and they include a range of pieces from technologically advanced works to traditional painting and mosaic pieces.

While not the first thing arriving passengers will see, a giant red rabbit seemingly jumping from outside the building into a waiting suitcase opening up like a vortex on the floor is one of the most-talked-about of the 12 currently installed works.

More than 1,600 aluminum triangles make up the rabbit’s exposed surface. The work, entitled “Leap,” is by Denver-based artist Lawrence Argent and is suspended above the ticket hall in the “land side” portion of the terminal.

The land side is the portion housing the ticket halls and is nearest the parking lot. The air side portion contains the gates and Jetways, and the two are connected by two trains.

Argent’s “Leap” is one of the more literal interpretations in the theme of “bringing the outside in,” said Shelly Willis, director of the Art in Public Places Program of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.

SMAC helped select artists and works, and $8 million was set aside for the arts, with $6 million already spent and the rest put into an endowment for future preservation and maintenance of the works, Willis said.

While public projects like the airport usually have about 2 percent of their budgets spent on art, a little more than three quarters of a percent of the $1.03 billion project’s budget was spent on the arts, a number approved by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

Artists and their works were selected by about 50 panelists from various organizations including SMAC, the airport and arts professionals, Willis added.

Opposite two of the second-level ticket counters are wood works by Los Angeles-based artist Christian Moeller titled, “The Baggage Handlers.”

The 8,000 pieces of wood that make up the two wall panels are unique, and computers were used to ensure the art flowed well and had no seam lines where the wood comes together, Willis said.

Six faces – five men and one woman – make up the artwork, and they are the faces of airport baggage handlers, who were photographed about a year ago.

Sacramento International Airport spokeswoman Karen Doron said the airlines refer to the baggage handlers as people who work “under the wing.” Bringing them into the visible area of the airport is a way to pay homage to them, she said.

Sacramento artist Gregory Kondos has an oil-on-canvas painting in the air side section of the terminal entitled “Sutter’s Gold.”

In the painting, a nod to the 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, the Yuba river is prominent. Placed in the international arrivals section, it is one of the first works visitors will see and is meant to give them insight into the region’s history.

One of the other initial pieces of artwork to be seen in the air side portion of the terminal – connected to the land side by a pair of elevated trains – is a propeller-shaped tree with Swarovski crystals hanging from it.

Titled “Acorn Steam,” San Diego-based artist Donald Lipski’s mixed-media piece portrays three Valley Oak trunks coming together and branching out at their ends, with the hand-cut Austrian crystals giving it the feel of a chandelier.

Willis said the arbor motif is especially applicable to Sacramento as the “City of Trees” and is a good representation of the region.

Local artist Suzanne Adan created one of the mosaics on the floors, a 12-foot-by-18-foot work called “Flying Colors.”

A circular design with numerous birds and cattails is reminiscent of the wetlands areas throughout the region.

Another of the air side portion of the terminal’s artworks is just in front of where the security checkpoint will be.

Willis said the house serves as a reminder of being home, the ultimate destination for all travelers.

The glass sculpture with metal framework is called “The House Will not Pass for any Color but its Own” and was done by San Francisco native Mildred Howard. At 17 feet tall, travelers are free to walk inside it and explore the way light plays off the glass surfaces.

Possibly the most interactive piece of art in the area, “Your Words are Music to My Ears,” by artists Po Shu Wang and Louise Bertelsen, allows travelers to compose email messages to loved ones and send them. Those messages are then, through a computer code, translated into musical notes and played from the gleaming French horn-shaped artwork on the air side of the terminal.

Installed as part of the ceiling in the international arrivals area is Marcia Stuermer’s “Migration,” which is a piece made with 32 acrylic panels depicting cranes migrating through a backdrop that changes colors as lights behind the piece come on and off.

Another interactive piece is in the land side portion of the terminal, installed as multiple flat screens on the side of one of the glass elevator shafts.

“Active Ecosystem,” by Camille Utterback and Michelle Higa, will feature animations of seeds, leaves, birds and other natural elements. Computers will control the movements and speeds to keep the work constantly changing and unique.

A 12-foot-by-18-foot mosaic in the floor by Joan Moment is called “A Fragment of the Universe” and shows a world of water and air in thousands of hand-cut pieces.

“You can really see the artist’s hand in the work,” Willis said, adding that the work contrasts with some of the very technologically advanced pieces in using a technique that goes back to ancient times, yet still provides a relevant experience today.

