urban planning guide || airport planning

CHAPTER 8

AIRPORT PLANNING3

8.1 INTRODUCTION

Powered flight had its historic beginnings with the Wright broth-ers on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Propelled bya single four-cylinder engine, the Flyer carried Orville Wright a distanceof 120 ft (36.5 m) for 12 sec, at a speed of just over 7.5 miles per hr (12km per hr). Modern aircraft are now capable of carrying over 600passengers on a single flight at speeds in excess of 500 miles (805 km) perhr. In 1946, commercial air travel in the United States represented byrevenue passenger miles stood at 6 billion a year, increased to 224 billionin fiscal year 1983, and are projected to increase to 400 billion by 1995 (seeTable 8-1 and Fig. 8-1). Similar growth trends are seen for air cargo andU.S. mail.

General aviation activity, i.e., aviation other than commercial air-lines, also increased significantly since 1953. The growth of this element

TABLE 8-1 U.S. Domestic Air Carrier Passenger Enplanements andAircraft Instrument Operations, 1980-1996

Fiscal year(D

Enplanements,in thousands

(2)

Instrumentoperations

(3)

(a) Historical

19801981198219831984

278.2264.3272.8290.3313.2

10.610.29.5

10.111.3

(b) Forecast

19851986198719921996

336.4348.1366.7456.0530.8

11.611.812.013.314.2

aPrepared by Gordon Y. Watada, F.ASCE, Howard Needles Tammen & Bergen-doff, Los Angeles, CA.

171

Urban Planning Guide

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172 URBAN PLANNING GUIDE

U.S. CERTIFIED ROUTE AIR CARRIERSCHEDULED PASSENGER TRAFFIC RPM'S

SOURCE : 1975-83 CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD1984-95 FAA FORECASTS

Fig. 8-1. Commercial air travel passenger miles

of civil aviation is projected to continue and require additional airportfacilities. The active general aviation fleet increased from about 70,000aircraft to about 210,000 between 1960 and 1983. The Federal AviationAdministration forecasts the net annual increase to the general aviationfleet between 1984 and 1995 to average about 7300 units per year (see Fig.8-2).

Air transportation has affected all segments of American society. Ithas increased personal mobility; provided access into remote communi-ties; allowed overnight delivery of freight and cargo; and establishedairports as major transportation terminals, commercial facilities andindustrial centers. The economic well-being of many communities andregions is often dependent on the benefits derived from the air transportindustry.

Civil engineers have traditionally been on the leading edge of theairport planning profession. In recent years, airport congestion has beenrecognized as a major constraint to the ability of the air transport systemto handle future demand. Therefore, it is expected that the civil engi-neer's role in planning airport facilities will become crucial if the capacityof the airport system is increased to meet forecasted growth.

This chapter will attempt to review the major attributes of the


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AIRPORT PLANNING 173

TOTAL ACTIVE GENERAL AVIATION AIRCRAFT

Fig. 8-2. General aviation fleet

present U.S. air transportation system; describe the airport planningprocess; provide information on the sources and availability of airportplanning and design standards; and give the history of the federalairport grant program.

8.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIR TRANSPORTATIONSYSTEM

Civil aviation comprises two principal classes of activity: scheduledair transport and general aviation. Scheduled air transport refers to aircarriers which hold certificates of public convenience and necessityunder Section 401 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 USC 1371), asissued by the Civil Aeronautics Board to conduct scheduled services overspecified routes and a limited amount of nonscheduled operations.

Scheduled air transport also refers to commuter airlines whichoperate small aircraft up to a maximum size of 60 seats and whichschedule at least five round trips per week between two points or carrymail. Commuters operate principally under Part 298 of the Civil Aero-nautics Board Regulations or Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regula-tions. The air transport category can also refer to a number of charterairlines which operate exclusively on a nonscheduled basis.

General aviation embraces all other civil aviation activity not clas-

*

Source : 1975-83 FAA STATISTICAL HANDBOOK OF AVIATION1984-85 FAA FORECASTS

* INDIVIDUAL AIRCRAFT TOTAL ARE ADDITIVE


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sified as air carrier, including air taxi, business and pleasure flying, andmilitary operations.

