1) Aviation Demand
Earlier forecasts of aviation demand, including those presented in the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Terminal Area Forecast will be updated as appropriate for the short-term
(years 1-5; intermediate term (6-10) and long-term (11-20), especially to account for the impacts
of COVID in 2020. The aviation demand analysis will be complemented with on-site discussions with the Airport manager, fixed base operators and other aviation service providers, and the air traffic control tower staff at the Airport. Additionally, those tenants at the Airport that rely on Airport facilities to conduct their businesses will be identified. Contact with these tenants is reserved for subsequent work tasks.
2) Existing Facilities Overview
While conducting the on-site meetings, a survey of the existing principal airfield and terminal area facilities to gauge their overall condition and suitability for improvement or replacement. This site visit will be expanded to include those airports in the region that have the potential to
assume all or a portion of the aviation demand should the Airport close.
3) Airport Development Analysis
Evaluate the existing capacity of the key airfield and terminal area components to accommodate the 20-year aviation demand level. These components include:
The development of up to three alternative concepts will be prepared and evaluated to meet the needed improvements. The evaluation will consider physical constraints at the Airport, the extent to which the shortfalls may be met, the financial costs (local/state and federal), and key
environmental impacts (air and water quality in qualitative measures and noise using the FAA
Area Equivalent Method for the 65 Ldn contour). Budget-level cost estimates will be prepared for capital improvement requirements associated with each alternative concept. Net present value and life-cycle benefit/cost analyses will be conducted for each alternative concept. Benefits are those attributable to increases in based and transient aircraft activity. Costs are those associated with the required capital improvements. A final best concept will be identified, taking the above into consideration, and represents the the extent to which the Airport can accommodate the projected aviation demand levels. Continued shortfalls will be identified.
4) Reallocation of Aviation Demand in the Event of Airport Closure
An analysis of distributing the long-term aviation demand to other airports in the region should
the Airport be closed. The reallocation takes into consideration the location of each based
aircraft owner and driving distance and time to the alternative airports and costs to base at
those airports.
5) Capital Improvements and Cost at Region Airports
An analysis of the costs to improve the region airports to meet the aviation
demand in the event of the closure of the Hartford-Brainard Airport will be provided. Two scenarios will be considered -- the assumption of all the aviation demand (provided that it is a realistic option) and that portion that can be reasonably expected to relocate to that airport.
6) Regulatory pathway if the closure is warranted for the Airport
The process by which the Airport may be closed in accordance with federal law and the policies
and procedures of the FAA will be detailed, principally in the most current version of the FAA
Compliance Handbook, FAA Order 5190.6, which was last updated effective December 9, 2022.
The report will highlight those aspects that serve as constraints to the closure of the Airport and its release from grant obligations and how they may be addressed. Chief among these are the FAA's past opinions with regard to such actions, the concerns of the aviation public, and the financial and environmental impacts that the Airport closure may generate, including the repurposing of the land resource.
Copyright © 2023 BFJ Planning - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.