Near the mosaic is a Terrazzo-and-steel work with suspended resin pieces by California artist Lynn Criswell, called “As the Crow Flies.” Numerous birds, including a steel magpie taken from a painting in 1650 by Johann Walther, decorate the floor, and 21 emerald-green birdcages will be suspended overhead.

Artist Ned Kahn’s steel wind vanes are placed along the elevated train tracks connecting the two portions of the terminal and move with the movements of the trains or wind.

“It’s really exciting that there’s such a range of work that is represented in this collection from this monumental (rabbit) sculpture to the mosaic floors,” Willis said. “You have work that’s much more subtle, you have work that’s interactive. It’s really exciting.”

Check back tomorrow for more information on Sacramento International Airport’s Terminal B.

To see shots of the construction from one year ago, click here.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

New airport terminal to open Oct. 6

2011-07-18T04:34:39Z

The first flights will take off Oct. 6 from Sacramento International Airport's nearly $1.1 billion Central Terminal B complex, officials announced Friday at the California State Fair.

The airport expansion, dubbed “The Big Build,” was initially budgeted at $1.27 billion. It will replace a 44-year-old, far smaller terminal and will be completed seven months ahead of the originally scheduled opening. The complex was expected to start operating in March of 2012 when construction began in 2008.

Hard economic times led Sacramento County Airport System officials to scrap plans for an airport hotel and a new parking garage.

Airport officials chose an early October opening date so the new terminal can begin operation before the 2011 holiday season.

"Sacramento International Airport is the gateway to Northern California for the world, offering convenient access to our community, the Capitol and world-class destinations such as Napa and Tahoe," airport system Director Hardy Acree said at a press conference Friday afternoon. "We're here today to announce the first flight date, which is rapidly approaching."

To make the announcement, Acree was joined by Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Chair Roberta MacGlashan, County Supervisor Phil Serna and state Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, a former county supervisor.

One of the project's architects, John Mares of Dallas-based Corgan Associates, and Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau Chief Executive Officer Steve Hammond were among those who attended the event in the fairgrounds' counties building.

The project has been "critical" for the county, providing thousands of jobs for more than three years at a time when those jobs were most needed, Serna said.

The 675,000-square-foot, energy-efficient complex is being built for $1.08 billion and will be three times the size of the current Terminal B. Electric train cars will be used to move passengers between a landside terminal to an airside concourse.

The Central Terminal B complex will open with 19 gates that can handle 10 million passengers annually and has the potential to expand to 27 gates. The original Terminal B has 10 operational gates. The airport’s total passenger capacity will be 16 million a year, compared to nearly 9 million last year, airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie said.

The airport's increased capacity provides an opportunity to bring more travelers and money to the region. Every 3 percent increase in available airline seats increases local hotel occupancy by 1 percent, Hammond said.

Remaining construction will be completed in the next few months.

"Central Terminal B will offer a beautiful first impression for guests, and a forward-thinking design that will serve our community for many more generations to come," MacGlashan said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sacramento airport's Terminal B complex to open early

2011-07-12T01:24:21Z

Sacramento International Airport's nearly $1.1 billion Central Terminal B complex is expected to open this fall – months earlier than originally scheduled.

When construction began in 2008, the terminal project was expected to cost $1.27 billion and was scheduled to open in spring of 2012.

The project will open months ahead of that because of changes in construction plans due to the recession. Plans for a hotel and new parking garage were dropped to save money. A new garage will be built once there is enough need. Other cost savings were found during a simultaneous design and construction phase, , airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie said.

The construction schedule was later revised to reflect those changes. However, Sacramento County Airport System officials don't consider the complex to be under-budget or ahead of schedule, Swankie said.

"The project is on-time and on-budget," Swankie said. " 'Ahead of schedule' is a bit of a fallacy given the changes to the construction program."

Airport officials will hold a press conference at the California State Fair at 5 p.m. Friday to announce the terminal's opening date. The project has been dubbed "The Big Build" because it's the county's largest capital improvement program to date.

"We are expecting a fall opening," Swankie said.

The terminal and concourse that make up the 675,000-square-foot complex will replace the 44-year-old Terminal B and an interim international arrivals building used to accommodate U.S. customs. The complex is being built for $1.08 billion.

Electric train cars will be used to transport passengers from the landside terminal to the airside concourse, which is a separate building 1,200 feet away.

The new complex was designed to fit air travel needs after the Sept. 11 airplane attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Airports are being designed differently because security screening processes have changed and use more equipment. Travelers now spend longer periods in airport security processing and must get to the airport earlier than before, which has led to increased demands for restaurants and other retail operations, according to Swankie.

