Recent Research Papers

• How Proposed ARFF Standards Would Impact Airports:  Airport Cooperative Research Program explores the potential cost implications for airports of implementing proposed airport rescue and fire fighting regulations that would be closely aligned with standards promulgated by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the National Fire Protection Association.  Posted: 6/30/09.

• Greeenhouse Gas Legislation: Summary and Analysis of H.R. 2454 as Reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce: A U.S. Congressional Research Service report explores the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. The measure was then passed by the full House on June 26. Posted: 6/30/09.

• Better Data and Targeted FAA Efforts Needed to Identify and Address Safety Issues of Small Air Cargo Carriers: The General Accountability Office reports  two actions experts cited most often to further improve air cargo safety were installing better technology on cargo aircraft to provide additional tools to pilots and collecting data to track small cargo carrier operations. Using flight risk checklists can also help pilots assess the accumulated risk factors associated with some cargo flights. Posted: 6/24/09.

• International Aviation: Federal Efforts Help Address Safety Challenges in Africa, but Could Benefit from Reassessment and Better Coordination: The General Accountability Office study notes that Improving aviation safety in Africa is an important goal for the United States and the international aviation community. U.S. assistance to improve aviation safety in Africa has helped to address some challenges. Several international efforts have been implemented to assist and encourage African countries in improving their civil aviation systems. Posted: 6/23/09.

• TSA’s Role in General Aviation Security. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General conducted an assessment of TSA security regulations for general aviation as the result of a congressional request. The report reveals that the TSA Office of Intelligence “has not identified specific imminent threats from GA aircraft.” The Inspector General further “determined that general aviation presents only limited and mostly hypothetical threats to security” and also “that the steps general aviation airport owners and managers have taken to enhance security are positive and effective.” Posted: 6/19/09

• The Impact of Airline Bankruptcies on Airports: This Airport Cooperative Research Program report examines legal issues presented by the filing of airline bankruptcies that are relevant to airports, and explores how airport lawyers and courts have responded to those issues. The report highlights the basics of bankruptcy theory and law relevant to airport operating agreements with airlines, and identifies issues such as lease recharacterization and payment of stub period rent that particularly affect airports dealing with airlines in bankruptcy. Posted 6/16/09.

• Increased Agency Accountability Could Help Protect Federal Employees Serving the Public in the Event of a Pandemic: The General Accountability Office has surveyed three federal agencies to determine if they comply with a 2006 directive for continuity planning during a flu pandemic. The report found that at air traffic control management facilities, where air traffic controllers work, had not yet developed facility pandemic plans or incorporated pandemic plans into their all-hazards contingency plans. Posted: 6/16/09.

• Deicing Planning Guidelines and Practices for Stormwater Management Systems: Airport Cooperative Research Program explores a wide array of practices designed to provide for the practical, cost-effective control of runoff from aircraft and airfield deicing and anti-icing operations.  Detailed operational practices were published as a collection of fact sheets. Posted: 6/9/09.

• Effective Practices for Preparing Airport Improvement Program Benefit-Cost Analysis:  Airport Cooperative Research Program explores assessment techniques that can be used by airports in performing benefit-cost analysis for hard-to-quantify benefits from projects needing more than $5 million in Airport Improvement Program discretionary funding. Posted: 6/9/09.

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  Aircraft Emissions Expected to Grow, but Technological and Operational Improvements and Government Policies Can Help Control Emissions: This General Accountability Office report is based on a research of current literatures and does not make a recommendation. A number of policy options to address aircraft emissions are available to governments and can be part of broader policies to address emissions from many sources including aircraft. Market-based measures can establish a price for emissions and provide incentives to airlines and consumers to reduce emissions. These measures can be preferable to other options because they would generally be more economically efficient. Posted: 6/8/09.

• Guidance for Identifying and Mitigating Approach Lighting System Hazards: This Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) digest is designed to assist with defining response procedures to mitigate or reduce the hazards associated with aircraft and approach lighting system incidents. Additional information is published as Contractor’s Final Report for ACRP RRD. Posted 5/27/09.

• Airport Passenger Screening: Background and Issues for Congress: A U.S. Congressional Research Service report explores policy issues and strategies for screening passengers at airports. Posted 5/27/09.

• Review of the Aviation Industry in 2008: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General has released a report that examines aviation industry trends in 2008, and their impact on aviation system performance, demand and capacity for domestic and international flights, and air service in small communities. Posted: 5/12/09.

