'Somewhere Over the Airport'

(hum along to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow")

Somewhere over the airport
Airplanes fly
Planes fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?

Some day I'll board a jet
And wake up where the cars are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above San Diego Bay
SDIA's where you'll find me...

-- hubandspoke78

The song above started life as a mere comment from "hubandspoke78" on Dennise's "Somehwere under the rainbow..." post below, from yesterday. But it was so creative we thought it deserved a post of it's own! It is presented here along with another of Dennise's beautiful pictures that inspired it.

Somewhere under the rainbow...

This entry I am calling alternatively All in a day's work! As many of my coworkers know by now, I love being around airplanes! I have to thank my Dad for giving me the love of planes. I remember when we were little kids, my dad would bring us down to Lindbergh Field and park at the foot of the runway so we could watch the planes land. I guess I have never lost the pure amazement at seeing these huge pieces of machinery landing ... as well as taking off! I actually have a bumper sticker in my cube that says "I ♥ Airplane Noise."

Last week Robyn & I were walking over to one of the back offices to pick up a laptop. It was raining, and when we walked out of the office we both looked up to see one of the most beautiful rainbows that I have ever seen! I could actually see where both ends met the ground! Usually the ends disappear before touching the ground. As we were standing there admiring this picture, it dawns on me that I can take a picture with my phone

So here you can see the pictures I took showing a plane taking off through the rainbow, as well as the rainbow framing planes on the tarmac. And if you look closely, you will see that the bottom picture captured a double rainbow!

This entry is just for the pure enjoyment of the beauty we can find around us if we look hard enough!


I LOVE working at this place!

Until next time ... Dennise

Important subscription update for Airport Authority employees

You can subscribe to receive e-mail notices whenever the Goodwill Ambassablog is updated by filling in your e-mail address in the "Subscribe to the Goodwill Ambassablog" box in the right-hand column. However, some Airport Authority employees have reported subscriptions not activating after supplying their work e-mail addresses. The issue is being examined by IT, but until it is fixed, Airport Authority employees wishing to subscribe to the Goodwill Ambassablog should provide a non-work e-mail address. Your subscription should activate properly then.

Date change: Goodwill Ambassador Session #5

Just a quick note to let you know that the dates have changed for Goodwill Ambassador Session #5, coming up in July, 2008 for Airport Authority employees. The new dates are Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16. The Goodwill Ambassa-Calendar in the right-hand column has been updated accordingly.

Cell phone coolness at the airport

Hey Goodwill Ambassadors and other Airport Authority employees, have you mentioned this to your network of family, friends and community contacts?

As Goodwill Ambassadors, it’s our job to let our contacts know about the cool things going on here at San Diego International Airport. One of the things my friends and family ask me about often is our Cell Phone Waiting Lot. I get so many compliments about that lot. In the era of cell phones, people really appreciate not having to loop around the airport roadways while waiting to pick up their passengers anymore.

Do you know about the amenities offered at the Cell Phone Waiting Lot while people wait for their arriving passengers? The Airport Authority recently added electronic flight information display monitors right there in the lot. These let drivers check on flights and any delays they might be experiencing. This can be especially helpful for those few people out there who still don’t own cell phones and can’t rely on a call from their arriving passenger. (Yes, I have two people in my family who refuse to get cell phones!)

There are also new snack and drink vending machines in the Cell Phone Waiting Lot. This is in addition to the portable restrooms that were already available there. What a convenient set-up to offer the public!

This is definitely something I’m talking to my friends and associates about. Please feel free to click “comments” below and share some of the airport features or hot issues you discuss in your own personal network as a Goodwill Ambassador.

Goodwill Ambassablog flying high at 'Thirty Thousand Feet'

The Goodwill Ambassablog first took off less than three weeks ago, but it has already reached thirty thousand feet! ... With a special mention on the popular Thirty Thousand Feet online aviation directory, that is. Thirty Thousand Feet is one of the most-visited directories of aviation, airport and airline information and links on the Web. Since November, 1996, it has logged over half a million visitors -- nearly 672,000! Thirty Thousand Feet calls the Goodwill Ambassablog "... a really fresh and creative way for airport employees to share information and activities with others."

Ambassa-Quiz #2 answer: Aviation!

Ambassa-Quiz #2 has come to an end, and 62% of respondents unscrambled the following words correctly to solve the puzzle:

ctistaafn (2nd letter) = fAntastic (A)
vitcoyr (1st letter) = Victory (V)
ilnbdhreg (2nd letter) = LIndbergh (I)
elscrah (3rd letter) = ChArles (A)
rseniedt (8th letter) = residenT (T)
rgeniola (4th letter) = regIonal (I)
ntyocur (2nd letter) = cOuntry (O)
eevyrnoe (7th letter) = everyoNe (N)

That's right, AVIATION is the answer! This week's Ambassa-Quiz #3 is now up in the column to the right. Good luck!