The complex will feature local restaurants including Jack's Urban Eats, Burgers and Brew, Esquire Grill and Cafeteria 15L, Davis-based Dos Coyotes and coffee from Old Soul Co. A 56-foot leaping red rabbit sculpture by Denver artist Lawrence Argent will be located in the baggage claim area as part of an $8 million public art program.

The new complex uses sustainable building practices such as natural lighting, drought-resistant landscaping, storm-water management, recycled materials, low-energy lights and low-flow plumbing fixtures. Old-growth redwood posts that were once part of the Franklin-Thornton Bridge over the Mokelumne River have been used in the terminal's ceiling.

The original Terminal B is 216,000 square feet and currently has 10 operational gates, for a combined total of 23 gates with Terminal A.

The Central Terminal B complex will open with 19 gates that can handle 10 million passengers annually and has the potential to expand to 27 gates.

The airport’s total passenger capacity will be 16 million a year. In 2010, the airport had nearly 9 million passengers, Swankie said.

The airport is currently served by 11 airlines, after Aloha Airlines and Mexicana Airlines ceased operation. Aeromexico will join the airport Saturday, bringing the total to 12.

The new international arrivals facility, which will be located on the concourse's ground level, will have two airplane parking positions and be able to handle 400 passengers an hour. If the complex is expanded, space for more planes can be added and the facility could handle up to 800 people an hour, Swankie said.

The original Terminal B and the international arrivals building will be demolished.

A 2011 time capsule will be installed at the site soon after opening. The exact location will be determined later, Swankie said.

The opening had been set for November but was changed to an earlier date to give people enough time to become familiar with the new facility before the busy holiday season.

"You don't open it during the holiday when your most inexperienced travelers are coming into the airport," Swankie said. "You don't want to add another element of uncertainty into their travel. It's confusing enough."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Gold Rush Building Replicas at Terminal B

2011-06-16T05:29:08Z

Twenty-eight handmade Gold Rush era miniature building replicas by local artist Tony Quattrociocchi, will be on display from Monday through Sept. 30 at the Sacramento International Airport’s Terminal B.

“Each piece was individually made, every brick, every shingle, and I found that really intriguing,” said Lorrie Kempf, Art in Public Places program assistant and gallery curator.

Quattrociocchi, 87, is no stranger to the Sacramento area. His miniature replicas have been featured in The Sacramento Bee, displayed at four libraries, Sunrise Mall and the State Fair, according to Quattrociocchi’s niece, Nancy Garrett.

“He used to take them to schools, and the kids really, really loved it,” Garrett said.

Mixed media models displayed at Terminal B include: “Fourth Ward Schoolhouse,” completed in 1974, “Young America” Paddle-Wheel Boat, 1977 and “Fort Ross,” 1983-2004.

“Everything is made from scratch,” Garrett said, “(including) the bricks that he used for Sutter’s Fort and the chimneys.”

Garrett explained that Quattrociocchi uses clay that he rolls and then scores to make each brick one 16th of an inch, which she said he then bakes in the oven.

The tiny bricks are “half the size of an eraser end,” Garrett said, and “he lays them out just like you would build a brick house.”

Quattrociocchi cuts and shapes glass for the miniature building windows and uses wood veneer to construct the window frames, using small precision tools like an exacto knife, Garrett said.

“I thought this was an exhibition that many of the travelers could really relate to because people have memories of traveling to these places, or have memories of the miniature buildings themselves,” said Kempf.

Quattrociocchi’s passion for creating miniature models of the gold country first began in 1974, after his wife, Dixie, asked him to replicate a building of the flower shop she worked in at the time to give as a gift to her coworkers, Garrett said.

After the gift for his wife’s coworkers and an antique shadow box he made for his son, Quattrociocchi* said he decided to make a miniature frontier town inspired by a drawing of a Wells Fargo Bank in Columbia.

Postcards and historic pictures were used as a reference to create the models, Quattrociocchi said.

To give an idea of the process for building the miniature replicas, Quattrociocchi said the steeple and roof for the replica of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, in Arlington, Va., took 9,000 tiny redwood shingles.

Sutter’s Fort took three years to complete and is the biggest piece of Quattrociocchi’s Gold Rush era-inspired models, of which he has completed 75, Garrett said.

The replicas’ construction takes “anywhere from one month to three years depending the on the size and detail,” Quattrociocchi said.

