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TIA Master Plan Update Now Available
   The 2004 Tucson International Airport Master Plan Update, approved by the TAA board of directors last August, has been printed and copies are now available from the Airport Information Department at 520-573-4868. The document can also be found on the airport website: www.tucsonairport.org, available in a printable PDF under Community / TIA Master Plan.

June/July 2005

Tom Danker Named
TAA Vice President Finance and Administration
      Thomas W. Danker has joined the Tucson Airport Authority as the Vice President of Finance and Administration. In this capacity he will have oversight for the airport’s financial division, human relations, information and technology, and properties and leasing.
      Before joining TAA, Mr. Danker was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the Fountains where he was in charge of finance and accounting functions, human resources, licensing and regulatory issues, reimbursement services, purchasing, information systems, risk management, and participating in acquisitions, business development and long term strategic planning.
      Mr. Danker, a C.P.A., received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from the University of Iowa. He performed his M.B.A. graduate work at the University of Colorado at Denver. He is currently a member of the American Institute of Public Accountants, the Healthcare Financial Management Association and serves on the conference board for the LTC 100. His community activities include serving as a volunteer for the Race for the Cure and the Relay for Life.
      He and his wife Betty have five children.

TAA Celebrates Opening of Ryan Airfield Administration Building
      General aviation pilots, and enthusiasts celebrated the opening of a new pilot facility and administration building at Ryan Airfield July 12. Located at 9698 W. Ajo Way, the structure serves as a landmark for traffic converging at the nearby intersection of W. Valencia Road and State Highway 86 (aka Ajo Way) and a “headquarters” building for airport operations.
      The 3,000 sq. ft. building includes a pilot briefing room and lounge, airport management offices, restrooms, and conference facilities. The $450,000 project, funded by TAA special reserves, is the latest improvement at the general aviation airport that was built in 1942 as a civilian flight school (Ryan School of Aeronautics) to train pilots for World War II.
      The operation literally grew out of the desert in less than 90 days with paved ramps and runways, hangars, barracks, a mess hall, classrooms, a PX, and recreation facilities. The school closed in September 1944 after two years of operation and graduating 6,000 pilots.
      In 1951 the State of Arizona and the newly formed Tucson Airport Authority executed a 10-year lease for the 906 acres. In 1954 a new 99-year lease was executed and in 1960 the State deeded Ryan Airfield to the city of Tucson, subject to the Authority’s existing lease.
      Traffic at Ryan Airfield has increased steadily and today annual operations exceed 158,000, making it the sixth busiest General Aviation airport in Arizona. In 1990 TAA contracted with a private company to provide FAA certified air traffic controllers and in 1993 built a six-story control tower at the field. In 1996 Ryan became part of the federal contract tower program with the tower operating seven days a week during daylight hours. Ryan’s contract tower has since managed well over one million operations, with no operational errors.
      In 2004 the FAA commissioned a Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, STARS, at Ryan. The system is used to assist air traffic control services, including separation and sequencing of air traffic and traffic alerts.
      Over 30 tenants provide a variety of services on the airfield including aircraft charters and rentals, flight lessons, and avionics and maintenance repair. For several years KLM operated a flight school training pilots for several European airlines. In 2003 the International Airline Training Academy opened with a contract to train 50 Chinese pilots. The number of students recently increased to 100.
      Over the years numerous hangars and condo hangar developments have been built at the field. This year Cherokee Cabanas is expected to build another 15 units adjacent to 34 hangars they completed last year.
      There are three active runways at the field, which has nearly doubled in size to 1,804 acres.
      Upcoming improvements include:
. Extension of roadways, utilities, and a taxiway to prepare additional land for development.
. Master Plan Update
. Additional security fencing

Dick Gruentzel Named TAA Senior Director of Finance and Accounting
      Richard “Dick” Gruentzel has been named Senior Director of Finance and Accounting for the Tucson Airport Authority. Mr. Gruentzel joined the TAA Finance Department as Controller in November 2004. In his new position he will be responsible for all functions within the TAA Finance Department, including accounting and financial reporting, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, fiscal services and budgeting.
      Mr. Gruentzel has over 20 years of experience in both public accounting and private industry, and prior to joining TAA was Chief Financial Officer for Lisa Frank, Inc.
      A native of Wisconsin, he attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison where he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting. He moved to Tucson in 1997 with his wife and two children.

TIA Air Service Update
     Passengers packed into Gate 22 waiting to board Southwest’s inaugural nonstop flight to Chicago July 5. Greeted with champagne cocktails, chocolate cake, and live blues music, hardly anyone noticed it was only 6:30 a.m. Daily departure to the windy city leaves TIA at 7:30 a.m. and arrives in Chicago at 12:55 p.m. The return flight leaves Chicago at 7:35 p.m. and arrives in Tucson at 9:10 p.m.
      Southwest also made the news with their announcement of a code share agreement with ATA Airlines. Passengers can board Southwest’s flight to Las Vegas departing Tucson daily at 9:35 a.m. and connecting to an ATA departure at 2 p.m. arriving in Honolulu at 5:15 p.m. For $152 one-way, many passengers may not mind a three-hour layover in the gambler’s paradise.
      United Airlines will begin daily nonstop service to San Francisco October 31 aboard Canadair regional jets. The flight departs Tucson at 6:15 a.m. and arrives in San Francisco at 7:25 a.m. The return flight departs San Francisco at 6:15 p.m. and arrives at TIA at 9:25 p.m. This is the only nonstop available to San Francisco from Tucson. United has 13 other daily departures from Tucson to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

TAA Police Department Seeks Reaccreditation
      Assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. , (CALEA) are at TIA August 13-18 to examine Tucson Airport Authority Police Department’s, TAAPD, policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. This is the fourth time TAAPD has gone through this process. TAAPD first obtained CALEA accreditation in 1996, and must reapply every three years.
      As part of the assessment, the community is invited to offer comments on the TAA Police Department’s ability to comply with CALEA standards and the quality of service provided at an open forum on Monday, August 15, 7 p.m. at TIA in the Catalina Room, third level center core.
      Callers can phone with comments to 520-573-8391 on Tuesday, August 16 or Wednesday, August 17, 1-4 p.m. Telephone comments will be taken by the assessment team and are limited to 10 minutes. Written comments may be sent to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., 10306 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2201.