1. Charleston, South Carolina Tuesday, May 19, 2015
9th NATIONAL AVIATION SYSTEM PLANNING SYMPOSIUM Transportation Research Board Committee on Aviation System Planning
Charleston, South Carolina Tuesday, May 19, 2015

2. AIRPORT CLASSIFICATION & ITS CONTEMPORARY IMPACTS: ASSET & ITS IMPACT ON AVIATION SYSTEM PLANNING AT STATE AND REGIONAL LEVELS
John C. Eagerton IV, D.P.A. Bureau Chief Alabama Department of Transportation Aeronautics Bureau

3. MY GOAL TODAY… BRIEFLY REVIEW ASSET CLASSIFICATIONS AND DEFINITIONS
REPORTS FROM THE FIELD – HOW HAVE STATES RESPONDED / REACTED TO ASSET
POST REAUTHORIZATION PROGNOSTICATIONS

4. THE FIVE ASSET CATEGORIES
NATIONAL AIRPORTS
5,000 + ANNUAL INSTRUMENT OPERATIONS
AND 11 + BASED JETS
AND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS OF 20+ OR INTERSTATE OF 500+
OR AT LEAST 10,000 ANNUAL ENPLANEMENTS OF LARGE CERTIFICATED AIR CARRIERS
OR 500 MILLION POUNDS OF CARGO LANDED WEIGHT

5. THE FIVE ASSET CATEGORIES
REGIONAL AIRPORTS
AIRPORT IS LOCATED W/IN METROPOLITAN OR MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA (MSA)
AND 10 ANNUAL DOMESTIC FLIGHTS OVER 500 MILES
AND 1,000 INSTRUMENT OPERATIONS
AND 1 BASED JET OR 100+ BASED AIRCRAFT
OR ARE NONPRIMARY COMMERCIAL SERVICE W/IN MSA
USUALLY AIRCRAFT FOR HIRE, NOT SCHEDULED SERVICE

6. THE FIVE ASSET CATEGORIES
LOCAL AIRPORTS
10+ ANNUAL INSTRUMENT OPERATIONS
AND 15+ BASED AIRCRAFT
OR ANNUAL PASSENGER BOARDINGS OF 2,500+
USUALLY CHARTER, NOT SCHEDULED SERVICE

7. THE FIVE ASSET CATEGORIES
BASIC AIRPORTS
10+ BASED AIRCRAFT
OR 4 BASED HELICOPTERS (FOR HELIPORTS)
OR 30+ MILES FROM THE NEAREST NPIAS AIRPORT
OR CRITICAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDED BY A FEDERAL AGENCY SUCH AS:
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
U.S. MARSHALLS
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
CUSTOMS/BORDER PROTECTION
U.S.D.O.T. ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE
OR IS A NEW AIRPORT OR REPLACEMENT FACILITY ACTIVATED AFTER JANUARY 1, 2001

8. THE FIVE ASSET CATEGORIES
UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS
DETERMINED IN ASSET II (MARCH 2014)
250+/- ORPHANS
NO CLEARLY DEFINED FEDERAL ROLE
WILL REMAIN IN NPIAS AS UNCLASSIFIED
CAN BE MOVED INTO ONE OF THE OTHER 4 CATEGORIES WHEN ASSET CRITERIA ARE MET
WILL REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR POTENTIAL AIP FUNDING (JUST NOT NPE FUNDING FOR 2015 & BEYOND)

9. REPORTS FROM THE FIELD NASAO MEMBERSHIP SURVEYED (2 SURVEYS) RESPONSES
REAUTHORIZATION SURVEY
ASSET SURVEY
RESPONSES
REAUTHORIZATION SURVEY – 72% OF MEMBERSHIP
ASSET SURVEY – 6 RESPONSES
2 CONSULTANTS PROVIDED OBSERVATIONS

10. SOME GENERAL FINDINGS (REAUTHORIZATION SURVEY)
75% OF NASAO MEMBERS AGREED THAT STATE AIRPORT SYSTEM PLANS SHOULD BE USED FOR PROJECT FUNDING DECISIONS
NEARLY 40% OF NASAO MEMBERS AGREED ASSET SHOULD BE A FACTOR IN FUNDING DECISIONS…
BUT 42% DIDN’T THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA
MOST NASAO MEMBERS OPPOSE TIERED FUNDING BASED ON THE ASSET CLASSIFICATIONS
MOST NASAO MEMBERS OPPOSE FUNDING “SET-ASIDES” FOR ASSET CLASSIFICATIONS
SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF NASAO MEMBERS BELIEVE UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS SHOULD BE ELIGIGLE FOR AIP FUNDING

