Introduction to Airports

Question 1

Civil airports are

almost always locally operated entities, but they must

Answer 1

operate under federal
regulations, advisory documents, best practices, Grant Assurances to the federal
government, FAA Orders, and Security Directives

Question 2

Airport Executives are

responsible for a variety of issues over which they have little control, such as

Answer 2

local zoning and non-compatible land development around the airport, aircraft
noise, and changes in commercial airline operations, mergers and route structures,
and corporate air travel habits and trends

Question 3

Airports represent a variety of perspectives to a community

Answer 3

economic
development, employment, and a source of environmental concern (e.g., noise, air
pollution)

Question 4

The steady growth of airports
and the vision that a national
airspace system was vital to
the economic growth of the
nation created

Answer 4

the need for
government grant funding
and, eventually, the
development of the
professional Airport
Executive.

Question 5

Key stakeholders in
government positions
sometimes use airports for
political advantage. This
often prevents

Answer 5

adequate
citizen participation in
decision-making related to
airport operations or policies.

Question 6

Airports have traditionally served as

Answer 6

evacuation centers

during national disasters.

Question 7

Airports are highly complex organizations to manage. An airport is the agent of

Answer 7

public service, a business, a community resource, and an essential stakeholder to
commerce.

Question 8

a successful Airport Executive must be both a

Answer 8

“jack-of-alltrades”

and a highly competent administrator.

Question 9

An Airport Executive routinely

manages tasks, such as

Answer 9

negotiating a lease with a new tenant,
resolving an air carrier dispute, filling out the paperwork for a federal grant
application, giving an interview to the local press, attending a homeowners
meeting to discuss airport noise, overseeing construction of a taxiway or runway
extension, and responding with turnout gear and a fire truck to an airport
emergency.

Question 10

Airports have various
characteristics that prevent a one-size-fits-all approach to management. Airports
have different

Answer 10

geography, purposes (e.g., general aviation [GA], commercial,
cargo, military), airfield layouts, and limitations due to surrounding development,
topography and political infrastructures

Question 11

In most cases, government regulations

provide

Answer 11

standards for each airport operator to meet. However, how the airport
meets those standards is up to the airport operator along with federal government
approval.

Question 12

In many ways, the local airport is a

Answer 12

mirror of the community it serves.

Question 13

Airport Executives and policy-makers must understand and balance two
dichotomous philosophies:

Answer 13

(1) the airport is a public entity and must be managed

as such, and (2) the airport is a business enterprise and must be managed as such.

Question 14

the simplest understanding is

that an airport is a

Answer 14

public entity that is run like a business.

Question 15

Local government agencies operate most of the nation’s airports, which

Answer 15

which generally
do not understand the unique nature of the airport and attempt to put the airport
into a category or frame-of-reference that they can better understand.

Question 16

airports may be viewed similarly to

Answer 16

public utilities, such as power, water
and sewage treatment, or like the U.S. Post Office, a government-run organization
that must operate as a business entity.

Question 17

much of the capital

development money for many airports comes from

Answer 17

the federal government, and
local government entities may not understand the implications of receiving such
funding.

Question 18

Public airports are generally owned by

Answer 18

governmental entities and do not exist for
the purpose of creating a profit, though self-sufficiency may be their financial
goal.

Question 19

The distinction for airports as public entities could become less clear,
however, if

Answer 19

airport privatization becomes more acceptable as a means of operation
and potential ownership.

Question 20

Public airports represent a major investment by a community and the government
in the air transportation system. Their purpose often attracts

Answer 20

private and

commercial investment

Question 21

The Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) encourages airports to be self-sufficient, with all operational expenses
covered by airport revenues; however, many small or GA airports

Answer 21

remain partially

funded by local taxpayers through the general fund

Question 22

Some airports may engage in
profit making ventures, such as providing fuel. However, monies generated on
airport property by using airport assets, such as fire trucks, snow plows, and
personnel are required

Answer 22

to be used for the operation of the airport

Question 23

Airports are often characterized as being

Answer 23

monopolies because of their location and

purpose

Question 24

Merriam-Webster defines a monopoly as

Answer 24

having exclusive control of the
supply of a product or service in a particular market, or an exclusive privilege to
engage in a particular business or provide a particular service granted by some
authority.

Question 25

In some cases, an airport is considered a monopoly because

Answer 25

it has
exclusive control over the supply of a service, in this case air transportation or
airline service.

Question 26

Small towns and cities with only one commercial service airport
within hundreds of miles can

Answer 26

claim monopoly status, but cities with multiple

airports, and thus multiple options for travelers, cannot.

Question 27

Unfortunately, while most believe that airports are essential to the commerce of
the United States, some GA airports

Answer 27

have been closed throughout the nation.

Question 28

Flight restrictions put into place after the events of September 11, 2001 have
resulted in

Answer 28

aviation businesses being forced to close and airspace around airports
continues to be threatened by poor land use planning and residential
encroachment.

