INDIANAPOLIS (April 2, 2012) – The numbers are in and Central Indiana airports hosted a record breaking number of general aviation aircraft during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5th. At game time, over 845 private planes were on the ground at the 16 airports that were part of Super Bowl Host Committee’s Outreach program.
From Saturday, February 4th – Monday, February 6th over 3,600 operations (take-offs or landings) were conducted at those same airports. This accounted for a 200%+ increase in general aviation activity versus the previous week overall with some airports seeing as much as a 600% increase.
However, despite the large influx of traffic there were no major incidents reported or complaints about delays. This can be attributed to the tireless preparation of the airport managers, fixed based operators (FBOs), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Homeland Security, Indiana Department of Transportation and countless number of Volunteers. Airports ensured they were prepared with snow removal and de-icing equipment, security, ground transportation, parking plans, and hundreds of additional staff and volunteers to ensure top-notch customer service for Super Bowl passengers. The FAA ensured they were ready by adding three additional temporary air traffic control towers in the region, creating special flight routings and procedures specific to the Super Bowl, and working to ensure delays were kept to an absolute minimum as a result of the increase in traffic.
In short, the preparations paid off and despite record breaking crowds the general aviation community is singing the praises of Indianapolis and all the airports that played host to fans during Super Bowl XLVI. Allison Melangton, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee indicated “Super Bowl XLVI would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of 17 FBOs that saw thousands of flight operations over the course of Super Bowl weekend and 845 private planes on the ground at the time of kickoff. With over a year of planning led by a volunteer committee and dedicated FBO staff from Richmond to Terre Haute and Lafayette to Bloomington these individuals gave a great deal of time and effort to provide first class service to their clients in a safe and efficient manner during the busiest week in the history of aviation in the state of Indiana.”
This news comes on the heels of General Aviation Appreciation Month here in Indiana. Governor Daniels declared March General Aviation Appreciation Month on February 28, 2012 recognizing the important contribution general aviation plays in the Indiana economy. In his proclamation the Governor cited the over 18,000 jobs and $480 million annually that general aviation directly contributes to the Indiana economy. The important role that Indiana airports played in Super Bowl XLVI is just another example of the significant impact general aviation has here in Indiana to our communities.
The Aviation Association of Indiana (AAI) is proud to congratulate its many members who were a part of this important event. AAI represents public use airports across the State of Indiana before the Indiana General Assembly and other state and local units of government. AAI also serves to educate the policy makers and the public about the economic impacts and benefits of general aviation to the communities they serve.
For more information contact: Bart Giesler, Executive Director Aviation Association of Indiana Phone: 317-916-4184
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