The operations, maintenance and safety of the United States airtransportation system are affected by federal statutes and regulationspromulgated principally by the Federal Aviation Administration. Theprincipal role of states, counties and municipalities is to plan, design,develop, operate, and maintain airport terminal facilities in accordancewith federal guidelines and standards. Under certain conditions, statesare permitted to promulgate standards for general aviation airports.

8.2.1 Federal Role in Air Transportation

Federal regulation of the United States civil air transportationsystem is vested principally in two agencies, the Federal Aviation Ad-ministration (FAA), and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

The FAA (a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation) isresponsible for the safe and efficient operation of the airport and airwaysystems, operation and maintenance of the air traffic control system, andadministration of an airport capital grant program. The FAA dischargesits responsibilities through the publication of guidance material con-tained in advisory circulars or through administrative rules in the formof federal aviation regulations (FARs).

The federal role in airport development increased substantially asa result of the Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970 (Public Law91-258). This Act, and its subsequent amendments, set forth theamounts of annual funding for grants to public agencies for airportplanning and development. After a modest beginning of $280,000,000 in1971, the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 extended thefederal grant program for airports for an additional 10 years. It providesfor $800,000,000 in fiscal 1984, increasing to over $1 billion by fiscal 1986.

The CAB, established in 1938 as the Civil Aeronautics Authority, isresponsible for the federal government's economic control over com-mercial air transportation. Between 1938 and 1978, the CAB exercisedregulatory powers over route awards, fares, mergers and flight sched-ules. The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-504) substan-tially reduced the CAB's regulatory authority and contained a ''sunset"provision declaring that the Board shall cease to exist after January 1,1985, unless Congress deems an extension to be appropriate. The U.S.Department of Transportation will assume much of the CAB's authorityafter "sunset/'

8.2.2 Airline Deregulation

Airline deregulation has seen a proliferation of "new entrant"airlines into many markets. The ease with which airlines may enter orwithdraw from service in a particular market or from service to acommunity creates major fluctuations in demand for facilities at many


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airports. This has affected the planning, development, and financing ofmany airport improvement programs.

The characteristics of the scheduled air carrier industry have un-dergone many changes since deregulation. The major trunk airlines tookit as an opportunity to restructure route systems to serve the moreprofitable markets and eliminate marginal routes. The local serviceairlines generally adopted the same operational pattern and also ex-panded service beyond old regional boundaries. This often put them inhead-to-head competition with the major trunk carriers. Former intras-tate carriers also expanded their routes to include interstate and inter-national points. Deregulation also created a new factor for establishedairlines to contend with: competition from low cost airlines operating inthe high-density markets.

The Airline Deregulation Act has also been a significant cause ofthe recent growth of the commuter airline industry. As the establishedtrunk and local service carriers restructured their route systems andwithdrew service from smaller communities, commuter airlines began tofill the void. In many cases, commuter service has meant greater fre-quency and, thereby, has generated greater passenger demand. Finan-cial encouragement for seeking replacement service was made availablethrough the CAB's Small Communities Program under Section 419 (49USC 1389) of the Federal Aviation Act. Beginning in 1972, commuterrevenue passenger miles have increased on the average over 16% a year.

During 1983, seven airlines were added to the list of scheduledcertificated carriers bringing the total increase since deregulation to 53.At the end of 1983, there were 84 airlines in scheduled service.

8.2.3 Airports

The airport serves many functions. Its principal role is providingfacilities for arriving and departing aircraft. It is an intramodal andintermodal transfer center. The large air traffic hub airports are majorcommercial and industrial centers, and thus, major ground traffic gen-erators. In 1983, the United States had recorded 12,562 airports, 2697heliports, and 454 seaplane bases. Of these, approximately 600 areairports with scheduled airline service.

Air traffic hubs are not airports, but cities and Standard Metropol-itan Statistical Areas (SMSAs) requiring aviation services. Individualcommunities fall into four hub classifications as determined by eachcommunity's percentage of total enplaned revenue passengers in allservices, and all operations of U.S. certificated route air carriers withinthe 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other areas designated by theFederal Aviation Administration (see Table 8-2). Geographic locations oflarge air traffic hubs are shown on Fig. 8-3.

