• Analysis of Aircraft Overruns and Undershoots for Runway Safety Areas.  ACRP examines historical data related to both overrun and undershoot occurrences. Released: 6/19.

• An Overview of Spatial Disorientation as a Factor in Aviation Accidents and Incidents  – The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report that examines the various types of spatial disorientation in the aviation environment, and suggests strategies for managing the risk associated with spatial disorientation events.
  

• Evaluation and Mitigation of Aircraft Slide Evacuation Injuries - The Airport Cooperative Research Program report explores guidance on reducing injuries and improving safety and coordination during aircraft slide evacuation events. The report also examines injuries to aircraft crew and passengers incurred during aircraft slide evacuations.

• Field Evaluation of Whole Airliner Decontamination Technologies – Wide-Body Aircraft - The Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Aerospace Medicine has released a report that explores decontamination technologies and the efficiency of thermal decontamination.

• The Role of Air Cargo in California's Agricultural Export Trade – The Center for Agricultural Business at California State University, Fresno, has released a report that explores the role of air cargo services in transporting California’s agricultural exports.  The report also examines the evolving nature of the air cargo industry within California and internationally.

Airlines

• Opinions on Cell Phone Use on Airplanes, Congestion, and Telecommuting--from the 2006 and 2007 Omnibus Household Survey. The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics has released a report that explores opinions concerning the potential acceptability of allowing the use of cell phones on airplanes. In a 2007 survey, 39.7 said that passengers should definitely or probably be allowed to use the phones.  Released: 8/11

• T-100 Traffic Reporting Guide – The Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ has released a guide on filing requirements for the T-100 Report, also know as the Air Carrier Traffic and Capacity Data by Non-Stop Segment and On-Flight Market Report.  The guide includes information on data elements, data validation, error messages, and business rules.

• Review of Planned Airport Development Costs and Funding Levels, and the Administration's Proposed Changes in the Airport Improvement Program  – A U.S. Government Accountability Office report explores current federal funding levels for airport development and the sufficiency of those levels to meet planned development costs.  The report examines capital development estimates made by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Airports Council International, analyzes how much airports have received for capital development, and summarizes the effects of proposed changes in federal funding for airport development.

Financing

• Airport Economic Impact Methods and Models  -- This  Airport Cooperative Research Program report explores how airport economic impact studies are currently conducted.  The report examines the methods and models used to define and identify, evaluate and measure, and communicate the different facets of the economic impact of airports.  The report also highlights the various analysis methods, models, and tools that are available for local airport economic studies, as well as their applicability and tradeoffs, including limitations, trends, and recent developments.

• Innovative Finance and Alternative Sources of Revenue for Airports – This  Airport Cooperative Research Program report is intended to inform airport operators, stakeholders, and policymakers about alternative financing options and revenue sources that are currently available to airport operators in the United States, or that could be available in the future if certain developments occur to facilitate them.development.

• Review of the Effect of Very Light Jets on the National Airspace System  – A U.S. Government Accountability Office report explores current very light jet forecasts and what factors could affect very light jet deliveries, and how increasing numbers of very light jets might affect the capacity and safety of the national airspace system.

• Issues Regarding the Current and Future Use of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet  – This U.S. Congressional Budget Office report examines how the increased use of commercial airlift services over the past few years and the potential increase in the guaranteed portion of the U.S. Department of Defense’s airlift business might affect the U.S. air transportation industry and the military’s ability to attract participants to the civil reserve air fleet program over the long term.
  
  

• Congestion Pricing for New York Airports – The Reason Foundation has released a report that explores the use of congestion pricing as a potential means to reduce air travel delays and congestion at New York-area airports. (December 2007)

• Efforts to Hire, Staff, and Train Air Traffic Controllers Are Generally on Track, but Challenges Remain - The U.S. Government Accountability Office has release a report that examines the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Organization’s (ATO’s) need to hire and train nearly 17,000 controllers to replace over 15,000 current controllers, most of whom will be retiring. (June 2008)
  

• Review of FAA Progress in System Acquisitions – The U.S. Government Accountability Office has release a report that examines the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Organization’s (ATO’s) goals, performance measures, and reporting for systems acquisitions. (December 2007)

• Global Air Navigation Plan  – The International Civil Aviation Organization’s latest edition of its Global Air Navigation Plan, which contains near- and medium-term guidance on air navigation system improvements designed to help support a uniform transition to an envisioned air traffic management system.