Question 29

Kelly Air Mail Act

of 1925

Answer 29

U.S. Government
pays private
contractors to carry
the mail by air;
represents the start of
commercial aviation

Question 30

Air Commerce Act

of 1926

Answer 30

Passed to promote the
development and
stability of
commercial aviation;
aviation under the
Secretary of
Commerce who issues
and enforces air
traffic rules;
establishes pilot and
aircraft licensing;
establishes airways
and maintain aids to
navigation

Question 31

Civil Aeronautics

Act of 1938

Answer 31

Transferred the
federal government’s
civil aviation role
from the Department
of Commerce to a
new, independent
agency, the Civil
Aeronautics Authority
(CAA); placed all
aviation regulations
under an authority
Begins economic
regulation; creates the
Administrator
position; creates the
Air Safety Board
(predecessor to the
NTSB)

Question 32

The
Reorganization
Act of 1940

Answer 32

Splits the CAA into
two agencies: the
Civil Aeronautics
Authority and Civil
Aeronautics Board
(CAB)
CAA continues
regulation
enforcement; airman
and aircraft
certification;
development of the
airway system
CAB responsible for
economic regulation
of the airlines; safety
rulemaking and
accident investigation

Question 33

Federal Airport

Act of 1946

Answer 33

CAA charged with
managing an aid
program to facilitate
the improvement and
construction of
airports (predecessor
to AIP)
Helps local
governments build
airport infrastructure;
Federal Aid to
Airports Program
(FAAP) offers 50/50
cost share grants for
airport improvements
for airports essential
to the U.S. as part of
the National Airport
Plan (predecessor to
the NPIAS)

Question 34

Federal Aviation

Act of 1958

Answer 34

The introduction of
jet aircraft and a
series of midair
collisions spurred
passage of this act
CAB becomes an
independent office
(outside of Dept., of
Commerce)
Safety rulemaking
transferred from CAB
to newly named
Federal Aviation
Agency (formerly the
CAA)
FAA organized into
nine regional offices

Question 35

Department of
Transportation
Act of 1966

Answer 35

DOT created;
Federal Aviation
Agency becomes
Federal Aviation
Administration;
National
Transportation
Safety Board
(NTSB) created to
investigate
accidents; FAA also
gradually assumes
responsibility for
aviation security
(FAR Parts
107,108) and
aircraft engine noise
(FAR Part 36)

Question 36

Airport and
Airways
Development Act
and Revenue Act
of 1970

Answer 36

Establishes Airport
Development Aid
Program (ADAP) to
provide funding to
airports for
development
projects and
equipment
acquisition, and the
Planning Grant
Program (PGP) to
provide funding to
airports for master
plans
Establishes FAR
Part 139, airport
certification

Question 37

Aviation and
Airway Revenue
Act of 1970

Answer 37

Establishes aviation
trust fund; revenues
from airline fares
(fee), air freight,
general aviation
fuel)

Question 38

Airline
Deregulation of
1978

Answer 38

Phases out the Civil
Aeronautics Board’s
economic regulation
of the airlines

Question 39

Airport and
Airways
Improvement Act
of 1982

Answer 39

Establishes Airport
Improvement
Program (AIP);
establishes the
National Airspace
System Plan (NAS),
which will
eventually become
the NPIAS.
NPIAS is reflected
at the local airport
level in the Capital
Improvement
Program (CIP)
Establishes FAR
Part 150 noise
studies (rulemaking
would follow in
1985)

Question 40

Aviation Noise and
Capacity Act of
1990 and Airport
& Aviation Safety
and Capacity
Expansion Act of
1990

Answer 40

ANCA establishes
Part 161 noise
standards;
Capacity Act
establishes
Passenger Facility
Charges at $3.00
max
Airports must be in
compliance with
ANCA to receive
PFC funding
through the ASCEA

Question 41

Military Airport

Program

Answer 41

Authorized as part
of Avt. Safety &
Capacity Exp. Act:
set-aside of
discretionary AIP
funds for current
and former military
airports

Question 42

Aviation
Investment and
Reform Act for the
21st Century

Answer 42

Increase PFC cap to
$4.50; Large &
Medium hub
airports that accept
max PFC must
reduce AIP funding
by 75%

Question 43

Aviation and
Transportation
Security Act 2001

Answer 43

Creates the
Transportation
Security
Administration
(TSA); transfers
FAA security
responsibilities to
the TSA;
government takes
over passenger and
baggage screening

Question 44

Homeland Security

Act

Answer 44

Creates the
Department of
Homeland Security;
TSA transferred
from DOT to DHS

Question 45

Vision 100
Century of
Aviation
Reauthorization
Act

Answer 45

Reauthorizes FAA
funding; launches
NextGen

Question 46

Implementing
Recommendations
of the 9/11
Commission Act of
2007

Answer 46

Requires threat
assessments on
airports;
strengthened
incident
management
requirements;
requires air cargo
screening