Latest news with #SkyHarbor
New York Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Rare Early June Rainfall Could Reach Phoenix
A storm spinning off the coast of Baja California in Mexico on Saturday was poised to dive into the Southwest United States and drag with it remnants of post-tropical storm Alvin. This system, which is uncommonly wet for this time of year, will bring a rare chance for thunderstorms and brief heavy downpours to the region, especially to southeast California, southwest New Mexico and southern Arizona, including Phoenix, Sunday into Monday. The rain would be much welcome in an area with widespread drought conditions after a winter of below-normal precipitation. 'For this time of year this is quite unusual,' said Mark O'Malley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Phoenix. The Weather Service's official gauge for the Phoenix area is at Sky Harbor International Airport. It has recorded measurable rainfall in the first week of June on 21 occasions, with records going back to 1896. 'Normal rainfall is zero,' Mr. O'Malley said of the first week in June. There's a 75 percent chance the airport will record rain on Sunday afternoon or evening, with rainfall chances continuing into Monday. A thunderstorm or two could move over the airport and bring half an inch of rain, or the downpour could hit 10 miles west of the airport, and there would hardly be any rain. This unusual weather setup will bring a chance for rain and thunderstorms to most of the Southwest on Sunday into Monday, including southeastern California, southern Nevada, all of Arizona, western New Mexico, the Wasatch Mountains in Utah and portions of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. 'This is a fairly large swath of moisture, so I'd actually say, there's not just a chance of rain, but rain is likely,' said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with the Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. The chances are highest across southern Arizona, southwest New Mexico and southeast California, and the Weather Prediction Center has put this area under a marginal risk — level 1 out of 4 — for excessive rainfall that could lead to flash flooding on Sunday. A slice of Southern Arizona is at a higher slight risk, level 2 out of 4. Mr. O'Malley said that minor flooding on roadways in the greater Phoenix area is possible. Storms occasionally pass over the Southwest in late spring but they're usually dry. Rain is more common during the monsoon season that starts June 15 and lasts into September. 'These storms come through and you'd never know, other than a little wind,' Mr. O'Malley said. 'With this storm, you have that moisture that's being pulled in from Alvin — that's the big difference.' Mr. Mullinax said there's also a strong southerly wind component that's escorting the tropical moisture northward into the Southwest. Alvin formed over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of west Mexico on Thursday, sending pounding surf to west-central Mexico and southern Baja California. The system has since dissipated and was a post-tropical cyclone over the North Pacific Ocean on Saturday.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
ASU Polytechnic program helping to train new air traffic controllers
The Brief The U.S. is facing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers. A program at Arizona State University's Polytechnic campus is helping to train those who are interested in the field. The facility used by the program simulates a Phoenix Skyt Harbor Airport terminal. PHOENIX - With the United States facing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers, students headed to college might want to look into the aviation field. For students interested in studying air traffic management and aviation, Arizona State University's Polytechnic campus in Mesa has them covered, with a state-of-the-art facility simulating Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport's Terminal 4. What One Student Said "You get such a newfound appreciation for it, but it's even just helped my pilot career in knowing what to expect, or even just visualizing other things. It's truly been incredible and a really fun experience, too, to get both sides of it. Like OK, here's the pilot realm. Here's what I'm experiencing," said Anna Ruffley. Dig deeper Roffley is studying to be a pilot, but she said she is grateful for the program and technology offered by ASU Polytechnic that will prepare her for any situation. Inside the simulator building, students learn every detail of air traffic control procedures and operations. "The blue screen is called the AZDE-X Airport Surface Detection Equipment, and that kind of helps controllers keep track of airplanes on the ground, on the taxiways, on the runways. Another tool that they can use to help separate airplanes," said John Delugt with ASU Polytechnic. The 80-to-100-student program helps students gain not only a strong background in aircraft operations, but various skills and and business principes needed to work under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The program will be receiving new additions to their technology this summer, in hopes that new Sun Devil additions will become employed to work for the busy skies soon.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Honor Flight thanks military vets with trip to Washington D.C. to tour the nation's monuments and memorials
