From February 18-24, the Department of Aviation joined the U.S. in recognizing National Engineers Week. One of America's largest STEM events of the year, National Engineers Week celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of engineers, technicians, and technologists. According to the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), this year’s theme, “Welcome to the Future”, is about celebrating today’s achievements and paving the way for a brighter and more diverse future in engineering.
On February 6, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) opened a new rebuilt restroom set in terminal A-West, the latest milestone in the Department of Aviation’s Restroom Renovation Program. This upgraded amenity marks the closeout of Phase Four of the program, which includes upgrades to five existing restrooms across PHL's terminals.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) engineers have completed the design phase of a comprehensive Taxiway S reconstruction project. This work includes removing existing asphalt, replacing the base material, and repaving the surface. Spanning from the intersections with Taxiway N and Taxiway U, this project will provide suitable pavement for aircraft movement forecasted through the end of 2040.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is currently in the midst of a multi-phased Fire Alarm/Prevention Upgrades Program. The first phase included an airport-wide upgrade of audio and visual notification system associated with the Fire Alarm and Detection System. The second phase replaced sensors and enhanced ventilation systems to meet safety occupancy requirements.
Last month, the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation awarded a contract to Hopeworks for geographic information system (GIS) tree mapping services at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
On September 5, the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation was joined by U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr., U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, U.S.
The eighth annual Professional Engineers Day was celebrated on August 2, however, with the new school year underway, the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation knows that professional development and potential careers are on the minds of many students. The airports' engineers want to share their experiences with high school and college students to help them better understand the path to becoming a professional engineer (PE).
In honor of Aviation Week, we reflect on the astounding growth of Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). From its modest inception on a 125-acre plot in 1925, PHL has expanded to an impressive 2,598 acres — a staggering 2,078% growth. This transformation underscores the airport's unwavering commitment to progress and operational excellence.
Every year, the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is excited to host college interns/co-ops and provide exposure to work experiences in the aviation industry. This year, seven students joined the Capital Development Group, contributing to an array of development projects across the airport. Here are some of their stories:
While we may take air conditioning for granted, we rely on this essential modern convenience – not only does it make indoor spaces more comfortable but, more importantly, it ensures safety from extreme temperatures. Heating and cooling in an aircraft is something the Department of Aviation takes very seriously and is an important part of the sustainability and operations of the airports.
On June 23, the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) celebrates the 10th annual International Women in Engineering Day (INWED).
Safety is of the upmost priority at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). One of the ways the airport remains prepared for emergencies and maintains the highest safety standards is through upgrading the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit's fire safety training equipment to the latest industry technology. These critical facility upgrades are part of PHL’s multi-billion dollar capital development program.
Philadelphia International Airport’s (PHL) Restroom Renovation Program has been awarded the 2023 March of Dimes Mission Award for its intentionally inclusive design towards traveling mothers.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is conducting a full upgrade to the current Video Management System (VMS) and its associated network infrastructure. The project will enhance and replace closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras across the airport.
In honor of National Engineers Week, the Department of Aviation is spotlighting two engineers on the airports' Capital Development team,
January is National Mentoring Month, a time to recognize connections between mentors and mentees and an opportunity to create new ones. Mentoring and being mentored is a significant part of personal and professional journeys for many, but making those connections can be difficult at first. To present a possible path to mentorship, Department of Aviation Deputy Director of Aviation-Capital Development Api Appulingam shared her experience mentoring Parisa Hosseini, a Ph.D.
On December 1, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) celebrated a milestone in the construction of its Pavement and Grounds (P&G) Crew Facility: the placement of the last steel girt.
The Division of Aviation leads programs and initiatives as a continual effort to attract new and diverse vendors. On Friday, December 2, the airport’s Capital Development Group and Purchasing Administration Unit Professional Services teams collaborated to host an in-person vendor engagement session on upcoming small purchase order contracts.
On Friday, October 7, members of the Division of Aviation and U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (Pa. 5) gathered in Philadelphia International Airport's (PHL) Terminal B/C Food Court for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the airport's newest restroom set, which features PHL's first built-in lactation suite.