Airports serving commercial traffic are publicly owned by city,county or state agencies. Airports are also owned by quasi-governmen-tal commissions, such as the Port Authority of New York and NewJersey (LaGuardia, Newark International and John F. Kennedy Interna-


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TABLE 8-2 Enplaned Passengers in the Hub Classifications for 12Months Ending December 31, 1982

Hubclassification

(1)

Large (L)Medium (M)Small (S)Nonhub (N)

Percentage of totalenplaned passengers

(2)

1 .00 or more0.25 to 0.990.05 to 0.24less than 0.05

Number ofenplaned passengers

(3)

2,777,510 or more694,378 to 2,777,509138,876 to 694,377less than 138,875

tional Airports) and The Massachusetts Port Authority (Logan Interna-tional Airport). Washington National Airport and Dulles InternationalAirport, both serving the nation's capital, are the only commercialservice airports owned and operated by the federal government.

Airports principally serving general aviation traffic are both pub-licly and privately owned. The number of privately owned airports forpublic use has declined from 2900 in 1969 to 1490 in 1983. This declinehas created a large demand for services by general aviation aircraft atpublicly owned airports, including those with large volumes of commer-cial traffic. The integration of commercial and general aviation opera-tions has resulted in congestion at many large hub terminal facilities. TheFAA has instituted a major program of reliever airport development to

Fig. 8-3. Location of air traffic hubs


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attract general aviation away from the larger congested airports in orderto secure additional capacity for commercial operations.

Joint use of military airfields can offer an attractive alternative to therelatively high investment costs, construction lead times and environ-mental limitations associated with new airport development. In 1983,there were 15 joint use airports in the United States.

A limited number of public use heliports exist in the United States.Most helicopter operations are conducted from airports designed for useby fixed wing aircraft, private heliports, or military facilities. Helicoptershave had limited use in scheduled air carrier service. This has beenattributed to their relatively high operating costs, rotor noise generationat environmentally sensitive airports and city center landing sites, andincompatibility with approach and departure operating characteristics offixed wing aircraft. However, recent advances in helicopter technologyhave reduced noise and operating and maintenance costs, as well asincreased their reliability and safety. Helicopters are widely used bybusiness corporations and by government agencies such as police de-partments, forest and park organizations, and emergency units.

8.2.4 Environmental Impact

The impact of aircraft noise on a surrounding community is reflectedin recent increases in court actions, operating restrictions, curfews, andsanctions against airport development. Aircraft noise restrictions can bea significant factor in negating aviation's primary role as a prime moverof people and goods. In order to reduce the impact of aircraft noise, theFAA encourages land use compatibility planning (ANCLUC studies)through enforcement of Part 150 of the Federal Aviation Regulations andthe institution of aircraft noise abatement procedures in flight under FARPart 91. FAR Part 36 sets forth maximum noise levels to be achieved byall aircraft in commercial service by January 1985. This will, in effect,remove most older jets, such as 707s and DC-8s, and some BAC-111s, 727sand 737s from active service, although there are exemptions for serviceto small communities until 1988.

Atmospheric pollution caused by jet aircraft operations is evidentfrom the distinctive kerosene-like smell from engine exhaust emissions.The Environmental Protection Agency is the appointed lead federaloffice in control of engine emission requirements and has publishedstandards that must be considered in the design of new power plants foraircraft.

No single piece of recent federal legislation has had a more pro-found effect on airport development than the national EnvironmentalPolicy Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-190). The Act established a broadnational policy for the preservation of the environment and was de-signed to assure that environmental concerns are given careful consid-eration in all actions taken by the federal government. The requirementsof the Act cover all federal grants, loans, contracts, leases, construction,research, rule-making and regulatory actions, certifications and permits,


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and plans submitted by state and local agencies which require FAAapproval. The environmental process generally consists of an impactassessment study, public hearings by the initiator of the proposal re-quiring a federal action, and a finding by the FAA that the proposal isconsistent with the national policy on the environment. The absence ofsuch a finding usually means that a proposal cannot proceed or requiresfurther study.

8.2.5 Future

"Change" is probably what best characterizes the aviation industryfrom its formative years after the turn of the century, through the highgrowth period of the 1960s and early 1970s, and during the recent era ofdeclining profits, rising operating costs, and a new competitive environ-ment.

