In Honor of Memorial Day

On this Federal holiday we at the Long Beach Airport (LGB) honor those members of the United States Armed Forces who have died while serving their country. Our country.

A flight of four Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons landed at LGB Friday. Captain Jason "Jaws" Curtis from Luke Air Force Base said he wants to shed light on the sacrifices that our soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors have made overseas. "Jaws" also wanted to say thank you because the pilots received a great welcome from some Long Beach fans.

The F-16s will fly over Anaheim Stadium on Monday afternoon.

18,000 Jobs Flying At Your LGB

Your Long Beach Airport (LGB) is a small mecca that three million travelers fly through yearly. Within our teeming walls, above our skies and on our roads, 18,000 mostly private sector jobs are thriving with an average income of about $78,000.

LGB flies an economic engine worth $6.2 billion in direct economic benefit to our community. For example, the Airport supports jobs in airlines, security, construction, flight schools, retail, restaurants, manufacturers and ground transportation. The total employment represents approximately 9% of all jobs within Long Beach, generating a payroll of $1.4 billion and $5.8 billion in sales.

With a national stage, LGB will have to look good and feel like a national star. Your Airport spends $10-million annually on runway maintenance as well as maintenance of other airport structures. In addition to the ongoing $10-million dollar annual maintenance, your LGB is in the midst of a series of infrastructure improvements to the airport. An example of a great project completed is the new parking structure which was built four-months ahead of schedule and $2 million under budget. The enhancements have produced 1000 construction jobs.

All of this without receiving any tax dollars. In fact, your LGB is a self-supporting enterprise, generating revenues via user fees and creating $6 billion in direct economic benefit to our community in 2011. This analysis confirms that your Airport is one of the important hubs that drives our local economy both inside and outside the airport fence line. Your Airport is a bright spot in a time of economic uncertainty.

We also know that a key to saving money in the long run is in our green efforts. All aspects of our modernization and development have incorporated green planning, design and construction practices. Your LGB has harnessed the power of the sun with solar panels to save energy. State of the art water faucets are used to reduce water consumption and the Airport has switched all airfield lights to LED which use a lot less power. These greening acts allow us to cut emissions and save money to invest in our future and in the community.

This connection between the Airport, its staff and the community it serves – for both Long Beach and the region as a whole – has been going on for decades. Since 1923 it has been an integral partner in the development of our community. Today as your Long Beach Airport continues to evolve and modernize, we are proud of the jobs we can support today and the jobs we can be a part of in the future.

Employee Recognition

Long Beach Airport is initiating an Employee Recognition Program to acknowledge employees for exemplary service. Each month, one employee will be selected by managers and supervisors to receive recognition and be profiled in the newsletter.

Margarita Wantz, Maintenance Assistant III, was recently highlighted in the City's safety newsletter, Safety Simply Stated.

Margarita Wantz receives her award from managers Carolyn Carlton-Lowe, Mario Rodriguez and Fred Pena 

Wantz was recognized for using proper safety equipment and employing correct safety warnings while vacuuming rainwater in the walkways. The article stated in part, "Margarita is using the floor scrubber around the terminal area to pick up the excess water that presents a slip hazard to the public and our employees. Margarita was in full compliance with the Personal Protective Equipment Policy as she was wearing safety shoes, gloves, high visible vest, and used warning signs and cones to mark off the work area for additional protection."

Merced Alatorre, Maintenance Assistant III, was recognized by a customer who recently traveled from LGB to Portland.

Merced Alatorre receives Congratulations from Airport Director, Mario Rodriguez

The customer's e-mail to us stated, "Every employee at the airport was remarkably courteous and friendly. In particular there was a maintenance employee cleaning the stairs that lead to the airport bar/lounge. He was on his hands and knees with a toothbrush removing god-knows-what from the steps. He was really being thorough. When I came back down the steps they looked spotless. I think people in those positions of employment rarely get the commendation they deserve, hence this email. Please let him know that all he does to maintain that airport is greatly appreciated."

Congratulations and well done, Margarita and Merced! Keep up the good work!

 

Mock Disaster Tests LGB, And We Are Ready

Your Long Beach Airport (LGB) is committed to providing excellent services and facilities in an intelligent, eco-friendly, efficient manner, respectful of our employees and the community that we serve. Our biggest commitment is the commitment to keep everyone safe.

On April 20, 2012, Long Beach Airport tested our ability to respond to a major incident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires a full on-site exercise at airports every three years to test emergency plans and procedures, communications frameworks and the coordination abilities of the responding agencies.

Evaluators look on, inspecting us closely.

Conducting a large-scale emergency response drill is a FAA requirement as a part of maintaining the airport’s operation certificate and demonstration compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations. The drill involved a simulated aircraft accident to test the response procedures and equipment readiness of fire rescue units and other emergency personnel that would respond to an actual incident.

Long Beach Police and an Airport Safety Officer take names of volunteer wounded in the incident.

This type of exercise involves a myriad of agencies, including: Long Beach Fire, Police and Public Works Departments, Greater Long Beach Chapter of the American Red Cross, Long Beach Search and Rescue, Los Angeles County Coroner, Los Angeles County Fire, Los Angeles Sheriffs Department Aero Bureau, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Bowers Ambulance, California Air National Guard, Transportation Security Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Bureau of Investigation, JetBlue Airways, US Airways, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, FAA, Gulfstream, and UPS.

Volunteers inside the C-130, moulaged with mock injuries to simulate a disaster with mass casualties.

