From The Runway Up

Air Service Development is a tricky task that looks different at every airport, but one thing is consistent across the industry: Airlines are in the business of making money. Shocking right? Each airport is responsible for convincing airlines that they will be profitable in their market, and that can be a job that takes years. In this episode, Jim Evans, Vice President of Marketing and Air Service Development for MKAA, discusses what airports are responsible for in regards to recruiting...

Every three years, the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority is required by the FAA to host a full-scale emergency exercise. On October 27, 2018, more than 20 local emergency response agencies and more than 100 volunteers worked together to simulate an aircraft incident and practiced the required response. In this special episode, we speak with the airport's Director of Public Safety, Tom Aiken, and Lieutenant Kelly Simerly about what it takes to successfully implement a mass emergency...

As the industry saying goes, 'once you've seen one airport, you've seen one airport.' That's one of many reasons why geographical information systems (GIS) play an extremely critical role in airport planning. Whether its mapping for on-property fire hydrants, historical building layouts, aerial noise contour, or maps for special events, GIS is an aspect that is relied upon by all airport departments and customers. In this episode, Blake Sartin, Senior GIS Manager for MKAA, discusses the...

Planning for the future of an airport system is a monumental task that considers every facet of airport usage, from passengers needs to aircraft fleet changes, and transportation trends to gate agreements. McGhee Tyson Airport is in the process of updating its Airport Master Plan, an FAA-required document that highlights the airport's plan for the next 20 years. In this episode, Bryan White, Vice President of Engineering and Planning for MKAA, along with Bill Barley, the Market Segments &...

Recruiting businesses to East Tennessee (and more-specifically recruiting companies to do business on airport property) is a full-time job. The Knoxville Chamber (and many other local organizations) is tasked with selling Knoxville to businesses around the world in hopes that they bring more jobs and revenue to East Tennessee. In this episode, Doug Lawyer, Vice President of Economic Development for the Knoxville Chamber, discusses what all went into recruiting Cirrus Aircraft to TYS. He...

Episode Description In 2015, Cirrus Aircraft announced they were naming Knoxville as the location of their Vision Center. Fast-forward three years later, and because of their increased presence and operations, 38% of all single-engine piston aircraft in the world were delivered in Knoxville. Hear from Stephen Deucker, Vice President of Owner Experience and General Manager […] The post Inside ‘The Cirrus Life’ appeared first on From the Runway Up.

Episode Description For this month’s episode, we took our podcast on the road and visited the Tennessee Air National Guard Base, which is located across the runway from TYS. We spoke with the Wing Commander and the Vice Wing Commander of the 134th Air Refueling Wing and learned more about their global, state, and local […] The post Military Aviation at TYS: Delivering ‘Beans, Beds, and Bullets’ appeared first on From the Runway Up.

In this episode, we discuss the diverse services and operations of Downtown Island Airport– aircraft maintenance, flight training schools, and helivac transport, just to name a few. Both guests featured in this episode are prior military aviators, general aviation pilots, and now work in airport operations management. Our guests share their background, opinions, and insight […] The post Aviation at the Island appeared first on From the Runway Up.

The Airport Authority hosts an annual Aviation Academy for community members to gain a behind-the-scenes look into general, military, and commercial airport operations. In this episode, we interview two recent Aviation Academy graduates as they share their favorite aspects of the class. The post Inside the Airport’s Aviation Academy appeared first on From the Runway Up.

In honor of Earth Day, this month’s podcast episode discusses the general impact airports have on the environment and how we at TYS try to decrease our energy consumption. Special thanks to our industry experts: Mark Heckroth, Project Manager in the Aviation Market at CHA Consulting and Ken Eckert, Facilities Manager at McGhee Tyson Airport. The post The Energy Consumption and Environmental Impacts of Airports appeared first on From the Runway Up.

Airport technology is an essential aspect of the traveler experience and it is constantly evolving. In this episode, the Airport Authority’s technology staff give a brief overview of their responsibilities, talks about the obstacles of managing technology in an airport environment, and mentions upcoming trends to be looking for in the travel industry. The post Airport Technology appeared first on From the Runway Up.

We’re kicking off this new year talking about art and how it pertains to the airport. Along with our guest speaker, Eddie Mannis— Chairman of the Airport Authority’s Board of Commissioners, we discuss the current (and future!) art featured at TYS, unique art at airports around the world, and how art can impact your airport […] The post Arts in the Airport appeared first on From the Runway Up.

With another year behind us, Bill Marrison, President of the Airport Authority, joins us to discuss all that happened at the airport in 2017, including new flights, once-in-a-lifetime events, and record-breaking passenger numbers. The post 2017: A Year in Review appeared first on From the Runway Up.

The holidays are upon us, which means it’s one of the busiest times of the year at the airport. This episode features a special guest from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and discusses need-to-know travel tips to make your experience through McGhee Tyson Airport and the TSA Security Checkpoint easy and efficient. The post Holiday Travel Tips from TYS and TSA appeared first on From the Runway Up.

From assisting travelers in medical emergencies to assisting in Presidential visits, the Public Safety Department at McGhee Tyson Airport is critical to passenger safety and the continuous operations of the airport. Listen as a Captain in the Public Safety Department tells about the training and experience it takes to be a police, fire, and medically-trained […] The post Ensuring Public Safety appeared first on From the Runway Up.

In this episode, we discuss vegetation management, also known as mowing and lawn care maintenance. We bring in three special guests from the airport staff, Richard Good, Rob Wilson, and Trevis Gardner, to discuss what all goes in to mowing thousands of acres around active runways and secured areas. Please note that due the the […] The post Vegetation Management appeared first on From the Runway Up.

Have you ever wondered what all goes in to recruiting new airlines to an airport? In this episode, special guest Jim Evans, Vice President of Marketing and Air Service Development at TYS, talks about how his department attracts and retains new airlines and new destinations for McGhee Tyson Airport. The post Air Service 101 appeared first on From the Runway Up.

This episode features an overview of airport finances, discusses airport revenues and expenses, and explains a recent parking garage equipment upgrade at McGhee Tyson Airport. The post The Business of Airports appeared first on From the Runway Up.

In this episode, we talk with special guests from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and learn more about their organization’s mission as well as what passengers should do when traveling with children, vaulting poles, firearms, The Walking Dead souvenirs, and more! The post The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) appeared first on From the Runway Up.

2016 was a busy year filled with many unique aviation experiences at McGhee Tyson Airport. In this episode, we’ll touch on a few of the year’s highlights and also discuss what’s to come in 2017. The post A Review of 2016 appeared first on From the Runway Up.