Phl

A tire on US Airways flight 1651 to Miami ruptured on takeoff at Philadelphia International Airport shortly after 1 p.m. today. The pilot returned the aircraft to Philadelphia International Airport, where the Boeing 737-400 landed safely with 140 passengers and crew on board. The airport's Runway 27 Left was closed as passengers were transported to the terminal building and rescheduled on other US Airways flights to Miami. The plane landed about 2:30 p.m., after circling to burn fuel to get the aircraft down to a better landing weight, said US Airways spokesman Morgan Durrant.

A fuel spill at Philadelphia International Airport has caused several flights to be delayed. A truck overturned about 1 p.m. and spilled fuel near Terminal F, which handles commuter and regional arrivals and departures, said airport spokeswoman Victoria Lupica. "All traffic has been stopped until it's cleaned up," Lupica said, adding that it was unclear how much fuel was spilled.    

In the next few days, something will happen at Philadelphia International Airport that will go largely unnoticed. Yet it will ultimately spark a revolution in air traffic management, leading to safer, more efficient air travel in Philadelphia and the rest of the nation. It starts with a revolutionary technology, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, which is a cornerstone of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, known as NextGen. Once ADS-B becomes operational in the coming days, ground controllers will be able to use the satellite-based GPS system to monitor and separate aircraft in Philadelphia's airspace.

A.C. airport is just part of the solution I would like to clarify a recent article ("PHL solution: Fly Jersey," Thursday) that cites my position on expansion of Atlantic City International Airport as "the perfect solution to the limited room for growth at Philadelphia International. " My position has always been that all parties need to come together and find a less costly, safer, and less harmful solution to the delays at Philadelphia International. Exploring integrating regional airports, such as Atlantic City, Lehigh Valley, and Wilmington, is just one option.

Next time you fight through the crowded terminals at Philadelphia International Airport, or sit belted in your seat while a queue of planes waits to get off the ground, the need for a second major airport in the region might seem self-evident. Such relief is neither far-fetched nor far away. Atlantic City International Airport became the region's second international airport when service to Canada launched last month. A new $25 million federal inspection station will allow it to provide immigration, agriculture, safety, and security services for intercontinental flights.

I had the rare opportunity last week to attend a "media day" at a major airline. These events, which only a few airlines put on, allow those who write about the business to hear executives describe what the carrier is doing to draw more customers, what some of its plans are, and how a bad economy is affecting it. Back in March, I reported from US Airways' event at its Arizona headquarters. There, rising oil prices were a worry, but didn't dominate the day as they would a few months later.

DAILY NEWS reporter Don Russell scoffed at the airport's use of Hummers. He obviously has not seen our remote topography where 75 deer were living on wooded, uneven terrain a few years ago. We chase geese and deer away from our runways because an animal ingested into a jet engine can cause millions of dollars in damage and untold human casualties. Hummers help our employees monitor 12 miles of fence line, portions of which are otherwise inaccessible. These inspections were prioritized by the events of 9/11.

YOUR AUG. 15 editorial would have been compelling - if all of the facts had been presented. The supposition that the reduction of US Airways traffic penetration at Philadelphia International Airport would increase competition is extremely misguided. The fact that this ridiculous argument has also been advanced by city Councilman James Kenney should not come as any surprise. His political career in recent years could be likened to "fire . . . ready . . . aim. " Recall PHL's international service in the late 1980s.

IN THE POST-9/11 world, the federal government has poured loads of money into air safety. But some has been so misspent by the FAA that it puts fliers using Philadelphia International Airport in real danger. Late last month, I looked into the Federal Aviation Administration's program - bureaucratically dubbed "Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System," mercifully called STARS for short. What a misnomer. Its purpose is noble: Replace an aged FAA air-control system with new color displays, processors and software at nearly 400 military and civilian airports.

Eight attractions have been added to the list of historic sites covered by the Great British Heritage Pass, which grants admission to hundreds of historic sites across the United Kingdom. The additions are the Wellington Arch in London's Hyde Park Corner; Pembroke Castle in South Wales; Birdoswald, a fort along Hadrian's Wall; Ripley Castle in Yorkshire; Elcho Castle in Perthshire, Scotland; Argyll's Lodging, a Renaissance mansion in Scotland; Doune Castle, which figured in a Monty Python movie, in Perthshire; and Cairnpapple Hill, a Neolithic site near Bathgate, Scotland.