ACRP IdeaHub Research Projects

There has been much research conducted on developing regional and state

system plans but none on implementing them, tracking/impacting system

performance measures, conducting follow-on studies to support system

plan implementation, etc.

Guidance on holisitic master planning that goes beyond just future

facility and infrastructure that includes the sub categories such as IT,

Operations, Security and Maintenance as examples. It would also provide guidance on how to develop a "plan" for the ancillary operating areas and how important components may be rolled into a true master plan

Research and develop a universal Aviation Symbol Signs System for the airport/travel sector that is comprehensive, rigorously tested, and industry accepted, as well as provide guidelines for their best use in airports. The focus will be on pedestrian wayfinding and safety related symbols. Process should be based on a global approach with U.S. airport application.

The objective is to produce an aviation symbol library... more »

Airports make a lot of investments in community/social/environmental causes, but how does an airport measure the investment to see if it's having an impact? Could it be a trust index or another measurement tool.

With increasing passenger demands for personalization, accelerated movement towards a truly seamless journey, and airlines providing amenities throughout the passenger journey, airports are challenged to consistently and regularly measure the quality of the experience in their airports. While many other hospitality industries (hotels, airlines, sports) regularly measure their customer satisfaction, airports often lag... more »

Airport operations from the curbside to the airspace are increasingly relying on data. Airport operators and their stakeholders are procuring airport operations suites that do not necessarily talk to each other (even within the same stakeholder/entity). The purpose of the Airport Operational Databases (AODB) is to create an Airport Information Center integrating various operational data for making them available to a... more »

The objective of this research project is to develop more topic-specific in-depth training courses and materials to build upon the courses developed under the 02-61 project to create an "Airport Stormwater 201" curriculum.

Airports have for decades been managing and remediating contamination of soil and groundwater resulting from past practices. However, within the past two years airports have been surprised by a previously unrecognized environmental threat from a family of compounds found in firefighting foam known as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). A synthesis study to provide necessary education on the subject is proposed. It is... more »

Training and professional development of airport emergency managers is needed to orient new airport emergency managers to the special operational, regulatory, safety, administrative, and cultural aspects of functioning at an airport. This is becoming more urgent as more and more often airports are hiring emergency managers whose experience has been outside aviation.

More than 14,000 wildlife strikes were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2017. Globally, wildlife strikes have killed more than 287 people and destroyed over 263 aircraft from 1988 through November 2018 (Dolbeer and Begier. 2019). To warn pilots of potential wildlife hazards, airports often include generic language in the Automated Terminal Information System (ATIS) or Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) that does... more »

We propose an ACRP guidebook and associated tools to help airports plan and implement EV charging stations. Specific topics of the guidebook could include: station siting, codes and standards, costs and benefits, pricing electricity use, payment systems, future-proofing investments, ADA requirements, signage, and incorporation with airport emission goals and airport master plan.

The efficacy of creating a standardized credentialing system that is paperless.

The objective of this research is to provide a resource for state aviation agencies to identify and implement project prioritization methods that would be effective and appropriate for their agency.

A guidebook containing valuable information for airport managers and planners, including case studies and the identification of best practices to assist airport internal and external stakeholders in optimizing the usefulness of the master planning process, and ways in which said process can help airport managers articulate to the external public and stakeholders the need to solve challenges they face:

- Stakeholder involvement... more »

Identify how AI could impact staffing needs and skill sets.