An old paddle-wheel steamboat called “Young America,” incorporates hairpins, an aluminum can and redwood as part of the building materials. That original boat used to sail the Sacramento River in the 1850s, Garrett said.

Southern California ghost town of Bodie inspired many of the reproductions, said Quattrociocchi. Other buildings on display include The Eagle Theatre in Old Sacramento, The Old Columbia Firehouse and an Auburn Firehouse, Garrett said.

Kempf said she chose to exhibit Quattrociocchi’s miniature replicas after being contacted via email by Garrett. She was captivated by Quattrociocchi’s lifelong passion and also the painstaking work devoted to the creation process, Kempf said.

Four plexiglass cases house the tiny buildings and are displayed in the downstairs area of Terminal B. Six additional cases are available to ticketed passengers only, said Kempf.

Art in Public Places has been working with the Sacramento International Airport to display exhibitions for the past seven years, said Kempf.

“It brings back memories,” Quattrociocchi said about his work. “It makes people smile. It represents Sacramento in the old country.”

*Nancy Garrett, spoke in the interview for her uncle who suffers from macular degeneration, a medical condition that is causing him to lose his eyesight.

Editorial Note: A correction has been made to this story after it was published.

Explosion damages Sacramento's Airport - simulated

2011-05-05T23:33:08Z

On Tuesday, 1pm, an improvised explosive device (IED) denoted in the public area of the International Arrivals Building at Sacramento's airport.

Significant structural damage impacted two floors.

Four people were killed by the explosion and six were seriously injured, four minor.

A Cougar Air 5150, a Boeing 737, was taxiing to Gate 40. The aircraft's air frame was extensively damaged due to flying derbris from the explosion.

The aircraft initiated emergency evacuation and passengers deplaned via slides onto the tarmac.

Of the 60 passengers on board five are deceased, 11 seriously injured, and five with minor injuries. Among the five crew members one is deceased, one seriously injured and three uninjured.

If you're wondering why you hadn't heard of this on the major news channels it's because it didn't happen.

But 16 agencies involved responded as if it did.

Lots of volunteers participated, most of them playing the victims. They were made-up with varying colors of stuff applied to their faces, legs, arms and necks. They were given a card telling them how to role-play as a victim.

Emergency personnel arrived in droves and got down to business helping the victims.

The 'airplane passengers' were actually in a bus on the tarmac. Many walked off unscathed. Some didn't.

A man carrying his dead 'child' went berserk!One was handcuffed by a Sheriff's deputy for something he said.One 'injured' passenger couldn't breath, all he could do was cough and barely move.

The most seriously 'injured' were laid on the tarmac,then transported hospitals.

I showed up in my Red Cross shirt and my camera, so I was assigned the role of Reporter. The freedom I was allowed yesterday would not be the case in a real emergency.

Everyone was told to "react how you would if this were a real emergency".

Certain airports are required to conduct this exercise every three years.

It allows responders the opportunity to perform as they would in a real emergency in a no-fault learning environment.

Sacramento County Airport System contributes $4 billion a year to local economy

2011-03-08T22:39:04Z

Every year, the Sacramento County Airport System creates 11,000 jobs with a payroll of $442.5 million and contributes approximately $4 billion to the local economy, according to the Airport System’s most recent economic impact study.

The results of the study were delivered to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The study includes data from Sacramento International Airport, Mather Airport and Executive Airport.

“The Sacramento County Airport System is a bright spot in this slowly recovering economy,” said Interim County Executive Steven Szalay, “and the new terminal opening later this year at Sacramento International Airport will ensure that our region has an airport ready to handle future growth.”

The economic impact study report is based on data collected in 2008 and includes the following highlights:

Businesses and government agencies at Airport System airports directly employ 4,170 people, and contribute 6,830 off-airport jobs
The direct employment payroll for on-airport jobs is $208.1 million, with an additional payroll of $234.4 million for off-airport jobs
The economic impact in 2008 for the three airports in the study was as follows:
- Sacramento International Airport - $4.05 billion
- Mather Airport - $151.3 million
- Executive Airport - $20.7 million
The Airport System’s projected annual economic impact from 2009 to 2013 is as follows:
- 2009 – $3.897 billion
- 2010 – $3.866 billion
- 2011 - $4.095 billion
- 2012 - $4.339 billion
- 2013 - $4.597 billion

We are proud to be a major driver of the economy in Sacramento,” said Sacramento County Airport System Director G. Hardy Acree, “and our focus over the next few years is to continue to improve our facilities to meet the needs of our growing community.”

