Nashville International Airport Development thread

[Nashvegas06]

I will try to get some pics before my next trip on the 10th. The airport has closed up the cut through on th C gates. So there is no short cut anymore and I guess things are taking shape.

My source at BNA tells me that they all hate the vendor that was signed up. I can understand why from what I have seen. I saw one of thier managers talk down to a person in one of the stores about the sunglasses needing to be be turned upside down for no reason. WTF... This will not improve sales... Better service and product mix will! Regarding sales, was blown away to find out that those stores (from my source) do about 40k each day per store.

[Lexy]

C and B are torn up and unless you have a plane ticket, you can't get down them. Now I can get inside, but I doubt the MNAA wants any pictures of the construction on the internet without their approval. When you take pictures of a project like what is happeing inside the terminal that is funded by the government, the right to take and post those pictures is different than me taking a picture with the intent to capture a person in it and just "by chance" getting a shot of the construction in it.

For example, I have pictures inside the American Airlines Admiral Club from about two weeks ago, but without AA's approval, I can't display them on the net. BTW, I would look for that thing to open in the early summer '07, not Spring '07. It's a mess inside there! LOL!!!

I have a slew of new pictures on my website that are up and running. Including the Northwest Airlines Boeing 747 that was here last weekend. Both inside and outside of it! The Antonov 124 is back in town to pick up the Boeing 787 engine this weekend and I am scheduled to board it Sunday morning before departure and get some cockpit shots of it. Go to the Observation lot for a good look of it!!

Here is a sample, if you will, of some of the newer stuff!

Michael

Southwest Airlines "Silver One"

Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-200:

Inside the cockpit of the NWA 747:

China Airlines rare afternoon departure:

Delta Airlines Boeing 737-800:

Delta's cockpit on the 738:

UPS MD-11 cockpit:

The terminal:

The Ground Control Tower:

Edited March 31, 2007 by Lexy

[Hankster]

Thanks for the pics and the update, Lexy. It sure is good to have you back!

[Lexy]

Thanks for the pics and the update, Lexy. It sure is good to have you back!

Thank you Hank. It's good to be back!

[Nashvegas06]

Lexy great pics. Why can't I post pics? I am only a tourist... Hey and it's good for both of us to be back. I will be good for now on... (Eye in the sky)

[Lexy]

Lexy great pics. Why can't I post pics? I am only a tourist... Hey and it's good for both of us to be back. I will be good for now on... (Eye in the sky)

Thanks NashVegas. LOL!! Yeah, it's good to be back for sure. I miss everyone on here, even the Memphis folk. We may disagree on most stuff, but I still respect them and their opinions regardless. Honestly.

Eitherway, I don't see why you posting pics would be a problem. Me, on the other hand, would be a problem because I am being escorted on the grounds by airport staff. That would create a conflict of intrest on the part of the airports PR Department.

Oh hey! The Boeing 787 Engine is gone now. It left this morning for England. I have the pics up on my site (well most of them) right here: http://www.pbase.com/lexyky/anotonov_design_bureau

Edited April 1, 2007 by Lexy

[Lexy]

Here we go. The Flightdeck of the Antonov 124-100 Ruslan:

This airplane is immense! You really don't appreciate it as much until you have been on it.

[smeagolsfree]

Welcome back Lexy. I saw the Antonov parked out there Saturday and was wondering if you were going to post a pic. Sure is a big sucker.

[Lexy]

Thanks Ron. When you saw it, I was over there with it.

[Lexy]

Race weekend in Nashville and with that means a TON of airplanes you wouldn't normally see here. Well, you see them at Smyrna more than you see them at Nashville, but still, the two airports are only a few miles apart from eachother! LOL!

I had the oppurtunity to capture a airplane that some of our friends in Memphis may be more familiar with since they used to fly into Tunica on a regular basis.

Pan Am Clipper Connection:

It's not the original Pan AM as most of us know it in the 1980's, but it is their livery and their legacy. Great to see and worth the cold to get it!

Here is another rare sight at Smyrna, an Airbus A319 Executive landing for one of the race teams pit crews as a charter to Charlotte.

It was an exciting day to say the least!

I have more from the ramp at Smyrna that includes some of the teams individual airplanes. More wil be added today as I get the motivation to upload them! LOL!!! Here is the link: http://www.pbase.com/lexyky/sports_teams_jets&page=1

[Nashvegas06]

Okay here are the pictures of the BNA remodeling. I travel every week and this is the most progress I have seen to date. The have put in new carpet... No more bare concrete floors...

The photos are of the C concourse. Let me first say sorry about the poor quality, but I took these with my cell phone. I felt pulling put my SLR would have caused more of an issue.

Carpet a tile mess

Stained new carpet

Are we getting new seats?

I hope the get here soon

Tiles missing on almost every column

Ceiling issues

Now the future... Let's hope it gets here soon...

Boarded up renovation area

Cut through in C concourse closed

Finally a monitor that shows future stores

Again sorry for the poor quality and I will try to get some pictures when things really get rolling...

