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1Â Â In pursuit of more environmentally friendly transportation, as well as the prospect of lower operating costs, the aviation community has widely accepted the idea that adopt- ing alternative power and energy sources for aircraft will be necessary across future gen- erations of aircraft. With these considerations in mind, the industry has set goals toward reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and evaluating noise implications and aviation energy use in the global industry. Sustainable aviation fuels, electric aircraft (also known as e-aircraft), and hydrogen technologies are key elements toward achieving net-zero avia- tion by 2060. Although there are no commercial electric aircraft flying to date, the deadline is fast approaching, and airports should start considering the potential impacts of electric avia- tion. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Project 03-51 investigated how the advent of electric aircraft will impact the infrastructure, operations, funding, and environment of airports. It also provides guidance for the airport industry (airport opera- tors, flight operators, aircraft ground support providers, aircraft manufacturers, air navi- gation service providers, and industry and professional organizations) and the energy sector (utility providers or the hydrogen industry) on how to account for electric aircraft operations in their planning efforts. This research effort focused on fixed-wing manned aircraft and only partially addresses topics on small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. The market assessment predicts that 3,500 electric aircraft will operate from U.S. airports at the 2030 horizon, which should account for approximately 2 percent of the entire U.S. aircraft fleet. The first electric aircraft in service will be small capacity and more suitable to ensure missions for private and recreational flights, training purposes, air taxi services, small commuter flights, and regional aviation. Electric aircraft could facilitate the emer- gence of regional air mobility, with smaller aircraft (2 to 20 seaters) used for rapid connec- tivity between small communities as well as from these communities to larger metropolitan areas. More than 50Â percent of all flights worldwide are shorter than 3Â hours of flight time. A renewal of smaller point-to-point regional mobility with small commuter aircraft could be expected and calls for specific discussions at the planning level. Integrating electric aircraft into airports and aviation systems would require infrastruc- ture upgrades and operational changes for the airport to adapt and accommodate these new airside users. Integrating electric aircraft activities with airport operations would differ from one airport to another. It will depend on the expected aircraft technologies to be accommodated at the airportâincluding the type of energy vector (electricity or hydrogen), the process for recharging or refueling, flight operatorsâ preferences, and the ownership model of the support equipment. An Assessment Tool was developed as part of S U M M A R Y Preparing Your Airport for Electric Aircraft and Hydrogen Technologies
2 Preparing Your Airport for Electric Aircraft and Hydrogen Technologies this project to help airports and their stakeholders plan for the introduction and growth of electric aviation. The main cost of electric aircraft implementation at airports will be for airport operators, their stakeholders, or new third parties to procure and maintain electric aircraft charging systems. The integration of electric aviation could require some airports to upgrade their overall power supply and connection to the electric grid as well. The financial burden might be shared between the stakeholders as, today, these projects are mostly not eligible for federal funding. Lastly, some airports may elect to develop on-site power generation to reduce their vulnerability and dependency, increase their operational resiliency, and lower their carbon footprint. Power management would be essential to provide the necessary power needs to accom- modate the demands of electric aircraft. Transitioning to electric aircraft also requires considering scenarios in the event of a sustained power outage, such as climate-related or natural disaster emergency. A reliable supply of power is an important factor when considering the transition to all-electric operations. There is the need for airports to consider emergency backup power. Along with traditional backup systems, new technologies such as hydrogen fuel-cell power generation systems, large battery energy storage can provide efficient and eco-friendly alternative. Electric aircraft raise the question of the evolution of standards and policies for taking these new users into consideration. Also, electric aviation provides considerable environ- mental benefits such as reduced noise and emissions. Anticipating these different impacts will inevitably impact the planning processes, and more particularly airport master plans or statewide aviation plans.