Sacramento County Airport System began construction on the “Big Build” at Sacramento International Airport in June 2008. The program is designed to meet future air travel demand by replacing the outdated 216,000-square-foot/13-gate Terminal B with the new 669,000-square-foot/19-gate Central Terminal B. Construction is on-schedule and on-budget. The new facility is expected to open in late 2011.

A full copy of the economic impact study can be found on the Airport System’s website at www.sacairports.org.

Disclosure: Karen Doron is a Communication & Media Officer for the Sacramento County Airport System.

Airport seeks local creativity for time capsule ideas

2011-01-07T22:46:23Z

What do a local restaurant menu, a preloaded MP3 player with chart-topping songs and souvenirs from the American River Parkway have in common? All three are being considered for inclusion in the New Central Terminal B 2011 time capsule at Sacramento International Airport. Sacramento County Airport System is asking local residents to share their creative ideas for more items to place in the capsule. Ideas should include small items that focus on the year 2011, Northern California or the airport.

The County Airport System recently launched a survey about the time capsule. A link to the survey can be found on sacairports.org or bigbuild.org. Airport fans can also share their ideas via Twitter @SacIntlAirport or on Facebook at facebook.com/sacintlairport. The deadline to submit ideas is Jan. 31.

The airport plans to install the time capsule in late 2011 during the opening ceremonies of the New Central Terminal B. Airport and local officials will unearth the capsule during the groundbreaking ceremonies of a future airport expansion in 20 or 30 years.

Sacramento County Airport System is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field. For more information, visit www.sacairports.org.

Disclosure: Karen Doron is a Communication & Media Officer for the Sacramento County Airport System.

A look inside Sacramento International's Terminal B

2010-11-13T05:39:01Z

Sacramento International Airport’s expansion – dubbed “The Big Build” – is on-track to be completed by the end of next year, providing 19 new gates and an all-new, two-building terminal.

“We started this effort in May of 2000,” said G. Hardy Acree, director of the Sacramento County Airport System. “We started construction in June of 2008 and are 30 months into a 42-month construction cycle.”

The new terminal, known as Terminal B, will be composed of two buildings connected by an above-ground people-moving train system.

The “land-side” portion of the terminal will front a two-level roadway, with one level for arrivals and the other for departures. That section will also include ticket sales, retail shops and food vendors.

The Sacramento Press took part in a tour of the “air-side” portion of the new terminal, which will contain passport control and customs, 19 gates connected by a concourse and the terminal’s security checkpoint.

Originally included in the plans were a hotel and additional parking structure, but Acree said the economy forced those to be nixed for now.

The projected cost of the project is $1.08 billion, but Acree said he believes the final amount will be closer to $1.03 billion.

Bond sales were recently completed, and Acree said the financing is all assembled.

“A lot of the uncertainty and the risk associated with this program has been run out,” he said.

The area in the above photo is the site of the future customs and passport control point. The floor – like most of the terminal’s floorspace – is done in eco-friendly terrazzo in blue and green to represent the importance of agriculture and water to Sacramento, according to Bryan Leavitt, air-side design manager for Corgan Associates, the terminal’s architects.

The air-side portion of Terminal B is oriented on an east/west axis and is currently built to house 19 gates, but is capable of future expansion to 27 gates.

The interior of the Terminal B concourse will have its high-traffic areas paved in terrazzo while the less-trafficked seating areas will be carpeted. Large windows will allow natural light to handle all the lighting for the terminal most of the year, saving on electricity. Special sunshades and window treatments keep the sunlight from heating the terminal, and it is projected to receive a LEED silver certification.

In the hub of the Terminal B concourse is a food court. Leavitt said the space is designed like a shopping mall, and the food court is centrally located just past the security checkpoint.

The above space will house a sit-down restaurant near the food court.

Trains will carry passengers from the land-side portion of the terminal to the point in the photo above, which will house the security checkpoint. Leavitt said the train ride will take 45 seconds.

Trains will arrive at the above spot. If a train breaks down or there is an emergency, passengers can be moved between the terminal buildings on foot between the twin train tracks.

The air-side portion of Terminal B viewed from the train tracks connecting it to the land-side portion.

The photo at the top of the article is the land-side portion of Terminal B as seen from the train tracks connecting it to the air-side portion.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

State of Sacramento County event looks at global airline industry, airport

2010-11-09T00:47:32Z

Changes are coming to the commercial airline industry that will affect the region’s businesses. One of the nation’s leading commercial airline industry economic analysts, Bill Swelbar, is the featured speaker at the State of the Sacramento County event, hosted by the Sacramento Metro Chamber on Wednesday, Nov. 10.

