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*[[CSI: Miami]] mentions [[Miami International Airport]] occasionally in episodes and a few scenes have been filmed there.
*[[CSI: Miami]] mentions [[Miami International Airport]] occasionally in episodes and a few scenes have been filmed there.


==World War II==
==Military use==
The Army Air Force began using Miami Airport in the 1930s, assigning the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron to the airfield to fly search and rescue along with weather reconnaissance patrols.
During World War II, the [[United States Army Air Force]] used the airport for Headquarters, [[26th Antisubmarine Wing]] of the [[Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command]] (AAFAC) from 20 Nov 1942-15 Oct 1943.


The AAFAC flew antisubmarine patrols, searching for and attacking German [[U-Boats]] from the airport using [[B-18 Bolo]] and [[B-24 Liberator]] bombers specially equipped with [[RADAR]].
After the Pearl Harbor attack and the United States entry into [[World War II]], the Air Force's use of the airport changed to being a base for antisubmarine patrols, with the airport becoming the Headquarters, for the [[26th Antisubmarine Wing]] of the [[Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command]] (AAFAC) from 20 Nov 1942-15 Oct 1943. The AAFAC flew antisubmarine patrols, searching for and attacking German [[U-Boats]] from the airport using [[B-18 Bolo]] and [[B-24 Liberator]] bombers specially equipped with [[RADAR]].

After the war, Miami Airport became the home of numerous cargo and troop carrier units of the [[United States Air Force]] Reserve, the major one being the 435th Troop Carrier Group (later Wing), operating from the airport from July 1949 to February 1951, and again from December 1952 to December 1958.


== See also ==
== See also ==

Revision as of 14:57, 8 March 2009

25°47′36″N 080°17′26″W / 25.79333°N 80.29056°W / 25.79333; -80.29056

Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport terminal
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerMiami-Dade County
OperatorMiami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD)
ServesMiami, Florida
Elevation AMSL8 ft / 2 m
Websitehttp://www.iflymia.com/
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
8L/26R 8,600 2,621 Asphalt
8R/26L 10,506 3,202 Asphalt
9/27 13,000 3,962 Asphalt
12/30 9,354 2,851 Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations384,537
Based aircraft345
Passengers (2007)33,740,416

Miami International Airport (IATA: MIA, ICAO: KMIA, FAA LID: MIA) is a public airport located eight miles (13 km) northwest of the central business district of Miami, in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.[1] It is between the cities of Miami, Hialeah, Doral, and Miami Springs, the village of Virginia Gardens, and the unincorporated community of Fountainbleau. In September 2008, the airport regained its title as the busiest in Florida.[2]

The airport is a hub for passenger airlines American Airlines, American Eagle, Gulfstream International Airlines under the Continental Connection name, and Executive Air under the American Eagle name; cargo airlines Arrow Air, Fine Air, UPS Airlines and FedEx Express; and charter airline Miami Air. Miami International Airport handles flights to cities throughout the Americas and Europe, as well as cargo flights to Asia, and is South Florida's main airport for long-haul international flights, although most domestic and low-cost carriers use Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport, which charge significantly lower fees to tenant airlines.

Miami is a major gateway between the United States and Latin America, and, along with Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Miami is one of the largest aerial gateways into the American South, owing to its proximity to tourist attractions, local economic growth, large local Latin American and European populations, and strategic location to handle connecting traffic between North America, Latin America, and Europe. As of 2008, MIA is the twenty-third largest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic. In the past, it has been a hub for Braniff International, Eastern Air Lines, Air Florida, the original National Airlines, the original Pan Am, United Airlines, and Iberia. As an international gateway to the United States it ranks third, behind New York-JFK in New York City and LAX in Los Angeles. Miami is also the proposed hub of two new start-up airlines, one which hopes to use the Eastern Airlines name.[3]

In 2007, 33,740,416 passengers traveled through the airport.[4]

In the first 10 months of 2007 more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport.[5]

History

Pan Am's first terminal consisted of a single hangar. The airport was the base of Pan Am's flights to Cuba, but fell into disuse when the airline switched to seaplanes in the mid-1930s.
Aerial view of the airport in 1999

The airport was opened to flights in 1928 as Pan American Field, the operating base of Pan American Airways Corporation, on the north side of the modern airport property. After Pan Am acquired the New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line, it shifted most of its operations to the Dinner Key seaplane base, leaving Pan Am Field largely unused until Eastern Air Lines began flying there in 1934, followed by National Airlines in 1937.

