NextGen for Airports, Volume 2: Engaging Airport Stakeholders: Guidebook (2016)

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Summary | 1 Summary Guidance for Engaging Airport Stakeholders The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is now a reality for most U.S. airports. Performance-based navigation (PBN) procedures have been implemented at almost 3,000 air-ports, 10 airports have improved multiple runway operations (MRO), 36 have improved surface operations, and 41 have benefited from chang- es to aircraft separation requirements (FAA NextGen Portfolios n.d.). Although progress has been significant, thousands of new, NextGen- enabled flight procedures are currently being developed (FAA 2016). Other NextGen capa- bilities, many of which are relevant to airports, will continue to be rolled out for several years. Ultimately, this comprehensive modernization of the national airspace system (NAS) will have an impact on all airports, all operators, all passengers, and many other stakeholders. Appropriately engaging these stakeholders in the process of implementing NextGen is essential to ensure an effective and equitable result. Airports play a critical role in the implementation of NextGen. The RTCA (formerly Radio Techni- cal Commission for Aeronautics) put together a PBN Blueprint Task Group representing all types of NextGen stakeholders which concluded that airports “should be engaged from the very beginning of the PBN initiative to provide input that would be used in formulating the overall goal of the PBN effort and the associated community outreach” (RTCA NextGen Advisory Committee 2014). FAA agreed, stating that “the participation of representatives from the respective airport authorities is a critical component of successfully implementing new PBN initiatives and procedures” (FAA 2015a). In its response FAA notes that airport participation is necessary to identify exist- ing agreements and analyses, impacted parties who should be notified or consulted, and stakeholders who may support or object to the proposed changes. FAA also requires that airports provide accurate map data on runway ends, navigational aids, and obstacles that are an essential ingredient in the development of flight procedures (DeLeon 2012). The implementation of NextGen can benefit airports either directly, through increased revenue and higher customer satisfaction, or indirectly, through increased passenger satisfaction and reduced emissions. Airports are also a critical connection between FAA, which is leading the implementation of NextGen, and the communities they serve. Engaging stakeholders in the process of implementing NextGen is essential to ensure an effective and equitable result. Airports play a critical role in the implementation of NextGen, yet many have struggled to become engaged.

2 | ENGAGING AIRPORT STAKEHOLDERS Despite their importance in this process, many airports and communities have found it challenging to become engaged in the implementation of NextGen. Lack of knowledge of FAA plans, confusion about NextGen technology and terminology, uncertainty over roles and responsibilities, and several other factors have been constraints. The RTCA PBN Blueprint Task Group observed that “there is a general lack of understanding by the public and elected officials of what NextGen and PBN is and is not.” The task group felt that education is a critical component of any outreach program (RTCA NextGen Advisory Committee 2014). Airports and other stakeholders that have worked to overcome these constraints have benefited from NextGen capabilities and, in turn benefited the communities they serve. Other airports have struggled with stakeholder engagement or opted for a passive ap- proach that has sometimes led to frustration. Stakeholder engagement starts with establishing a strategy and committing to allocate the human resources and funding needed to properly support engagement activities. One size does not fit all situ- ations, and the benefits of stakeholder engagement will vary based on senior management’s priorities, the size of the airport, the airport’s need for NextGen capabilities, the timing of implementing these capabilities, and other details of the specific implementation. Often an airport’s stakeholder engagement activities are led by airport planners, community affairs, or media relations staff. They must first determine which external stakeholder groups (e.g., FAA’s Flight Procedures Office and Airports District Office [ADO], aircraft operators, tenants, elected officials, com- munity representatives, or members of the press) to engage in specific initiatives and when to engage them (e.g., during planning or at the implementation of a new PBN procedure). They must then deter mine what information each stakeholder group needs and what information, if any, is needed from the stakeholders; how best to provide or receive that information; and when to provide or collect it. A two-way dialogue is best but is not always feasible. As they provide this information, the airport’s engagement team also should listen, consult, and participate in dialogues with internal stakehold- ers, reporting the relevant information and their overall progress to senior management and peers in airport operations and other affected departments. The goal of the engagement effort is to let all stakeholders know how NextGen will impact them and others, so that an overarching solution can be found. Given the breadth of this goal, the ACRP Project 01-28 research team settled on an encapsulat- ing theme and logo for use in the ACRP Report 150 guidebooks (see figure). Airports and other stake- holders can use this logo if they choose in their stakeholder engagement materials related to NextGen. Knowing NextGen. This logo, encapsulating the theme of the ACRP Report 150 series, is used throughout the model documents and tools devel- oped in conjunction with this guidebook.

Summary | 3 This guidebook and the accompanying electronic tools and engagement materials provided in the NextGen Outreach Toolkit (accessible from the webpage for this guidebook) explain the important role of airports in the implementation of PBN procedures and other NextGen initiatives. These materi- als also describe how airport planners, communications and marketing staff, and operations managers and staff can contribute to developing, implementing, and sustaining an effective stakeholder engage- ment program that is central to optimal implementation of NextGen capabilities.