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© St. Petersburg Times, published February 19, 2003
CLEARWATER -- The Federal Aviation Administration has given St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport an award for passing safety inspections for five consecutive years without a violation.
The FAA's Airports Division inspects 100 commercial airports in the southern region annually to ensure operations are in compliance with federal regulations. Only two other airports received the award during 2002.
The inspections include runway and taxiway surfaces, airfield signage, marking and lighting, fire and rescue training and response times to simulated emergencies, fuel storage, aircraft fueling procedures and other areas.
Tampa International Airport received the same award in 2001, and its perfect record has extended through the intervening two years.