Control of operating costs and capital formation should continue tobe major challenges to the commercial segment of the aviation industryfor the remainder of the 1980s. Many commercial aircraft need to bereplaced because they do not meet federal noise regulations or have highoperating costs. Certain airlines will have to follow the recent trend ofseeking wage concessions from employees as a means of reducing costs.Airlines that do not generate sufficient earnings or borrowing power mustcontinue to fly less efficient airplanes and face the possibility of sanctionsbecause aircraft do not comply with noise regulations. In terms ofpassenger enplanements, U.S. domestic carriers are forecast to approach41,500,000 by 1994, up from 19,500,000 in 1984.

Major changes are also occurring in the general aviation elementof the industry. It represents a very important means of travel forAmerican business, as evidenced by the growing percentage of busi-ness jet aircraft comprising the general aviation fleet. About 90% ofgeneral aviation jet aircraft sales are for business use. Approximately80% to 85% of turboprop aircraft and about 60% to 70% of multienginepiston aircraft enter the business aircraft fleet each year. The generalaviation fleet is expected to sustain its present annual growth rate ofjust under 4% through 1994.

Ultralight aircraft represent a growing element of the general avi-ation fleet. This is attributable to their lower price, cheaper operatingcosts, and less restrictive regulation. The growth of ultralight activitycould make it a significant factor in regional aviation systems planningbecause of requirements for terminal airspace and landing facilities.Some type of regulation, either at the federal or state level, can be ex-pected if ultralight activity continues to grow at its present rate.

Helicopters show a potential for considerable growth in the nextdecade. Their unique operating characteristics have made them mostadaptable to emergency and rescue operations, offshore oil exploration,and other missions that are not suited for fixed wing aircraft. Thehelicopter fleet is forecasted to increase at a rate of about 5% a yearthrough 1994.


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8.3 AIRPORT PLANNING PROCESS

Airport planning refers to the process of formulating sound andefficient plans to direct the initiation and staging of airport improve-ments. Such planning takes place at the national, state, regional andlocal levels. The National Airport System Plan (NASP), prepared by theFAA, is a compilation of the nation's civil airport development needs forall classes and categories of public use airports. Indicative of recentfederal emphasis on the systems aspect of transportation planning at thefederal level, the next version of the NASP will be redesignated theNational Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.1

In order for the NASP to reflect local goals and objectives, federalplanning grants are available to public agencies for state and regionalairport system plans and for local airport master plans. The statutoryobjectives of the federal planning grant program are to promote theappropriate location and development of individual airports, provide forthe proper allocation of resources, and develop and maintain an effectivenational system of airports.

8.3.1 State and Regional Airport Systems Plans

State system plans provide an over-all frame of reference for thedevelopment of individual airports within one state. The plans recom-mend the general location and characteristics of new airports and thenature of improvements needed at existing ones. These plans are alsosensitive to linkage with other modes of transportation and are oftenused by state transportation agencies for the allocation of their ownresources to maximize benefits to the general population of the state.

Regional airport system planning focuses on the needs of theregion and is usually prepared under the same guiding principles asstate plans. Elements common to state and regional plans include: (1)Forecasts of passengers and aircraft operations; (2) demand to capacityrelationships; (3) airfield facilities and passenger terminal buildingneeds; (4) environmental impacts; (5) financial requirements; and (6)ground access and egress provisions.

Regional airport system plans are usually prepared by regionalgovernments or regional transportation agencies. Additional informa-tion on the preparation of state and regional airport system plans isavailable in FAA Advisory Circulars 150/5050-3A, "Planning the StateAirport System/' and 150/5070-5, "Planning the Metropolitan AirportSystem/'

Information on the national plan is available from: Chief; National PlanningDivision, APP-40, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue,S.W., Washington, D.C. 20591.


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8.3.2 Airport Master Plans

Airport master plans provide a detailed level of airport planningand serve as the programming instrument for the development of futurefacilities on the airport. Greater precision or detail is required for masterplans than for either regional or state system plans. Elements of anairport master plan include: (1) Forecasts; (2) demand and capacityanalysis; (3) terminal area plan; (4) facility requirements; (5) environ-mental impacts; (6) airport layout plan; (7) airport access plan; and (8)financial plan. Before initiating the preparation of an airport master plan,it is important to consult Advisory Circular 150/5070-6, "Airport MasterPlans." This document was revised in 1984 and is an excellent reference.

