Omaha Eppley Airfield

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Big E
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Omaha Eppley Airfield

Post by Big E »

I have to agree that any significant increase at OMA isn't going to need more runway/terminals. The only bottleneck right now is the TSA security checkpoints. MAJOR rennovations are not needed.

I am/was a supporter of an Omaha/Lincoln airport (and a supporter of an Omaha/Lincoln MSA or whatever its called), but I think the ship has sailed on that idea. OMA is far to convenient to DTO for the city to let go of it at this point, especially considering Omaha's emergence on the regional and national scene. A big part of drawing national conventions to the city will be the convenience of said conventions to the airport. It will be a lot easier to overlook the extra connection when the endpoint is 4 minutes from the venue.

Without a MAJOR relocation of a hub/spoke (forgive my ignorance of airline terminology), there won't be any huge expansion of OMA in the forseeable future. Time to put our collective heads down and plow forward - realistically.

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zedmib
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Post by zedmib »

:D Novak, I have mention this in some post a while back but a study was done back in the early 1970's for a new airport in Saunders county between Ashland and Mead. The last time I checked the study was still available at the UNO library.
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Post by NovakOmaha »

zedmib wrote::D Novak, I have mention this in some post a while back but a study was done back in the early 1970's for a new airport in Saunders county between Ashland and Mead. The last time I checked the study was still available at the UNO library.
Was that for general aviation or for a new commercial one? There was also a plan for a reliever general aviation airport near Gretna that got shot down.
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zedmib
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Post by zedmib »

The document from 1970 was a study for an international airport. The design had similarities to DFW. Two long (10000'+) widely spaced parallel runways with the terminal complex in between. There was also two crosswind runways. None of the runways intersected each other. An interstate spur was to be built from I-80 from the ashland exit.
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Post by omaja »

Eppley definitely needs an update.

I was bored, so I drew up what I think would be a renovation/update to Eppley. :) It would basically keep Concourse B, demolish Concourse A, and then extend Concourse B. The new gate area would be connected to the baggage claims and ticket counters via a central passageway housing the main security checkpoint. It would have 26-28 gates, with the possibility of a Terminal 2 extension in the future (like the original plan had).

Image

Hopefully whatever they come up with comes with a facade update because the airport looks just plain ugly from the outside, and the inside could use a more airy atmosphere. It seems like the building is dark and dreary all the time! Something unique from the all-glass ultra-modern stock airport would be very nice. Oh, and a split arrivals/departures access road, too. :wink:
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Swift
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Post by Swift »

that seems like a really good idea!
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Post by Coyote »

Nicely done Omaja! I think your idea would be great if the intergrity of the building could support a change in access. i.e. I like the streamilining of the structure but would a new central stairwell/escalator have to be built by moving to a single middle entry access - would the baggage claim then need to be moved - would vendors also have to be moved? But then - would we finally get some better hospitality services on the other side of security? A nice restaurant, a good book store...? The west side of the new concourse could easily support a few retail spaces.
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49r
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Post by 49r »

If you're going to have split access to the terminal building, you'll need to move ticketing/departures to the second floor. It would probably also be a good idea to have the food vendors move to the concourse behind the security checkpoint, like at O'Hare and other large airports. There'd be lots of space on the west side of the concourse for whatever the traveler wants/needs.

The bottom level of course would then be arrivals/baggage claim. So having the central point of entry to the concourse wouldn't be a problem because if you needed to move baggage claim you'd have plenty of room downstairs. Plus, there would be plenty of room downstairs for rental car agencies and charter flight stuff.
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Post by omaja »

Heh, actually was thinking about that when I drew it up, and it would in fact split the arrivals and departures.

Something like this:
Image
I don't know how effective it would be, but I drew possibly making the two side accesses to the gates for arriving passengers only, and then making the central checkpoint one-way for departing passengers?
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Post by NovakOmaha »

I think it might be more cost effective if the authority simply extended the current north and/or south satellites, the north to the north and the south to the south. They could gain at least 5 each way. A net gain of 10 possible gates would be more than sufficient well into the future.

I think upper and lower roads has potential, though it really doesn't seem to be a problem right now.

Of course, everything is predicated on maintaining the current growth pattern, and that isn't guaranteed. On one hand, Southwest could add flights, Airtran (the most logical new airline at Eppley), JetBlue or some other airline could enter the market, or current airlines could add service (less of a possibility with the current state of affairs in the industry). On the other hand, one of the current carriers could withdraw or reduce service. In addition, it remains to be seen what the effect of Alegient's new service from Lincoln to Las Vegas is, and if Alegient adds service from Lincoln to Orlando, as they have done in Des Moines, there could be shrinkage or leakage from OMA to LNK. It could happen

Growth would probably be incremental and thus gradual. Personally I just don't see a need for lots of new gates for a long time. The airport is very efficient and Don Smithey is doing a fantastic job of managing the amazing growth that has occurred over the past few years.
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

I think that'a an EXCELLENT proposal, Omaja. In fact, now that I see that, I think the original designers of the Eppley terminal were in fact on crack.

