Advisory Circular

U.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal Aviation

Administration

The Airport System Planning Process

AC No: 150/5070-7

Date: November 10, 2004

Advisory 

Circular

U.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal Aviation

Administration

Subject: THE AIRPORT SYSTEM 

PLANNING PROCESS

Date: November 10, 2004 

Initiated by: APP-400

AC No: 150/5070-7 

Change:

________________________________________ 

1. PURPOSE. This Advisory Circular (AC) provides guidance for use in accomplishing 

effective airport system planning. 

2. CANCELLATION. This publication cancels two existing advisory circulars: Planning the 

State Aviation System (150/5050-3B), dated January 1989, and Planning the Metropolitan 

Airport System (150/5070-5), dated May 1970. It also incorporates guidance from a previously 

cancelled advisory circular, The Continuous Airport System Planning Process (150/5050-5), 

dated November 1975. 

Dennis E. Roberts, Director 

Office of Airport Planning and Programming 
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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

Table of Contents 

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................................1

101. Background............................................................................................................. 1 

102. Application.............................................................................................................. 2 

103. Intended Audience .................................................................................................. 3 

104. Organization of Advisory Circular ......................................................................... 4 

105. Useful Reference Materials..................................................................................... 4 

CHAPTER 2: AIRPORT PLANNING PROCESS PHILOSPHY...........................................5

201. Purpose of Airport System Planning Process......................................................... 5 

202. Goals of Process...................................................................................................... 6 

203. Distinguishing Characteristics of Airport System Planning Processes................... 6 

204. Role of the FAA...................................................................................................... 8 

205. Role of the State Aviation Agency ......................................................................... 9 

206. Role of the Metropolitan or Regional Planning Agency ...................................... 11 

207. Multi-State Aviation System Planning ................................................................. 14 

208. System Planning and the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems ............... 16 

209. Definition of Airport Roles................................................................................... 17 

210. System Planning for Non-NPIAS Airports........................................................... 18 

211. Relationship to Airport Master Plans.................................................................... 18 

212. Relationship to Airport Capital Improvement Plans............................................. 19 

213. Consideration for Compatible Land Use/Zoning Regulations.............................. 20 

214. Support for Airport and Air Service Preservation ................................................ 20 

215. Input to Inter-modal Transportation Planning Process......................................... 22 

216. Planning Strategically ........................................................................................... 23 

CHAPTER 3: AIRPORT SYSTEM PLANNING PRODUCTS ............................................25

301. Airport System Plan Report.................................................................................. 25 

302. Interim Updates: Review and Reappraisal of Airport System............................. 26 

303. Electronic Data Systems....................................................................................... 27 

304. Special Studies...................................................................................................... 29 

305. Innovative Planning Techniques........................................................................... 29 

CHAPTER 4: AIRPORT SYSTEM PLAN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT..........................31

401. Issues..................................................................................................................... 31 

402. Goals and Objectives of the Plan.......................................................................... 31 

403. Stakeholders and Their Roles............................................................................... 33 

404. Legislative Requirements...................................................................................... 33 

405. Consultation with the FAA................................................................................... 33 

406. Force Account Versus Consultants....................................................................... 33 

407. Work Scope, Coordination Plan, and Schedule .................................................... 35 

408. Interstate and Inter-Regional Considerations........................................................ 38 

409. Methodologies To Be Used .................................................................................. 39 

410. Define Detail For Airport Capital Improvement Plans......................................... 41 

411. Implementation Plan ............................................................................................. 41 

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412. Technical Advisory Committee ............................................................................ 42 

413. Public Consultation............................................................................................... 42 

414. AIP Grant Application Process............................................................................. 43 

415. FAA Approval Process......................................................................................... 43 

416. Project Management ............................................................................................. 44 

CHAPTER 5: ELEMENTS OF AN AIRPORT SYSTEM PLAN REPORT........................45

501. Executive Summary.............................................................................................. 45 

502. Study Design......................................................................................................... 46 

503. State, Regional, and Local Airport Issues............................................................. 46 

504. Inventory of System Condition and Performance................................................. 46 

505. System Goals and Performance Measures............................................................ 47 

506. Activity Forecasts................................................................................................. 49 

507. System Requirements............................................................................................ 52 

508. Environmental Considerations.............................................................................. 53 

509. Alternatives Analysis............................................................................................ 54 

510. Identification of System of Airports..................................................................... 55 

511. Inter-modal Integration and Airport Access......................................................... 55 

512. Public Consultation............................................................................................... 57 

513. Development Priorities and Justification.............................................................. 58 

514. Policy and Investigation Recommendations......................................................... 59 

515. Recommended NPIAS Changes........................................................................... 59 

CHAPTER 6: REVIEW AND REEVALUATION OF AIRPORT SYSTEM PLANS........61

601. Adequacy of Current System Plan........................................................................ 61 

602. Review With Stakeholders.................................................................................... 62 

603. Designate Elements Needing Reevaluation.......................................................... 63 

604. Assess Success of System Planning Process ........................................................ 63 

605. Interim Updates..................................................................................................... 63 

606. Determine Need for Formal Update ..................................................................... 64 

CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL STUDIES ..........................................................................................65

701. Determine Special Studies Needed....................................................................... 65 

702. Follow Project Development Steps....................................................................... 68 

703. Implement Recommendations .............................................................................. 69 

704. Incorporate Into Existing Aviation System Plan .................................................. 69 

APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY......................................................................................................70

APPENDIX B: USEFUL REFERENCE MATERIALS .........................................................71

APPENDIX C: CHECKLIST FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT ......................................74

APPENDIX D: CHECKLIST FOR ELEMENTS OF AN AIRPORT SYSTEM 

PLAN REPORT.......................................................................................75

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List of Figures 

Cover photos: Washington National Airport, Washington, DC (circa 1950s) (top) 

Newport Jet Center at John Wayne Airport, Newport, CA (bottom)

Figure 1: Integrated Airport System Planning............................................................................... 1 

Figure 2: Airport System Planning Process................................................................................... 3 

Figure 3: Distinguishing Characteristics of Airport System Planning........................................... 7 

Figure 4: Sample Map from a State Airport System Plan ........................................................... 10 

Figure 5: Sample Map of a Regional Airport System.................................................................. 12 

Figure 6: Sample Growth Chart from a Multi-State Airport System Plan .................................. 15 

Figure 7: A New Reliever Airport on Opening Day.................................................................... 17 