Forecasts Forecasts are generally established for five, 10 and 20 yearsinto the future and include passengers, aircraft operations, categories ofaircraft, cargo, and airport access data. Aviation demand is based onsocioeconomic, environmental, and technical factors. The FAA pub-lishes annual statistics on passengers and aircraft operations at airportsoperating within the U.S. National Airspace System (4). The FAA alsopublishes 10-year forecasts covering some 900 airports in the country(16). These documents provide an excellent source of reference forpreparing aviation forecasts.

Demand and capacity analysis Demand and capacity analysis is thebasis for determining the adequacy of current facilities to handle existingand future demand for airport services. The analysis focuses on suchfacilities as runways, apron and gates, terminal buildings, access roads,and parking. Documentation is available from the FAA which sets forthprocedures for determining the capacity of an airport runway system.Procedures for analyzing and sizing passenger terminal facilities areavailable from the FAA, the International Air Transport Association, andthe Air Transport Association of America (2, 7, 9).

The use of computers has proved effective in analyzing the servicecapabilities of facilities, particularly at major airports. The computer isalso a proficient design tool in determining the geometric configurationof airfield facilities and the sizing of passenger processing accommoda-tions.

Terminal area plans The terminal area plan includes such facilities asterminal and cargo buildings, aprons, gates, hangars, shops, and park-ing lots. The terminal area plan is developed to achieve the most efficientuse of land for servicing vehicular traffic, passengers, and aircraft. Suchplans are conceived through conceptual studies and drawings to estab-lish the general locations of facilities and order-of-magnitude size. Moredetailed studies are conducted during the design phase to fix exactlocation and size.

Facility requirements This element of an airport master plan project


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establishes the specific list of airport facility needs to accommodatefuture aviation demand. The list of items could include: (1) Length,strength (weight-bearing capacity) and number of runways; (2) numberof aircraft gates; (3) passenger processing facilities in the terminal build-ing; (4) vehicular parking spaces; and (5) type and alignment of groundaccess roads, and transit needs.

Consideration of the interaction between general aviation andcommercial aircraft operations is an important aspect of establishingtotal facility requirements. Major airports such as Phoenix Sky Harbor,Salt Lake City, and Oakland experience general aviation traffic in excessof air carrier operations. Provisions for dedicated runways or segregatedapproach paths for general aviation may improve operating efficiency.Future facility needs for general aviation, such as hangars, tie downareas, maintenance facilities, etc., are best obtained from fixed basedoperators.

Airport layout plan The airport master plan is the basis for preparinga new or updated airport layout plan (ALP). An ALP is a graphicpresentation, to scale, of existing and proposed airport facilities, theirlocation on the airport, and the pertinent clearance and dimensionalinformation required to show conformance with applicable standards. Itrepresents the ultimate development of the airport, as established by thelatest master plan. The most important aspect of an ALP is that one mustbe approved by the FAA as a prerequisite to receipt of a federal grant foran airport.

Environmental assessment Environmental factors must be consideredcarefully in the development of an airport master plan. Environmentalstudies consider the impact of construction and operation of a newairport or an airport expansion upon accepted standards of air and waterquality, noise levels, and the ecology. All airport development projectsfinanced under a federal grant program must be reviewed for environ-mental impact in accordance with NEPA before funds are released.

Airport access plan This element of the master plan indicates proposedrouting of ground access to central business districts and other majorcommercial and industrial centers. It should consider facilities for allinterconnecting modes of transportation, including ground vehicles(truck terminals, bus stations), rail, and short-haul aircraft.

The airport access study element of an airport master plan shouldbe general in nature and done in conjunction with the programs of localhighway departments, transit authorities, and regional planning bodies.Airport-bound travelers are affected by the relative efficiency of theurban highway network. Passengers headed for a number of major U.S.airports are exposed to severe congestion problems during peak trafficperiods. The airport master plan process is not the panacea to groundaccess constraints. Ground access problems are properly addressed by


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urban transportation planners as part of local, regional, and state plan-ning projects.

Financial analysis Schedules and cost estimates of improvements pro-posed in the master plan should be developed on the basis of five, 10,and 20 years. These cost estimates include capital needs and mainte-nance and operating expenses.

Financial feasibility is determined by a revenue-expense study.Expenses usually include the annual cost to retire debt service plusmaintenance and operation expenses. Revenues include lease rents,landing fees, concession and parking income, and federal grants.