• Information Complexity in Air Traffic Control Displays  – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s report examines information complexity in terms of visual automation displays and explores when display complexity is “too complex” for controllers. 

• FAA’s and NASA’s Research and Development Plans for Noise Reduction Are Aligned, but the Prospects of Achieving Noise Reduction Goals Are Uncertain -- This congressionally requested GAO report on aviation noise addresses FAA’s and NASA’s research plans to address aviation noise, if the work is aligned with their goals and the likelihood that these goals will be achieved.

• Counting Aircraft Operations at Non-Towered Airports  – Airport Cooperative Research Program’s Synthesis 4: Counting Aircraft Operations at Non-Towered Airports explores the different methods used by states, airports, and metropolitan planning organizations of counting and estimating aircraft operations at non-towered airports.

• Airport Cooperative Research Program Synthesis 5: Airport Ground Access Mode Choice Models examines the characteristics of existing ground access mode choice models and explores the issues involved in the development and use of such models to improve the understanding and acceptance of their role in airport planning and management.
  
  

• Review of Aviation Runway and Ramp Safety  – A U.S. Government Accountability Office report explores United States airport runway safety and what additional measures, if any, could be taken to enhance existing safety efforts. 

• Evaluation of Thermoplastic Marking Materials. The purpose of this research effort was to determine if a thermoplastic marking material is as effective as the current waterborne material in terms of its retro-reflectivity, chromaticity, friction properties, and its adherence to the airport pavement surface.  Released: May 2008.

• Light Emitting Diode Taxiway Lighting Effects on Constant Current Regulator Stability. This study was conducted to determine how light emitting diode (LED) taxiway edge lights affect the operation of Constant Current Regulators (CCR). Some CCRs turn off due to overvoltage or overcurrent of LED taxiway edge lights.   Released: May 2008.

• FAA Finite Element Design Procedure for Rigid Pavements. This is an evaluation of a computer program for both airport rigid and flexible pavement thickness design. Released: August 2007.

• Anti-Icing Pavement Coating Study at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The purpose of this FAA study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the anti-icing coating in terms of its anti-icing performance compared to adjacent pavement surfaces that did not have the coating. Released: March 2007.

• End-Around Taxiway Screen Evaluation. The FAA evaluation effort was conducted to investigate the most conspicuous material, configuration, pattern, color, and lighting methods that would make the end-around taxiway (EAT) visual screen visible to pilots operating on a runway equipped with an EAT.  Released: March 2007.
  
  

• Safety Management Systems for Airports, Volume 1: Overview  – Airport Cooperative Research’s Safety Management Systems for Airports, Volume 1: Overview provides a brief description of safety management systems (SMS) and is intended to be an easy-to-read, quick introduction to SMS for airport directors and their governing boards.
  
  

• Review of TSA's Passenger Screening Process – The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released its findings of an investigation conducted by GAO into the effectiveness of airport security checkpoints. The testimony was presented at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government.

• Progress in Securing the Commercial Aviation System  – This U.S. Government Accountability Office testimony explores the progress the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration have made in securing the nation’s commercial aviation system.

• TSA’s Explosives Detection Canine Program: Status of Increasing Number of Canine Teams. GAO finds In order to successfully increase the number of explosives detection canine teams by about 200 in 2009, some ongoing issues will need to be resolved, such as hiring additional instructors to conduct training classes and certify newly deployed teams. Released: 7/31.

• Quarantine Facilities for Arriving Air Travelers: Identification of Planning Needs and Costs. Airport Cooperative Research Program explores facility issues, security considerations, and estimated costs to consider when planning for the potential quarantine of arriving air travelers. Released: 7/7.
  
  
  

• The Impact of Training on General Aviation Pilots' Ability to Make Strategic Weather-Related Decisions - The Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Aerospace Medicine has released a report that explores whether a graphical weather display combined with an instructional training paradigm could improve a pilot’s ability to maintain a safe flying distance from convective thunderstorm activity.