Figure 8: Sample Air Service Analysis Chart.............................................................................. 21 

Figure 9: Sample Advisory Committee ....................................................................................... 22 

Figure 10: Sample Airport Ground Access Data Chart ............................................................... 23 

Figure 11: General Aviation Airport............................................................................................ 25 

Figure 12: Airport System Plan Project—Approach ................................................................... 31 

Figure 13: Airport System Plan Project—Scoping...................................................................... 35 

Figure 14: Regional Demand Addressed in a Multi-State Airport System ................................. 39 

Figure 15: Airport System Plan Project—Implementation.......................................................... 41 

Figure 16: Elements of an Airport System Plan Report .............................................................. 45 

Figure 17: Inventory of System Condition and Performance ...................................................... 46 

Figure 18: Sample Inventory Map from a Regional Airport System Plan .................................. 48 

Figure 19: General Aviation Based Aircraft................................................................................ 51 

Figure 20: Inter-modal Access to an Air Carrier Airport ............................................................ 56 

Figure 21: Typical NPIAS Entry ................................................................................................. 60 

Figure 22: Business Jets............................................................................................................... 62 

Figure 23: Sample from Pavement Management Study .............................................................. 66 

Figure 24: Economic Impact of Aviation Summary.................................................................... 67 

Figure 25: Sample Specific Objectives for an RNAV (GPS) Approach Procedures System 

Plan ....................................................................................................................... 68 

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Chapter 1 Introduction 

101. BACKGROUND 

a. Federal law 49 USC 47102(8) defines “integrated airport system planning” as 

“developing for planning purposes, information, and guidance to decide the extent, kind, 

location, and timing of airport development needed in a specific area to establish a viable, 

balanced, and integrated system of public-use airports.” This includes four main 

elements, which are illustrated in Figure 1: (1) system needs identification; (2) systemwide development cost estimate; (3) studies, surveys, and other planning actions to 

decide which aeronautical needs should be met by a system of airports; and (4) standards 

prescribed by a state, except standards for safety of approaches, for airport development 

at non-primary public-use airports. 

Figure 1: Integrated Airport System Planning 

Airport

System Plan

System Needs 

Identification

System-wide

Development 

Cost Estimate

Standards Prescribed

by State for 

Airport Development

at Non-Primary

Public-Use Airports

Studies, Surveys and

Other Actions to

Decide Which 

System Needs

Must Be Meet

Airport

System Plan

System Needs 

Identification

System-wide

Development 

Cost Estimate

Standards Prescribed

by State for 

Airport Development

at Non-Primary

Public-Use Airports

Studies, Surveys and

Other Actions to

Decide Which 

System Needs

Must Be Meet

b. The primary purpose of airport system planning is to study the performance and 

interaction of an entire aviation system to understand the interrelationship of the member 

airports. The system evaluated in the plan can be the airports of a metropolitan area, a 

state, or several bordering states. The effort involves examining the interaction of the 

airports with the aviation user requirements, economy, population, and surface 

transportation of a specific geographic area. The system of airports may include all 

airports, heliports, spaceports (operations involving horizontally-launched reusable 

vehicles), and seaplane bases in the study area that contribute to the national 

transportation system, as well as those that serve state and local aviation needs. 

c. The airport system planning process should be consistent with state or regional goals for 

transportation, land use, and the environment. Overall, the planning process includes the 

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elements shown in Figure 2 and listed below. It is a dynamic process, which involves 

feedback from stakeholders throughout the effort. 

1) Exploration of issues that impact aviation in the study area; 

2) Inventory of the current system; 

3) Identification of air transportation needs; 

4) Forecast of system demand; 

5) Consideration of alternative airport systems; 

6) Definition of airport roles and policy strategies; 

7) Recommendation of system changes, funding strategies, and airport development; 

and 

8) Preparation of an implementation plan. 

d. Although the process involves many varied elements, the final product should result in 

the identification, preservation, and enhancement of the aviation system to meet current 

and future demand. The ultimate result of the planning process should be the 

establishment of a viable, balanced, and integrated system of airports. 

e. Airport system planning documents the public-use airports (including heliports, seaplane 

bases, and spaceports) and related facilities that are necessary to meet the current and 

future air transportation needs of a metropolitan, state, or multi-state area. It provides 

guidance on how to maximize the system benefits of airport investments and how to align 

Federal priorities with state and local objectives. The outcome of the process provides 

vital input into the aviation component of a comprehensive state or regional 

transportation plan. 

102. APPLICATION 

This advisory circular has the following applications in the system planning process: 

a. Provides national guidance intended to improve the understanding and effectiveness of 

the state and metropolitan airport system planning process. 

b. Defines a systematic approach to planning the nation’s airport system, and identifies the 

organization and elements of the airport system planning process, in accordance with the 

eligibility criteria for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). 

c. Enables state aviation agencies, metropolitan and regional planning agencies, airports, 

consultants, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to flexibly define and 

develop products throughout the planning process, regardless of the variation in aviation 

programs. In order to maintain this flexibility, this advisory circular has not been written 

as a detailed “how to” guide to teach the basics of system planning. 

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Figure 2: Airport System Planning Process 

Exploration of Aviation Issues in Study Area

Consideration of Alternative Airport Systems

Identification of Air Transportation Needs

Inventory of Current System

Definition of Airport Roles and Policy Strategies

Forecast of System Demand

Recommendation of System Changes,

Funding Strategies and Airport Development

Preparation of an Implementation Plan

Exploration of Aviation Issues in Study Area

Consideration of Alternative Airport Systems

Identification of Air Transportation Needs

Inventory of Current System

Definition of Airport Roles and Policy Strategies

Forecast of System Demand

Recommendation of System Changes,

Funding Strategies and Airport Development

Preparation of an Implementation Plan

d. Updates previous guidance in response to changes in aviation technology and market 

characteristics and incorporates advances in strategic planning, alternatives analysis, and 

information systems into the airport system planning process. 

103. INTENDED AUDIENCE 

The intended audience for this advisory circular includes the following: 

a. State aviation agencies; 

b. Metropolitan and regional planning organizations; 

c. Consultants who perform system planning activities; 

d. FAA Airports Offices: Headquarters, Regional, and Airports District Offices that review 

and coordinate these types of projects; 

e. Individual airport proprietors who work with state and local planning agencies to help 

determine their role and development needs; 

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f. Members of the aviation industry who provide input into the study efforts, attend 

meetings during the process, are interested in the plan for a specific region or airport, or 

who will use the development identified in the plan; 

g. Other Federal and state transportation and environmental agencies; 

h. Municipal and county governments that need to be aware of the state or metropolitan

aviation plans; and 

i. Members of the general public who want to understand the state’s or metropolitan 

planning organization’s plans for the local aviation system. 