In 1945, the City of Miami established a Port Authority and raised bond revenue to purchase the airport, which had meanwhile been renamed 36th Street Airport, from Pan Am. It was merged with an adjoining Army airfield in 1949 and expanded further in 1951. The old terminal on 36th Street was closed in 1959 when the modern passenger terminal (since greatly expanded) opened for service.

Air Force Reserve troop carier and rescue squadrons also operated from Miami International from 1949 through 1959, when the last such unit relocated to nearby Homestead Air Force Base, now Homestead Air Reserve Base.

Pan Am and Eastern remained Miami International Airport's main tenants until 1991, when both carriers went bankrupt. Their hubs at MIA were taken over by United Airlines and American Airlines. United slowly trimmed down its Miami operation through the 1990s, and eventually shut down its crew base and other operations facilities in Miami. At the same time, American expanded its presence at the airport, winning new routes to Latin America and transferring employees and equipment from its failed domestic hubs at Nashville and Raleigh-Durham. Today, Miami is American's largest air freight hub, and forms the main connecting point in the airline's north-south oriented international route network.

For many years, the airport was a common connecting point for passengers traveling from Europe to Latin America. However, stricter visa requirements for aliens in transit (a result, in part, of the September 11, 2001 attacks) have lessened MIA's role as an intercontinental connecting hub. In 2004, Iberia Airlines ended its hub operation in Miami, opting instead to run more direct flights from Spain to Central America. Air France still has flights to Port-au-Prince using smaller Airbus A320 and Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft.[citation needed]

Gulfstream International Airlines, Sky King Airlines, American Eagle and American Airlines all operate regular flights between MIA and several airports in Cuba, the one of the few direct airlink between the two nations. However, these flights must be booked through agents with special authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and are only generally available to government officials, journalists, researchers, professionals attending conferences, or expatriates visiting Cuban family.

Facilities and aircraft

Miami International Airport covers an area of 3,300 acres (1,335 ha) which contains four runways:[1]

  • Runway 8L/26R: 8,600 x 150 ft (2,621 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
  • Runway 8R/26L: 10,506 x 200 ft (3,202 x 61 m), Surface: Asphalt
  • Runway 9/27: 13,000 x 150 ft (3,962 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
  • Runway 12/30: 9,354 x 150 ft (2,851 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 384,537 aircraft operations, an average of 1,053 per day: 77% scheduled commercial, 17% air taxi, 6% general aviation and <1% military. There are 345 aircraft based at this airport: 7% single-engine, 35% multi-engine and 58% jet..[1]

Terminal, airlines, and destinations

A satellite image of Miami International Airport superimposed over the old 36th Street airfield
Destinations with direct service from Miami

The main terminal at MIA is semicircular and has eight pier-shaped concourses, lettered A through J (B was demolished in 2005) in a counter-clockwise direction. Ticketing and departures are located on the upper level and baggage carousels are located on the lower level, the airport contains three customs arrival levels, on the third floor at both Concourse J and the now demolished Concourse B (though B customs are currently closed for renovations), and at the lower level of Concourse E; the largest of the three. Gates located in Concourses A-F and J, and some gates at Concourse H, can route arriving passengers to the main level (for domestic arrivals) or to the immigration halls (for international arrivals), however, gates at Concourse G and some at Concourse H are designed only for domestic arrivals. Two parking garages, the Dolphin and Flamingo Garages, are located inside the terminal's curvature, and are connected to the terminal by overhead walkways, it is expected that a third garage will be constructed to serve expansion for Concourse J; there is a heliport located atop a connecting point between the two garages.

At present, the terminal is being dramatically altered. Concourses A, B, C, and D, which primarily house American Airlines and its Oneworld partner's flights, are being merged into a single linear concourse to be called the "North Terminal". Portions of the new concourse have already been built as extensions of concourses A and D; to make space for completing the new terminal, the former concourse B has been already been demolished and concourse C will soon follow to accommodate new gates and lounges.[6] Although this construction was originally slated for completion by 2005, it has been delayed several times due to cost overruns: the current deadline for completion is summer of 2011.[7]

