Supporting Your AirportAn NBAA Airports Handbook Presentation

Airports Are Essential

• Only 550 U.S. airports are served by airlines, and this total is shrinking

• General aviation provides rapid, on-demand transportation by:

– Utilizing a network of more than 5,000 smaller, public-use U.S. general aviation airports

– Bringing travelers closer to their destination than large hub airports used by the big airlines

Did You Know?

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Airports Are Valuable to Everyone

• Your airport is also a significant economic engine, creating jobs and additional tax revenue

• GA airports also serve as bases for:

– Emergency medical services

– Agricultural operations, such as crop dusting

– Federal, state and local law enforcement

– Colleges and universities, such as Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina

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Every Airport Is Part of a Larger Network

• Most of the nation’s public-use airports have shorter runways and smaller facilities designed for GA aircraft operations, than commercial service airports do

• In some rural areas of the U.S., GA airports are the only air transportation link to the rest of the country

• In major metropolitan areas, some GA airports are designated as being “reliever” airports because they offer GA operators an alternative to operating at the congested hub airports

• Closing a public-use GA airport weakens the entire national network of airports

Did You Know?

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Economic Impact

• An airport’s financial value includes, but is not limited to, the economic activity that occurs because of the airfield

• The number of jobs attributed to the airport is greater than simply those positions based on the airport, and includes:

– Area hotels, restaurants and catering companies

– Rental car companies, gas stations and parking facilities

Airports Are Economic Engines

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Economic Impact

• Business travel has the greatest impact on the local economy

– Thousands of business aircraft travelers arriving at GA airports daily spend money and conduct business in communities near the airport

– Companies locate business aviation facilities near GA airports for rapid access to customers and markets, generating jobs and tax revenue for local communities

– Business aviation often delivers point-to-point service where no airline service exists

Airports Are Economic Engines

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Economic Impact

• Why do an economic impact study for your airport?

– Airports are often threatened by local politics

– Study results can help confirm that your GA airport is a valuable community asset

– Having an economic study done ahead of time allows you to react quickly when your airport is questioned

• Understanding an airport’s economic impact allows supporters to make a strong case in support of their airport, showing:

– The airport attracts outside dollars

– The airport contributes economic benefits such as jobs, services and tax revenues

Calculating the Value of Your Airport

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Economic Impact

• Northern New Jersey reliever airport across the river from New York City with over 200,000 takeoffs and landings annually

• 1,700 on-airport jobs and 15,000 more in the neighborhood

• $1.8 billion in annual regional sales due to the airport

• One third of the 400,000 local hotel rooms are sold to airport visitors

Case Study: Teterboro, NJ

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Airport Access

• GA airports provide access, enabling business aviation operators to fly anywhere, anytime, saving companies time and money

• Airport constraints (both existing and proposed) are a significant concern for operators in locations like Santa Monica, Van Nuys and Burbank, CA; they include:

– Night curfews; limits on total operations; banning aircraft by size; noise generation limits; local construction of buildings and towers

Did You Know?

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Airport Access

• The top three U.S. airports ranked by air carrier operations are Atlanta Hartsfield International, Chicago O’Hare International and Dallas-Fort Worth International

• The top three U.S. airports ranked by itinerant GA operations are Van Nuys, CA, Daytona Beach International, FL, and Kendall-Tamiami Executive, FL

– Imagine if all this GA traffic suddenly began landing at the overburdened hubs, like Los Angeles International or Miami International?

Useful Statistics

Source: FAA Air Traffic Activity Data System

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Airport Access

• While subjective, human perception about aircraft noise has a powerful effect on how people perceive their local airport

• Many anti-airport groups begin with a specific focus on noise

Noise Perception Is Everything

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Airport Access

• The aviation community has responded to noise concerns with:

– New, quieter aircraft engines

– Flight procedures/airspace changes that steer aircraft away from homes

• Local government zoning of adjacent land can also change airport noise perceptions for the better

Noise Perception Is Everything

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• Work with airport and ATC officials to support:

– Encouraging pilots to use NBAA Noise Abatement Procedures, published online at www.nbaa.org/quietflying

– Improving runway approach aids

– Developing engine run-up areas for performing engine maintenance, and encouraging their use at times other than night/weekend hours

– Installing noise-reducing blast fences

• Remember, most people near an airport appreciate an airport operator who tries to help them solve a noise problem

See additional tips in the NBAA Airports Handbook

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Airport AccessHow to Make Your Airport a Quieter Place

Safety and Security

• Airport safety is very important to the community

• Airport neighbors want to be sure the airport is doing everything possible to run a safe operation on the ground and in the air

• The business aircraft safety record is equal to that of the commercial airlines

Did You Know?

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Safety and Security

• A collision potential exists any time an aircraft is moving

– Runway incursions increase the potential for collisions between aircraft on the ground

• Aircraft operators can minimize the chances of being involved in a runway incursion by:

– Having pilots fully prepare for departures (maximize pilot situational awareness)

– Having flightcrews use standard operating procedures and standard communications phraseology during surface operations

– Using “sterile cockpit” procedures to the maximum extent possible while taxiing

Avoid Runway Incursions

See additional tips in the NBAA Airports Handbook

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Safety and Security

• FBOs and airport tenants together can mitigate the potential for a ground damage accident by:

– Using two wing walkers

– Using adequate lighting at night – on ramp areas and on aircraft and vehicles themselves

– Towing aircraft at safe speeds

– Chocking aircraft during repairs and fueling

Avoid Ground Damage

See additional tips in the NBAA Airports Handbook

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Safety and Security

• Require positive access for all gates and doors

• Check aircraft interiors for unauthorized personnel prior to departure

• Positively identify all luggage before loading aboard an aircraft

• Require accurate passenger manifests

Operator’s Role in Airport Security

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See also NBAA Security Best Practices at www.nbaa.org/security

Advocacy

• Business aviation is a good story

• Proactive and on-going airport support is important

• If your airport doesn’t already have a support group, why not start one?

– Last-minute stands on issues are traditionally ineffective

Spread the Good News

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Advocacy

• Identify the issues that can rally the group

• Test those ideas with airport users

• Invite all airport users to participate

• Create an agenda and meet on the airport

• Identify everyone’s motivation for attending

• Record minutes and set the next meeting date

Support Group Organizing Tips

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Advocacy

• Media involvement has both up and down sides

• News to you may not be news to a reporter

• Invite reporters on an airport tour

• It’s okay to say “I don’t know,” but make every effort to follow up with an answer later

• There is no such thing as “off the record”

• Ask NBAA for help

Working With the Media

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Advocacy

• Plan aviation career days

• Offer student scholarships

• Offer flight department and FBO internships

Young People Are the Industry’s Future

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Your GA Airport: A Quick Review

• GA airports:

– Facilitate national and international business travel

– Provide a much larger travel network than the airlines

– Deliver significant economic impact through jobs and tax revenues

– Need support from community members like you in order to truly thrive

• Airport user groups can make significant inroads to protecting your airport

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A Few Questions for You

• What surprised you most about what you’ve heard today?

• Would you be inclined to join an airport user group?

• What do you think is the biggest challenge faced by your local airport?

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For More Information

• Refer to the NBAA Airports Handbook for further reading

• Contact the NBAA regional representative assigned to the area that includes your airport

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About NBAA

• Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association, Inc. (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. Contact NBAA at (800) FYI-NBAA or info@nbaa.org.

• Not an NBAA Member? Join today by visiting:

– www.nbaa.org/join/ah

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