Genetec Press Release

Genetec announced recently that Denver International Airport has selected Omnicast, Genetec’s advanced IP video surveillance solution, to secure its 53 square-mile facility.

Ranked the 10th busiest airport in the world in 2008 for passenger traffic by Airports Council International, DIA was looking to upgrade its outdated analog system to a newer and more advanced network-based solution that could evolve as newer technology emerged.

The entire system to date consists of 1,200 cameras and 12 archive servers that are expected to double in the next 18 months. Besides the airport protection and surveillance applications such as monitoring the facility, security checkpoints and passenger congestion throughout, they also intend to service external clients with the use of Omnicast. Currently, the Transportation Security Administration, airlines, airport operations, airport parking, Denver police department and Denver airport security, among others, all use video surveillance for a range of purposes.

To date, all our clients have been using their own systems from different organizations,” said Phil Medina, senior IT administrator for airport security at DIA. “Eventually, we will connect all cameras to the Omnicast system and offer it as a service to everyone.”

Some other features include the user-friendly interface, which would allow DIA to save time in training customers with all levels of experience, the multiple options to manage and store the video, as well as the watermarking options, which further protect the data.

Since DIA is also storing a lot of video recordings, it are able to reduce the amount of required storage using tools in Omnicast that efficiently optimize its bandwidth, such as multicasting and multi-streaming. The system’s open architecture contributed to additional flexibility, allowing DIA to preserve some initial investments including a storage area network, existing cameras and an access control system that will soon be fully integrated with Omnicast.

Apart from continually growing the system, there are still larger plans ahead for DIA and their new Omnicast solution, including integrations with video analytics and situational management software, as well as the introduction of a strengthened perimeter security program.

“DIA has really taken advantage of Omnicast’s unique capabilities by turning a typical large-scale airport application into one of the most cutting-edge deployments in the transportation industry,” says Danny Peleg, director of transportation market for Genetec. “We are glad to have been able to contribute to their pro-active security enhancements, as their efforts will certainly not go unnoticed.”

An outside study of the Erie Municipal Airport’s economic potential concluded that there are untapped opportunities to increase revenue, leading town leaders to make a controversial decision to nix an unused second runway, reports the Boulder Daily Camera.

The study, conducted by Boyd Group International for about $50,000, concluded that the airport “represents and enormous economic asset an opportunity to the town.”

Erie Mayor Andrew Moore said the study gives the town concrete ideas on how to make the airport self-supporting so it doesn’t need to be subsidized by the taxpayers — and how to potentially make it a revenue generator.

“It’s a major step forward to enable economic development at the airport,” he said.

But pilot Scott DeLuise, a member of the Erie Airport Economic Development Council, said the decision to remove the second runway is “ill advised and a knee jerk action.”

He said the town shouldn’t consider removing the runway until there`s a viable project proposed to build hangars — something he considers unlikely in a recession.

Read the entire article at the Daily Camera.

The Glenwood Springs Post Independent reports that U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-3rd Dist., announced that $17.5 million in federal funding has been allocated to upgrade the runway at Garfield County Regional Airport.

This funding is in addition to the $13.5 million for the same project announced in May. The airport is currently in the second year of a three-year project that will upgrade the runway safety area to better accommodate jet aircraft.

Some of the improvements include expanding the safety area around the runway from 300 feet to 500 feet, new aircraft instrument approaches from the east and west and reducing the slope of the runway by lowering the east end approximately seven feet and raising the west end approximately 14 feet. This will reduce the slope to less that 1 percent across the entire 7,000 foot runway. This year’s work includes moving an estimated 1.8 million cubic yards of dirt and gravel into to the new safety area, and at some locations constructing embankments more than 60 feet high.

Read the entire article at the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.

The House passed legislation this afternoon sponsored by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-MN to extend the Federal law authorizing spending on federal-aid highways and transit projects which was set to expire on September 30, Reason Foundation blogger Shirley Ybarra writes.

Most importantly, the legislation does not address a looming $8.7 billion rescission of existing contract authority (enacted in the 2005 transportation law known as SAFETEA-LU and amended by a 2007 energy law), which will be executed next week by the Federal Highway Administration if not repealed. Oberstar did not discuss the rescission issue on the House floor, but his spokesman said a repeal of the rescission was left out of the measure because House rules would require an offset to pay for it through higher taxes or reduced spending elsewhere.

The rescission issue is a very real problem for the state departments of transportation as they will be negatively impacted in a total of $8.7 billion.

“This rescission will amount to real dollar losses to programs and projects, and will have a devastating effect on many state departments of transportation and reverse the positive economic gains brought about by the recovery act,” John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. “Colorado would lose $115 million in contract authority.”

The U.S. House approved legislation Wednesday to temporarily extend current funding levels for highway-construction and aviation programs. The moves effectively delay planned overhauls of federal transportation policies until at least next year, Dow Jones reports.

The House voted to extend funding formulas for construction of highways, bridges and mass transit for another three months. Separately, the House voted to extend the taxing and spending authority of the Federal Aviation Administration for another three months.

Both laws are set to expire Sept. 30. The Senate has yet to act on either matter.

The Denver Post reports that the Federal Aviation Administration could cut off federal funding from Vance Brand Airport because the city’s plan to use a fence to hold back the prairie dog population is making the problem worse.

The FAA says birds of prey are roosting on the $12,700 fence and could prove hazardous to any flights in and out of the airport. They warn that if the prairie dogs are not removed, Vance Brand could be cut off from federal funding — a disaster for the facility.

The Denver Post reports that a new aircraft surveillance system being rolled out at select mountain airports in Colorado promises to boost the capacity and efficiency of takeoffs and landings at airfields surrounded by rugged, often deadly, terrain.

On Sept. 12, air-traffic controllers started using the system for flights in and out of Craig, Steamboat Springs, Hayden and Rifle. They are among the first airports in the country to use technology called Wide Area Multilateration, or WAM, which allows controllers to “see” planes for the first time on radar displays when the aircraft are arriving and departing at airfields framed by high terrain.

A total of 5,109,342 passengers were recorded at Denver International Airport in July, a 2.2 percent increase from the 5,000,505 travelers who used the airport during the same month last year. This marks DIA’s busiest month in history and bucks the trend of declining passenger numbers that started last fall. This is only the second time in history that monthly traffic at DIA has topped the 5 million mark.

“This is certainly good news for Denver International Airport,” Aviation Manager Kim Day said Tuesday. “We’ve been seeing our numbers drop since last October and it is refreshing to see them headed in a different direction. Although we still anticipate finishing 2009 down overall, I think that this is an encouraging sign and certainly a reflection on how strong the Denver air travel market really is.”

July 2008 was previously the busiest month on record at DIA.

If American Airlines Inc. seems a little nosier today, there’s a reason, the Dallas Morning News reports.

American is rolling out the Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight program, which means the carrier will be asking for more information when customers book their tickets.

The airline now will be asking for date of birth and gender for all travelers. Customers must give their full names, including middle names, and the names given must match a government-issued photo ID.

Colorado Springs Municipal Airport will get a $7.2 million federal grant toward repair of its taxiways, according to a report in the Denver Business Journal.

The latest grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation is on top of $6.28 million the airport received in April through the federal stimulus program.

The new money will help the airport rehabilitate three taxiways where pavement has seriously deteriorated.