• Aviation Weather: Services at Key Aviation Facilities Lack Performance Measures, but Improvement Efforts Are Under Way - The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a report that explores the status of the National Weather Service’s (NWS’) plans for restructuring the offices that provide aviation weather services at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) en route centers.

• Fiscal Year 2009 Airport Cooperative Research Program Projects. Preliminary descriptions of projects expected to be undertaken as part of Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) fiscal year 2009 activities are available for review.  These projects do not represent the entire ACRP FY 2009 program, only those for which requests for proposals are expected to begin to be issued during November of this year, with deadlines for proposals beginning in January 2009.

• Oversight Panel Nominee Solicitation. Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) is soliciting nominees to serve on oversight panels for new projects being established under the ACRP's FY 2009 program. Nominees should have expertise directly relevant to the proposed project topic. To help identify nominees who are members of historically underrepresented groups, TRB encourages the nomination of women and members of minority groups.  Panels for the new projects are scheduled to meet beginning in November. Panel members are prohibited from submitting or participating in preparation of proposals on projects under their jurisdiction, and they serve without compensation but are paid travel and subsistence expenses. Nominations due September 17, 2008.

Airlines

• Airport-Airline Agreements and Rate Methodologies--Practices and Characteristics – Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to develop a resource manual for airport and airline professionals that will describe the current range of practices and characteristics of airport and airline relationships and their relative, underlying airport and airline business models. Proposals due Jan. 9, 2008.

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• Guidebook for Developing an Airport Performance-Measurement System – Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to produce a practical, user-friendly guidebook that will assist airport managers in understanding benefits of a performance-measurement system and to measure their progress toward meeting customer and stakeholder expectations. Proposals due Jan. 23, 2008.

• A Comprehensive Development Plan for a Multimodal Noise and Emissions Model – The Airport Cooperative Research Program has released a request for proposals to produce a comprehensive model development plan that will guide future development of a model to facilitate integrated quantification of multimodal noise and emissions. Proposals Due February 27, 2008.

• Guidance for Quantifying the Contribution of Airport Emissions to Local Air Quality – Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to provide guidance for airport operators on effective tools and techniques for measuring airport contributions to ambient air quality. Proposals due Jan. 22, 2008.

• Guidebook on Best Management Practices for Leasing and Developing Airport Property – The Airport Cooperative Research Program is seeking proposals to develop a guidebook for airport management to implement leasing, property management, and development agreements in the context of airport improvement and expansion plans. Proposals Due February 15, 2008.

• Handbook to Assess Impacts of Constrained Airport Parking – The Airport Cooperative Research Program has released a request for proposals to develop a handbook that airport operators can use to assess the access impacts of constrained public and/or employee parking at airports. Proposals Due February 27, 2008.

• Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside – The Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to develop a handbook for airport operators containing up-to-date wayfinding and signing guidelines for the airport terminal and landside facilities. Proposals Due February 19, 2008.

• A Guidebook for Addressing Aircraft/Wildlife Hazards at General Aviation Airports – The Airport Cooperative Research Program is seeking proposals to develop a guidebook that general aviation airports can use to identify, understand, and mitigate wildlife hazards to aircraft in the airport environs. Proposals Due January 30, 2008.

• A Guidebook for the Preservation of Public-Use Airport – Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to develop a guidebook that describes the reasons why public-use airports close and identifies measures and strategies that can be taken to preserve public-use airports. Proposals due Jan. 8, 2008.

• Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports – Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to develop a guidebook that defines and explains the various criteria used to identify objects that affect the airspace needed by an airport for its current and future operations, as well as the interrelationships between these criteria. Proposals due Jan. 8, 2008.

• Guidebook for Preparing Peak-Period and Operational Profiles to Improve Airport Facility Planning and Environmental Analyses – Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to prepare a guidebook designed to enable airport operators to more effectively define airport peak-period and operational profiles necessary for facility and environmental planning. Proposals due Jan. 25, 2008.

• Understanding Common-Use Approaches at Airports – Airport Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for proposals to develop a reference guide for airports, airlines, and other stakeholders to identify and understand the financial, operational, liability, safety, customer service, and competitive elements of a common-use approach to the utilization of airport facilities and the provision of services. Proposals due Jan. 9, 2008.