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The Brief One of 10 annual Honor Flights to Washington D.C. took off from Phoenix Sky Harbor carrying veterans on a tour to war memorials and monuments in the nation's capital. The whole operation is volunteer only. They took veterans from the Korean War, Vietnam War and World War II on the trip. PHOENIX - A special flight landed in the nation's capital. An honor flight from Phoenix, taking military veterans on a three-day trip to tour the memorials and monuments in Washington D.C. Most importantly, the flights were provided to honor their service. Honor Flight heroes are greeted at Sky Harbor Airport The backstory Honor Flight is a volunteer-only operation across the country. The mission is to take these veterans to Washington D.C. to see the monuments and memorials, but mostly to make sure they know we remember and appreciate their sacrifice. They move slowly through Sky Harbor Airport to claps, cheers and hand shakes. Military veterans from Vietnam, Korea and even a 98-year-old from World War II. Honor Flight heroes march toward their flight to Washington D.C. What they're saying "It's very, very overwhelming," said veteran Peter LaRosa. "I can't believe that you all would do so much for so few of us." It's one of 10 trips a year to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials and monuments. The sites were only made possible by the sacrifice of these men and women. "There's so many years we were ignored or denied that we even existed, so I am very happy that we're finally getting recognition," said veteran Jeanette Booker. "Oh boy, what a wonderful opportunity. I never expected it," said veteran David Keeler. Not all veterans return to a glorious celebration. Some feel they were not truly appreciated at the time. "A lot of people think that all the World War II veterans came back to their parades but they didn't," said Matthew Hartman, Honor Flight logistics coordinator. The Korean War is 'the Forgotten War' so obviously those veterans probably didn't get a good welcome home. And we've all heard the horror stories of the Vietnam veterans when they came home." Watch FOX 10 Phoenix live: Why you should care It takes dozens of volunteers to pull this off. From traveling medics to keep them safe, to school kids who made sack lunches. "I helped out for this cause so the US Army could have lunch," said volunteer Grayson Bond. "I volunteer because of my dad and the life we had as a family and our way of life being preserved because of all of these wonderful people," said volunteer Deborah Van Dusen. As they walked, limped and wheeled their way to the gate, passengers stopped in their tracks for a standing ovation. The first honor flight was in 2005 and the first honor flight out of Arizona came a few years later in 2009.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Travelers breeze through Sky Harbor Airport as REAL ID deadline arrives
The Brief Sky Harbor Airport reported minimal delays as REAL ID deadline arrives for travelers in the U.S. Most of the people we spoke with were prepared and ready with the correct ID for the nationwide change. Others didn't even know today was the day for the change over. PHOENIX - The deadline has arrived. Fliers now need to have a REAL ID to get past checkpoints at airports. Many expected long lines at checkpoints today, but for the most part everything has been smooth. What we know It's been a pretty normal travel day, all things considered, with 5 to 10-minute waits all day. Maybe it's because travelers heeded the warnings, but it was hard to find anyone without a REAL ID. What they're saying We asked several travelers: Did you bring the right ID for today? "Of course I did!" Did you guys bring the right IDs today? "Yes." Were you concerned about flying today? "Not at all." Did you get her early? "No." You knew it would be problem-free. "I wasn't expecting anything." Were you a little nervous to fly on this day? "Not at all." Did you get here earlier than you normally would have? "Well I like to take my time." Traveler after traveler told me they already had their REAL ID and it was smooth flying. The other side Not everyone wanted to share. "Not flying today," said one traveler. Some didn't even know today was the deadline for the enhanced ID or a passport to fly. Did you get to the airport a little earlier today? "I totally forgot today was the day. So, ha!" said another. Local perspective "I am happy to report that today, May 7th, at Phoenix Sky Harbor, and actually the United States, travelers responded and they've done so positively," said Patricia Mancha with TSA. She said if you didn't have a REAL ID, they had to pull you aside to ask more questions, similar to a credit check. "If we have 100 travelers who don't have REAL ID and you're number 99 on that list, it's very likely we may not verify you in time for you to make your flight. Time is your friend. Make sure you get here early," said Mancha. Dig deeper We took our search for a flier with our REAL ID from the check-point, down the escalator to baggage claim and asked just about everyone until we found