• Integrating Airport Information Systems: Airport Cooperative Research Program Report 13 is designed to help airport mangers and information technology professionals address issues associated with integrating airport information systems.  Analysis and Recommendations for Developing Integrated Airport Information Systems: Airport Cooperative Research Program provides a summary of the efforts associated with the development of ACRP Report 13: Integrating Airport Information Systems. Posted: 5/5/09

• Airline Industry Contraction Due to Volatile Fuel Prices and Falling Demand Affects Airports, and Federal Government Revenues. The General Accountability Office examines the contraction of the U.S. airline industry in 2008 reduced airport revenues, passengers’ access to the national aviation system, and revenues for the Trust Fund. airline capacity reductions are causing some passengers to lose some or all access to commercial air service and contributing to increased fares in some passenger markets. Small airports, which already offer fewer flight options, had the greatest percentage decrease in nonstop destinations (16 percent) as well as a 10 percent reduction in capacity. Posted 4/24/09

• Comprehensive Risk Assessments and Stronger Internal Controls Needed to Help Inform TSA the Resource Allocation: TSA has not followed federal internal control standards to assist it in implementing DHS’s risk management framework and informing resource allocation. Without effectively Implementing such controls, TSA cannot provide reasonable assurance that its resources are being used effectively and efficiently to achieve security priorities and that accountability and oversight regarding the quality of risk management activities implemented exists.Posted 4/24/09

• Potential Strategies to Address Air Ambulance Safety Concerns: The air ambulance industry has increased in size, and concerns about its safety have grown in recent years. Despite the actions to improve air ambulance safety, 2008 was the deadliest year on record for the industry. In this report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has identified several potential strategies for improving air ambulance safety. Posted: 4/23/09

• Responsibility for Implementation and Enforcement of Airport Land-Use Zoning Restrictions: The Airport Cooperative Research Program explores federal, state, regional, and local laws and regulations pertaining to aviation land use and zoning, and identifies the primary responsibilities of each relevant legal body and how this responsibility is communicated and enforced. Posted: 4/14/09

• Applying Smart Growth Principles and Strategies to Resolving Land Use Conflicts Around Airports: The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies at the San José State University College of Business has released a report that explores how the principles and strategies of smart growth can potentially be applied to resolving land use conflicts around airports. (675 pages) Posted: 4/14/09

• A Pragmatic Approach to Regulating Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act: Recent court decisions and pending legal proceedings require the Environmental Protection Agency to make decisions under the Clean Air Act on whether greenhouse gas pollution endangers public health and welfare. The Center for Clean Air Policy has released this report that explores the possible legal and policy issues involved with regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. Posted: 4/14/09

• Increasing Feedstock Production for Biofuels: Economic Drivers, Environmental Implications, and the Role of Research: The Biomass Research and Development Initiative has released a report that examines the economic analysis of feedstocks to produce biofuels, and its impact on sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions. Posted: 4/14/09

• Review of NASA's National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service Project: The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report that explores the nature and history of the NASA’s National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service project.  The report also examines whether the survey of commerical pilots was planned, designed, and implemented in accordance with generally accepted survey principles; and what steps would make a new survey similar to NAOMS better and more useful. Posted: 4/14/09

• The Airport Cooperative Research Program’s Guidebook on Preparing Airport Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories explores a framework for identifying and quantifying specific components of airport contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. The report is designed to help airport operators and others to prepare an airport-specific inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. Plus appendices. Posted: 4/8/09.

• Aircraft Deicing and Airfield Anti-Icing Formulations: Aquatic Toxicity and Biochemical Oxygen Demand: The Airport Cooperative Research Program provides an interim report on a project that is exploring the environmental characteristics of aircraft and pavement deicers and anti-icers. Posted: 3/24/09.

• Carbon Sequestration Pilot Program: Implementation and Next Steps: The Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse of the U.S. Department of Transportation has released a report that explores preliminary results of the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Carbon Sequestration Pilot Program. Posted: 3/24/09.

• Preliminary Observations on TSA’s Progress on Screening Air Cargo on Passenger Aircraft: The GAO found that TSA estimates that it achieved the mandated 50 percent screening level by February 2009, but the agency cannot verify this. The TSA does not expect to meet the mandated 100 percent screening deadline due in part to the challenges it faces in harmonizing security standards with other nations. Posted 3/20/09.

• Next Generation Air Transportation System - Status Report to Congress: The GAO has found that progress has been made in planning for and developing NextGen. Recent versions of NextGen planning documents have partially addressed some of GAO’s concerns about their usefulness, but industry stakeholders continue to express frustration that the documents lack any specific timelines or commitments. Posted 3/20/09.