Philadelphia International and Northeast Philadelphia Airports (PHL/PNE) hosted the 10th Annual Business Opportunity Forum (BOF). As advertised, small and diverse businesses from the Philadelphia area met virtually to understand the dynamics of doing business at PHL, learn about anticipated opportunities, and network with airport leadership and prime contractors.
On Friday, September 9, the City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), and local and elected officials gathered on Philadelphia International Airport's (PHL) Terminal D/E Regional Rail platform for a ground-breaking ceremony for the SEPTA Platform Rehabilitation project.
FAA Airport Improvement Program Funds Safety, Sustainability and Passenger Experience at PHL and PNE
In July and August, the City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation received over $4.6 million in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program for two exciting projects: $1,836,063 for the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE) infrastructure program at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and $2,784,537 for the Taxiway L Pavement Rehabilitation program at Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE).
On July 6, Aero Aggregates presented the PHL Remain Overnight (RON) Apron team (left) with a plaque for being their largest project to date, utilizing ultra-lightweight foamed glass aggregates (UL-FGA) to diver
June 23 is International Women in Engineering Day. The City of Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation celebrates the women engineers who make aviation safer, faster, and greener each year.
Philadelphia International Airport's (PHL) Terminals D and E curtain wall and vestibule upgrade will noticeably transform the exteriors and entrances along Departures Road. In addition to making the terminal entryways more attractive, the upgrade will improve energy efficiency and fire protection.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) received $1M in RACP (Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program) funding for the FDR Park Wetland Mitigation Project. RACP is a Pennsylvania grant program for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
Philadelphia International Airport's (PHL) Restroom Renovation Program is a multi-year, multi-million-dollar project to modernize all of the airport’s passenger-facing restrooms and add new ancillary spaces.
Taxiways are a critical airport infrastructure component that allow for efficient operations and help to avoid delays.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) recently completed pavement repairs at the Terminal D/E apron, replacing the most frequently used sections of concrete pavement within the terminal's alleyway. Much of the existing apron and taxilane pavement was over 60 years old and exhibiting signs of structural and environmental distress.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) received a $1 million Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Multimodal Transportation Fund grant for phase two of the airport’s Baggage Tug Tunnel project.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has reached Level 1 in its journey to Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA). The announcement was made by Airports Council International (ACI) at the 2021 ACI North America Conference and Exhibition in Reno, NV. PHL is one of only 20 accredited airports at Level 1 "Mapping" in North America.
Earlier this year, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) began the process of installing an air cleaning technology known as Bipolar Ionization (BI) in response to the airport’s new cleaning protocol implemented to remedy passenger and employee concerns about COVID-19 pandemic.
City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation Deputy Director of Aviation, Capital Development Api Appulingam accepted the 2021 Philadelphia Aviation Project Award at the March of Dimes Annual Transportation, Building and Construction awards luncheon on November 3.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) was awarded a $2.8 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) grant to purchase and install 11 pre-conditioned air (PCA) units in terminals D and E in partnership with PHL's airlines.
Lynne Perry, a resident engineer in the City of Philadelphia's Division of Aviation Capital Development Group, will be honored by the Women Builders Council (WBC) as one of the organization's 2021 Outstanding Women. Perry has been with the airport for more than 15 years, starting out as a contract administrator in 2006.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) celebrated the beginning of construction of its Pavement and Grounds (P&G) headquarters (“Building A”) with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 10.
Api Appulingam, P.E., Deputy Director of Aviation-Capital Development for the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation, was appointed Vice Chair of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee for 2
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) was awarded an $18 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program grant for the airport’s project to realign Taxiway P to meet the FAA’s 500-foot runway-taxiway separation requirement for low visibility operations. Taxiway P is currently located 400 feet south of Runway 9L-27R. PHL’s project will realign Taxiway P&nbs
Representatives from the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation and elected officials celebrated the construction of Philadelphia International Airport’s (PHL) new Remain Overnight (RON) aircraft parking apron at a groundbreaking on July 14.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has embarked on a program to replace older Explosive Detection System (EDS) machines -- the equipment that scans passengers' checked baggage prior to it being loaded onto an aircraft-- with newer, more efficient equipment. The existing CTX9400 EDS machines will be replaced with CTX-9800 SEIOs as part of the Terminal D-E Checked Baggage Inspection System (CBIS) Recapitalization project.
