Airport Research Needs Cooperative Solutions -- Special Report 272 (2003) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 Study Overview and Background
1 Study Overview and Background
Pages 7-32
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From page 7... ...
. The task force concluded that "airport management has been given little or no opportunity to contribute to the development or defense of airport research programs." It therefore urged FAA to support "a strong, comprehensive, and continuing airport research program" and to develop "a mechanism which will ensure the continuing effective input of the industry in the development of an airport research program." A decade later, the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO)
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From page 8... ...
For the most part, however, airport operations are expected to be selffinanced, with revenues derived from concessionaires, passengers, aircraft operators, and other airport users and tenants. Exactly how airport operators go about raising revenues and structuring their operations is heavily influenced by their role in providing a social good and is thus subject to many federal, state, and local controls.
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AIRPORT TYPES AND USES The United States has some 5,000 airports open to the public, of which about 3,300 are designated by FAA as part of the national airport system and thus eligible for federal aid for planning and infrastructure development (Table 1-1)
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per year are handled by the 30 busiest airports. The top 150 commercial-service airports-ranging from Hartsfield in Atlanta to Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina -- account for 97 percent of airline passenger traffic, and the top 60 of these airports account for nearly all of the traffic carried in large jets (having 60 seats or more)
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passenger enplanements. dCargo service: airports that are served by aircraft providing air transportation of cargo with a total annual landed weight of at least 100 million pounds.
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Nevertheless, the smaller commercial airports are under pressure to meet FAA's requirements for scheduled air carrier service, since many provide the regions' only links to the national and international airline systems. Metropolitan Relievers All major metropolitan areas are served by one or more GA reliever airports.
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SOURCE: TRB 2002. Original data provided to Transportation Research Board by Airport Planning and Programming Office, Federal Aviation Administration, August 2001.
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However, federal aid for airports and air traffic management was appropriated by Congress each year as part of FAA's budget, often resulting in a mismatch between the demands placed on the airport system and the resources available to meet them. Recognizing the need to better match the supply of aviation infrastructure with user demands, Congress created the Airport and Airway Trust Fund in
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The bulk of the remaining $100 billion has been used to help pay for FAA air traffic management operations, facilities, and equipment. In FY 2002, the trust fund took in about $10 billion, nearly three-quarters of which was derived from taxes on airline passengers (ticket tax, international arrival/departure fee, and passenger flight segment tax)
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Other Airport Revenue Sources Despite the large amount of federal aid to airports each year, most airports derive only a minority of their total operating and capital revenues from federal sources. For most airports, most revenues are locally derived.
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FAA Air Traffic Control Requirements Congress has given FAA exclusive and broad authority to control civil aviation and the use of navigable airspace in the United States. The rationale for this centralized authority is that the aviation sector must have uniformity in
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Concerned that such local restrictions would impair its ability to manage air traffic, FAA has been vigilant in protecting its air traffic management prerogatives. FAA Certification of Airports for Safety In its capacity as chief regulator of aviation safety, FAA has authority to issue operating certificates to airports handling aircraft used by commercial operators.
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circular covers all major aspects of airport design, and specific guidelines cover the design, construction, and testing of aircraft rescue and fire-fighting vehicles procured with federal aid. Airports that do not comply risk losing federal aid; hence, FAA retains a high degree of control over airport projects and procurements through these grant requirements.
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Most airports receive federal aid or require some federal decision in connection with airport development programs (e.g., FAA approval of a new instrument approach procedure or runway layout)
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Marine Mammal Protection Act National Environmental Protection Act National Historic Preservation Act Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Pollution Prevention Act Resources Conservation and Recovery Act Rivers and Harbors Act Safe Drinking Water Act Sikes Act Amendments Toxic Substances Control Act Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Executive Orders 11593 Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment 11990 Protection of Wetlands 11998 Floodplain Management 12088 Federal Compliance with Pollution Control Standards 12372 Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs 12892 Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority and Low-Income Populations 13007 Indian Sacred Sites 13084 Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments 13112 Invasive Species 13186 Responsibilities of Federal Agencies to Protect Migratory Birds
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Congress passed the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act in 1979 to address mounting concern over airport noise. The act requires FAA to adopt regulations establishing a single system of measuring aircraft noise and determining the exposure of people to airport noise.
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The act also created new requirements, such as the installation of explosive detection systems at all commercialservice airports. Now TSA must not only approve individual airport security programs, it must also assist in their development and implementation through a federal airport security manager stationed at all major commercialservice airports.
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The shift of TSA to a federal department separate from FAA presents a major challenge to airport operators as they try to coordinate the various federal demands and requirements. State and Local Roles As discussed above, FAA has sole authority to control and restrict aircraft operations, and only in their role as airport owners can state and local governments exercise some control over aviation operations at airports.
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Federal Airport Research In the civilian aviation sector, the two main federal sponsors of airportrelated research are FAA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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The largest FAA research program centered on airports is carried out by the Airport Technology Research and Development Branch, which is a unit of the Airport and Aircraft Research Division of the Office of Aviation Research. The Airport Technology Research and Development Branch, located in the William J
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The Office of Aviation Research administers and distributes funds to the Air Transportation Centers of Excellence program, which consists of four university centers that specialize in particular research areas -- pavement technology, aviation operations, GA, and airworthiness assurance. FAA may use the centers to perform research in their specialty areas as funds are available.
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Security Research The Aviation and Transportation Security Act specifically called on TSA to "identify and undertake research and development activities necessary to enhance transportation security" and authorized $50 million for such activity. FAA's research responsibilities for security were therefore transferred to TSA, including the security-related work performed at the Hughes Technical Center.
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From page 29... ...
Working through FICAN, these agencies often coordinate and sometimes jointly sponsor research on aviation noise effects, measurement, and abatement methods and technologies. Research by Airport Operators and State Aviation Departments The amount of research conducted by airport operators is difficult to quantify, although it can generally be characterized as highly applied and taskspecific in nature.
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A major function of state aviation departments is airport system planning, some of which is conducted with AIP funds. Statewide planning normally entails preparation of aviation demand forecasts and studies of the interconnections between airports and surface transportation infrastructure, many of which are provided by state and local governments.
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They range in size from small GA airports handling a few airplanes per day to large commercial-service airports handling hundreds of aircraft and thousands of passengers per hour. Together they form the national airport system, which is a key element of the nation's air transportation system.
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Department of Transportation FAA Federal Aviation Administration NASAO National Association of State Aviation Officials TRB Transportation Research Board ACI and FAA.
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