Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Fedex will be expanding at IND and starting almost immediately. Details will be released in approximately the next 24 hours. This post will be updated as soon as the news is available. Until that time here is the full Indy Star report on what is currently known.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/p...D=/20060413/BUSINESS/604130464

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Awesome. What we heard about FedEx at IND is coming true. The article says that FedEx will shift international traffic to MEM and push more domestic stuff here. But I always thought that it was the other way around - that IND was more of an international hub and MEM handled the bulk of the domestic stuff.

There are some international FedEx flights that arrive in MEM: Guadalajara, Calgary, Toronto, Paris, Panama City, Frankfurt, Montreal, Cologne, London, Sao Paulo, and Osaka, plus two flights from Anchorage (which is usually Asian cargo). They have five LAX flights, which might be international cargo.

IND has four Anchorage flights, and seven LAX flights. So I would conclude that there is international cargo flowing to both IND and MEM. Some people from MEM on a.net vociferously claimed that MEM would get the international traffic and the lion's share of the expansion, plus all the A380s. The article says that MEM is getting an A380 maintenance center, so maybe that's correct. So are the A380's never coming here? If so, then why is IND becoming one of the first A380-capable airports? Just for diversion?

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Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I think the official announcement when it comes out will shed alot of light on all the questions we have about where they are going with service here. Listening to the WTHR report gives me that the negotiations with the airport authority were quite involved. Would you expect heavy negotiations if you were just going to pour enough concrete to park some jets or add a little to your existing building? This makes me wonder if a 3rd parallel runway is coming.

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Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Wasn't part of the reason for the I-70 realignment to add the third runway south of I-70? They've already purchased the property, I believe. If you look at an aerial of the airport (like on Google Earth), you can see where it would be. So are you thinking that FedEx might fund the third runway, wholly or in part, to get it built sooner than later? That would be huge. It could have benefits far beyond FedEx here.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Well they seem to be deep into negotiations for something small. This makes me wonder how big this will be.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

Why would they need a third runway? There isn't a whole lot of passenger traffic that would be getting in the way of their operations as of now, anyway, and plus isn't a great deal of FEDEX night arrivals and departures? Or am I wrong on that?

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Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I don't think the 3rd runway is because of the average number of actions in a 24 hour period. I think its because of the rush that happens at night in a 4 hour period. Right now it looks as if FX has about 75ish flights a day and not the 50 as listed in the original news report. Depending on the expansion they do with this phase they could be to 100+ flights. Because of the location of the hub they have to taxi across one active runway to get to the other runway. When the 3rd runway goes in FX will be able to use parallel runways without having to go across an active one. This would speed up their operations. No waiting to cross a runway plus shorter taxi times. Thats important when you have to move a larger number of jets in and out in a very short period of time. Plus if they have plans on getting any A380 flights here the 3rd runway could be built to 200' wide.

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Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Actually, all the runways are capable of handling the A380 right now. The taxiways are too, except in some of the corners and curves, which will be widened in time for IND to be among the first 380-capable airports in the country.

The third runway will have a taxiway build OVER I-70, of course. How badass will that be to be driving down I-70 and have one of those bitches crossing over top of you?

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Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Its not 100% certain that any airport in the US will be able to handle the A380 as it has not yet been determined whether the runways will need to be 150' or 200' wide. Most runways are 150' wide. There may be a couple of runways in the US that are currently 200' wide.

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

It's OFFICIAL! FedEx is in plans to build a third runway south of I-70! The land is staked, but construction won't begin until after the new terminal opens. The third runway is going to compliment FedEx's growth that will double their current output. As rumored before, Memphis will become the primary international hub for FedEx and Indianapolis will become the primary domestic hub.

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Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

We've known that is what the land was going to be used for. But where has it been made official that they are going forward with the construction?

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

I was talking with a controller over at Indy center today and he said it was official. Sorry, but that's the only source I have.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I have a contact at FX that is going to try and verify it for me. It will be a week before I know.

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Interesting news. Fortunately, the land's been set aside for a long time, so no one should be surprised/upset like in other cities. Also interesting, Purdue just announced a couple of weeks ago that they're going to build a technology park in Indy. According to the map they showed in the articles announcing the park, it's smack at the end of the third runway.

And I thought Indy was going to be the international hub, with Memphis focusing on domestic - which is kind of the way it is now, no? There was all that talk about Indy getting the flights from China via ANC.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I think IND will be a better bad weather option. When the new runway goes in they'll be able to have triple simultaneous takeoffs or landings in IFR conditions based on the runway spacing. Also FX will have short taxi access to two runways without having to cross a single one. What FX has in MEM right now is basically the same mess commercial passenger carriers have now in IND. The terminal is a hike to the main runways. IND certainly has the better layout for FX.

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

Not sure where you herd the international at IND and domestic at MEM news, but I'm almost positive it was the other way around.

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Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 117
Location: Indianapolis International Baggage Claim

Idefanitly agree