Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 16
CHAPTER 3
Projecting Potential Future Activity
from New Generation Aircraft
3.1 Introduction
The prospect of new generation aircraft, particularly VLJs, may seem appealing and inviting
to many small GA airport operators in the United States, particularly those who have not yet
attracted any significant jet activity. Certainly, specific airport requirements such as a long enough
runway and various other infrastructure necessities would be needed to attract such activity. Many
of these airport requirements are discussed in detail in Chapters 4 and 5.
However, the "build it and they will come" theory
cannot be used without considering other factors that
Key Questions to Consider Before influence how and where new generation GA aircraft
Assessing Airport Capabilities may operate. Airport operators should assess basic
questions about the potential for increased activity
Local Business Attraction--Are local businesses
before spending significant time and resources on
in the area that would make significant use of
improving or upgrading airport facilities.
the airport if it could accommodate VLJs or other
new generation GA aircraft? What is the poten- Although in many cases airport facilities are on the
tial for new businesses to locate in the area or to list of issues that businesses may consider, such facilities
conduct business in the area? may not be as far up the list as many airport operators
may believe. Depending on the business in question,
Vacation/Leisure Attraction--Is the airport near
attributes such as household income, population, edu-
an important vacation or leisure destination that
cation, the quality of public schools, and the local road
would become more attractive if the airport
network may be of equal or higher importance than the
could accommodate new generation aircraft? location or capabilities of the local GA airport.
Personal Flying--What is the potential for per-
At the same time, understanding the current use of an
sonal GA transportation use by high-income airport will assist in identifying needs for specific actions
residents in the area? to accommodate new generation aircraft. If existing
facilities already accommodate a significant number of
operations by light jets (e.g., Cessna CJ series, Hawker
Beechcraft Premier) or larger, then the airport may already be sufficiently attractive to business oper-
ations. On the other hand, if operations at the airport primarily consist of piston and/or turboprop
activity related to personal or private aviation, then the question becomes whether the lack of jet
activity is due to a lack of airport facilities or a lack of demand for access. The combination of facil-
ities, demographics, and personal and business demand are information an airport operator should
consider in order to assess how new operations (perhaps including commercial air taxi operations)
may be attracted to the area.
In many cases, airports that already have significant business aviation activity may not need to
make much additional effort to attract new generation aircraft being used for business purposes.
At airports that have facilities conducive to business aircraft but do not have business aircraft traf-
16