104. ORGANIZATION OF ADVISORY CIRCULAR 

This advisory circular is structured to guide the planner through the process and it: 

a. Explains the philosophy behind the continuous airport system planning process. It 

describes the products that result from the planning process; defines the procedures to be 

used in the development of a multi-state, individual state, or metropolitan area system

plan project; and explains the elements that should be included in the report. 

b. Discusses the review/reappraisal of the current airport system plan, describes the steps 

involved in the determination of the need for and preparation of a special study, and 

evaluates the need for strategic planning to address future concerns in the state or 

metropolitan airport system. 

c. Includes several appendices that provide a glossary (Appendix A), list of reference 

materials (Appendix B), and checklists to assist a planning agency during the project 

development and report preparation phases of the airport system plan (Appendices C

and D). 

105. USEFUL REFERENCE MATERIALS 

A list of advisory circulars that include specialized guidance on aviation planning can be 

found on the National Planning Division’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/arp/400home.cfm. 

A number of FAA Orders also provide guidance on the airport system planning process, and 

are found at http://www.faa.gov/arp/publications/orders/index.cfm?ARPnav=orders. 

Appendix B provides an inventory of applicable FAA Advisory Circulars and Orders, and 

lists some additional FAA, DOT, other government, and academic reference materials that 

can provide assistance during the airport system planning process. 

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Chapter 2 Airport Planning Process Philosophy

201. PURPOSE OF AIRPORT SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS 

a. The main purpose of the airport system planning process is to determine the type, extent, 

location, timing, and cost of the airport development needed in a state or metropolitan

area to establish a viable system of airports. The aviation planning agency and the FAA 

should use the findings of the planning process to guide them in making informed 

decisions regarding which local airport development proposals to consider for future 

review and support. 

b. Other purposes of the airport system planning process vary by state or metropolitan area 

and depend on a multitude of factors and the planning agency’s commitment of resources 

to aeronautical activities and airport development. One key factor in the process is the 

nature of existing state or local laws related to aviation, because these define the planning 

agencies’ responsibilities, authority, functions, and funding for airport activities. Other 

important factors include the state and regional goals and objectives regarding 

transportation, land use, and environmental matters. 

c. The airport system planning process is an examination of system dynamics that leads to 

the effective use of federal, state, metropolitan, and local aviation resources in developing 

an efficient network of airports for current and projected needs. The product of the 

process is a cost-effective plan of action to develop airports consistent with established 

goals and objectives. The process also results in the establishment of perspectives on 

aviation priorities, such as airport roles, funding, policy strategies, and system trends in 

activity level. The process ensures that aviation plans remain responsive to the overall air 

transportation needs of the state or metropolitan area, while identifying the roles and 

characteristics of existing and recommended new airports, and describing the overall 

development required at each, including timeframes and estimated project costs. More 

detailed design, and capital and environmental planning are accomplished under an 

individual airport’s master plan. 

d. The FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) supports the FAA’s 

strategic goals for safety, system efficiency, and environmental compatibility. The 

NPIAS identifies specific airport improvements that will contribute to the achievement of 

those goals. Metropolitan, state, and multi-state aviation system planning fits between 

the FAA’s national planning effort, as documented in the NPIAS, and the more 

comprehensive master plans prepared for individual airports. It feeds information “up” to 

be consolidated into the NPIAS and “down” to provide goals and development 

recommendations for individual airports. The airport system planning process also 

clarifies Federal, state, and local sponsor objectives, and helps make development of 

airports part of a regional transportation system. 

e. Airport system plans should be consistent with the National Airspace System (NAS) 

Architecture, which details operational concepts, mandatory schedules, system

requirements, human and physical resources, and regulatory policies essential for 

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AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

maintaining the safety as well as capacity of the NAS. The NAS Architecture can be 

found at http://www.faa.gov/nasarchitecture. 

202. GOALS OF PROCESS 

a. The overall goal of any airport system planning process is to ensure that the air 

transportation needs of a state or metropolitan area are adequately served by its system of 

airports, both now and in the future. 

b. Airport system planning processes should result in products that can be used by the 

planning organization or individual airport owner or the FAA in determining future 

airport development needs. Planning agencies, along with the FAA, should enter into the 

process committed to the goal of developing useable end products that will result in 

implementation of an aviation system that effectively meets user and community needs. 

The process should focus on the development of a thoughtful, well coordinated, and 

practical plan, including project scheduling, as well as on the interagency and public 

coordination needed to successfully put the plan into effect. An airport system plan 

should outline the organizational structure, authority, and responsibility for 

implementation and should provide a realistic assessment of needs and resources. The 

plan should also provide guidance and input for the preparation of airport master plans 

and airport capital improvement plans and serve as an important contribution to the 

National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. 

203. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF AIRPORT SYSTEM PLANNING 

PROCESSES 

Figure 3 below illustrates the characteristics that define a specific airport system planning 

study, as follows: 

a. The most obvious distinguishing characteristic of an airport system planning process is its 

geographic scope. The scope of the plan can include several adjacent states in a region, 

one individual state, or a specific metropolitan area. 

b. A key attribute of a system planning study is the implementation authority that a 

particular planning agency has been given. Most state aviation agencies can implement 

system recommendations using legislative and funding mechanisms. 

A metropolitan planning agency may be able to influence airport development through 

persuasion, leadership, or non-aviation incentives such as surface transportation 

improvements. The agency may also influence development through regional planning 

approval processes. For a metropolitan planning organization in an air quality nonattainment area, air quality conformity (both transportation and general conformity) can 

be an important vehicle for implementing airport system plans, because airports 

undergoing major expansion using federal funds must demonstrate that their anticipated 

growth is reflected in air quality budgets in State Implementation Plans. 

Multi-state planning efforts may include participation by local airports that have the 

direct ability to implement study recommendations at their own facilities.

