FlyChi....hope this helps.
CHICAGO -- The flight of American Trans Air's (ATA) US$100 million training center is still running on schedule for its Chicago arrival.
Originally announced in late January of 2001, the 200,000-sq.-ft. (18,000-sq.-m.) center's fate became fuzzy in the aftermath of Sept. 11's terrorist attacks. Like most airlines, ATA has taken an economic hit from the reduction in air travel in Sept. 11's wake. Since the attacks, the Indianapolis-based airline has laid off some 1,500 of its 7,800 employees.
ATA represents 25 percent of operations at Midway Airport (pictured above). The $761 million Midway Terminal Development Program that's now under way is the largest public works project in progress in Illinois.
American Trans Air, however, announced in October that the training center near Midway Airport was still a go. "We do intend to move forward with our initial plan" for the training center, said ATA President and CEO John Tague. "It will improve our financial situation. It makes good economic sense."
ATA's intentions for the training center further solidified in December: The airline's application was approved for a zoning change for the site it has chosen just south of Midway Airport on Cicero Ave. Chicago's City Council is expected to give the project final approval.
ATA Will Buy, Lease Back Land
ATA's plans call for building four-story and two-and-a-half-story facilities. The training operation will employ 110 workers.
Portland, Ore.-based CF Properties currently owns the site, which was formerly a motor freight terminal. Under the current proposal that will go before the City Council, ATA would buy the land from CF Properties. The airline, however, would then deed the property to the Chicago Dept. of Aviation (CDA). At that point, CDA would lease 23.1 acres (9.2 hectares) to ATA.
The airline, however, will initially utilize only 17.4 acres (seven hectares) of that site. But ATA will have the option to sublease 5.5 acres (2.2 hectares) to a hotel/retail developer. The CDA would retain the tract's other 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares) for parking.
Center Replaces Outsourced Training
The center for training pilots, flight attendants and mechanics will be the first such facility for ATA. The company currently outsources its training programs to other airlines.
The Cicero Ave. center, which will also be the first such facility in Chicago, will include two General Electric flight simulators. The simulators will be positioned behind clear glass and will be visible from Cicero Ave.
The GE simulators will be used to train ATA pilots in flying the airline's new and larger Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft. The 737s and 757s are replacing the Boeing 727s that ATA is phasing out of its operations.
The second largest carrier at Midway, ATA represents 25 percent of the Chicago airport's operations. Part of ATA's cost cutting after Sept. 11 has included canceling 20 percent of the airline's flights from Midway.
ATA, however, has announced plans to again ramp up its flight schedule from Midway. Tague has said that the airline will return to a schedule "similar to pre-attack . . . no later than January."
The training center is part of the airline's continuation of the plan it earlier announced to increase its Chicago-area employees to 4,800 over the next five years, company officials said. ATA has employed as many as 2,500 workers in the Chicago area. The 11th largest U.S. airline, ATA increased its total employment by 11.4 percent during 2000.
CHICAGO -- The flight of American Trans Air's (ATA) US$100 million training center is still running on schedule for its Chicago arrival.
Originally announced in late January of 2001, the 200,000-sq.-ft. (18,000-sq.-m.) center's fate became fuzzy in the aftermath of Sept. 11's terrorist attacks. Like most airlines, ATA has taken an economic hit from the reduction in air travel in Sept. 11's wake. Since the attacks, the Indianapolis-based airline has laid off some 1,500 of its 7,800 employees.
ATA represents 25 percent of operations at Midway Airport (pictured above). The $761 million Midway Terminal Development Program that's now under way is the largest public works project in progress in Illinois.
American Trans Air, however, announced in October that the training center near Midway Airport was still a go. "We do intend to move forward with our initial plan" for the training center, said ATA President and CEO John Tague. "It will improve our financial situation. It makes good economic sense."
ATA's intentions for the training center further solidified in December: The airline's application was approved for a zoning change for the site it has chosen just south of Midway Airport on Cicero Ave. Chicago's City Council is expected to give the project final approval.
ATA Will Buy, Lease Back Land
ATA's plans call for building four-story and two-and-a-half-story facilities. The training operation will employ 110 workers.
Portland, Ore.-based CF Properties currently owns the site, which was formerly a motor freight terminal. Under the current proposal that will go before the City Council, ATA would buy the land from CF Properties. The airline, however, would then deed the property to the Chicago Dept. of Aviation (CDA). At that point, CDA would lease 23.1 acres (9.2 hectares) to ATA.
The airline, however, will initially utilize only 17.4 acres (seven hectares) of that site. But ATA will have the option to sublease 5.5 acres (2.2 hectares) to a hotel/retail developer. The CDA would retain the tract's other 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares) for parking.
Center Replaces Outsourced Training
The center for training pilots, flight attendants and mechanics will be the first such facility for ATA. The company currently outsources its training programs to other airlines.
The Cicero Ave. center, which will also be the first such facility in Chicago, will include two General Electric flight simulators. The simulators will be positioned behind clear glass and will be visible from Cicero Ave.
The GE simulators will be used to train ATA pilots in flying the airline's new and larger Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft. The 737s and 757s are replacing the Boeing 727s that ATA is phasing out of its operations.
The second largest carrier at Midway, ATA represents 25 percent of the Chicago airport's operations. Part of ATA's cost cutting after Sept. 11 has included canceling 20 percent of the airline's flights from Midway.
ATA, however, has announced plans to again ramp up its flight schedule from Midway. Tague has said that the airline will return to a schedule "similar to pre-attack . . . no later than January."
The training center is part of the airline's continuation of the plan it earlier announced to increase its Chicago-area employees to 4,800 over the next five years, company officials said. ATA has employed as many as 2,500 workers in the Chicago area. The 11th largest U.S. airline, ATA increased its total employment by 11.4 percent during 2000.