We would like to thank the hundreds of volunteers from across Long Beach that took part in the exercise this year. St. Mary Medical Center representatives were instrumental in helping to coordinate volunteers for this large-scale disaster event. Many local college nursing students, aviation students and others were recruited to play the role of victims needing attention at the scene, and also acted as family members being reunited with loved ones.

California State University Long Beach Journalism students portrayed the press and questioned airport officials about the mock incident. More volunteers from the community, LGB Ambassadors and guests all came out to lend their support to the drill effort. Together, their participation provided a sense of authenticity to the exercise, and we sincerely appreciate their contribution.

Airport Director, Mario Rodriguez, interviewed by local news affilliate KABC-TV

Emergency preparedness is our biggest priority and your airport constantly trains to be ready for any event. Simply put, we can never be too prepared and LGB will always keep training to give you a safer flying experience as we continue to look forward to an accident-free future.

Photos by Spencer K. Pena

The Power of a Volunteer

A passion to be truly connected to the world is what fuels my love for aviation. I see the same passion for aviation in the volunteers that put their time and effort into working at your Long Beach Airport (LGB). LGB has had a volunteer program for more than 30 years. Our Ambassadors assist travelers with many different kinds of problems ranging from lost children and wallets, to locating airlines and other airport services. Our Tour Guides aid in educating the public including grade school kids, about airport operations, our specialized Fire Department, and LGB’s rich history. Meanwhile, our Archivists work diligently at preserving and collecting memorabilia from our past. These are only a few of the honorable services that our volunteers have committed to during their time here. Currently more than 20 volunteers regularly work at the airport serving our customers. Training is provided on-the-job by an experienced volunteer. Trainees find that there are many questions they can answer for customers almost immediately. It takes a few weeks to master all the information and, after the training is complete, there is always new information to add. Like most working and moving airports, there are constant changes at LGB keeping the volunteer experience always exciting. Our group of volunteers are vibrant professionals who provide a great support network to your airport.

Volunteering at LGB is a very rewarding experience. Every day presents the opportunity to meet people from diverse backgrounds, as well as other volunteers. Many of the volunteers have been with the airport for more than 10 years. The ages of our volunteers range from 30 to 90 bringing a variety of experiences to our team.

Jane Kelly has been volunteering with LGB for twelve years. She started out with the airport as a Tour Guide and later turned to the Ambassador position.

“I really like being outside and being with people,” said Kelly. “You can make anybody happy with a smile.”

Always bright and cheerful, Kelly is a great example of the type of person who volunteers at LGB. We are very thankful to have such dedicated and enthusiastic individuals representing the airport.

Kelly’s reward for volunteering is one shared by others. Philanthropist, Gayla LeMaire elaborates, “Volunteers are paid in six figures… S-M-I-L-E-S.”

The Tour Guides, Ambassadors and Archivists have been an important face of the city of Long Beach, helping to build a bridge between Airport Staff and the community we serve. Each volunteer works tremendously hard to make travelers and guests to LGB feel welcome and for that I am deeply grateful.

Parking is provided for, and all volunteers must pass a background check. Volunteers who speak a second or third language are highly sought after as the program also provides assistance to greet and direct travelers at the Airport.

Do you like to people watch? Do like history, aviation, and to help people? If you are interested in serving the airport we are accepting applications through the Public Affairs Office or check out our website at www.LGB.org for more information.

(Mario Rodriguez is Director of Long Beach Airport. He has 25 years of experience in the aviation industry and has overseen airports from Kuwait to New Orleans. Questions about this column may be directed to Public Affairs at the Long Beach Airport 562-570-2678.)

Dreamliner 787 Touches Down at LGB

Long Beach Airport is one of the many stops in March during Boeing's "787 Dream Tour" - a global expedition to show off its next-generation commercial aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner.

The 787 touched down quietly at 10 this morning. But the action starts tomorrow when Boeing partners and the media are invited to view the 787 up close. The jet holds up to 250 passengers and has a flight range of up to 8,200 nautical miles. Passengers can expect larger windows, six-stage atmospheric lighting, larger bins for luggage storage and more sophisticated air filtration.

After Long Beach, the jet will visit Salt Lake City befire heading to South America.

[http://bit.ly/wHCchZ]

Airports Now the Largest Employers in the US Behind Wal-Mart

America’s commercial airports generate 10.5 million jobs and $1.2 million in total economic impact, according to a new study released by the Airports Council International-North America. That amounts to 1.4 million jobs in California. The report shows that US airports are collectively the nation's second largest employer after Wal-Mart. 

More than 13 thousand employees work on Long Beach Airport (LGB) property alone, including restaurants, airport administration, retail, manufacturers, airlines, lodging and hotels.

It’s no wonder. Working in the travel and tourism industry can be exciting, since you have the opportunity to meet different people from various places every day. Those who work in an airport often receive benefits, such as travel incentives and discounts, and it suits the avid traveler to work with those who love travel as well.

Jace Hieda, Jet Blue Marketing Manager says, “The airports are a place where people come together to start or end an adventure and I enjoy being a part of it. Also, travel has been made more accessible over the past 30-40 years [to everyone] and is such an integral part of our life. It’s thrilling to be a part of everyone’s journey.”

There are various occupations that you can be involved in: such as security personnel through the Transportation Security Authority (TSA); being part of the airplane crew such as a pilot or flight attendant; parking attendants; managerial positions and airports like LGB often depend on volunteers.


[Photography by Long Beach Business Journal's Thomas McConville]

http://www.airport-world.com/news-articles/item/1414-us-airports-powerful-economic-generator