The remaining "South" (Concourses H and J) and "Central" (Concourses E, F, and G) Terminals have also been renovated and expanded with Concourse J, the newest addition to the airport, opening on August 29, 2007, (photo) being constructed with the support of fifteen Star Alliance and SkyTeam carriers: it is seven stories tall and has 15 gates, with a total floor area of 1.3 million square feet (120,000 m2) including two airline lounges and several offices. Currently, the new concourse is still in opening stages with the movement of most airlines located at Concourse A moving to the new area beginning on September 24, 2007, this was done to allow for renovations to be done at Concourse A, and includes American Airlines taking over gates at Concourse E to replace the gates it will lose at Concourse A. Currently, LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador, LAN Peru, LACSA, TACA, COPA, US Airways, Avianca, United/Ted, TAM, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Air Berlin, Caribbean Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss International, Air Canada, and El Al moved into the new concourse. Delta/Comair, Air France, and Alitalia, and COPA Airlines have also begun operating ticket counters at the new Concourse whilst using gate space at Concourse H, soon to be followed by AeroMexico (date unconfirmed). Continental has begun using gates on Concourse H with the ticket counters remaining between G and H concourses. British Airways, previously housed at concourse A, has moved its ticket counters to Concourse E and will use gates at Concourse F for the duration of the A concourse renovations.

After Concourse A is renovated, it is expected that Alaska Airlines, British Airways, LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador, and LAN Peru will return to Concourse A, along with American Airlines; Iberia will also move its flights to the concourse for the first time. Aerolineas Argentinas, Caribbean Airlines, and LTU will then return to Concourse E once their gates have been vacated by American Airlines. Fire protection at the airport is provided by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department[8] Station 12.[9]

Concourse A

Gates A1-A18

Concourse A was a recent addition to the airport and will eventually form part of American Airlines' North Terminal. It housed many American domestic and international flights, although all check-in counters for American are located adjacent to concourses C and D. Both American and British Airways had lounge facilities in Concourse A. On May 17, 2006, American Airlines opened their second Admirals Club lounge at Miami International in Concourse A; it is located on the mezzanine level. On November 9, 2007, Concourse A was temporarily closed as part of the North Terminal Renovation Project. It will reopen in the first half of 2010 as an extension of Concourse D, with gates numbered from D1 to D20.

Concourse B

Aerial view of the airport

Concourse B was a former concourse used primarily by American Airlines. It was closed and demolished in 2005 as part of the North Terminal Renovation project. The former Concourse B area of the airport contained a customs arrival facility serving international arrivals from Concourses A, C, and D. Concourse B, together with C and D historically served as the base of operations for Eastern Air Lines prior to its shut down.

Concourse C

The airside Concourse C consists of four gates accommodating small-to-medium jet aircraft such as the Boeing 737 or Boeing 757, as well as the Airbus A-300. American uses these gates for domestic flights and some departures to Central America and the Caribbean. The Concourse C check-in area is for American's international flights. During the course of the American Airlines/North Terminal project, Concourse C will be demolished, allowing for the creation of new gates where the concourse was located.

Concourse C Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses C and D

Concourse C Gate Usage

Gates C3, C5, C7, C9

Concourse D

Although Concourse D was one of the original concourses in the MIA terminal, the original portion has been mostly closed, and the concourse now consists of a new extension which will eventually form part of American Airlines' North Terminal. American uses the concourse for domestic and international flights; the Concourse D check-in area is for domestic and Caribbean flights. American operates an Admirals Club on Concourse D.

Concourse D Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses D and E

Concourse D Gate Usage

Gates D29-30, D33-34, D35A-D, D36-D40, D42-D51

Airlines and destinations out of Concourse D
Airlines Destinations
American Airlines Antigua, Aruba, Atlanta, Barbados, Baltimore, Belize City, Belo Horizonte, Bermuda, Bogotá, Boston, Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Cali, Cancún, Caracas, Chicago-O'Hare, Curaçao, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Eagle/Vail [seasonal], Grand Cayman, Grenada, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Hartford/Springfield, Houston-Intercontinental, Kingston, La Paz (Bolivia), La Romana, Las Vegas, Liberia (CR), Lima, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Madrid, Managua, Maracaibo, Medellín-Córdova, Mexico City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montego Bay, Montevideo, Montréal, Nashville, New Orleans, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Newark, Orlando, Panama City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Philadelphia, Phoenix [ends June 10], Port-au-Prince, Port of Spain, Providenciales, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Quito, Raleigh/Durham, Recife, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, Salvador, San Salvador, Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), São Paulo-Guarulhos, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Louis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, San Francisco, San José (CR), San Juan, San Pedro Sula, Santiago de Chile, Santiago (DR), Santo Domingo, Tampa, Tegucigalpa, Toronto-Pearson, Washington-Dulles, Washington-Reagan
AmericanConnection operated by Trans States Airlines Charlotte, Indianapolis, Norfolk, Richmond
American Eagle Charlotte, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Greensboro, Jacksonville (FL), Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Tallahassee
American Eagle operated by Executive Air Cozumel, Fort Myers, Freeport, Georgetown, Jacksonville (FL), Key West, Marsh Harbour, Nassau, Savannah