8.3.3 Airport Planning Guidelines

A principal source of airport planning material is the FederalAviation Administration, which prepares and publishes advisory circu-lars to communicate guidance and general information in designatedsubject areas. Advisory circulars are issued in a numbered-subjectsystem. Airport planning information is provided under the 150 series inthe numbered-subject system.2 Advisory circulars are not consideredstandards unless used in compliance with a Federal Aviation Regulation.For example, FAR Part 152 specifies the 150 series advisory circulars thatbecome a standard in connection with a project under a federal grantprogram, unless exemptions are granted by the administrator.

An important international body concerned with the establishmentof airport planning and design guidance material is the InternationalCivil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ICAO is an agency of the UnitedNations and discharges its responsibilities through resolutions and In-ternational Standards and Practices that are published as Annexes to theConvention on International Civil Aviation held in Chicago in 1944.

The airport planner should be familiar with the ICAO document"Aerodromes, Annex 14 to the Convention on International Civil Avi-ation" (15), which contains design standards and recommended prac-tices applicable to nearly all airports serving international air commerce.Most U.S. airports are designed to FAA guidelines and standards,although major international airports are in general compliance withAnnex 14. Most FAA standards equal or exceed those of ICAO.

Texts on airport planning and design, and handbooks published byaviation trade organizations such as the International Air TransportAssociation (IATA) and Air Transport Association of America (ATA)provide information and guidance from the private sector.

The aircraft manufacturers publish useful information in the formof flight manuals and aircraft characteristics documents. Flight manuals

Information on obtaining advisory circulars is available at any GovernmentPrinting Office bookstore, or by writing to: U.S. Department of Transportation,Distribution Requirements Section, M-481.1, Washington, D.C. 20590.


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provide information on runway length, and the aircraft characteristicdocuments describe the physical dimensions and ground maneuveringprocedures for each type of aircraft. Advisory Circular 150/5335-4 setsforth FA A standards for determining runway length. Aircraft grossweight, maximum stage length (nonstop distance), and airport meteoro-logical conditions are primary factors an airport planner must consider indetermining runway length.

Airport planners must also recognize the need to protect theintegrity of terminal airspace from intrusion of high structures and otherobstructions that would constitute a hazard to air navigation. Twoprincipal documents govern the determination of hazards to air naviga-tion. They are:

1. United States Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures(TERPS).

2. FAR Part 77—Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace.

As is often the case, there is no single text, advisory circular or handbookthat can be directly applied throughout a project. It is up to the plannerto understand the principles outlined in the documentation and tailorthem to the specific situation.

8.4 FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS

The first major federal airport grant-in-aid program was authorizedunder the Federal Airport Act of 1946. Under this program, funds weremade available out of the U.S. Treasury General Fund to support airportdevelopment projects. Allocation of annual authorizations to each air-port was left to the discretion of the FAA Administrator. Between 1946and 1969 an average of $52.5 million was allocated annually for thisprogram.

In the mid 1960s, capacity shortfalls became evident at many of thehigh density traffic airports. Lengthy queues were appearing at the endsof runways, formed by aircraft waiting for takeoff clearance. Additionalrunways, taxiways and navigational aids were sorely needed to increaseairport capacity. The Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970 wasenacted into law to provide a major source of development funds toimprove airport and airway system capacities.

The principal source of funds would be raised through a series ofuser taxes (excise taxes on tickets, aviation gas and tires, aircraft regis-tration fees, freight waybills, etc.). Allocation of funds for capital im-provements is administered by the FAA and grants are made directly toairports served by air carriers under an entitlement formula (based onpassenger enplanements). Additional grants are made from the Secre-tary of Transportation's discretionary fund. The capital grant programunder the 1970 Act was commonly referred to as the Airport Develop-


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ment Aid Program (ADAP) and covered airport improvement projectsconsidered necessary by the FAA for maintaining or upgrading airportsafety. Project eligibility under the federal grant program is generallylimited to runway and taxiway construction, airfield lighting and mark-ing, approach lighting, apron paving, airport fire and emergency equip-ment, and land acquisition. Funds are available for public areas interminal buildings on the condition that all eligible safety-related im-provements associated with aircraft landings and takeoffs have beenconstructed by the airport.