Swelbar, a research engineer who advised Congress on the recent merger of Continental and United Airlines, will talk about the global airline industry and its impact on businesses and the Sacramento region.

Also speaking will be Chair of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Roger Dickinson, Interim Sacramento County Executive Steven Szalay and Sacramento County Airport System Director Hardy Acree. The event will be held 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the SacJet Hangar at Sacramento International Airport, 5885 Flightline Circle, Sacramento.

For more information, click here.

Photo: Artist's rendering of concessions at the new Terminal B, Sacramento International Airport.

Hal Silliman is communications director for the Sacramento Metro Chamber.

Old Soul in the airport

2010-10-27T00:57:15Z

Sacramento International Airport’s Terminal B will welcome Starbuck’s, Peet’s and yes, Old Soul Co.

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors announced its final decision Tuesday and Old Soul Co. co-owner Jason Griest couldn’t be happier.

“We feel great about it,” he said. “We’ve had some really, really productive talks in the last two or three weeks, and we feel like it’s an honor to be part of something that’s going to be so big for Sacramento and the region. We’re really excited about it.”

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors amended its previous vote in order to accept the agreement between Old Soul Co. and SSP, a company that owns and operates food concessions at airports, which gives Old Soul a prime location in airport Terminal B.

The coffeehouse will be located in the pre-security section of the land side of Terminal B, allowing access to all 6 million projected people frequenting the airport, according to Griest.

There was already an agreement between SSP and Old Soul as of three weeks ago, but the board still needed to give its recommendations and fine-tune the details.

“We had to make sure it was on the terms of something Old Soul wanted to do,” Griest said. “Something nice, and a fair representation of our brand the way we wanted it to be.”

With a space covering more than 1,000 square feet, this coffee shop is no kiosk. It’s the real deal.

“It’s probably one of, if not the nicest, coffeehouses you’re ever going to see,” said Old Soul Co. co-owner Tim Jordan. “We’re going to work out some really creative and innovative structures to make it a unique experience.”

Hardy Acree, director of airports for the Sacramento County Airport System, said he is pleased to support SSP in making Old Soul a part of the team.

“I think it adds the flavor of the Sacramento Airport that we’re looking for,” he said. “It’s going to reinforce that sense of place we’re trying to accomplish, so overall it’s definitely a good thing.”

The board reassured the airport representatives that there will be no financial ramifications for the induction of Old Soul as opposed to another commercial coffee company.

Construction will begin late next spring on the long-anticipated development of Sacramento’s local Old Soul Coffee Co. in the Sacramento International Airport projected to open Nov. 16, 2011.

Photo courtesy of Old Soul Co. website.

Kings Players to “Paint the Town” by Greeting Fans Throughout Sacramento

2010-10-13T23:00:44Z

As part of the NBA Cares campaign, “Paint the Town,” the Sacramento Kings will be greeting fans throughout the Sacramento region Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17 to thank them for their support in advance of the 2010-11 Kings season.

The entire Kings training camp roster, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Slamson and the Kings Breakers will interact with the Sacramento community at various locations. Fans are encouraged to attend and players will be available to greet and interact with fans.

Additionally, the Kings Karavan, a Kings-branded bus, will be on display at select locations and exciting Kings prizes will be awarded to Kings fans on-site.

Following is the full schedule of “Paint the Town” locations:

Saturday, October 16 (Four Locations):

2-3 p.m. - Carl's Jr., 2241 Del Paso Road, Sacramento (Players: Tyreke Evans, Marcus Landry)

3:30-4:30 p.m. - Elk Grove Library, 8900 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove (Players: Carl Landry, Francisco Garcia)

3:30-4:30 p.m. - Old Sacramento (Players: Donte' Greene, Beno Udrih, Luther Head)

5-6 p.m. - Fountains at Roseville, 1162 Roseville Parkway, Roseville (Players: DeMarcus Cousins, Pooh Jeter, Connor Atchley) *Kings Karavan on-site

Sunday, October 17 (Three Locations):

10:30-11:30 a.m. - Folsom Lake Ford & Kia, 12755 Folsom Blvd., Folsom (Players: Samuel Dalembert, Antoine Wright) *Kings Karavan on-site

4:30-5:30 p.m. - Arden Fair Mall, 1689 Arden Way, Sacramento (Players: Jason Thompson, Darnell Jackson, Joe Crawford)

6-7 p.m. - Sacramento International Airport, Terminal A (Players: Omri Casspi, Hassan Whiteside)

Disclosure: Alex Sigua is the Public Relations Coordinator for Maloof Sports & Entertainment

Bigger.Badder.Better.

