Fall 2023 Airport Engineering Seminar & Charlotte Air Institute

December 1, 2023
Categories: Departmental News Tags: Departmental News, newsletter
Pictured: CEE Dept. Chair, Glenn Moglen, receiving a pair of CLT Airport socks from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s Chief Infrastructure Officer, Jack Christine.

On October 24-25, the Department of Civil and Engineering partnered with Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, the Sullenberger Aviation Museum, and the newly announced Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research Institute to hold this year’s Airport Engineering Seminar.  This informative in-person event featured presentations by industry, government, and academic experts in airport design, construction, operation, and maintenance.  The seminar consisted of seven information sessions followed by a tour of CLT Airport’s current renovation projects.  The session topics included: the state of the airline industry, FAA updates, ground transportation & trends in automated vehicles, development challenges & opportunities for small/medium hubs, a capital development update of CLT Airport, NC/SC DOT updates, and terminal repurposing.

Pictured: U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster landing on runway 18L/36R.

The seminar was hosted at the Wilson Air Hangar directly beside one of CLT’s runways, where guests could watch planes take off and land during session breaks.  Over 150 engineers, architects and related professionals who have an interest in aviation-related topics attended the event.  Thank you to all who participated, sponsored, or co-hosted the event.

The Charlotte Aviation, Innovation, and Research (AIR) Institute was announced at the seminar by CEE faculty and Co-Director of the AIR Institute, Srinivas Pulugurtha.  Dr. Pulugurtha will Co-Direct the AIR institute with Dr. Tara Cavalline, Professor for the Department of Engineering Technology and Construction Management.  The AIR Institute establishes a partnership between UNC Charlotte and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.  This partnership seeks solutions to challenges in the aviation and airport infrastructure sector.  This groundbreaking partnership is the only partnership between a major airport and a major university in the nation.  The AIR Institute also features partnerships with the Sullenberger Aviation Museum and industry partner Talbert, Bright, & Ellington.

We are proud to be in the forefront of groundbreaking partnerships created with the Charlotte AIR Institute.