Beneath the bright and bustling passenger terminals of Philadelphia International Airport sits a hidden complex of roadways and tunnels, each of them traversed by baggage tug vehicles towing thousands of bags each day.
In an effort to expand the airport’s contractor base and open opportunities to more diverse firms, PHL’s Office of Business Diversity and Capital Development Group have scheduled a series of virtual roundtable networking sessions for Minority, Women, Diversity Business Enterprises (M/W/DBE). The first session was held in March.
In the past year, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has been sharply focused on ensuring the health and safety of passengers and employees using the facility.
Fiscal year 2020 was a historic year for federal and state grants as well as TSA’s Other Transactional Agreements, more than doubling Philadelphia International Airport’s (PHL) previous five-year averages of grants received. The $58.6 million in 2020 grants support a handful of infrastructure projects critical to the safety of passengers and operations both on the airfield and within the terminals.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has received $2 million in funding from the state of Pennsylvania for a project to construct an aircraft parking apron capable of accommodating up to eight planes.
The Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) East Airfield rehabilitation project has been named recipient of the 2021 Philadelphia Aviation Project Award in the March of Dimes Annual Transportation, Building and Construction awards.
To enhance pedestrian safety on its roadways, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has installed an In Road Warning Light (IRWL) system on its Arrivals Road and Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFB) on its South Commercial Road.
At Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), there are 111 passenger boarding bridges (PBBs), which facilitate the movement of passengers from terminal to aircraft. In 2010, a program was established to upgrade and replace the PBBs and ancillary equipment.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has been engaged in a major undertaking to replace and enhance the roofs of the terminal complex on the airport's Departures side, stretching from Terminal A-East to Terminal E. Work began earlier this year and is expected to be substantially completed by the end of December with final items of work and closeout by March 2021.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) recently completed a tide gate replacement project on Tinicum Outfall by the Delaware River just beyond the perimeter of PHL’s western boundary in Tinicum Township.
Api Appulingam is Elected President-Elect of the Women’s Transportation Seminar Philadelphia Chapter
Api Appulingam, Deputy Director of Aviation, Capital Development, at Philadelphia International and Northeast Philadelphia Airports, was recently chosen as President-Elect of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), Philadelphia Chapter.
As part of its continuous commitment to enhancing the guest experience, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has been modernizing its 48 sets of passenger-facing restrooms since 2012.
During the past few months, it has been well documented that women, especially those in racial minority groups, have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has been actively rehabilitating its East Airfield since spring 2019, restoring various pavement areas on the east side of the airport to improve the serviceability of the pavement and eliminate structural deficiencies. Work areas included the South Apron and Taxiway D South, Ta
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) received an $18 million Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for vital airfield infrastructure projects. The funds will be used to reconstruct Taxiway K and rehabilitate Runway 17-35, along with improvements to runway lighting.
Look, up in the sky… it’s a plane, it’s a helicopter, it’s an AW609 tiltrotor!
One immediate consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic for airports has been the disruption of active and planned capital projects. With airports facing a significant reduction of travelers, operations, and revenue, some infrastructure plans may become casualties.
Happy International Women in Engineering Day! Now in its seventh year, this special day celebrates women in engineering, while encouraging people all over the world to help raise the profile of women in engineering and to persuade girls and young women to consider engineering as a profession.
Since mid-March, when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, the Capital Development team has continued to assess the scope, schedule, and budget of every project to determine if it moves forward or stays paused.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, going out to your favorite restaurant, the mall, a concert or any other public space was an everyday occurrence. Now, according to The Washington Post, many Americans “are not ready to go out to their favorite destinations until they feel confident about being able to safely use a public restroom.”
The PHL/PNE Capital Development team is constantly in the process of modernizing the airport complexes to meet the evolving needs of travelers and remain world-class facilities. So, what is the team’s role now that PHL and PNE are experiencing reduced passenger traffic?
“Excuse me, where is the nearest bathroom?”
Oftentimes, restrooms are the first place airport guests visit when arriving and their last stop before departing. With this in mind, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is continuing its Restroom Renovation Program, a seven-phase project. When complete, all 48 sets of bathrooms at PHL will be modernized.