Guidebook On Effective Land Use Compatibility Planning Strategies For General Aviation Airports

Incompatible land uses can threaten the safe utility of airports and expose people living and working nearby to potentially unacceptable levels of noise or safety risk. At the state level, all 50 states have enacted some form of airport zoning legislation since the 1950s. The majority of states (90 percent) have enacted laws mandating or enabling local governments to adopt, administer, and enforce airport zoning regulations. The TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Research Report 206: Guidebook on Effective Land Use Compatibility Planning Strategies for General Aviation Airports identifies that local adoption and implementation of airport land use compatibility regulations varies widely among local government agencies. While there is no one strategy that is effective for all airports, all airports need to be proactive about land use compatibility. This guidebook will help airport operators understand the various tools for ensuring compatible land use and how best to communicate land use compatibility needs to government decision makers and land use professionals (among other stakeholders). It includes Self Assessment Checklists, an accompanying Power Point Presentation, and a quick-reference Planning Brochure.

"TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 113: Guidebook on General Aviation Facility Planning provides guidance for planning airport facilities that accommodate general aviation aircraft. The guidance is designed to help airport practitioners plan flexible and cost-effective facilities that are responsive to industry needs."--Publisher description.

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 44: A Guidebook for the Preservation of Public-Use Airports describes why public-use airports close and identifies measures and strategies that can be undertaken to potentially help preserve and prevent an airport closure.

Volume One - TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 27: Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Volume 1: Land Use Fundamentals and Implementation Resources is part of a three-volume report that explores issues related to land use around airports. Volume 1 provides guidance designed to help protect airports from incompatible land uses that impair current and future airport and aircraft operations and safety. Volume 2: Land Use Survey and Case Study Summaries includes 15 case studies that targeted a wide range of airports and land use issues. The case study sites include large commercial service, military, and general aviation airports and are geographically diverse. Volume 2 also provides states and local governments with examples and a common basis for establishing zoning that protects the public interest and investment in airports. Volume 3 includes aircraft accident data, a framework for an economic assessment of airport costs, and an annotated bibliography. Volumes 1 and 2 are available in print and online. Volume 3 is only available in electronic format.

This guidebook will help airport managers with small or minimal budgets to develop a marketing program for their general aviation or commercial service airport. The Guidebook discusses the basics of marketing, takes the reader through the process of developing and implementing a plan, presents approaches to marketing and public relations, provides worksheets and concludes with a selection of instructive case studies. The Guidebook provides ideas about how to regularly communicate with tenants and the community, how to effectively position the airport in the region, and how to develop and retain airport activity. Airport managers and those responsible for marketing and working with communities will find many useful worksheets and tools to assess their individual situation, set goals, and select from low cost strategies to deliver their message. This well-researched guidebook, with its easy to use techniques and worksheets along with real-world examples, will help those in the airport community to create and sustain a positive and persuasive airport identity and message.