Guide to Evaluating Airport Governance Structures (2022)

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2022 A I R P O R T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 245 Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration Subscriber Categories Aviation • Administration and Management • Policy Guide to Evaluating Airport Governance Structures Russell W. Mills Deminique Heiks Will Burns Bowling Green State University Center for Regional Development Bowling Green, OH Sarah Arnold Marr Arnold Planning Cincinnati, OH Douglas Gregory Haylee Koester Crawford, Murphy & Tilly Springfield, IL

AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM Airports are vital national resources. They serve a key role in transpor- tation of people and goods and in regional, national, and international commerce. They are where the nation’s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for man- aging and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the airport industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions in 2003, based on a study spon- sored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACRP carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agen- cies and not being adequately addressed by existing federal research pro- grams. ACRP is modeled after the successful National Cooperative High- way Research Program (NCHRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). ACRP undertakes research and other technical activi- ties in various airport subject areas, including design, construction, legal, maintenance, operations, safety, policy, planning, human resources, and administration. ACRP provides a forum where airport operators can cooperatively address common operational problems. ACRP was authorized in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100— Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary participants in the ACRP are (1) an independent governing board, the ACRP Oversight Committee (AOC), appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation with representation from airport operating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the American Associa- tion of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) as vital links to the airport community; (2) TRB as program manager and secretariat for the governing board; and (3) the FAA as program sponsor. In October 2005, the FAA executed a contract with the National Academy of Sciences formally initiating the program. ACRP benefits from the cooperation and participation of airport professionals, air carriers, shippers, state and local government officials, equipment and service suppliers, other airport users, and research organi- zations. Each of these participants has different interests and responsibili- ties, and each is an integral part of this cooperative research effort. Research problem statements for ACRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the AOC to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects and defining funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each ACRP project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. Panels include experienced practitioners and research specialists; heavy emphasis is placed on including airport professionals, the intended users of the research products. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing coop- erative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, ACRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Primary emphasis is placed on disseminating ACRP results to the intended users of the research: airport operating agencies, service pro- viders, and academic institutions. ACRP produces a series of research reports for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties; industry associations may arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, webinars, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by airport industry practitioners. ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 245 Project 01-42 ISSN 2572-3731 (Print) ISSN 2572-374X (Online) ISBN 978-0-309-68748-5 Library of Congress Control Number 2022946768 © 2022 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trade- marks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. NOTICE The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transporta- tion Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or speci- fications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications. The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Airport Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. Published research reports of the AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet by going to https://www.mytrb.org/MyTRB/Store/default.aspx Printed in the United States of America

e National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. e National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president. e National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. e three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. e National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org. e Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. e mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. e Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. e program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to acknowledge the research assistance provided by Jacob Stose, Baffour Koduah, and Ian Reineck for this project. CRP STAFF FOR ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 245 Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs Marci A. Greenberger, Manager, Airport Cooperative Research Program Matthew J. Griffin, Senior Program Officer Brittany Summerlin-Azeez, Program Coordinator Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications Claire Aelion-Moss, Editor ACRP PROJECT 01-42 PANEL Field of Administration Verne R. Skagerberg, Auke Bay, AK (Chair) Paul M. Aussendorf, GAO (retired), Bainbridge Island, WA Christina Callahan, LaGuardia Airport, Flushing, NY Sarah R. Meadows, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Greg Principato, National Aeronautic Association, Washington, DC Ken Simmons, Cleveland Airport System, Cleveland, OH Miguel Vasconcelos, FAA Liaison Hannah Giltner, Airports Council International–North America Liaison

ACRP Research Report 245: Guide to Evaluating Airport Governance Structures provides airport sponsors information and support when evaluating governance models. Governance structures largely dictate how an airport operates, affecting day-to-day business including staffing, financing, and procurement. Airport sponsors across the country are continually assess- ing these differences and debating the best governance model for their airport. US airports are normally governed as either a department or a division within a city, county, or state/municipality, or by an authority. A change in governance structure may occur as a result of external forces and may provide an opportunity to consider a governing model that addresses an airport’s needs, solves a specific airport or community issue, or best meets its goals and objectives. Airports may also want to be proactive in evaluating their governance model and potential options. There have been studies on airport governance models generally and on specific cases, but there remains a gap in research as to how an airport can evaluate its governance model and what considerations need to be factored into that evaluation. The research performed under ACRP Project 01-42 was led by Crawford, Murphy & Tilly and a team from the Bowling Green State University Center for Regional Development, with support from Marr Arnold Planning. The report provides a historical review of airport governance structures and discusses an online database of the key governance attributes of more than 98% of the airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). This database has been made searchable via an easily accessible web app, available at https:// arcg.is/1i4WTi. Finally, a number of case studies compare airport governance structures across all categories of airport. By Matthew J. Griffin Staff Officer Transportation Research Board F O R E W O R D

1 Chapter 1 Introduction 2 Chapter 2 Literature Review 2 Overview 2 What Is Governance? 6 Historical Roots of Airport Governance in the United States 7 Legal Framework of Airport Governance in the United States 8 Forms of Airport Governance in the United States 10 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Airport Governance Structures 15 Recent Airport Governance Transitions and Emerging Trends in Airport Governance 17 Chapter 3 Description of the Airport Governance Database and Mapping Tool 17 Overview 17 Method 19 Chapter 4 Analysis of the Airport Governance Database 19 Overview 19 All NPIAS Airports Summary 21 Commercial Service Airports Summary 26 General Aviation Airports Summary 33 Chapter 5 Guide to the Airport Governance Web App 33 Accessing and Expanding the Map 34 Navigating through the Map 35 Using the Tools 37 Querying the Airport Governance Database 40 Downloading Data 43 Chapter 6 Airport Governance Case Studies 43 Case Study Selection Criteria 45 Airport Case Studies 47 San Diego International Airport (SAN) 50 Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) 52 Ontario International Airport (ONT) 55 Blue Grass Airport (LEX) 57 Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) 60 Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) 62 Kingman Municipal Airport (IGM) 65 Truckee Tahoe Airport (TRK) 67 Summary of Case Studies C O N T E N T S

70 Chapter 7 Evaluation Criteria for Governance Transitions 70 A Framework for Evaluating Airport Governance Structures 72 A Framework for Airport Governance Performance Evaluation 80 A Framework for Evaluating Potential Governance Transitions 85 Chapter 8 Conclusion and Areas for Future Research 86 References 89 Endnotes Note: Photographs, figures, and tables in this report may have been converted from color to grayscale for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the web at www.nap.edu) retains the color versions.