Concourse E

Model of a Pan Am flying boat in Concourse E

Concourse E is divided into two sections: a pier concourse, called "low E", and a satellite terminal, called "high E", connected by an airport people mover. Low E is mostly used by American Airlines; high E is used by various other carriers. The Admirals Club operated by American has temporarily reopened inside security after a renovation to the checkpoint. American has opened a temporary Flagship Lounge within the concourse to serve first class passengers and alleviate overcrowding at the existing Admirals Club. Concourse E also contains customs and immigration facilities for international Arrivals at Concourse D, E, and F. Concourse E, together with Concourse F historically served as the main operations area for Pan American Airways until its shut down in 1991.

Concourse E Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses E and F

Concourse E Gate Usage

Low E

Gates E1-E11

Special Authority Cuban Charters operate from Low E
Airlines and destinations out of Concourse E
Airlines Destinations
American Airlines See Concourse D
American Airlines Havana
American Eagle Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Havana, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba
American Airlines Boeing 757s at the North Terminal.
High E

Gates E20-E25, E30-E33

Airlines and destinations out of Concourse E
Airlines Destinations
American Airlines See Concourse D

Concourse F

Concourse F Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses F and G

Concourse F Gate Usage

Gates F1-F23

Airlines and destinations out of Concourse F
Airlines Destinations
Aeromexico Mérida, Mexico City
Aerosur Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Alaska Airlines Seattle/Tacoma
Avior Airlines Barcelona (Ven.)
British Airways London-Heathrow
Cayman Airways Cayman Brac, Grand Cayman
Iberia Airlines Madrid
Insel Air Curaçao
Martinair Amsterdam, San José (CR)
Mexicana Cancún, Mexico City
Santa Barbara Airlines Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia
Sun Country Airlines Minneapolis/St. Paul [seasonal]
Surinam Airways Aruba, Paramaribo
Virgin Atlantic London-Heathrow

Concourse G

A Panoramic View of Concourses G and H, as well as the new concourse J, from the South

Concourse G Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses G and H

Concourse G Gate Usage

Gates G1-G16

Airlines and destinations out of Concourse G
Airlines Destinations
AirTran Airways Atlanta, Baltimore
Bahamasair Freeport, Nassau
Continental Airlines Havana [scheduled charter]
Continental Connection operated by Gulfstream International Airlines Havana [scheduled charter], Key West, Marsh Harbour, North Eleuthera, Orlando, Tampa
Northwest Airlines Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Sky King Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Havana, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba) - scheduled charters

Concourse H

Concourse H Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses G and H

Concourse H Gate Usage

Gates H3-H17

Airlines and destinations out of Concourse H
Airlines Destinations
Air France Cayenne, Fort-de-France, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Pointe-à-Pitre, Port-au-Prince
Alitalia Rome-Fiumicino
Continental Airlines Cleveland, Houston-Intercontinental, Newark
Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines Cleveland
Copa Airlines Panama City
CSA Czech Airlines Prague [begins April 25]
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky [seasonal], New York-JFK
Delta Connection operated by Comair Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky

Concourse J

Concourse J is a new concourse that opened on August 29, 2007 under Miami International Airport's South Terminal Renovation Project.[10] The Concourse was designed by Carlos Zapata of Studio Carlos Zapata in New York, with M.G.E., one of the largest Hispanic owned architecture firms in Florida, as the architect of record; the Concourse holds Star Alliance and SkyTeam Members, though due to renovation closures at concourse A, it currently holds several oneWorld alliance and non-affiliated airlines. Together with Concourse H, this area has been deemed the "South Terminal". It will be the only pier at the airport able to accept the new Airbus A380 (currently the only airline to commit an A380 to MIA is Lufthansa, for the MIA-FRA route) and has introduced a third customs and immigration facility at the airport, supplementing the ones at Concourses B and E; with international SkyTeam and Star Alliance members moving to this new terminal, the new facilities have eased the overcrowding problems that have plagued the concourse E immigration facilities since new US entry laws came into effect in late 2003. Once the North and South Terminals are both completed, all airlines not affiliated with either the Star Alliance, SkyTeam (South Terminal) alliances, or oneWorld alliance (North Terminal) will be housed at the remaining Concourses E, F and G.