The 1970 Act also established a Planning Grant Program (PGP)administered by the FAA to provide funds to public agencies for airportsystem planning and airport master planning. Approximately$15,000,000 was made available each year for this program.

In the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 (Public Law97-248), Congress extended the airport capital grant program for another10 years. A major change created by this legislation was combiningADAP and PGP into one program and designating it the Airport Im-provement Program (AIP). Program authorizations between fiscal years1982 and 1987 are indicated in Table 8-3. Any owner or a public useairport may submit to the FAA a project grant application. On receipt ofsuch application, the FAA must review it to determine if:

1. The airport and project are in the "National Plan/'2. Project is consistent with the general land use plan of sur-

rounding jurisdictions.3. Local project sponsor has sufficient funds to cover project costs

above federal grant authorization, and project will be completed withoutdelay.

4. Fair consideration has been given to the interests and land useplans of surrounding jurisdictions.

5. A full and complete review has been given to effects upon theenvironment.

The federal share is 90% of the total project cost at most airports.However, airports enplaning 0.25% or more of the total number ofannual passengers at commercial airports in the United States are limitedto a federal share of 75%.

TABLE 8-3 Airport Improvement Program Authorizations

Fiscal year

Airportgrants, inmillionsof dollars

1982

450

1983

600

1984

793.5

1985

912

1986

1017

1987

1017.2

P Total

4789.7


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More detailed information on the federal grant program is available inthe Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 (PL97-248, September3, 1982), (Reference 5), and FAR Part 152, "Airport Aid" (14). Assistancein determining project eligibility and in the grant application process isavailable from the Airport Division in FAA regional offices or in FAAairport district offices.

8.5 SELECTED REFERENCES

1. Air Transportation Bibliography, prepared by the Transportation ResearchBoard for the Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C., Decem-ber 1978.

2. "Airline Aircraft Gates and Passenger Terminal Space Approximations"AD/SC Report No. 4, Air Transport Association of America, Washington,D.C., June 1977.

3. Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning, published by aircraft manufac-turers to present information on aircraft characteristics needed by airportplanners. Documents may be obtained from:

• Boeing Commercial Airplane CompanyP.O. Box 3707Seattle, Washington 98124Attention: Manager, Airport Development

Mail Stop 6E-29• Lockheed-California Company

P.O. Box 551Burbank, California 91520Attention: Department Manager, Airport Compatibility

• McDonnell-Douglas CorporationDouglas Aircraft Company3855 Lakewood BoulevardLong Beach, California 90846Attention: Chief Airport Aircraft Compatibility Engineer

Mail Stop 35-97

4. Airport Activity Statistics of Certificated Route Air Carriers, joint publication ofFederal Aviation Administration and Civil Aeronautics Board (annual),Washington, D.C.

5. Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982, Public Law 97-248, 97thCongress.

6. Airport Planning Manual, Part 1—Master Planning; Part 2— Land Use andEnvironmental Control, 1st ed., International Civil Aviation Organization,Montreal, Canada, 1977.

7. Airport Terminals Reference Manual, International Air Transport Association,Montreal, Canada, December 1976.

8. Airport User Traffic Characteristics for Ground Transportation Planning, Instituteof Transportation Engineers, Washington, D.C., 1976.

9. The Apron and Terminal Building Planning Report, prepared by the Ralph M.Parsons Company, Pasadena, Calif., for the Federal Aviation Administra-tion, March 1976.

10. CTOL Transport Aircraft Characteristics, Trends, and Growth Projections, Aero-space Industries Association of America, Inc., Washington, D. C., January 1979.


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11. Environmental Assessment of Airport Development Actions, prepared by GreinerEnvironmental Sciences, Inc., Baltimore, McL, for the Federal AviationAdministration, March 1977.

12. FAA Air Traffic Activity, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C.,(annual).

13. FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation, Federal Aviation Administration, Wash-ington D.C., (annual).

14. Federal Aviation Regulations, Part 152, "Airport Aid/7 Federal AviationAdministration, Washington, D.C.

15. International Standards and Recommended Practices— Aerodromes, Annex 14 tothe Convention on International Civil Aviation, 7th ed., International CivilAviation Organization, Montreal, Canada, June 1976.

16. Terminal Area Forecasts, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C.(annual).


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