LAX: Los Angeles International Airport
LAX: Los Angeles International Airport
* Los Angeles, California *
LAX is the acronym and airport code for the Los Angeles International Airport. The Airport is located southwest of Los Angeles, along the beach, in he neighborhood of Westchester, 16 miles from downtown L.A. It is one of the world’s largest and most busy airports with over 59 million passengers annually. By 2009, it was the 7th busiest airport in the world. It is the hub for United, Alaska, and Amiercan Airlines, a prime location also for Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Air, Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Virgin America and a major gateway for Delta. It is also the base for the U.S. Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Air Station L.A. Facility with its world famous Dophin helicopters. With a land mass of over 3,500 acres it is one of the busiest airports in all of California next to San Francisco’s International Airport. By 1958 the airport was expanded and re-designed by the architecure firm “Pereira and Luckman” who “amped” up the Airport in anticipation of the “Jet Age”. By 1959, the first jet services arrived at LAX, connecting L.A. with N.Y.C. In 1981, a 700 million dollar expansion was completed to prepare for the 1984 Summer Olympics. The modernization renovation was never fully completed, and is why many wings and terminals at LAX are un-used. Severe damages were inflicted in 1992 with the Los Angeles Riots over the Rodney King beating. the “White Theme Building” resembles a “flying saucer sitting on four legs” with a restaurant suspended beneath the two intersecting arches that form the legs. This building was designated a cultural and historical monument by 1992. The airport was closed again in 1994 after massive destruction due to the Northridge Earthquake. 4 million dollars later, LAX was renovated with a “retro-futuristic interior” and lighting designed by Walt Disney Imagineering opening the “Encounter Restaurant” in 1997. By 2000, when L.A. hosted the Democratic National Convention, the construction of 15 acryllic glass cylinders, 10 stories high, were placed in a circle around the intersection of Sepulveda and Century Blvds, with additional cylinders of decreasing height following Century Blvd. eastward. These were designed by Nick Groh and Clint Woesner as a gateway to the airport and welcoming landmark to LAX visitors. LAX is designed with nine passenger terminals arranged in a “U” called a “horseshoe” served by a shuttle bus. There are also over 2 million square feet of cargo facilities at LAX. The “Encounter” Restaurant was temporarily closed due to security reasons after 9/11 and re-opened to the public on June 10, 2010. “Imperial Hill” or “Clutter’s Park” is a local’s favorite place for commercial aircraft spotting as well as a spot of grass in Westchester next to the In-N-Out Burger restaurant which allows for viewing low-flying commercial airlines and used as a prime filming location for such feats.
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Originally published at Technogypsie.com Reviews