Of pirates and floating airports

Lately I've been walking around going “ARRRRGH...Ahoy matey!” I actually think that it is starting to make some people a little nervous. I’d like to publicly thank the Administrative Resource Guide (ARG) team for their hard work, and for the unforgettable pirate-themed presentation at the November 2007 SANformation meeting.

At that same meeting, Peggy gave everyone a pop quiz on the Goodwill Ambassador Program. Karen is awesome: Peggy had barely finished asking, “What kind of airport doesn’t exist?” when Karen screamed out, “FLOATING AIRPORT!” ARRRRGH to Karen! Pirates and floating airports -- hmmm...I am sensing an aquatic theme here!

At the "Fantatstic Future Forum" (Goodwill Ambassador Session #3, held in October 2007) we learned about how, during the Airport Site Selection Program and since then, the concept of a floating airport is frequently discussed.

Well, there are no floating airports that exist in the world today. Osaka’s Kansai International Airport in Japan (pictured here) is actually built on dredge and fill -- but it is NOT floating.


There are many operational reasons why a floating airport would be difficult to make work -- security, the whole undulating surface issue, storm water run off, air cargo and getting passengers to the facility. What other reasons can you think of, matey? Feel free to answer by clicking on 'comments' below.

Airport environmental initiatives in the blogosphere

San Diego International Airport's Environmental Director recently appeared in the blogosphere with a posting on the airport's role in promoting recycling and helping the environment. The original posting and a follow-up have generated some lively comments over at the Cafe San Diego blog hosted by the online news service Voice of San Diego.

Employees weigh in on the program

The Goodwill Ambassador Program is the raison d'être of this blog. Here's a look at what Airport Authority employees think about the program that is transforming them into Goodwill Ambassadors for the agency:

Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature below may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!

Goodwill Ambassadors of a younger sort

Hey! It’s me again . . . I am sitting here reminiscing on the events of the past year. It’s amazing to me that so much can happen over such a short period of time! You know how it is . . . the older we get, the faster it seems that time moves!

On a personal level, it seems that just yesterday my kids were little and following me around work when I’d come in to fix a phone line on a weekend. I love it when I’m walking through the terminals and I see families with small children going on trips to wherever it is they’re flying! The children are so fascinated with everything that makes the airport work. And the planes . . . hmmm . . . that seems to really make them think about the dynamics behind the design that keeps an object that size airborne! But I digress . . .

Looking back over the last year, one of the best opportunities I had again was the chance to participate in the Airport Authority’s “Take Your Child To Work” program. Last year it was enhanced with the creation of a “Careers in Aviation” program, which allowed the interns working at the airport to participate in workshops prepared by various departments throughout the Authority. Wow! By the way, it's easy to check out all the current internship opportunities at San Diego International Airport.

So what does this have to do with the Goodwill Ambassadors program? Well, talk about being an ambassador for the Airport Authority! Airport Authority employees who took time to meet and share their professions with those children and interns were some of the best ambassadors ever for the organization. Not to mention the fact that more than a few new, young, eager ambassadors for the airport were created!

This was not only a chance to share information and knowledge . . . but more importantly to have it passed on through these young people to other young people once they go back to school. And better yet, if some of these youngsters end up working at an airport at some point in the future, just imagine the fresh ideas they will bring to our industry!

Also creating more young ambassadors for the airport and the aviation industry is the Airport Authority's popular Airport Explorers Program and a special "Just for Kids" section of the Airport Authority's Web site, with fun activities like the one pictured below.

As Goodwill Ambassadors for the Airport Authority, it's good to remember that, as we share information about the airport with our friends, family and community contacts, we're also creating still more ambassadors for the Airport Authority.

Well, I’ve got to run for now. You know, “no rest for the weary!” Until next time . . .

Ambassa-Quiz #1 Answer: PSA It Is!

Ambassa-Quiz #1 asked the question, "What airline used to have its headquarters in what is now the Commuter Terminal (pictured below) at San Diego International Airport?" The polling is over and the results are in. And the winner is . . . Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA)! Known as "San Diego's Hometown Airline," PSA was a favorite of many flyers from 1949 to 1988. Of the Goodwill Ambassablog readers who responded to Ambassa-Quiz #1, 80% chose the correct answer. Good job Ambassablog readers! 10% of readers thought it was Southwest Airlines (similar name, after all) and 10% thought the answer was another airline of yesteryear, Pan Am. Be sure to try your hand at the newest Ambassa-Quiz in the column to the right.

