Release #11.21
August 18, 2011
ALPA Names Portland International Its “Airport
of the Year”
Airport Safety Liaisons Adamski and Gittleman Recognized for Excellence
WASHINGTON―The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), will name Portland International Airport, Portland, Ore., its 2010 “Airport of the Year” and recognize ALPA airport safety liaisons F/O Mark Adamski and Capt. Marc Gittleman for their outstanding commitment to advancing safety across the airline industry and through their work at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport respectively.
Portland International Airport was selected as the ALPA 2010 Airport of the Year for its dedication to achieving the highest possible aviation safety standards by fully engaging with ALPA’s airport safety liaison and for its diligence in involving the pilots who fly into and out of the airport in policy decisions that could affect safety.
Portland International Airport’s recent runway extension project serves as a powerful example of the airport’s commitment to fully communicate with pilots about projects that affect airport operations and the substantial benefits that can result. Because the airport included ALPA’s airport safety liaison and other stakeholders in the runway extension process, operations into and out of the airport continued safely and seamlessly throughout the work schedule, even though the runway project reduced the airport’s capacity by 50 percent.
“Portland International Airport clearly recognizes the tremendous advantage that results from engaging with the airline pilots who use their airport in all decisions that have any potential to affect flight operations or safety,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president. “The collaborative spirit embodied at Portland International illustrates an approach that every airport should take to make safety the priority in its operations.”
ALPA will also recognize airport safety liaisons F/O Mark Adamski and Capt. Marc Gittleman for their outstanding focus on achieving the highest aviation safety standards.
F/O Mark Adamski, ALPA’s airport safety liaison at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, participates in quarterly Airport Commission meetings, where he has taken ALPA’s voice and experience to airport management, airline operations, and air traffic service facilities representatives. F/O Adamski, a pilot for Delta Air Lines, has worked on many projects at Minneapolis–St. Paul, including recent efforts to modify airspace surrounding the airport and to update departure and arrival procedures. F/O Adamski’s work has helped to improve efficiency for pilots, prevent runway incursions, permit wider downwind approaches for parallel runways, and reduce fuel burn.
Capt. Gittleman, a United Airlines pilot, serves as ALPA’s airport safety liaison at Washington Dulles International Airport and as co-chairman of the Dulles Customer Forum. He brings the ALPA line pilots’ perspectives to the forum, which is made up of airport operations, airlines, and air traffic service facilities representatives. In addition, Capt. Gittleman attends stakeholder meetings to discuss pilots’ views on safety issues such as improved airport lighting, ramp painting, and aircraft marshaling. One measure of his success is that other groups’ representatives respect and often support his views when questions and concerns arise.
“The brand of dedication exhibited by Capt. Gittleman and F/O Adamski has helped to build an unparalleled safety record in the U.S. airline industry and serves as a model as we work to achieve the highest possible safety standards in the future,” said Capt. Moak. “These two remarkable professional airline pilots are to be commended for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding airline passengers, crews, and cargo at the airports where they work and across the air transportation system.”
The awards will be presented today during ALPA’s Air Safety Week, being held in Washington, D.C.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 53,000 pilots at 39 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.
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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703/481-4440, or media@alpa.org