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The Science of a Successful Airport - State of DIA 2013
In 1976, Kim Day sat in class at Cornell University as her lecturer, the famed astronomer and astrophysicist Carl Sagan, captured both her attention and her imagination.
"Carl Sagan's class for beginning astronomers was as much about the scientific process as it was about the moon and the stars," Day said.
Sagan's philosophy seemed to have struck a chord with the now aviation manager, who told a crowd of more than 500 people during her annual State of DIA address on March 12 that the scientific method has a place today in how Denver International Airport does business.
"We plan, evaluate, plan, hypothesize, and plan some more," Day said. "We imagine worst-case scenarios and plan for them."
In short, she said, "We take nothing for granted."
This year was the fifth in a row that Day has given her annual speech, which was hosted by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and the Metro Denver Aviation Coalition. The address is an opportunity to update business owners, business leaders, government employees, elected officials, and aviation industry professionals about all the things happening at DIA.
After being introduced by Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, Day told the audience that despite ever-looming challenges within the aviation industry, DIA is in a strong position to adapt as needed.
"I can report that we are as well positioned as any airport to absorb whatever new challenge might be waiting for us — and that's due to our methodical approach to planning combined with our deep recognition that we don't operate alone." she said.
Speaking about DIA's accomplishments in 2012, Day highlighted new routes, including new service to three international destinations – Reykjavik, Mexico City and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. She said that 2013 will bring more excitement in terms of air service, with flights to Tokyo scheduled to begin later this spring by United. The airport also is working to secure service to Panama City, Panama, which provides unparalleled options for reaching destinations across the South American continent.
Day also took time to recognize the airport's partners who have stood by DIA for so long. In September of this year, British Airways will celebrate 15 years of providing nonstop service between Denver and London.
"The industry was quite different in 1998, and we are proud that British Airways has continued to find success on this route," Day said.
New concessions and other amenities coming to DIA this year were also hot topics this year, as the airport welcomes Elway's steakhouse, Udi's Café and Bar, and more. DIA has also launched its Premium Value Program for its concessionaires, which rewards top performers with new leases and ensures that DIA will have dozens of additional opportunities for new and existing partners.
"Over the next three years, more than 100 existing restaurant and retail spaces will be transformed with new and improved products and offerings for customers—about 75 percent of our existing locations," Day said.
She added that DIA will be seeking a better blend of international, national, and local brands and operators like some of the more recent selections – The Tattered Cover, Xpress Spa, Dunkin' Donuts, City Wok, Wetzell's Preztels, Steve's Snappin' Dogs and others—to boost appeal for travelers.
She also noted DIA's cutting-edge participation in the Federal Aviation Administration's new NextGen program, which allows for continuous descent and ascent for inbound and outbound flights and, in the process, reduces fuel needs and associated costs. The South Terminal Redevelopment Program also is in full swing, with progress being made on both the RTD commuter rail line and accompanying Westin Hotel.
Looking to DIA's financial future, Day talked about the major opportunities on the horizon, in 2025, when the airport's original bonds are paid off. DIA could then become one of the lowest-cost airports in the country, according to Day.
"Do you think that would make DIA an appealing destination?" Day asked. "That's a legitimate option to consider and if that's not the definition of a 'paradigm shift,' I don't know what is."
The airport will also be working on a new long-term financial plan, she added.
"We need to anticipate what that means for the entire financial operation at DIA — airlines will see lower costs as we have less debt service they need to pay, but what do we do with the money that was once going to bond payments and that is still coming in? We will have in-depth conversations with all of our partners, including the airlines. We will be talking, in fact, to everyone about that."
Day then announced that Visit Denver and the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation are the joint recipients of the 2013 DIA Partner in Aviation Award. The organizations were selected for the annual award for their commitment and partnership in bringing the Denver-Tokyo route to Denver International, which is expected to bring economic opportunities for Denver and the Colorado region.
"It's our pledge to take the ingredients you gave us and make the most of them through good stewardship, responsiveness, imagination, and entrepreneurialism…sustaining, now and in the future, our shared vision of DIA as a world-class airport serving the needs of our local, regional and global communities," Day told the crowd. "But we are doing it with you, together."