• Climate Change -- Observations on the Potential Role of Carbon Offsets in Climate Change Legislation: In this report, the General Accountability Office (GAO) suggests that legislation that allows the use of carbon offsets for compliance should include the establishment of clear rules about the types of projects that regulated entities can use as offsets, as well as procedures to account and compensate for the inherent uncertainty associated with offset projects. Posted: 3/5/09

• Airport Offsite Passenger Service Facilities: An Option for Improving Landside Access: Volume II: Access Characteristics and Travel Demand: The Virginia Department of Transportation has released a report that examines offsite airport facilities that provide ground transportation, baggage and passenger check in, and other transportation services to departing air passengers. The report also explores ways to develop models to determine which airports may be candidates for offsite facilities. Posted: 2/24/09

• Federal Air Marshal Service Has Taken Actions to Fulfill Its Core Mission and Address Workforce Issues, but Additional Actions Are Needed to Improve Workforce Survey: To improve future workforce satisfaction surveys, the General Accountability Office (GAO) recommends that the Federal Air Marshall Service Director take actions to ensure that future survey questions and response options are clearly worded and structured and  the response rate is as high as possible. Posted: 2/13/09

• National Airspace System: FAA Reauthorization Issues Are Critical to System Transformation and Operations. This report by the General Accountability Office discusses six issues that are important in reauthorizing FAA programs. Many of these issues are deeply intertwined, and addressing one can affect the others. Balancing all of these issues will be a challenge, but is essential to FAA’s ability to transform and operate the national airspace system safely and efficiently. Posted: 2/11/09.

• Aviation Security: TSA’s Cost and Performance Study of Private-Sector Airport Screening: The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) study comparing the cost and performance of screening services at airports with TSA screeners and those with private screeners had some design strengths, such as recognizing that cost savings would be limited. However, based on the criteria that the General Accountability Office (GAO)  used, the design was limited because TSA did not include the impact of potential overlapping administrative staff; account for workers compensation, general liability insurance, and some retirement costs paid by the federal government, as well as the lost corporate income tax revenue from private screening contractors and document the rationale for including the five performance measures reviewed in the study while excluding others. Posted 2/9/09

• Aviation Security: Status of Transportation Security Inspector Workforce: The General Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does not have a reasonable basis for determining the workforce needed to achieve inspection goals, although it has plans to conduct a staffing study in fiscal year 2009 to identify the optimal workforce size to address its current and future program needs. Posted 2/9/09

• Research Results Digest 5: Current and Emerging Issues Facing the Airport Industry. The Airport Cooperative Research Program summarizes the program and the process for identifying strategic research areas for use with the FY 2010 ACRP problem statement solicitation process and beyond. Posted: 2/4/09

• Preventing Vehicle-Aircraft Incidents During Winter Operations and Periods of Low Visibility. Airport Cooperative Research Program examines factors affecting safe winter operations and the prevention of runway incursions by airport snow removal equipment operators. Posted: 12/22. 

• The Oregon Department of Transportation Sustainability Plan Volume 1: Setting the Context. Oregon has released a report that describes the context for the department’s sustainability plan and the vision and framework for ODOT’s sustainability goals and strategies.  The plan speaks to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, developing energy efficiency, and other sustainability objectives in ODOT’s internal operations and the statewide transportation system. Posted 12/22.

• U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program Planning and Execution Improvements Needed. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established a program known as U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) to collect, maintain, and share information, including biometric identifiers, on certain foreign nationals who travel to and from the United States. GAO’s objectives were to determine if the plan satisfies the 12 legislative conditions and provide a management review. Posted: 12/12/08.

• Transportation Security Administration’s Suspension of the Butane Lighter Ban Onboard Commercial Aircraft - A GAO Briefing. TSA reported in May 2008 that as a result of its decision to suspend enforcement of the ban on lighters, there were no reported incidents that involved the use of a lighter to ignite an IED and that screening operations improved. The results of our analysis of TSA’s security incident reports support TSA’s finding that there were no reported incidents that involved the use of a lighter to ignite an IED. Posted: 12/5/08.

