Introduction of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) will pose safety, economic, operational, regulatory, community, environmental, and infrastructure challenges to airports. These risks are further complicated by the dynamic nature of UAS technological development. Experiences and lessons learned from recent major aviation system changes demonstrate the critical importance of ensuring that airports...

It is anticipated that unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) will increase in activity within the airport environment and will expand due to market demand, operational requirements, and changes in UAS specifications (such as size, weight, and payload). To date, the majority of small UAS, defined as less than 55 pounds, operate outside of the airport environment. However, some public airports are curr...

The introduction of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has presented a wide range of new safety, economic, operational, regulatory, community, environmental, and infrastructure challenges to airports and the National Airspace System. These risks are further complicated by the dynamic and shifting nature of UAS technologies. The pre-publication draft of ACRP Research Report 212: Airports and Unmann...

Airports continually balance demands to improve infrastructure within the realities of available budgets. Green revolving funds (GRFs) offer an alternative approach for investing in projects that generate operational savings. These funds work by tracking verified cost reductions from implemented actions, and then transferring those savings to a reserve that provides capital for future qualified...

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program has released a pre-publication version of ACRP Research Report 204: Air Demand in a Dynamic Competitive Context with the Automobile. The report establishes a new approach to the analysis of future consumer demand for shorter distance air travel in comparison with travel by automobile. According to the report, future demand for shorter-range airline tri...

“Pavement condition data” are essential inputs to the process of managing airport pavements and ensuring safe operations. The technology available today to collect pavement condition data is considerably different from that available even 20 years ago, and new technologies are being developed and introduced into practice at a rapid pace. ACRP Research Report 203: Guidelines for Collecting, Appl...

Resources to help promote interest in aviation among younger populations ranging from 10 years old to 25 years old are detailed in TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 202 . The report is designed to help educators and aviation enthusiasts understand the need for encouraging interest in aviation. It offers guidance on developing a program of activities to fit partic...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 201 provides guidance and tools for airports to aid in effective communication with passengers and persons with disabilities, including those with cultural and language differences. The report includes a primer that discusses issues, techniques, and the unique requirements and challenges of communicating with people with disabil...

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 200: Using GIS for Collaborative Land Use Compatibility Planning Near Airports offers guidance for using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a collaboration tool to encourage compatible land use around airports. The report is designed to help airport and community planners seeking to work together to protect existing and futu...

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 199: Climate Resilience and Benefit–Cost Analysis: A Handbook for Airports provides information on how to apply benefit–cost analysis tools and techniques to improve decision making affecting resilience of airport infrastructure projects in response to potential long-term impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. The ...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 197: Guidebook for Developing a Comprehensive Renewable Resources Strategy highlights renewable energy sources, includes steps for developing a renewable energy strategy, and identifies metrics for measuring success. The report also highlights real-world examples of successful renewable resource projects at airports. Renewable re...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 196: Guidebook for Integrating Collaborative Partnering into Traditional Airport Practices provides guidance for using collaborative partnering for airport construction projects. Collaborative partnering is a structured process to bring owners, designers, and construction teams face-to-face throughout the life of the project, and...

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 195: Best Practices for Airport Obstruction Management Guidebook is designed to assist airport operators in developing and implementing an obstruction management program to protect the airport airspace from encroachment by tall objects. The guidance will help airport staff in developing an obstruction management plan by understan...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 193: Strategies for Airports to Reduce Local Stormwater Utility Fees offers airports guidance in managing the stormwater-related utility fees that many local governments charge to help finance their capital and operating expenses. U.S. airports are experiencing a trend of local governments charging and increasing fees to operate...

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program has released ACRP Research Report 192: Airport Management Guide for Providing Aircraft Fueling Services designed to assist airports that are considering or are currently self-providing fueling services directly to their customers. The management guide includes a methodology to help evaluate whether an airport should or should not provide fuel service, ...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 191: A Primer to Prepare for the Connected Airport and the Internet of Things introduces the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) within the airport environment to leverage current and emerging technologies. IoT can be used to provide information and services to airport passengers with current and evolving technologies. A...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 190: Common Performance Metrics for Airport Infrastructure and Operational Planning serves as a reference guide and introduces common performance metrics for airport infrastructure and operational planning. The reference guide includes information on how to interpret performance metrics that can be used for analysis among airport...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 189: Design Considerations for Airport EOCs will guide airport staff in the planning and design of an airport emergency operations center (EOC). This report provides EOC design considerations in the areas of physical space, technology, function, operations, and governance. The guidance includes lessons learned, a Concept and Deve...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 188: Using Existing Airport Management Systems to Manage Climate Risk integrates current and projected climate change related risks into airport management systems and planning. The handbook identifies ways to reduce airport vulnerabilities to current and projected impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events. It a...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 187: Transportation Emergency Response Application (TERA) Support Materials for Airport EOC Exercises provides tools for airport staff tasked with planning, coordinating, and facilitating a functional Emergency Operations Center (EOC) exercise. The report guides airport staff in using the TERA software to facilitate or enhance fe...