Tuskegee Airmen Honored at DIA
Many an American World War II bomber pilot or gunner was heartened by the sight of fighter aircraft with red tails accompanying them on a sortie.
These crimson tailed aircraft belonged to the extraordinary flyer unit called the Tuskegee Airmen. Bomber crews knew they had a better chance to complete their missions when the red tails appeared to protect them from attacking enemy planes.
African-American pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and ground crews—segregated from the white units in the U.S. Army Air Corps—were schooled at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, and became known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Tuskegee already was part of the Civilian Pilot Training Program, which was established nationwide in 1939, and could accommodate a flying school. So, when Congress passed the Selective Service Act on Sept. 16, 1940, requiring the military to induct African-American men, and when a month later President Franklin Roosevelt announced that some of these men would be trained as Army pilots (blacks had been barred from military flying before this date), Tuskegee was the Army Air Corps' choice for establishing its all-black squadron, keeping it apart from white squadrons.
The Tuskegee Airmen were "the vanguard for racial equality in the armed forces of the United States," wrote a scholar at the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
In August 1941, the first class of cadets entered the aviation program at Tuskegee. By December 1942, nine classes had graduated, and the institute's first fighter squadron—the 99th—was formed. During the summer of 1943, the 99th was seeing action in North Africa and Sicily. Mainland Italy became the base of operations for Tuskegee's 99th and 332nd fighter groups, which began combat missions in February 1944.
By the war's end, the two squadrons had achieved more than 100 aerial victories and earned a comparable number of Distinguished Flying Crosses. Tuskegee Airmen had flown more than 1,000 missions, accompanying hundreds of bombers into Germany or to other strategic targets.
At the dedication of a new exhibit at Denver International Airport last month, the Hubert L. "Hooks" Jones local chapter of the national Tuskegee Airmen Inc. honored Colorado men documented as original Tuskegee Airmen.
All of the 19 honorees are represented in the exhibit with a poster-size biography illustrated with a photograph taken when they were in active service. The biographies are mounted on display cases, and within some of the cases are memorabilia from the airmen's active service in the Army Air Corps or, later, the U.S. Air Force.
The exhibit honors the following Colorado Tuskegee Airmen (listed with military ranks):
Maj. Warren D. Alexander
Lt. Col. Richard L. Biffle, Jr.
Maj. Omar O. Blair
Flight Officer Lawrence A. Brown
Cadet Randolph "Randy" Edwards
Maj. James Harrison
Lt. Col. James H. Harvey III
Capt. Samuel C. Hunter, Jr.
Col. Hubert L. "Hooks" Jones
2nd Lt. Franklin Macon
Chief Master Sgt. Julius D. "JD" Mason
Lt. Col. John E. Mosley, Jr.
Col. Fitzroy "Buck" Newsum
James E. Randall
Lt. Col. Marion Raymond Rodgers
Lt. Col. Clarence Shivers
1st Lt. David A. Smith
Tech. Sgt. William A. Walters
Chief Master Sgt. Livingston Williams
Of these 19 original Tuskegee Airmen, Edwards, Harvey, Hunter, Macon, Mosley, Randall, and Rodgers are still living, and all except Harvey, Rodgers, and Mosley (who grew up in Denver), were able to attend the ceremony.
The original flight helmets (leather or canvas) of several airmen can be seen in the exhibit, as well as a piece of army luggage, a first-aid kit, student workbook, and other items. Lt. Col. Biffle's medals and Capt. Hunter's uniform are displayed.
A group of Tuskegee veterans—Alexander, Jones, Mosley, and others—formed the Denver chapter of Tuskegee Airmen in 1973 with the goal of motivating "young minority individuals to aspire, seek, and achieve successful careers in aviation, mathematics, engineering, and aerospace." When Hubert L. "Hooks" Jones died in 1975, members renamed their chapter to commemorate this Denver aviator.
Denver's chapter has approximately 60 members, not all of whom are Tuskegee Airmen—some are active and retired military, civil servants, and private citizens from numerous walks of life. For 15 years, the chapter has sponsored the Mile High Flight Program, which seeks to:
- Educate youth about aviation and aerospace opportunities through tours and hands-on activities
- Provide long- and short-term mentoring for its students
- Share the Tuskegee Airmen's rich history
At the ceremony, chapter officials unveiled new highway signs renaming Interstate 70 in Colorado to "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail." This special recognition of the Tuskegee Airmen is part of a nationwide effort to create a lasting memorial to our nation's celebrated heroes.