• Lessons Learned from the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme and the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism. With legislative proposals to limit greenhouse gas emissions under consideration in the United States, the Government Accountability Office was asked to examine the effects of and lessons learned from the European Union's emissions trading scheme. Posted 12/2

• National Biofuels Action Plan. The Biomass Research and Development Board has released a report that examines research challenges and interagency actions necessary to develop the science and technology needed to make next-generation, cellulosic biofuels cost-effective so as to grow a biofuels industry and supply chain in a sustainable manner. Posted: 12/2

• Review of the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a report that explores how the Federal Aviation Administration’s Voluntary Airport Low Emissions program has been implemented, including airport participation levels, types of projects, and program expenditures.  The report also examines the potential outcomes that may be attributable to the program. Posted 11/11/08.

• CCTV Installations in General Aviation Airports.   The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has released a synthesis that explores the costs and benefits of installing closed circuit television systems in general aviation airports to address basic security issues. Posted 11/11/08.

• 11/3 - Lightning-Warning Systems for Use by Airports. Airport Cooperative Research Program explores the operational benefits associated with delay reductions that lightning detection and warning systems may be able to generate.  The report is designed to help in the assessment of whether such systems are cost-beneficial on an individual airport or airline basis.

• 11/3 - Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable Global Energy Outlook. The European Renewable Energy Council has released a report that explores the transport sector’s energy efficiency potential.

• 10/8 - Seminar on Single European Sky - 2nd Package: Presentations Available. The European Commission has released presentations made during an Oct. 8 seminar that explored the next generation of the Single European Sky concept designed to enhance performance of Europe’s air navigation services and network functions.

• 10/28 - Carbon Counts: Incorporating the Benefits of Climate Protection into Federal Rulemaking. The Environmental Defense Fund has released a report that explores the issue of accounting for potential societal benefits associated with reducing global warming pollution as part of federal rulemakings in the area of greenhouse gas emission reductions.

• 10/28 - Airport Sustainability Practices. The Airport Cooperative Research Program explores airport sustainability practices across environmental, economic, and social issues.

• 10/7 - Impacts of Airports on Airline Competition: Focus on Airport Performance and Airport-Airline Vertical Relations. The International Transport Forum and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Joint Transport Research Centre has released a report that explores the relationship between the revenue structure, regulation, and market power of airports, and their effect on services to airlines.  The report also examines how these factors may influence vertical relationships between airports and airlines, and competition in airline markets.

• 10/7 - The Impact of Climate Change Policy on Competition in the Air Transport Industry. The International Transport Forum and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Joint Transport Research Centre has released a report that explores how climate change policy may affect competition, prices, and profitability in the air transport industry.

Research Archive by Subject 

Accidents

Air cargo

Airlines

• Review of NASA's National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service Project: The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report that explores the nature and history of the NASA’s National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service project.  The report also examines whether the survey of commerical pilots was planned, designed, and implemented in accordance with generally accepted survey principles; and what steps would make a new survey similar to NAOMS better and more useful. Posted: 4/14/09
• 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

Air service development

Appropriations

Emisions

• Greeenhouse Gas Legislation: Summary and Analysis of H.R. 2454 as Reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce: A U.S. Congressional Research Service report explores the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. The measure was then passed by the full House on June 26. Posted: 6/30/09.

• Deicing Planning Guidelines and Practices for Stormwater Management Systems: Airport Cooperative Research Program explores a wide array of practices designed to provide for the practical, cost-effective control of runoff from aircraft and airfield deicing and anti-icing operations.  Detailed operational practices were published as a collection of fact sheets. Posted: 6/9/09.

• Aircraft Emissions Expected to Grow, but Technological and Operational Improvements and Government Policies Can Help Control Emissions: This General Accountability Office report is based on a research of current literatures and does not make a recommendation. A number of policy options to address aircraft emissions are available to governments and can be part of broader policies to address emissions from many sources including aircraft. Market-based measures can establish a price for emissions and provide incentives to airlines and consumers to reduce emissions. These measures can be preferable to other options because they would generally be more economically efficient. Posted: 6/8/09.

• The Airport Cooperative Research Program’s Guidebook on Preparing Airport Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories explores a framework for identifying and quantifying specific components of airport contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. The report is designed to help airport operators and others to prepare an airport-specific inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. Plus appendices. Posted: 4/8/09.

• Aircraft Deicing and Airfield Anti-Icing Formulations: Aquatic Toxicity and Biochemical Oxygen Demand: The Airport Cooperative Research Program provides an interim report on a project that is exploring the environmental characteristics of aircraft and pavement deicers and anti-icers. Posted: 3/24/09.

• Carbon Sequestration Pilot Program: Implementation and Next Steps: The Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse of the U.S. Department of Transportation has released a report that explores preliminary results of the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Carbon Sequestration Pilot Program. Posted: 3/24/09.