2010-10-13T01:17:25Z

Sacramento's Kings unveiled their newest and highly visible humongous banner today. It's on the side of Parking Garage A at the Sacramento International Airport. At 28ft tall and 55.5ft wide it bears intense images of five of the Kings frontcourt players: veteran center Samuel Dalembert, the NBA’s Rookie of the Month for July, DeMarcus Cousins, rookie shot-blocking sensation Hassan Whiteside and three-year NBA veterans Jason Thompson and Carl Landry. It's all part of their campaign "Here We Rise" which is a tribute to the Kings and the Sacramento Kings community coming together.

Visit http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/37166/Kings_announce_Here_We_Rise_campaign

For further details, visit http://HereWeRise.com

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

The Big Build at Sacramento International Airport

2010-04-27T20:03:52Z

A United Airlines passenger jet makes a landing yesterday just to the west of the new expansion project, The Big Build, at Sacramento International Airport.

According to a press release, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded an $8.6 million Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant to Sacramento International Airport the first week of April. It is the second installment in the seven year $59 million FAA Letter of Intent (LOI) funding program for the Big Build at Sacramento. AIP funds support construction of terminal aprons, taxiways and overnight aircraft parking for the Big Build project.

“On a project as large as the Big Build, funding is a critical piece of the overall program and the support of the Federal government is very important, “said Roger Dickinson, Chairman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. “Every dollar of grant money helps reduce the amount of bond funding we have to borrow and helps us complete the project on time and on budget.”

The Big Build is designed to meet current and future air travel demands by replacing the outdated Terminal B with a 669,000 square foot multi-story terminal. The new Central Terminal B will offer 19 aircraft gates, a two-level roadway system, 42,000 square feet of concessions space, an international arrivals facility and an automated people mover. The airside construction projects supported by the AIP grants are necessary to facilitate movement of aircraft around the new terminal.

“One of our goals for this project is to create an even more efficient airfield,” said Interim Sacramento County Executive Steven Szalay, “and the aprons and taxiway funded by this grant will help us achieve that goal.”

The Letter of Intent program is designed to provide annual grants over a seven-year period concluding in fiscal year 2015.
Sacramento County Airport System is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field.

The Big Build Facts:

    •    Approximately 1 million labor hours have been spent on the Big Build. That equals $38.6 million in straight wages for the people working on the project.
    •    Over the course of the Big Build, approximately 2400 jobs will be created
    •    On any given day, about 400 people are working directly on site
    •    The total economic impact for the Big Build construction project is approximately $2 billion
    •    By the year 2020, the new terminal will produce $2.6 billion in economic impact and 16,500 jobs annually

Since construction began on the Landside project: 13,750 truckloads of dirt were excavated to form the basement for this new terminal. 5.1 million pounds of rebar have been used, 32,565 cubic yards of concrete have been poured, 609 piles have been driven, and 5000 tons of steel have been erected.

Also see: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/25728/Sacramento_International_Road_Closure_Returns

For more information on the system, visit www.sacairports.org.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Sacramento International Road Closure Returns

2010-04-27T20:02:14Z

Sacramento International Road Closure Returns

SACRAMENTO, CA. — Sacramento International Airport will close the Terminal B split from Airport Boulevard effective Monday, May 3, 2010 through the end of terminal construction, currently scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011. During the closure, vehicle traffic to terminal B will follow the same route as for Terminal A to support Big Build construction phasing.

“We performed a ‘pilot’ closure of inbound Airport Boulevard for one week in
March to determine if we could successfully close the roadway to realize construction
phasing benefits with minimal impact to our customers. The pilot was successful. ” said
G. Hardy Acree, Sacramento County Airport System Director of Airports. “The closure
will require our customers to learn a new route, but our goal is to minimize
inconvenience while maintaining or accelerating the construction schedule.”