Concourse J Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses H and J

Concourse J Gate Usage

Aerial view

Gates J2-J18

Airlines and destinations out of Concourse J
Airlines Destinations
Aerogal Guayaquil, Quito
Aerolíneas Argentinas Buenos Aires-Ezeiza
Air Berlin operated by LTU (from May 1 mainline Air Berlin) Düsseldorf, Munich
Air Canada Montréal, Toronto-Pearson
Avianca Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena, Medellín-Córdova, Pereira
Caribbean Airlines Port of Spain
LAN Airlines Bogotá, Caracas, Punta Cana, Santiago de Chile
LAN Argentina Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Punta Cana
LAN Ecuador Guayaquil, Quito
LAN Perú Lima, Iquitos
Lufthansa Düsseldorf [seasonal], Frankfurt
Swiss International Air Lines Zürich
TACA Guatemala City, Managua, Roatán, San Pedro Sula, San José (CR), San Salvador, Tegucigalpa
LACSA Bogotá, San José (CR)
TAM Airlines Manaus, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, Salvador, São Paulo-Guarulhos
United Airlines Chicago-O'Hare [ends June 3], Denver, Washington-Dulles [ends June 3]
United Airlines operated by Shuttle America Chicago-O'Hare [begins June 4], Washington-Dulles [begins June 4]
US Airways Charlotte, Philadelphia

Charter Carriers

Airlines Destinations
AirTransat
Allegiant Air
Aserca Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines
Miami Air International
North American Airlines
Ryan International Airlines
Skyservice Toronto-Pearson
Sun Country Minneapolis/St. Paul [seasonal]
Thomson Airways London-Gatwick, Manchester, Newquay
Travelspan operated by North American Airlines Georgetown, Port of Spain
World Airways

Most charter airlines have counters at Concourse F, and use gates at either Concourse F or G.

Ground transportation

Miami International Airport has direct public transport links to Miami-Dade Transit's Metrobus network, being served by routes 7, 37, 42, 57, 133, 236, 238, and J (110); free shuttles are also provided to and from the Miami Airport and Hialeah Market Stations on the Tri-Rail commuter rail line, which operates trains once every two hours on weekends and more frequently on weekdays. The stations are close, within 5 minutes drive from the main terminal. MDT is currently planning to link the airport by people mover to the upcoming Miami Intermodal Center, which will provide access to Miami-Dade Metrorail as well as the future BayLink light rail to South Beach.

Taxis and rental cars are available as well, as is the case in most airports. Taxis provide flat rates to popular destinations within Miami, such as the beaches or the city center.

Approximate time and cost to city center:

  • Metro Bus: $2.00 ($1.00 reduced fare), approximately 35-40 minutess via Route 7 (east).
  • Super Shuttle: $14.00, time depends on stops.
  • Taxi fare: $21.70, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Cargo

The airport is one of the largest in terms of cargo in the United States,[11] and is the main connecting point for cargo between Latin America and the world[citation needed]. It is first in International freight and fourth in total freight for 2007. In 2000, LAN Cargo opened up a major operations base at the airport and currently operates the second largest cargo facility at the airport second to UPS[citation needed]. Most major passenger airlines, such as American Airlines use the airport to carry belly cargo on passenger flights though most cargo is operated through cargo only airlines. UPS Airlines, FedEx Express, and DHL, all operate their major Latin American operations through MIA.

Cargo airlines

Airlines and destinations out of the cargo terminal
Airlines Destinations
ABSA
ABX Air
Aerounion
Air Tahoma
Amerijet International
Arrow Air
Astar Air Cargo
Atlas Air
Avialeasing
Cathay Pacific Cargo
Capital Cargo International Airlines
Cargolux
Centurion Air Cargo
China Airlines Cargo
Cielos del Peru
DHL
Estafeta Cargo
Falcon Express Cargo
FedEx Express
Florida West Cargo
Focus Air Cargo
Gemini Air Cargo
IBC Airways
Korean Air Cargo
LAN Cargo
Linea Aerea Carguera de Colombia
Masair
Martinair
Mountain Air Cargo
Polar Air Cargo
Skyway Enterprises
TAMPA Cargo
Tradewinds Airlines
UPS Airlines

New Services

  • AeroRepública intends to begin flights to Bogotá and Medellin in 2009.[12]
  • Air Europa will begin weekly service to Tenerife-North Airport (Canary Islands) in March 2009.[13]
  • American Airlines has applied to begin daily non-stop service to Valencia, Venezuela, pending Venezuelan government approval.
  • Avior plans to begin non-stop service to Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela in 2009.[14]
  • Avior has applied to begin three weekly flights to Valencia, Venezuela, pending US government approval.
  • Cathay Pacific Cargo will begin a triangular Anchorage-Miami-Houston freighter service in March 2009.
  • CSA Czech Airlines will begin weekly service to Prague in April 2009.
  • Linea Aerea Carguera de Colombia will begin freighter service to Bogota and Medellin in March 2009.