one person. Person 1 "I'm not from the US." So you come with a passport no matter what. You're good to go. "Yea I need a passport." Person 2 Did you have the REAL ID for today? "Yeah." Any issues traveling? "No." Where'd you fly from? "Dallas" Person 3 Did you have the REAL ID today? "Yes I do sir thank you." Easy travel? "Yes sir." Person 4 Were you worried about flying today? "A little bit because my wife didn't have one dude." You don't have a REAL ID? The backstory Harmony was supposed to fly yesterday. "My mother-in-law was like you know, 'you have to have your REAL ID by May 7.' I was like 'We were flying out on the 6th, no problem,'" said Harmony Leifer. But problem! Her flight was delayed until Wednesday. It surprised her though how quickly she breezed through security. They just took my ID and said, 'hey come on in,'" she said. They didn't ask you any extra questions or anything? "No. Maybe that's bad, but they didn't," she said. "They let me through. Maybe it's the first day I don't know." To get an up-to-date REAL ID, you can visit the Department of Transportation's nearest MVD location.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This new Phoenix flight was just named the sexiest. Here's why
A new flight from Phoenix has won the aviation equivalent of People's Sexiest Man Alive. Cranky Flier, a consumer air travel blog, crowned Air France's flight between Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport the sexiest new long-haul airline route in its 2025 Cranky Network Awards. The awards honor the best in airline network planning. "As Arizona's largest economic engine, Phoenix Sky Harbor plays a key role in driving economic growth, and the Paris-Phoenix route strengthens our international presence," Phoenix Aviation Director Chad Makovsky said in a statement. "This important partnership will continue bringing more visitors and business opportunities to our region." Air France debuted the Phoenix-Paris flights in May 2024, drawing 7,249 passengers last year, data from Sky Harbor showed. Flights run three days a week, but will be expanded in May to five days a week and fly on a larger, 324-seat aircraft, in time for the summer travel season and the one-year anniversary of the route's launch. What set the Phoenix-Paris route apart was how Phoenix and Paris are desirable, world-class destinations that are on many travelers' bucket lists, Cranky Flier's president and self-described "Chief Airline Dork" Brett Snyder told The Arizona Republic. He cited Phoenix's Sonoran Desert location and proximity to Sedona, the Grand Canyon and "other natural beauty that can't be seen anywhere else in the world." Paris speaks for itself because "everyone wants to see Paris at least once in their lives" for its culture, city sights and museums, Snyder said. "But beyond that, this opens up so many other destinations with a single stop from Phoenix that can't easily be served today," he said. "The only other long-haul flights to Europe from Phoenix are on American and British Airways to London, and Heathrow is very crowded, so it can't serve many of the places that Air France now connects through Paris." Four destinations Snyder said Arizonans can connect to via the Air France route to Paris include Bordeaux, a region of France famous for its wine; Tangier, a port city in Morocco; Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar; and Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean. Flights had to meet these criteria to be considered for the sexiest long-haul route: The route was announced during the 2024 calendar year. The route is at least 3,000 miles long. (The distance between Sky Harbor and Paris is about 5,500 miles.) The route must touch the Americas north of the equator on at least one end, which is the geography for the awards in general. After that, it's based on the opinions of Snyder and the awards' co-presenter, Courtney Miller, founder and managing director of the aviation data company Visual Approach Analytics. Looking for the best things to do in Arizona? Sign up for our newsletter. After Snyder and Miller narrowed the field and debated each route, they made a shortlist of five routes. While Phoenix-Paris emerged the victor, these other flights were in the running: United Airlines' route from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Madeira, a Portuguese island known for its namesake wine. Snyder said Madeira is not a common destination from the U.S. Air Canada's route from Vancouver to Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Delta Air Lines' route from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Catania, on the east coast of Sicily. The Mediterranean island experienced surging interest from travelers after it was featured as the setting for the second season of the HBO series "The White Lotus." Alaska Airlines' route from Seattle Tacoma International Airport to Tokyo's Narita International Airport. Snyder said that while other airlines fly nonstop from Seattle to Tokyo, this route stands out for being Alaska's first long-haul route from Seattle, "which is sexy in its own right." Is it safe to go to Mexico right now? What spring breakers need to know Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: This Phoenix flight was named the sexiest. Here's why