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c. Different planning entities each have their own perspectives on the airport system

planning process. The state aviation agency is typically (but not always) focused 

primarily on statewide aviation and the associated community of pilots, airports, airlines, 

and aviation system users. A metropolitan planning organization is more likely to be 

oriented to local aviation-related community development issues, surface access and

transportation issues, as well as the role of air transportation in the larger multi-modal 

transportation system. Aviation is often a minor component of the agency’s overall 

planning responsibilities. An airport sponsor concentrates directly on the user needs and 

community concerns that are specific to its facility. 

d. These distinctions affect the focus and methodologies used during the airport system

planning process. Understanding these distinctions and how they impact the scope of the 

system plan helps in deciding which studies should be conducted to meet the needs of 

each sponsor. Appreciating how state airport system planning relates to other airport 

planning activities at the metropolitan and local levels of government is important to the 

formulation of a productive continuous planning process. Planning for metropolitan 

areas should complement state and the local airport’s planning for those locations.

Figure 3: Distinguishing Characteristics of Airport System Planning 

Perspective

A planning agency may tend 

to focus primarily on the 

aviation industry, pilots

and aircraft owners, or view aviation

as part of community development.

Geographic Scope

A study may encompass

a metropolitan area, a state, or

several adjacent states in a region.

Implementation Authority

The planning agency may be able to

implement system recommendations

through legislative and funding

mechanisms, or need to rely

on persuasion, leadership, and 

non-aviation incentives. 

Perspective

A planning agency may tend 

to focus primarily on the 

aviation industry, pilots

and aircraft owners, or view aviation

as part of community development.

Geographic Scope

A study may encompass

a metropolitan area, a state, or

several adjacent states in a region.

Implementation Authority

The planning agency may be able to

implement system recommendations

through legislative and funding

mechanisms, or need to rely

on persuasion, leadership, and 

non-aviation incentives. 

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204. ROLE OF THE FAA 

a. The FAA’s overall role in the airport system planning process is to provide technical 

advice, financial support, and expertise in Federal policy and legislative issues. The local 

FAA Airports Office participates in many of the process elements, including: 

1) Development and approval of the scope of work; 

2) Monitoring adherence to Federal requirements; 

3) Providing technical guidance on planning, engineering, financing, and environmental 

matters; 

4) Providing access to FAA expertise in other areas, such as ATO (air traffic) and flight 

standards; 

5) Assisting in and encouraging plan coordination with Federal agencies, such as the 

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), 

as well as with state, regional and local planning agencies; 

6) Approving forecasts and airport layout plans;

7) Incorporating plan recommendations into the NPIAS; 

8) Developing a national Airports Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP); and 

9) Coordinating funding recommendations among state agencies, metropolitan planning 

organizations, and airport sponsors. 

The FAA can also be a valuable conduit in disseminating the results of airport system

planning to state and local planning agencies, airport sponsors and surface access 

planners. The agency also provides financial and technical support for research studies of 

innovative planning concepts. The FAA also approves the system plan forecasts that 

justify the timing of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) projects. As defined in FAA 

Order 5100.38, Airport Improvement Program Handbook, if the system plan forecast 

exceeds the FAA’s terminal area forecast (TAF) by more than ten percent in the first five 

years, the difference must be reconciled by either changing the TAF, the system plan 

forecast, or both. Further guidance on FAA’s review and approval of aviation forecasts is 

described in Paragraph 506 of this advisory circular. 

b. The FAA can provide financial assistance for eligible airport system planning projects 

through AIP. The local FAA Airports Office acts as the overall project administrator for 

the grant, ensuring that each task is successfully accomplished as specified in the scope 

of work. Planning projects that are eligible for AIP funding include integrated system

plans for networks of airports within metropolitan areas and states, interim plan updates 

and reappraisals, and special and strategic planning studies. FAA Order 5100.38, AIP 

Handbook, and Chapter 4 of this advisory circular provide more details on project 

eligibility for AIP funds.

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205. ROLE OF THE STATE AVIATION AGENCY 

a. An aviation agency is typically authorized by state law to engage in airport system

planning. It is normally under the state’s aviation organization located within the 

Department of Transportation, an aeronautics commission, or another state planning 

agency. A planning agency means any agency designated by the FAA Administrator that 

is authorized by the laws of the state or states, or political subdivisions concerned, to 

engage in area wide planning for the areas in which FAA grant assistance is to be used. 

In addition, AIP funds may be awarded to American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, 

Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. AIP funding may also be 

provided, at least through the end of fiscal year 2007, to the countries aligned with the 

United States in a Compact of Free Association, including Federated State of Micronesia, 

Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. An agency’s eligibility to 

receive AIP grants is defined in the FAA Order 5100.38, AIP Handbook, under sponsor 

eligibility. A legal opinion supplied by the state agency applying for the grant showing 

that state law permits the applicant to undertake the Federally assisted project is a 

sufficient basis for determining eligibility. 

b. The state aviation agency’s role in airport planning, development, and regulation often 

determines the scope of its system planning process. Depending on the involvement of 

the state agency, the airport system plan might include eligible elements that: 

1) Inform the state budgetary process with assessments of resource requirements, 

including timing and priorities; 

2) Provide the state with information to facilitate elected officials in making aviation 

planning and development decisions consistent with state goals and objectives, and 

with an airport’s current Airport Layout Plan (ALP); 

3) Provide individual airport sponsors with policy, technical direction, and American 

Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for master planning, along with 

budgetary guidelines; 

4) Provide policy guidance and act as a management and coordination resource for 

metropolitan and multi-state planning efforts; 

5) Assist in coordination with other state, regional, and local planning organizations 

having aviation-related interests. 

6) Provide the FAA with recommendations for inclusion in the NPIAS; 

7) Contain special studies that provide the aviation community and the general public 

with information on pertinent airport-related issues; and 

8) Support a continuing airport planning process, ensuring that aviation issues are 

continually and effectively evaluated. 

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Some, but not all, of the above elements are eligible for funding under AIP. For example, 

funding for developing legislation is normally ineligible. 

c. The factors considered in determining the scope of system planning for a particular state 

include the aviation responsibilities vested in the agency by the state legislature; funding 

available to the state agency for administration and project development; staff size and 

capability; historical involvement of the agency in the continuous airport system planning 

process; aviation responsibilities of other state and local agencies; and the relationship of 

the state agency to the local FAA Airports Office and airport sponsors. 

d. For states that play a larger role in airport issues and decisions, the system plan will be 

more extensive, including a detailed capital improvement plan, a number of special 

studies, and regular plan updates. The process elements will be more comprehensive, and 

will address aviation-oriented objectives regarding safety, efficiency, level of service, and 

economic self-sufficiency. In most states with active aviation programs, a continuous 

airport system planning process is already in place, which resulted from the preparation 

of state aviation plans over time. In this role, the state’s process assesses the effects of 

changes on the variables and issues in the plan to maintain its responsiveness to current 

and forecast conditions, and allows for maintenance of accurate capital improvement 

plans for the state’s airports. Figure 4 illustrates an example of an inventory map from an 

active state’s airport system plan, which takes a wide-ranging look at its airport needs. 