Promote the Goodwill Ambassablog

If you have a blog or Web site and would like to spread the word about the Goodwill Ambassablog, you can place the Headline Animator below on your site by clicking on "Grab this Headline Animator." The handy Headline Animator presents rotating, clickable headlines of the five latest Goodwill Ambassablog postings.

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

A Pretty Amazing Team

Didn’t you feel a strong sense of pride working at San Diego International Airport during the recent wildfires? It’s so fulfilling to be able to work at a place that’s an essential part of this community, connecting us to the world and, in the case of the fires, enabling emergency volunteers to fly into our city. Aside from being thankful for our airport, I continue to be thankful for my Airport Authority teammates. It's a pretty amazing team!

To be here that week of the fires…hearing the concern everyone showed for each other…witnessing the offers to assist in any way needed…seeing the reduced staff come together and take on new tasks to get things done…you all are just fantastic!

And I can’t help but wonder if there’s a new airport site solution now. As a Goodwill Ambassador, I’m asked a lot of questions about the airport by my family, friends, etc. And a colleague in my community network recently posed this creative question to me: Wouldn’t a new airport along the eastern part of our county, sitting on plenty of pavement, be a perfect buffer against future wildfires? What do you think?

The Goodwill Ambassa-Show

Click below to watch The Goodwill Ambassa-Show, a video highlighting all the fun and learning that took place at past Goodwill Ambassador sessions. Thanks to Wayne the Video Guy for producing it. Goodwill Ambassadors, you might even spot yourselves!

Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature below may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!

Subscription Update

PLEASE NOTE: Our feed settings were experiencing problems and so have recently been changed. If you previously subscribed to the Goodwill Ambassablog prior to 7:30 p.m. PST January 10, 2008, you will need to do so again in the sidebar to receive blog updates. Sorry for the inconvenience.

That Charles Lindbergh sure got around

I was recently on an Authority business trip checking out Centralized Airport Loading Docks (pictured) in Calgary, Minneapolis and Detroit. The Centralized Loading Dock project is currently in the Capital Improvement Program for SDIA.

Sometimes when you least expect it, the Goodwill Ambassador Program training comes in handy. While in Minneapolis, the Assistant Airport Director there asked me why SDIA is referred to as Lindbergh Field. I was able to remember that Ryan Airlines built the Spirit of St. Louis in San Diego and that Charles Lindbergh himself authorized our airport to be named in his honor. She then told me a fact that I didn’t know -- Charles Lindbergh grew up in Little Falls, Minnesota . . . and Lindbergh Terminal at Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport is named for him.

By the way, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is the major domestic hub for Northwest Airlines and the home of Sun Country Airlines -- which both serve SDIA nonstop from Minneapolis.

Oh, and the next time you find yourself changing planes in the Twin Cities, I highly recommend a visit to the organic French Meadow Bakery -- located in their airport adjacent to the E Concourse. The fruit tarts are awesome.

Taking Sides

Remember these two great teams of Goodwill Ambassadors that formed to face off during Session #2, "In the Know, 4-In-A-Row"? Which team were you on?

Attention Goodwill Ambassadors: Want a Prize?

Airport Authority employees are encouraged check out this blog and show up at the SANformation meeting Thursday, January 10, 2008. You might be asked a question about the blog, and if you get the answer right, you get a prize!

Mission Impossible

Hmmm...I get this e-mail and it goes something like this (imagine the sound track from Mission Impossible playing in the background): "My mission, if I should choose to accept it, is to join a team of other Goodwill Ambassadors to participate in a first-ever blog for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority." I think to myself…"I’m a girl who likes to live life on the edge"…Not really, but it sounds exciting anyway!!!

So, what is it that I can contribute to this endeavor? Well, I'm hoping to be able to bring educational, interesting and mostly fun stuff to my part of this Goodwill Ambassablog! I get out and about in the terminals and also have the opportunity to work on some really fun teams here at the Airport Authority. So stay tuned for my unique views (and sense of humor), while hopefully learning some really cool stuff that goes on in and around the San Diego International Airport!

I was also part of the Speaker’s Bureau during the Airport Site Selection period -- by the way, that was a very educational experience for me. But even if we didn’t get a new location to add to or replace Lindbergh Field, as a Goodwill Ambassador I've had the chance to learn about how the Airport Authority is still working hard to address the San Diego region's air transportation needs. Heck, we are just beginning! You can see see for yourself by going to the Authority Web site at www.san.org.

By the way, if you have a question or comment for me, or a question about the airport that you just haven’t been able to get an answer to, feel free to ask it below by clicking on 'comments.' If I don’t have the answer, I surely can find someone here that should be able to help me give you an answer! So, until later...

Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature below may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!