[Lexy]

Great update. The pics really help to paint the picture for most of us that aren't at the airport frequently. After the next year or so, there will be quite a few changes out there that will change the face of the airport here in Nashville.

The Rolls Royce Engines for the Boeing 787 program are back for more testing again. They had some trouble with the last one and had to exchange it for another so who knows. This Russian Antonov 124-100 Ruslan has spent the last four days parked on the west cargo ramp waiting on a crew change from Russia.

Some surprises over at the Embraer hangars too!

LuxAir from the country of Luxembourg.

AeroLitoral from Mexico.

A few random shots.

American Airlines has upgraded one of their flights from Dallas to Nashville to a 737-800. It was a MD-82, but due to increased capacity and equipment needs, they have upgraded this flight to the more economical and comfortable 738. That brings the total to four daily flights on American that are on the 737-800. Two dailies on the 737 to Miami, one daily to Los Angeles on the 737, and now one daily to Dallas on the 737. Here is the initial flight taking off on runway 31 yesterday around 4pm.

Edited April 20, 2007 by Lexy

[smeagolsfree]

Got a question for you Lexy.

I have noticed that when the Air China 747 lands and tkes off there is a chase vehicle. What is its purpose??

He runs about 100 miles an hour after this baby lands and the same right after take off, right behind it.

I know its not a random thing because I have seen it dozens of times while waiting on the DHL flight early in the morning.

[Lexy]

Got a question for you Lexy.

I have noticed that when the Air China 747 lands and tkes off there is a chase vehicle. What is its purpose??

He runs about 100 miles an hour after this baby lands and the same right after take off, right behind it.

I know its not a random thing because I have seen it dozens of times while waiting on the DHL flight early in the morning.

That would be my very good friend John follwing behind to make sure the runway is clear of debris and the signs are still standing. I have rode with him while he does that countless times. Very fun!!!!

[smeagolsfree]

Thanks Michael, It does look like a lot of fun. Just how fast are you going?????

[Lexy]

Thanks Michael, It does look like a lot of fun. Just how fast are you going?????

Depends. Usually anywhere between 60-90 mph.

[Lexy]

Surprise visit this afternoon from the US Navy. They had a E-6B in town for practice touch and goes out at Smyrna today and for whatever reason, landed at BNA for about 10 minutes and then left. Eitherway, it was cool to see this military heavy here.

[Lexy]

A little update at the airport. Frontier has now increased the Cancun frequencies each week and they have added an extra daily to Denver from here. These changes fall in line with their changes for the coming summer months when travelers tend to take to the skies for a prolonged time as opposed to the winter months when it is primarily confined to a couple of months for the most part. Also, AA has upgraded a daily to Dallas to a 737-800. The AA Admirals Club is expected to be open here rather soon with renovations still going on to it in C Concourse.

Edited April 29, 2007 by Lexy

[Hankster]

A little update at the airport. Frontier has now increased the Cancun frequencies each week and they have added an extra daily to Denver from here. These changes fall in line with their changes for the coming summer months when travelers tend to take to the skies for a prolonged time as opposed to the winter months when it is primarily confined to a couple of months for the most part. Also, AA has upgraded a daily to Dallas to a 737-800. The AA Admirals Club is expected to be open here rather soon with renovations still going on to it in C Concourse.

How often are they flying to Cancun now? Also, does Frontier offer any other Mexican routes out of Nashville?

[Lexy]

How often are they flying to Cancun now? Also, does Frontier offer any other Mexican routes out of Nashville?

They fly three times a week down there from here and that's the only flight to Mexico they offer. There is some speculation that a couple of new Mexican flights are in the works for BNA from Frontier but nothing concrete yet.

[Nashvegas06]

Hey Lexy, since you have been up close to the Russian Planes, how does their quakity and technology compare to ours?

[Lexy]

Hey Lexy, since you have been up close to the Russian Planes, how does their quakity and technology compare to ours?

On par for that day and time when they were built. Believe it or not, the majority of those Antonov's have US and Canadian parts and flight systems in them. There is a stronge Russian presence on the flight deck, but many of the systems "out of sight" are American in origin. The new AN-124's that are being built are almost all US and European company parts. Especially inflight computers and controls.

As for quality, they are built like tanks and rocks! But they do tend to be maintenance hogs after a while.

Edited May 1, 2007 by Lexy

[Nashvegas06]

Great info Thanks

[Lexy]

WWE Monday Night Raw is in town today and that means a visit form Vince McMahon. I am not a big wrestling fan, but I AM a fan of Vince's airplane! This thing is bad arse!

AND, this past weekend was another visit with China Airlines. Man did it smell good in the cockpit too!!! Turns out, the crew was having supper at 3:30am and it looked good.

My favorite!

[Lexy]

More updates!

As was mentioned earlier on in this thread last year, FedEx is now growing larger in the midstate. They have cleared the land for an expansion to their sorting facility here in Nashville. I have no details, but have seen the land and the construction equipment down by their building.