This map depicts the categories of North Dakota’s public airports. 

Figure 4: Sample Map from a State Airport System Plan 

Source: North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, 2003 

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e. For states with a lesser involvement in the development of their airport systems, the plan 

is likely to be basic, identifying only an airport system, airport roles, and broad 

recommendations of project development. The plan may be limited to determining 

airport development requirements for inclusion in the NPIAS. Its principal value to the 

state may be including critical portions of the state plan in the NPIAS, providing 

justification and priorities for state funding, and establishing eligibility for Federal 

financial assistance under the Airport Improvement Program. 

f. Block grant states act as FAA’s agent in AIP grant administration for their non-primary 

airports. They have responsibility for most financial, planning, environmental, 

engineering, compliance, and administration matters related to these grants. Airport 

system plans in these states often focus on issues that allow for the efficient planning and 

development of the airports included in the state block grant program. 

g. All state aviation agencies, whether or not they are block grant states, can initiate studies 

under the airport system planning process. They provide leadership throughout the 

process in managing the airport system planning projects, selecting the consultants and 

administering their contracts, and acting as an advocate for the state’s transportation 

objectives. For each system planning project, they ensure that time schedules are being 

met, work activities and coordination are accomplished satisfactorily, expenditures are 

reasonable and justified, and other performance goals are achieved. Many states also 

provide financial support for airport system planning projects, as well as for the airport 

development projects that result from the planning process. 

206. ROLE OF THE METROPOLITAN OR REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY 

a. The role of metropolitan and/or regional planning organizations in the airport system

planning process is determined by their legislative authority and the aviation expertise 

they possess. Typical agencies authorized to conduct these studies are Metropolitan 

Planning Organizations (MPOs), Councils of Government (COGs), and Regional 

Planning Councils or Commissions (RPCs). These agencies are made up of 

representatives from local government and transportation authorities. The area included 

in a metropolitan planning organization’s airport system study should be coincident with 

its jurisdictional boundaries. The variation in the roles of metropolitan planning 

organizations in airport system planning is even more pronounced than that of state 

agencies. Consultations between the local FAA Airports Office, the state aviation 

agency, and local airports are needed to determine what role, if any, the regional or 

metropolitan planning organization will have in airport system planning for its region. 

The discussion can also include a review of the work items that are eligible for AIP 

funding. 

b. Nationwide, some of these agencies manage airport system planning studies for their 

area; are proponents for aviation enhancement and preservation in the region; identify 

critical regional aviation issues; and act as the contact point for regional surface access,

air quality, and land use planning studies. Many work to increase the accessibility and 

mobility options available to travelers and shippers, including enhancing the integration 

of the entire regional transportation system. These agencies can act as a catalyst in 

implementing airport system components, resolving local conflicts, promoting airport 

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AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

development funding priorities, and proposing the distribution of grants among eligible 

projects. They also may define a specific metropolitan area in a state that stands alone or 

a major metropolitan area that spans a multi-state region that would benefit from special 

aviation studies. These special studies are conducted in such areas as aviation-related 

environmental impacts (i.e. noise, air quality, and environmental justice), airport 

economic impacts, airport physical capacity, regional airspace analysis, and airport 

ground access. Figure 5 shows the complexity of airport categories considered in the 

Delaware Valley Regional Airport System, which includes parts of Delaware, New 

Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

Figure 5: Sample Map of a Regional Airport System 

Source: Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission 

c. Metropolitan planning should not be considered a separate effort, but should complement 

the ongoing state airport system planning process. Demand forecasts in the metropolitan 

airport system plan should be reviewed for incorporation in, or compatibility with, the 

state system plan. In some cases, where a state planning agency focuses on general 

aviation, they can defer to the regional planning organization to prepare forecasts for 

commercial airports in a metropolitan area. Regional and metropolitan planning 

organizations and state agencies should work closely together to assign responsibilities 

and roles, and to agree upon a process of sharing data and feeding recommendations to 

12
11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

the FAA for inclusion into the NPIAS. It is important that the local FAA Airports Office 

be an active participant in this coordination effort. To ensure that state and metropolitan 

aviation plans are adequately integrated, state agencies should participate in the technical 

advisory committee meeting of metropolitan system plans and vice versa. Through 

airport advisory committees, individual airports should also participate in the 

metropolitan airport system planning process. Representatives of individual airports can 

identify issues, constraints, and opportunities at their airports and provide updates on the 

status of development projects. 

d. Where metropolitan areas span several states, the regional planning agency should also 

consider the relationships among the various state airport system plans. Multi-state 

metropolitan systems are not always identified in individual state airport system plans; 

metropolitan planning studies can exist separately and should complement each state 

planning document, assisting with regional priorities for the state’s recommendations. 

Because metropolitan areas are often a center of aviation activity, their facility 

recommendations should be reflected in the state’s plan. In some cases, metropolitan

planning organizations may not make specific facility recommendations, but instead 

present a range of options. 

e. The factors to be considered in determining the appropriate role of a particular 

metropolitan or regional planning organization in airport system planning include the 

aviation responsibilities vested in the agency by the state legislature, the funding 

available to the MPO for administration and project development, its staff size and 

capability, historical involvement of the agency in the continuous airport system planning 

process; aviation-related responsibilities of other state and local planning agencies, and 

the relationship of the MPO to the state aviation agency, the local FAA Airports Office, 

and airport sponsors. Surface transportation, airport access facilities, and land use 

impacts are important elements to consider in the metropolitan airport planning and 

project development process. 

f. Airport system planning in areas that include large or medium hub airports (airports that 

have 0.25 percent or more of annual U.S. enplanements) can be conducted by a 

metropolitan or regional planning organization when that agency has the interest in and 

capability to conduct such planning. These metropolitan airport system plans may differ 

in the coverage of unique capacity and airspace issues that are present in a region with a 

large or medium hub airport. Metropolitan areas with a large or medium hub are 

routinely eligible for system planning grants, as defined in the AIP Handbook, which 

states: “Metropolitan agencies may request separate funding from FAA to supplement 

state planning if airport problems require a higher level of effort in the local area than 

would be provided as part of a state-wide analysis.” FAA’s National Planning Division 

considers exceptions to the hub airport criterion on a case-by-case basis.

g. When a metropolitan or regional planning agency acts as a sponsor for an AIP grant, it 

continuously monitors the system planning project, and selects a consultant, when 

applicable. Similar to a state aviation agency’s responsibilities under an AIP project, the 

metropolitan or regional planning agency ensures that time schedules are being met, work 

activities and coordination are accomplished satisfactorily, deliverables are useable, 

expenditures are reasonable and justified, and other performance goals are achieved. 

