ACRP IdeaHub Ideas

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the financial foundations of airports and many aviation industry stakeholders. The proposed synthesis is to identify and evaluate current research on various airport funding models in order to describe potential future analytical projects.

Perhaps one of the greatest untapped resources available for understanding the challenges of managing airports can be found among the many senior and retired airport leaders. There needs to be an opportunity to assemble the collective wisdom of these successful leaders and to share their insights and experiences gained during their careers.

The proposed research is designed to collect, organize, and assess the historical and current general demographic characteristics of students enrolled in two- and four-year collegiate aviation management programs as well those of recent graduates. Early and current aviation interests, learning styles, and other influences that led up to enrollment and matriculation in their particular program will be investigated. Key... more »

The proposed research is designed to expand the research of ACRP 06-06 – Cultivating Talent in the Airport Environment, and ACRP 06-07 – Enhancing Academic Programs to Prepare Future Airport Industry Professionals both of which are still in progress. Many collegiate aviation programs examined in ACRP 06-07 offered master's degrees in business administration, public administration, or aeronautical science that included... more »

Medical technology companies are rolling out robots and drones to help fight it and provide services and care to those quarantined or practicing social distancing. The COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked the "testing" of robots and other technologies as officials seek out the most expedient and safe way to grapple with the outbreak and limit contamination and spread of the virus.

The aviation industry needs to assess... more »

A variety of airport operational models are currently being proposed and enacted globally to manage COVID-19 and other potential contagious disease outbreaks. While there is merit in all these approaches, there is a critical need for a consistent and effective health management standard to be applied at airports worldwide. If a universally accepted and adopted standard was introduced, what are the implications if a new... more »

The Covid-19 Pandemic has had a more deleterious effect on the worldwide aviation system than anything that has come since the Wright Brothers first set wing to wind in the early 1900's, eclipsing even the impacts associated with the September 11th attacks in 2001. The governmental guidelines (in some municipalities, stated as requirements), for physical distancing (the now-infamous six-foot rule), may work manually and... more »

Airport forecasting and planning has tended to focus on gradual and incremental change (rising traffic levels as the economy grows), but it is arguable that infrequent one-off events (COVID-19, 9/11, etc.) have had as much impact on airport development as macroeconomic conditions.

The objective of this research is to specifically address how airports can incorporate large-scale, unpredictable shock events into traffic... more »

The objective of this research program is to develop a modeling tool to support the decision makers in evaluating both near-term and long-term practical solutions pertaining to possible changes in the security system and operation strategies at the airports around the nation given the new pandemic world.

This project aims to address passengers' arrival patterns at airports through analyzing accessible information in order to provide an informed guidance for the resource planning of public airports in the U.S.

New U.S. Department of Defense programs offer funding for resilience upgrades in communities that neighbor military installations. This project would review resilience partnership strategies for the more than 70 civilian airports that are co-located with Air National Guard units.

Airports need to understand the regulatory implications when developing and implementing plans for COVID-19 and other contagions' response. Further, international and US airports have already deployed technologies and operational plans to deal with public wellness and safety all in an attempt to provide a perceived "clean" environment to the public; which will help accelerate the restart of travel.

Wildlife Trafficking links wildlife trade and public health; and the COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example of how the transmission of disease that originated in wildlife could have a devastating impact on global public health. Additionally, wildlife trafficking is a serious worldwide crime which threatens security, economic prosperity, the rule of law, and conservation efforts.

If ever there was a time to take a comprehensive look at all the line items in an airport's financial plan - now is that time. As new approaches/solutions to the post-COVID 19 travel experience are developed, many of them will come with upfront costs or long-term maintenance expenses. A deep dive into the various elements of an airport financial plan would be a useful tool for airport managers to use to determine financial... more »

The proposed research investigation should encompass:

A. Investigate how the March 13, 2020 DHS Notice of Arrival Restrictions (NAR) affected the designated arrival airports.

B. Determine COVID-19 health screenings protocols and self-quarantine recommendations at each airport for returning travelers.

C. Did airports follow their Communicable Disease Preparedness plan for the COVID-19 event, and if so is the plan adequate... more »