Incidents and accidents

Airline crashes involving MIA include:

Satellite Transit Shuttle (STS) Accident:

  • On November 8, 2008, the airport's automated people mover system overran it's stop at Concourse E and crashed into a buffer at the end of the track, injuring five people.[17] The Miami Automated People Mover System is a Bombardier C-100 APM and was built in the late 1970s. Although it was scheduled for decommission in 2004, construction delays on the airport's North Terminal have resulted in continued operation of the system. In 2007, Bombardier expressed concerns about the safety of the system during a period of renewal of the operations and maintenance contract. In January 2008, Johnson Controls Inc was contracted to provide operations and maintenance for the system.[18] The south train has remained inoperative since the accident, leaving the satellite terminal reliant on the sole north train.

In Popular Culture

Miami International Airport has been used for scenes in many movies and TV shows, including:

  • The 2002 videogame GTA Vice City features the airport as the 'Escobar International'.
  • The 1980s television show Miami Vice had many airport scenes filmed on location at MIA.
  • The 2002 film Big Trouble has a final chase scene that was filmed at MIA's Concourse C.
  • The 2002 film Catch Me if You Can has Leonardo DiCaprio's character spending a little time in the terminal. However, Catch Me If You Can was actually filmed at the old terminal for Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California.
  • The fall 2002 and 2007 installments of The Amazing Race (season 3 and season 11, respectively) began in Miami and had shots at MIA while teams booked and boarded flights (to Mexico City in season 3, and to Ecuador in season 11).
  • The 2005 film Red Eye has a scene including the Miami International Airport. The scene takes place as Lisa is running from the police after her plane lands.

Military use

The Army Air Force began using Miami Airport in the 1930s, assigning the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron to the airfield to fly search and rescue along with weather reconnaissance patrols.

After the Pearl Harbor attack and the United States entry into World War II, the Air Force's use of the airport changed to being a base for antisubmarine patrols, with the airport becoming the Headquarters, for the 26th Antisubmarine Wing of the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (AAFAC) from 20 Nov 1942-15 Oct 1943. The AAFAC flew antisubmarine patrols, searching for and attacking German U-Boats from the airport using B-18 Bolo and B-24 Liberator bombers specially equipped with RADAR.

After the war, Miami Airport became the home of numerous cargo and troop carrier units of the United States Air Force Reserve, the major one being the 435th Troop Carrier Group (later Wing), operating from the airport from July 1949 to February 1951, and again from December 1952 to December 1958.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for MIA PDF, effective 2007-10-25
  2. ^ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-airport2508oct25,0,525777.story
  3. ^ New airline could have famous name - Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology:
  4. ^ 2007 Traffic Report
  5. ^ BTS | October 2007 Airline Traffic Data: 10-Month 2007 System Traffic Up 3.6 Percent From 2006
  6. ^ http://acb-architects.com/airtrans-miami.htm
  7. ^ http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/070524/story1.shtml
  8. ^ "Airport Fire Rescue Division". Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. Miami-Dade County. Retrieved August 30 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  9. ^ "Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Stations". Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. Miami-Dade County. Retrieved August 30 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  10. ^ http://www.miamiherald.com/103/story/50030.html
  11. ^ http://www.airports.org/cda/aci_common/display/main/aci_content07_c.jsp?zn=aci&cp=1-5-54-4819_666_2__
  12. ^ Perú 21 / Economía
  13. ^ http://www.miamiherald.com/business/breaking-news/story/771615.html
  14. ^ El Diario de Guayana
  15. ^ Aviation Safety Network retrieved 26 November 2006
  16. ^ "Jetliner evacuated after fire in wheel well", CNN
  17. ^ Miami Herald "MIA train hits building; riders injured" 11/28/08
  18. ^ Award Recommendation for Maintenance of Satellite Transit Shuttle at Miami International Airport

External links


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