13 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

h. To gain a greater understanding of the role of metropolitan planning agencies in the 

overall transportation planning process for a region, planners should review a briefing 

book entitled The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process: Key Issues, which was 

published jointly by FHWA and FTA. It can be accessed at 

http://www.planning.dot.gov/documents/briefingbook/bbook.htm.

207. MULTI-STATE AVIATION SYSTEM PLANNING 

a. In certain large metropolitan areas, the air service market extends beyond state borders to 

include multiple airports in adjacent states. Some of the airports may be located outside 

the jurisdiction of a specific metropolitan planning agency, thereby requiring cooperation 

among multiple state and metropolitan areas to address regional demand. The techniques 

and elements found in metropolitan or state airport system planning also apply to a multistate study, except that there may be a number of parties (state agencies, MPOs, local 

entities, individual airports, and others) more actively involved in the planning. The roles 

of each party should be determined prior to the start of the planning effort. For example, 

the multi-state airport system planning studies done for the New England Region are a 

collaborative effort of the six state aviation agencies, passenger jet service airports, FAA, 

and the New England Council. The sponsors for the AIP grant are Massport and the 

Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission. 

b. One AIP grant can be issued to a lead planning agency to organize and conduct a multistate airport system planning study, or separate AIP grants can be given to the various 

state and regional planning agencies. However, the work must be coordinated to ensure 

that the separate studies are completed concurrently, with consistent data and analysis. 

c. A multi-state airport system planning study should inventory the regional airport system 

and facilities. It also should identify regional air transportation demand, assign demand 

to airports, prepare forecasts, determine the opportunity to recapture traffic leakage at a 

local airport, consider how air service and general/recreational aviation changes might 

impact the regional system, study interconnectivity with other transportation modes, and 

identify specific issues from a regional perspective. The total aviation demand should be 

distributed geographically, through a review of demographic data, passenger surveys, and 

various other data. Once the demand is distributed, it can be allocated to individual 

airports in the system, based on such factors as airport location, ease of access, level of 

services, and costs of air service. 

d. Airport sponsors in the study area should use the findings and recommendations from the 

study to agree on an implementation plan and airport roles, and to recommend a 

development plan that will serve as a guideline for the allocation of Federal, state, and 

local funds. 

e. Since the airports in a multi-state system function together to meet regional air 

transportation demand, one airport may serve as a transcontinental and international 

airport while others support short-haul regional service. As an alternative to adding 

airfield or terminal capacity at a congested airport, a multi-state aviation system plan can 

look at the practicality of assigning present and future demand to underutilized airports 

that serve the regional air transportation market. However, before attempting such an 

14
11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

approach, the planners must evaluate the size and nature of regional passenger and cargo 

demand; the factors that would cause such demand to divert to other airports; and the 

institutional, economic, and political barriers that need to be overcome to permit 

development of a regional system of airports. Planners should also forecast the ability of 

an airport(s) to maintain a suitable airline schedule that would ensure passenger 

convenience, adequate levels of service, and competitive fares. As an example, Figure 6 

shows the average annual passenger growth rates at the airports in the New England 

states surrounding Boston Logan Airport from 1995-2000. 

f. The development of alternate airports should enhance airline profitability and be 

compatible with their route systems. Only after these market issues are understood would 

it be appropriate to assign demand to and plan development at an alternate airport. The 

introduction of new service at underutilized airports in a large metropolitan region often 

results in sudden shifts in activity. Reliable market information is important in such 

studies. These data can be obtained from travel agent surveys, travel offices of large 

local corporations, properly conducted passenger surveys, and the Department of 

Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics household surveys. The study 

should also consider general aviation service and demand, particularly with regard to the 

development of reliever airports. Such a plan may require coordination with a number of 

state aviation planning and environmental offices when airports are in multiple states. 

Figure 6: Sample Growth Chart from a Multi-State Airport System Plan 

Average Annual Passenger Growth (1995-2000)

Logan

New Haven

Bangor

Worcester

Burlington

Portland

Hartford

Providence

MManchester anchester

Providence

Hartford

Portland

Burlington

Worcester

Bangor

New Haven

Logan

Manchester

Providence

Hartford

Portland

Burlington

Worcester

Bangor

New Haven

Logan

29%

20%

7%

4%

1%

1%

-2%

-20%

3%

29%

20%

7%

4%

1%

1%

-2%

-20%

3%

Growth in the Region Has Been Uneven – Manchester and

Providence are the Fastest Growing Airports

Average Annual Passenger Growth (1995-2000)

Logan

New Haven

Bangor

Worcester

Burlington

Portland

Hartford

Providence

MManchester anchester

Providence

Hartford

Portland

Burlington

Worcester

Bangor

New Haven

Logan

Manchester

Providence

Hartford

Portland

Burlington

Worcester

Bangor

New Haven

Logan

29%

20%

7%

4%

1%

1%

-2%

-20%

3%

29%

20%

7%

4%

1%

1%

-2%

-20%

3%

Growth in the Region Has Been Uneven – Manchester and

Providence are the Fastest Growing Airports

Source: New England, At the Forefront of Building a Regional Aviation System, 

sponsored by Massport and the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission 

15 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

208. SYSTEM PLANNING AND THE NATIONAL PLAN OF INTEGRATED 

AIRPORT SYSTEMS

a. Airport planning in the United States is performed at several levels of government. The 

FAA is responsible for the development and maintenance of a national system of airports, 

which is identified in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). The 

NPIAS Report to Congress includes a listing by state and role of those public-use airports 

important to the national air transportation system. The airports are publicly owned 

facilities, except those privately owned airports that are designated as relievers by the 