All Tuskegee Airmen were award the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2007. President George W. Bush saluted them and said, "These men in our presence felt a special sense of urgency. They were fighting two wars. One was in Europe and the other took place in the hearts and minds of our citizens."
Tuskegee Veterans
Edwards enlisted in 1945 and was still training when the war ended. He was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. In 1953, he was assigned to the Navigator Program at Ellington Air Force Base. He then had a 27-year career as a detective with the New York City Police.
Harvey received his commission as a second lieutenant in 1944 and became part of the 332nd Fighter Group. He was the first black jet fighter pilot to fly missions (126) over Korea. He retired from the Air Force in 1965 after a distinguished career, which included being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Hunter graduated from West Virginia State College with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He learned to fly through the Civilian Pilot Training Program and became a flight instructor at Tuskegee, ultimately becoming a cadet and graduating as a captain. He left the service in 1945 and was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves as a civilian.
After receiving basic training in the Army Air Corps at Keesler Field in Biloxi, Miss., Macon went to Tuskegee for advanced training, where he excelled despite his white instructors trying to manipulate his scores so that he would fail. He became a gunnery instructor at the institute when he ruptured his eardrums one week before graduating. He left military service in 1946, but flew in the Civil Air Patrol and became an aircraft and helicopter mechanic.
A star athlete and ROTC member at Colorado State University, Mosley decided he wanted to fly and received his pilot's license through the Civilian Pilots Training Program. When he was drafted he was sent to Army artillery school instead of flight training. Finally reaching Tuskegee, Mosley graduated and was assigned to the 477th Squadron for bomber pilot instruction. At war's end, he left the service until being recalled during the Korean Conflict. He continued to serve in the Air Force for 18 years and then worked for the federal government.
Randall served in the Air Force for 31 years before retiring in 1980 with more than 7,300 logged hours of flying. He was sent to Tuskegee for advanced pilot instruction in 1945, but arrived as the war was ending and instruction waning. He was recalled to service in 1949 and sent to flight school, where he graduated as a fighter pilot, flying the P-51 Mustang. He completed instructor's school and began teaching basic flying and then advanced P-51 training. He fought in the Korean War and Southeast Asia (where he was shot down). Randall test flew the F-111 and eventually was assigned to the Air Defense Command in Colorado Springs.
In 1944, Rodgers flew 68 combat missions with the 99th Fighter Squadron. He stayed with the Air Force and was promoted to commander of the squadron in 1948. After several assignments in communications and radar, he was assigned to the Air Defense Command, where he served until retiring from the military in 1965. He became program manager for the Apollo project at the Goddard Space Flight Center and rejoined the Air Force for two years before transitioning into a civil service career that lasted until 1983.
Taste of City Wok
The redolence of chicken and beef sizzling in a wok with vegetables and spices will now entice passengers at B Gates. A new tenant, City Wok, has moved onto the center core mezzanine level.
City Wok is a made-to-order Chinese cuisine restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a contemporary and casual dining atmosphere. This is the restaurant's first Colorado location.
City Wok is a six-time winner of the Desert Sun's "Best of the Valley" award in the Chinese restaurant category. The Desert Sun covers news and lifestyle happenings in Palm Desert, Calif. City Wok also has been recognized as a "Concept of Tomorrow" by Restaurant Hospitality. City Wok's East-meets-West approach combines authentic Chinese dishes with an exhibition kitchen and affordable prices.
About City Wok
Launched in 1990 in North Hollywood by restaurateur Stuart Davis, City Wok has locations in Palm Desert, San Diego, Studio City, the Dominican Republic and Washington Dulles International Airport. To learn more, visit www.citywok.com
Udi's Café and Bar Now Open at Denver International Airport
Udi's, a Denver business which evolved from Udi The Sandwich Man, opened its ninth café location on March 11 at DIA's B Gates.
Emphasizing fresh, quality ingredients and simple authentic dishes produced with great culinary sense, Udi's serves made-to-order salads, paninis, burgers, and sandwiches on its own artisan breads, which are baked fresh daily in Colorado.