This is something that they should have probably done 5 to 10 years ago. But since they didn't, I would love it if they did a full terminal reconfiguration AND the terminal expansion at the same time, or at least consecutively.
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Post by futrecndvlpr »

The plan looks nice, but seriously folks, who is going to fill these gates?

There are empty gates in both terminals currently and even the gates that are being rented aren't being to capacity.

I realize this is a long term thing, expanding an airport, but I would suspect maybe around 2010 or 2015, assuming continued traffic growth, we could start to think about beginning the whole terminal expansion process.
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Post by Bellevue Kid »

I really like your idea! With the whole gate situation, I travel quite frequently, and the gates are probably used more than you think. Like you said the gates aren't used to their full potential, but nontheless they are being used. Southwest has been parking their flights at 4 gates at night, and have been using them during the day as well. I hope 2006 is a good year for Eppley that new flights and airlines are added. Sure the airport is not at capacity, but you have to plan for the future. Major airport remodeling/ construction can take years. They have to be extremely careful about the security and stuff. When Jacksonville was having their Security area centralized into one area instead of each concorse they had TSA people and police standing by and watching very carefully the construction area making sure no one even got close.
Here are the gates that are being used atleast once a day by the airlines:
A1-A3 Northwest
A4-A5Delta Connection
A6-A7 American
A8 Midwest Express/ Mesa
A9 Frontier
A10 Empty
B11 America West
B12 Continental
B13-B15 United
B16-B19 Southwest
B20 Empty
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Post by futrecndvlpr »

Plan for the future, exactly what I said, if we start planning in 2010, that should give us a solid 5 years of planning and 5 years of construction.

I wouldn't consider having 4 SWA planes parked at gates a good use of gates... they could just as easily park their planes elsewhere like Delta and Continental do.
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Post by NovakOmaha »

Well, at KCI Southwest has over 70 flights a day and they use 8 gates. Eppley has 13 Southwest flights a day. How many gates does Southwest need here, even if they doubled their frequency? 4? Maybe?

As I said, I really believe that Eppley could add gates onto either satellite or both if necessary and easily handle growth over 5 million.

As to asthetics, I personally have no problem with eppley. It's clean, efficient and in my opinion doesn't look bad or old. I've flown through dozens of other airports and I just don't see the problem. Of course I also had no problem with the old Midway terminal. I liked the slalom around 5 gallon buckets catching rain water. It was what made Midway Midway and it seemed that no one else stopped coming to Chicago because of it.

Just a personal opinion.
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Post by Bellevue Kid »

Plan for the future, exactly what I said, if we start planning in 2010,
Why do you wait for 2010 to start planning? What do you do in the mean time? Wait for 2010 to come, see that we need planning, then start scrambling and try to get something done. No, you start planning NOW for what you think might need to be done in 2010.
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Post by futrecndvlpr »

You are not understanding what I am saying... start planning in 2010, then you will have 5 years to plan, putting you in 2015, allowing for 5 years of construction, 2020 you have your new terminal.
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Post by OmahaJaysCU »

futrecndvlpr wrote:You are not understanding what I am saying... start planning in 2010, then you will have 5 years to plan, putting you in 2015, allowing for 5 years of construction, 2020 you have your new terminal.
I think what he is getting at is why not start now?
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Jeff, isn't this an official plan you got.
Image

I know a guy at the TSA and he said the new enterance is going to be down by the old Marriot, the two terminals will be connceted to form one big one and the rest of the old airport will be for security.
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Post by eomaha »

That is a site plan which Smithey shared at a presentation at UNO a number of years ago.
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Post by futrecndvlpr »

I would say the above post/picture is a prime example of why not to start the process now... Think of all the time and energy spent making the plan above, and for what, they are going to create a new plan anyway.

I flew my 65 connections this year and would like to see some upgrades in and around the airport, I just can't see the City/OAA dropping several hundred million dollars for a new terminal anytime in the next 15-20 years.
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Post by omaja »

Using that plan as an example is rather illogical. I believe that I read previously that it was made some time before September, 2001. All of the time and energy spent drawing it up did not take into consideration something as catastrophic as 9/11; and honestly, what forward-looking, expansionist plan would? It would have been very foolish for the OAA to not have had a plan drawn up at that time, considering Eppley logged nearly as many passengers then as it just recently had in 2005.

And it isn't as though a new plan will all-of-the-sudden spring up into construction within the year, it is a long term project (every airport has some sort of "masterplan") that would be phased appropriately given Eppley's needs. It's possible that the plan shown at UNO is a masterplan showing what Eppley would/could look like in the very long-term, and they are now assessing what Eppley should begin to put into motion? (Like retrofitting the current terminal to allow for the connection to Terminal 2.)