FAA. The report is updated and published by the FAA and provided to Congress on a 

biennial basis. An airport must be included in the NPIAS to be eligible for Federal 

financial assistance under the Airport Improvement Program. The NPIAS report also 

lists the cost of warranted development over a five-year period for each airport. Central 

to the NPIAS is a condition and performance report on the national airport system, which 

focuses on the availability of airports to the nation’s citizens, surface access to airports, 

pavement condition, airport noise, airfield capacity, safety, and financial performance. 

b. Most of the data and analysis in the NPIAS is based upon an individual airport’s master 

plans and its capital improvement plans (CIP); state and metropolitan airport system

plans; and national forecasts. The state system plan includes airport locations considered 

important to state air transportation objectives, as well as those that are of sufficient 

interest to be incorporated into the NPIAS. An important function of the state planning 

process is to identify airports that meet national interest criteria but which might not be 

identified as such by the FAA alone. To ensure that the NPIAS appropriately reflects 

airport system plans developed at the state and metropolitan level, aviation planners need 

to have a clear understanding of the criteria that define national interest, NPIAS entry, 

and development. These criteria are identified in FAA Order 5090.3, Field Formulation 

of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). Prior to the start of the state 

or metropolitan system planning process, the planning agency should reach agreement 

with the appropriate local FAA Airports Office on how the recommendations that are a 

result of the plan will be incorporated into the NPIAS and into the individual airport’s 

CIP. This advocacy role is vital in the “feeding up” process, and how well this is 

achieved is an indication of the effectiveness of the airport system planning process. 

FAA financial support of and participation in these state and metropolitan planning 

studies is vital to the development of an accurate and up-to-date NPIAS.

c. System plans and special studies play a key part in the development of airport role, 

condition, and performance information for the NPIAS. However, airport system plan 

recommendations on capital development at individual airports or at a system of airports 

are usually secondary to master plan information. 

d. The FAA maintains the NPIAS in a common database with its national Airports Capital 

Improvement Program (ACIP). The FAA’s ACIP serves as its primary planning tool for 

systemically identifying, prioritizing, and assigning funds to critical airport development 

and associated capital needs for the National Airspace System (NAS). The ACIP data 

provides greater detail than the NPIAS, including the anticipated sources of funding for

specific development expected to start within the next three to five years. The FAA, in

cooperation with the state and regional aviation planning agencies, and individual airport 

16
11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

sponsors, formulates the national ACIP, which provides the basis for distribution of AIP 

grant funds. The FAA uses its National Priority System (NPS), a combination of 

quantitative and qualitative evaluation of airport development, to establish and justify 

AIP expenditures. The NPS categorizes airport development in accordance with agency 

goals and objectives. Further guidance on the development of the ACIP and use of the 

NPS can be found in FAA Order 5100.39, Airports Capital Improvement Plan. 

Figure 7 shows the location of a new NPIAS reliever airport built in Virginia that was an 

outcome of the state airport system and master planning processes. The Stafford Regional 

Airport, a reliever to Reagan Washington National Airport, opened in December 2001. 

Figure 7: A New Reliever Airport on Opening Day

Source: Photo of Stafford Regional Airport in Virginia provided by the FAA 

Washington Airports District Office 

209. DEFINITION OF AIRPORT ROLES 

a. In the NPIAS, airport types are defined as primary, commercial service, reliever, or 

general aviation. Commercial service airports are public airports receiving scheduled 

passenger service and having 2,500 or more enplaned passengers per year. Primary 

airports have more than 10,000 annual enplanements. A general aviation airport is 

defined as an airport that does not have scheduled commercial service. A high-capacity 

general aviation airport in a major metropolitan area can be designated as a reliever in the 

NPIAS by the FAA. 

17 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

b. In the airport system planning process, some states or metropolitan planning 

organizations may use different definitions of airports from those found in the NPIAS in 

an effort to classify current and forecast local aviation needs. They may use terminology 

such as business class, recreational, local service, general utility, or basic utility to 

describe individual airport roles. For consistency, especially in determining airport 

funding categories, the NPIAS definition of airport roles should be adhered to in airport 

system planning documents. However, to better define the role of smaller airports in the 

system, some planning agencies may find it helpful to further classify general aviation

airports into such categories as recreational or business. The agency can develop 

“standard” airport amenities associated with these local classifications, which would 

provide a given level of service for the airport class and an improved methodology for 

focusing funds on improvements to meet the “standards.”

210. SYSTEM PLANNING FOR NON-NPIAS AIRPORTS 

a. During the airport system planning process, many states and metropolitan organizations 

include non-NPIAS airports that are privately owned, public-use facilities. Publicly 

owned, public-use airports that have too little activity to qualify for inclusion in the 

NPIAS are also examined. However, during this process, most do not evaluate airports 

that are only for private use. While most privately owned, public-use airports are not 

eligible for Federal (and sometimes state) financial aid, they constitute an existing 

resource that should be protected and might eventually be converted to public ownership 

to meet aviation needs and/or to ensure their longevity. The planning agency should 

coordinate with the local FAA Airports Office to decide the criteria to be used in 

determining which airports will be included in the system plan. 

b. Airports that are not included in the NPIAS should be included in system planning 

projects that are funded by an AIP grant only to the extent that they play an essential role 

in the state or metropolitan airport system. However, for AIP grant eligibility purposes, 

work on non-NPIAS airports is limited in cost to work activity that is nominal, such as 

general inventories, forecasting, or facility requirements. Other system planning projects 

involving more significant costs, such as pavement or obstruction surveys, are ineligible 

for AIP grants at airports that are not included in the NPIAS. The local FAA Airports 

Office can provide additional guidance on eligible AIP work at non-NPIAS airports. 

211. RELATIONSHIP TO AIRPORT MASTER PLANS 

a. An airport master plan is a detailed, long-term development plan for an individual airport. 