• During the closure, passengers should arrive approximately 15 minutes earlier
than they normally do to ensure a stress- free experience and timely arrival for flights.
To prevent traffic congestion, drivers are encouraged to refrain from circling the
airport when picking up passengers. Parking in the hourly lots or using the free Cell
Phone Lot located near the airport entrance is preferred. Drivers staged in the Cell Phone
Lot should wait until their passengers collect all baggage before exiting the lot to ensure
that they will not need to circle the airport. Parking or waiting at terminal curbs is
prohibited.
Construction phasing also requires the continued closure of the Terminal B Daily
Parking Lot. Drivers with flights departing from Terminal B have the following parking
options:
· Economy Parking at the posted rate of $9 per day. Parking shuttle service is
available to transport passengers to Terminal B.
· Terminal A Parking Garage, Daily Levels are open at the posted rate of $2 per
½ hour or $15 per day. Inter-terminal Shuttle service is available to transport
passengers to Terminal B.
· Terminal A Surface Lot, located adjacent to the garage, is open at the posted
rate of $2 per ½ hour or $13 per day. Parking shuttle service is available to
transport passengers to Terminal B.
· Terminal B Hourly Parking will remain open with a new entrance point.
Drivers travel can access Terminal B Hourly Parking just beyond Terminal B.
The posted rate of $2 per ½ hour or $27 per day will apply.
During construction drivers and pedestrians are urged to stay alert. Drivers
should watch for pedestrians and drive at posted speeds for safety. Pedestrians should
exercise caution when entering a crosswalk.
Sacramento County Airport System is responsible for planning, developing,
operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport,
Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field.

For more information on the system, visit www.sacairports.org.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

State of the Airports event today: Sacramento as bolder crossroads for commerce

2009-11-12T17:07:40Z

Transportation experts will gather today, Nov. 12, at Sacramento International Airport to review trends and specific projects that can make the Sacramento region a new international crossroads for goods movement to the Pacific Rim while providing new job and business opportunities for our region.

An update on The Big Build expansion project at Sacramento International Airport will show how Sacramento will be well positioned to serve both passengers and goods needed for the projected increase of 14 million in the state’s population by 2035. The event is hosted by the Northern California World Trade Center, an affiliate of the Sacramento Metro Chamber.

“If we think big and act boldly, the Sacramento region can become a goods movement hot spot for the West Coast and over time become a gateway to the Pacific Rim and beyond,” said Northern California World Trade Center President & CEO Michael Faust. “We have the airports, and we are growing the water port capacity, highways and railroads that make us a true crossroads for commerce. As other regions like the Bay Area reach their people-moving capacity, their goods movement capacity will be adversely affected. If we think big, act strategically and pursue bold projects, we will become a goods movement leader on the West Coast.”

Speakers include: Aviation Economist Fred Davis, Sabre Solutions, who will provide a forecast on the aviation industry, and Director Hardy Acree, Sacramento County Airport System, who will provide an update on The Big Build.

A Region Goods Movement Overview Panel will be moderated by Dan Throgmorton, associate vice chancellor of Workforce and Economic Development, Los Rios Community College District.

The panelists are Fred Davis, Sabre Solutions; Hardy Acree, Sacramento County Airport System; Mike Luken, Port of West Sacramento; and Rob Leonard, assistant county executive for economic development, Sacramento County.

The event will be held 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., today, at the SACjet Hangar, Sacramento International Airport. Contact 916-519-1218 for more event information.

NYE fog delays at Sacramento International

2008-12-31T19:48:52Z

Fog has cancelled at least one flight this morning at Sacramento International Airport. Mine.
Well, my aunt’s. She was flying in from Portland to visit my mother, but after circling the airport for the better part of an hour Wednesday morning, she was off to Palm Springs. She should be back today, later. But keep in mind that it’s wise at this time of year - especially when it’s foggy - to check arrivals at the airport.
I tried to get more general information from the airport itself about flights and delays today, but I was surprised to find that the airport doesn’t have a central information line for weather information. Or if they do, it’s not for you and me.
This makes sense if you’re just calling about one flight, so I called my airline (Alaska/Horizon) and they routed me to an 800 number. After going through a couple of rounds of pick-a-number, I got alive human being. I told him I was wanting to find out about a canceled flight at SMF, he asked, “They’re having bad weather in Sacramento?”
Hmmm...When you’re the one giving information to the person you’ve called for information, well...better luck next year?
In any case, my aunt is now in Palm Springs, enjoying the weather and planning another flight to Sacramento this afternoon. We hope. I’m waiting on the line for her to give me information because she’s more likely to have it than anyone I can call.
And we’ll hope the sun burns off the fog. And I was enjoying the fog SO much last night, as it swirled around the federal building downtown, and crept through Land Park. LOVE the fog...
But take this as a friendly reminder: For the next few days, don’t forget to check with your airline to make sure that your departing - or arriving - flight will be able to do its thing. Fog is forecast for tomorrow as well...