For travelers with special dietary needs, Udi's provides vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free food options. At its full service bar, guests will enjoy signature cocktails, beers on tap and by the bottle (including gluten-free beers),and 10 selections of absinthe from around the world.
Udi Baron and his wife Fern founded the company in 1994 with a simple premise: "Everyone loves delicious food—why not make some?"
DIA travelers will experience many new food and beverage options over the next several years, as more than 75 percent of DIA's concession locations transform because of expiring leases. This transformation will lead to a great mix of local and national brands, and Udi's is a perfect example of new local flavor at the airport. Air passengers will benefit from these world-class, fresh new products and services.
For more information about Udi's, follow this link to its corporate Web site: udisfood.com
DIA's concession program consists of more than 170,000 square feet of retail space inside the airport that includes 147 locations offering an exciting culinary, fashion and retail experience. In 2011, the concession program generated more than $269 million in annual gross sales and more than $47 million in revenue to the airport.
For more information about retail store opportunities, please e-mail concessions@flydenver.com or visit http://business.flydenver.com/bizops/concessions.asp.
Denver International Airport now in Visit Denver's Tourism Hall of Fame
Denver's second largest industry—tourism—honored DIA, United Airlines, and four other "Tourism Stars" at a gala on March 6, 2013.
Visit Denver hosted the Denver and Colorado Tourism Industry Hall of Fame Dinner at the Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Proceeds from the event, which also featured a silent auction, went to the Visit Denver Foundation.
The Tourism Hall of Fame is the highest award for Denver's travel industry, which had its best year ever in 2011 with 13.3 million overnight visitors, generating more than $3.3 billion in spending.
Winning Tourism Star Awards for their significant impacts on Denver's tourism industry were the Denver Art Museum for its blockbuster shows Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective and Becoming Van Gogh; the Denver Zoo, which inaugurated the Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit; the new History Colorado Center and exhibits; the NCAA Women's Final Four ($20 million of economic impact to Denver); and to United Airlines and Denver International Airport for securing a new nonstop flight between Denver and Tokyo.
Also inducted into the Denver and Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame were: rock n' roll concert promoter Barry Fey; former Denver Art Museum director, Dr. Lewis I. Sharp; and Denver tour operator Sid Wilson of A Private Guide.
Since 1999, the Visit Denver Foundation has given out more than $460,000 in scholarships to 189 Colorado students who have pursued careers in tourism and hospitality.
White Nights (and Days)
Did you know that Denver International Airport received nine inches of snow Sunday, Feb. 24 and 5.4 inches on March 9 and kept its runways clear and open? We have approximately 250 pieces of snow removal equipment and more than 500 trained snow removal personnel. Snow removal teams tackled two runways at a time, averaging 15 minutes a pass, so at least one departure and one arrival runway were open continuously throughout the duration of the storm. Watch DIA's snow removal 101 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHnIFfSo0xw.
Air Service News
A Texas Nonstop with Spirit
Starting June 13, 2013, Spirit Airlines will operate daily nonstop service between Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Denver.
The new nonstop flight between Denver and Houston continues on to Orlando with same plane service. The flight is scheduled to leave Denver at 9 a.m.
Frontier Brings Back Service to Harrisburg and Knoxville
Frontier Airlines said it will again offer service between Denver and Harrisburg, Pa., (MDT) and Knoxville, Tenn., (TYS) with three weekly nonstop flights beginning April 22, 2013.
Frontier Airlines to Begin Seasonal Nonstop Flights to Greensboro, N.C.
When May arrives, Frontier Airlines will inaugurate nonstop service to Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, N.C. Frontier will operate the flights, starting May 1, 2013, three times a week, and they will be the only nonstop flights between Denver and Greensboro.
All seasonal service runs until fall.
United Inaugurates Flights to Dickinson, N.D.
This summer, on June 6, United will begin twice-daily nonstop service between Denver and Dickinson, N.D.
Contributors
Kevin Andrews – Photographer
Laura Coale – Writer
Douglas Howard – Design
Steve Klodt – Chief Editor
Heath Montgomery– Writer
City & County of Denver Department of Aviation
8500 Peña Boulevard | Denver, Colorado U.S.A. | 80249-6340
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