Keeping the Jet Set Cool
(Syracuse, N.Y., Nov. 4, 2002) ¿ Carrier has a long history of participating in cooling projects with the airline industry. Among other things, Carrier helped develop deicing techniques needed for transatlantic flight, air conditioned the first Boeing Stratocruiser and the Douglas DC-8, and provided air conditioning systems for the building of the first Concorde supersonic jets. And Carrier air conditioning systems were installed at Washington, D.C.¿s Dulles International Airport during its construction from 1958-1962.
Following World War II, it became obvious that Washington, D.C. was in need of another airport even though Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) was relatively new, having opened in 1941. Congress passed the second Washington Airport Act of 1950, and on September 2, 1958, ground was broken on the 10,000-acre site, 26 miles west of Washington, D.C., that had been selected by President Dwight Eisenhower.
One of the most unique concepts about this new airport was the specially designed mobile lounge, used to transport the passengers between the terminal building and the aircraft, parked on a jet ramp one-half mile away from the terminal. This protected passengers from weather, jet noise and blast, and also eliminated long walking distances. Today, Dulles still uses mobile lounges in addition to plane-mates, which are similar but can attach themselves directly to the aircraft.
Another benefit of Dulles International Airport, which was one of the most modern airports in the world in 1962, was that it was built with traveler comfort in mind. Two Carrier refrigeration machines of 1,920 tons capacity each were original parts of the air conditioning system in the $12 million terminal.
Dulles International Airport was named for the late Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and was formally dedicated by President John F. Kennedy on November 17, 1962. The new airport was a symbol of America¿s stature and progress into the jet age. Today Dulles serves more than 55,000 passengers a day and nearly 20 million passengers a year. In the summer of the year 2000, the Airports Authority announced a $3.4 billion Capital Construction Program for improvements and additions.
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