Surely if Indianapolis (which currently serves around 8 million passengers annually) can spend more than $1 billion on a 40-gate replacement terminal, Eppley can spend at least half that upgrading and retrofitting our current terminal to make our airport more efficient, modern, and aesthetically pleasing. At the very least.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

sunday 4/17/2006 building permits
Omaha Airport Authority, 4501 Abbott Drive, remodel concourse, $318,000.
nothing major for that price
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Post by adam186 »

Brad wrote:nothing major for that price
Ya, no kidding. :lol: What are they doing, replacing all the lights? :lol:
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Post by Minneapolis Boy »

It's probably for that food court in the B concourse that will look like an airplane hangar.
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Post by Brad »

True, thats priced about right, bub didn't they start already?
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Post by adam186 »

Long-term parking cost to rise in June at Eppley

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2153647

From the OWH:
Long-term airport parking rates at Omaha's Eppley Airfield will increase June 1.

...long-term lots often are filled to capacity.

A project to expand parking at south long-term lots is under way.

The board awarded a $204,800 contract to W. Boyd Jones Construction Co. for work to move bag screening equipment in Eppley's north terminal behind the ticket counter. The same company performed the work when bag screening was moved in the south terminal in 2005.

Construction is expected to begin by May 1 and be completed by the end of July.
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Post by MTO »

moving sidewalks now i feel like a big city
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Post by Coyote »

Work set for corner near Eppley
Omaha World Herald wrote:The Omaha Airport Authority Board voted Tuesday to approve grading and landscaping work for property on the northeast corner at Locust Street.

When all the work is complete, "we think it will be a huge enhancement as you drive up Abbott Drive from downtown," Roth said. "If we could just extend down Locust . . . we'd have a really nice-looking front door to the city."

Also Tuesday, the board awarded a contract for $57,500 to Ronco Construction in Omaha to remodel an expanded space for Simply Scrumptious, a concessionaire on the first floor of the terminal.

The authority soon will begin work to repave the taxiway of Runway 18/36. The Federal Aviation Administration will pay 75 percent of the $634,860.99 cost.
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Post by Coyote »

Remodeling at Elliott Aviation aims to create 'world-class' facility
Omaha World Herald wrote:The Omaha Airport Authority will spend $2.26 million on a two-phase project to overhaul about 7,000 square feet of the building where Elliott Aviation operates a service and sales center and add about 2,000 square feet. The authority will recoup the remodeling costs through higher rent, beginning after the work is finished.

"This facility will be world-class," said John Mansfield, vice president and general manager of Elliott Aviation's Omaha operations. "For visitors, it's their first impression of the city. With the overall enhancement of the airport and the city, this will be a nice fit."
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Post by OmahaJaysCU »

piece by piece eppley keeps improving, this is great.
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Post by Coyote »

Here is their location - so it will be one of the first buildings people will see in Omaha.

Image
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OmahaJaysCU
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Post by OmahaJaysCU »

And the rendering...
Image
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Post by adam186 »

Not bad, great improvement. One of many to come.
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Post by MTO »

Anything will look better then what we all ready have.
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Post by Coyote »

Additional parking is on tap for Eppley
Omaha World Herald wrote:An additional 700 parking spaces in the Eppley Airfield parking garage could be available to airline passengers as early as November 2008, under a plan approved Tuesday by the Omaha Airport Authority. The spaces would be added to the west and south sides of the short-term parking structure.
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Post by Coyote »

Elliot Aviation lands first phase of renovation at Eppley
Omaha World Herald wrote:Elliott Aviation, a business aviation firm, held a ribbon cutting Thursday to mark the end of the first phase of a $2.5 million renovation at its operation and maintenance facility at Eppley Airfield. The project's first phase renovated 7,000 square feet and added 2,000 square feet to the lobby. As part of the renovation, workers installed a curved, interior glass wall that offers a view from the lounge into the maintenance area.

Elliott is a 71-year-old full-service business-aviation firm offering corporate aircraft sales and service, charter services, maintenance and hanger facilities. Elliott said it is the largest charter operator in the Midwest, operating a fleet of 13 aircraft at four locations.
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Post by Coyote »

Eppley Airfield receives $944,164 from Federal Aviation Administration
SWNE News wrote:U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) announced today that Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska has been awarded a $944,164 grant by the Federal Aviation Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funds will be used for reconstruction of one of Eppley’s runways.
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Post by nebport5 »

Just wanted to say how nice the "North Hanger" is in concourse B.  Its nice to be able to get a beer or a little food once you get past the security checkpoints.  My only complaint is that seems they made it a bit too small.  


Now if they can figure out a way to remove the crowd of people(who don't get out of the way) standing at the top of terminal B's ramp.


I like Eppley overall and its a very easy airport, but I've always thought there's a better use of its space.
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Post by Brad »

Eppley Airfield to expand parking garage

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10232139
The northbound curb lane of Abbott Drive near Eppley Airfield will be closed for eight months starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The closure will be along the west side of the airport’s parking garage, which is undergoing an expansion. The $12 million project will add 720 spaces to the six-story garage. The garage currently has 2,872 spaces for passenger parking.
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