11. ASSET’S INITIAL IMPACTS ON STATE SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORTS (OR THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY)
ASSET CLASSES CREATE A COMMON INVENTORY OR DATA SET ON AIRPORTS
ASSET CLASSES ESTABLISH THRESHOLD STANDARDS & PERFORMANCE TARGETS
ASSET CLASSES PROVIDE A COMMON BASIS OF COMPARISON AMONG THE STATES
ASSET STUDY CONFIRMED THE BENEFITS THAT GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS CONTRIBUTE TO STATE & REGIONAL ECONOMIES
SEVERAL STATES REPORT THAT THEY HAVE INCORPORATED THE ASSET CLASSES INTO THEIR SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORTS

12. ASSET’S INITIAL IMPACTS ON STATE SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORTS (OR THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY)
THE BAD (OR NOT SO GOOD)
POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT WHEN STATE SYSTEM PLANS ADOPT A DIFFERENT AIRPORT CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE
HOW WILL FAA CONSIDER FUTURE STATE SYSTEM PLANS THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH ASSET?
SOME STATES FEELING PRESSURED TO CONFORM THEIR SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORTS TO THE ASSET CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE
STATES HAVE AVOIDED USING “UNCLASSIFIED” AS A CATEGORY IN FAVOR OF DESIGNATIONS SUCH AS “COMMUNITY”
STATE SYSTEM PLANS CAN ADDRESS AIRPORT DEVELOPMNETAL NEEDS IN GREATER DETAIL
STATE SYSTEM PLANS ARE MORE FLEXIBLE (E.G., ECONOMIC IMPACT)

13. ASSET’S INITIAL IMPACTS ON STATE SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORTS (OR THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY)
THE BAD (OR NOT SO GOOD) CONTINUED
SOME AIRPORTS PENALIZED FOR NOT BEING IN A METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA – SPARSELY POPULATED STATES DISADVANTAGED
BASED AIRPLANES PROBLEMATIC – FULL TIME HANGARS / PART TIME TENANTS
NEED TO READJUST BASED AIRPLANE COUNT METHODOLOGY

14. ASSET’S INITIAL IMPACTS ON STATE SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORTS (OR THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY)
STRONGEST RESPONSES FOCUSED ON UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS
STATES FEAR THAT TOO MANY SMALL AIRPORTS WILL BECOME UNCLASSIFED
SOME STATES IDENTIFIED SUBSTANTIAL BARRIERS FOR UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS TO MOVE UP IN CLASSIFICATION
STATES ARE AVOIDING USE OF THE “UNCLASSIFIED” DESCRIPTOR
LOSS OF NPE FUNDING FOR UNCLASSIFIEDS
WITH LOSS OF NPE FUNDS, THE FEAR IS THAT NO FAA FUNDING WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PLANNING AND PRESERVATION

15. ASSET’S INITIAL IMPACTS ON STATE SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORTS (OR THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY)
MORE OF THE UGLY…
FAA HAS ELIMINATED NPE FUNDS BUT NOT THE “RED TAPE”
FAA’S FUTURE COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS UNCLEAR, AT BEST
FAA ACTION TO “DEFUND” UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS HAS GENERATED MISTRUST AND SUSPICION AMONG SOME STATES
WHERE IS NPE MONEY GOING THAT UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS LOST?

16. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? (MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS)
REAUTHORIZATION CREATES SOME UNCERTAINTY
WHAT WILL THE MOOD OF CONGRESS BE TOWARD AIRPORT FUNDING?
WILL AIRPORT FUNDING BE PART OF THE DEFICIT REDUCTION DEBATE?
WILL ASSET DRIVE ANY OF THE REAUTHORIZATION DEBATE?
WILL THE NPE PROGRAM BE MODIFIED?
WILL A TIERED FUNDING METHOD FOR GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS RE-EMERGE?
WILL “SET-ASIDES” FOR ASSET CLASSIFICATIONS BE CONSIDERED?

17. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? (MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS)
HOW WILL STATES EMBRACE ASSET IN THEIR FUTURE SYSTEM PLANNING INTIATIVES?
WILL FAA SUPPORT STATE SYSTEM PLANS THAT DO NOT ADOPT THE ASSET CLASSIFICATIONS?

18. CRITICAL QUESTIONS
WILL FAA USE ASSET TO MAKE FUTURE FUNDING DECISIONS BEYOND THE UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS?
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS?
WILL FAA SUPPORT STATE SYSTEM PLANS THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE ASSET CLASSIFICATIONS?
WILL STATES CONTINUE TO BE THE LEARNING LABS OF STATE SYSTEM PLANNING METHODS OR WILL ASSET BECOME PRESCRIPTIVE RATHER THAN DESCRIPTIVE?
HAS ASSET SET THE STAGE TO IGNORE FUTURE AIRPORT SYSTEM PRIORITIES?