• Climate Change -- Observations on the Potential Role of Carbon Offsets in Climate Change Legislation: In this report, the General Accountability Office (GAO) suggests that legislation that allows the use of carbon offsets for compliance should include the establishment of clear rules about the types of projects that regulated entities can use as offsets, as well as procedures to account and compensate for the inherent uncertainty associated with offset projects. Posted: 3/5/09

• The Oregon Department of Transportation Sustainability Plan Volume 1: Setting the Context. Oregon has released a report that describes the context for the department’s sustainability plan and the vision and framework for ODOT’s sustainability goals and strategies.  The plan speaks to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, developing energy efficiency, and other sustainability objectives in ODOT’s internal operations and the statewide transportation system. Posted 12/22.

• Lessons Learned from the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme and the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism. With legislative proposals to limit greenhouse gas emissions under consideration in the United States, the Government Accountability Office was asked to examine the effects of and lessons learned from the European Union's emissions trading scheme. Posted 12/2

• Review of the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a report that explores how the Federal Aviation Administration’s Voluntary Airport Low Emissions program has been implemented, including airport participation levels, types of projects, and program expenditures.  The report also examines the potential outcomes that may be attributable to the program. Posted 11/11/08.

• Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable Global Energy Outlook. The European Renewable Energy Council has released a report that explores the transport sector’s energy efficiency potential. Posted: 11/4/08.

• Carbon Counts: Incorporating the Benefits of Climate Protection into Federal Rulemaking. The Environmental Defense Fund has released a report that explores the issue of accounting for potential societal benefits associated with reducing global warming pollution as part of federal rulemakings in the area of greenhouse gas emission reductions. Posted 11/4/08

• The Impact of Climate Change Policy on Competition in the Air Transport Industry. The International Transport Forum and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Joint Transport Research Centre has released a report that explores how climate change policy may affect competition, prices, and profitability in the air transport industry. Posted: 10/7/08.

• Research Needs Associated with Particulate Emissions at Airports. Airport Cooperative Research Program examines the state of industry research on aviation-related particulate matter emissions and explores knowledge gaps that existing research has not yet bridged. Released: 7/16

• In The Role of Offsets in a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap-and-Trade Program: Potential Benefits and Concerns, the U.S. Congressional Research Service explores the issue of greenhouse gas emissions offsets as part of a emissions reduction program.  According to the report, an offset is a measurable reduction, avoidance, or sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions from a source not covered by an emission reduction program. 

• Policy Options for Reducing CO2 Emissions -- The U.S. Congressional Budget Office has released a report that explores programs designed to created incentives for businesses and individuals to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  The report examines a tax on emissions, a cap on the total annual level of emissions combined with a system of tradable emission allowances, or a modified cap-and-trade program that includes features to constrain the cost of emission reductions that would be undertaken in an effort to meet the cap.  The report compares these policy options on the basis of their potential to reduce emissions, their administrative costs, and their consistency with incentives in other countries.
  
  

Energy

• National Biofuels Action Plan. The Biomass Research and Development Board has released a report that examines research challenges and interagency actions necessary to develop the science and technology needed to make next-generation, cellulosic biofuels cost-effective so as to grow a biofuels industry and supply chain in a sustainable manner. Posted: 12/2

• Energy Market and Economic Impacts of Lieberman-Warner Climate Security - The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration explores the greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program that would be established by the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007 (S.2191).  The legislation would regulate emissions of greenhouse gases through market-based mechanisms, energy efficiency programs, and economic incentives.

• Research Results Digest 2: Model for Improving Energy Use in U.S. Airport Facilities - Airport Cooperative Research Program provides data on U.S. airports’ utilization of 11 major energy management practices, offers a set of best practices for reducing energy use, and summarizes three case studies of recent recommissioning projects that resulted in significant reductions in energy use.

• What You Need to Know About Energy - The National Academies have released an informational booklet that explores the issue of energy in terms of sources and uses, supply and demand, efficiency, and emerging technologies. 

Financing

• Federal User Fees – Substantive Reviews Needed to Align Port-Related Fees with the Programs They Support  -- The Government Accountability Office examined how the user fees are set, collected, used and reviewed and how these attributes effect program operations.

Fleets

General aviation

• General Aviation Safety and Security Practices  – Airport Cooperative Research Program’s Synthesis 3: General Aviation Safety and Security Practices examines resources used by the general aviation community in the development of safety and security programs, explores funding sources and issues that determi