They are prepared to support the modernization or expansion of existing airports, or the 

creation of new airports. Typically, operators of individual airports prepare airport 

master plans, usually with the assistance of consultants. In some cases, depending on the 

complexity of an airport, state aviation agencies may prepare airport master plans for 

multiple general aviation facilities under one AIP system planning grant. Information 

from special analyses and studies at multiple airports developed by states or regional 

planning agencies can be useful in the master planning process and may decrease master 

planning resource requirements for individual airports. Conversely, state and 

metropolitan airport system plans should incorporate information from individual airport 

master plans to reduce duplication. In some instances, details provided in an individual 

18
11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

airport’s new master plan might facilitate the need for a revision to its role in the current 

state system plan. Airport master planning efforts involve collecting data, forecasting 

demand, determining facility requirements, preparing environmental action plans, 

detailing long-range development plans and financial implementation schedules for a 

specific airport, and preparing Airport Layout Plans (ALP) drawings. The approved ALP 

is the most important product that results from the master planning process. It is required 

by the AIP grant assurances; and it serves as a record of aeronautical requirements, both 

current and future, and as a reference for local community deliberations on land use and 

zoning proposals, and budget issues. 

b. State and regional airport system plans can provide information, direction, and policy 

guidance for airport master planning. The state or metropolitan plan identifies an 

airport’s present and future role in the system, giving direction for improvements needed 

to meet the requirements of its aeronautical role. An airport system plan provides 

forecasts (at least for NPIAS airports) to be considered as a basis during the master 

planning process, describes the roles of various airports and the distribution of traffic 

among them, and provides an estimate of the future development warranted. Of 

importance to an individual airport operator is the extent and priority of financing capital 

improvements indicated in the state system plan’s development program. 

c. Often communities, airport sponsors, or other aviation interests propose development of a 

new airport to replace or supplement existing airports in a community. Sometimes 

airport system plans—state and metropolitan—are used to conduct general site selection, 

feasibility, or risk assessment studies for these new airport proposals. Preparation of the 

airport master plan is accomplished once the sponsor for the new facility has been 

determined. 

212. RELATIONSHIP TO AIRPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS 

a. An airport Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is the compilation of proposed projects for an 

individual airport for a three- to five-year period, and includes costs, priorities, AIP 

eligibility, and expected funding sources for each element. 

b. The state or regional system planning document shows the timing for and estimated costs 

of proposed airport development. It provides a mechanism to assist in the preparation of 

an airport CIP for the facilities included in the plan, incorporating the objectives of the

state, and concentrating on funding priorities that are consistent with its aviation goals 

and policies. The state should rely, when possible, on the development and schedules 

recommended in individual airport master plans, because they are more detailed than 

those prepared in a system planning process. The state can evaluate an individual airport 

CIP and put those development items into the system plan that are consistent with its 

definition of airport roles, address identified aviation needs, and support realistic funding 

scenarios. In cases where no airport master plan exists or the plan is outdated, the state

should develop airport capital improvement requirements for the facility using current 

planning methodologies and standards, found in FAA’s Airport Master Plan Advisory 

Circular. 

19 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

213. CONSIDERATION FOR COMPATIBLE LAND USE/ZONING REGULATIONS 

a. Land use control and zoning requirements are functions of state or local governments. 

Planners should recognize the vital need for compatible land use requirements around 

airports, and these should be considered throughout the state or metropolitan area during 

the airport system planning process. Local communities should be encouraged to 

implement land use and zoning regulations in an effort to preserve and protect their local 

airport facilities. Compatible land use in the vicinity of an airport is necessary to protect 

the public’s health and welfare, while preserving the airport’s capability to efficiently 

meet aviation transportation needs. 

b. Communication among the state and metropolitan aviation organizations, local 

community planners, and the local FAA Airports Office concerning proposed airport 

development is vital in enacting compatible land use initiatives and zoning regulations. 

This can be accomplished by including representatives of these organizations in a 

technical group during the system planning study. Through this coordination, 

recommended airport development programs and policies can be verified for consistency 

with local economic, environmental, land use and zoning, and surface transportation 

plans. 

c. The complexity of compatible land use issues varies by airport location. Often, the local 

community establishes regulations specific to its area, based on general guidance from

the FAA, or with the strong support and detailed recommendations from the state aviation 

agency. Some state or metropolitan aviation agencies work directly with their local 

legislative bodies to implement limits on tall structures or zoning laws that increase 

aviation safety by protecting against both the construction of tall structures and 

development of incompatible land uses around airports. 

d. General land use studies to consider the impact of airport development on the 

environment and the protection of airports from neighboring areas are eligible under AIP. 

These efforts are limited to area-wide applications or specific classes of airports. 

214. SUPPORT FOR AIRPORT AND AIR SERVICE PRESERVATION 

a. Gaining the support of the local community and legislative representatives to preserve or 

enhance a particular airport is critical in establishing a viable system of airports. Because 

airport system planning evaluates the performance of the state or metropolitan system by 

considering the interrelationship of its member airports, the resulting report defines the 

role of public-use airports in meeting current and future air transportation needs. When a 

justified need is shown in the most recent airport system plan, gaining the support of the 

local community to preserve and develop an airport is much easier. 

b. State or metropolitan aviation agencies often prepare air service studies as an aid and 

inducement for airlines when they consider use of alternative airports and revisions to 

their flight schedules. However, AIP funding specifically for airline operating, or airport 

promotion or marketing studies are normally ineligible. An approved passenger forecast 

for a particular airport in a statewide or regional air service study can provide support for 

20
11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

a local community when it is working to encourage an airline to maintain current service 

or initiate vital new service into its airport. 

Figure 8 is an illustration from an air service study conducted for the Minnesota Office of 

Aeronautics in partnership with the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics. This air service 

study was initially intended to identify long-term capital improvement needs directly 

linked to an expanded role for perimeter airports located just outside the Minneapolis-St. 

Paul metropolitan area. As part of the effort, the Minnesota Office of Aeronautics 

established an Advisory Committee, which was made up of the parties listed in 

Figure 9 below. 

Figure 8: Sample Air Service Analysis Chart 

Source: Tier 2 Air Service Study, Minnesota Office of Aeronautics, June 2003 

21 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

Figure 9: Sample Advisory Committee 

4 FAA

4 Minnesota Office of Aeronautics

4 Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics

4 Metropolitan Council

4 Metropolitan Airports Commission

4 Chippewa Valley Regional Airport

4 Duluth International Airport

4 Rochester International Airport

4 St. Cloud Regional Airport

Source: Minnesota Office of Aeronautics 

The Tier 2 Air Service Study began as a detailed analysis. However, its most successful 

result was the regular meetings of the Advisory Committee, where the members sat 

together and discussed how to better cooperate, strengthen their respective business 

centers, and jointly market airport resources. Through this study, the state and 

metropolitan planning agencies, and the regional airports yielded a better inter-regional 

system of airports that meets the local communities’ air service needs. 

215. INPUT TO INTER-MODAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS 

a. An airport should be viewed as an element of the larger transportation system that serves 

a community, metropolitan area, or state. Ground access to an airport is critical to its 

effective operation. Agencies responsible for the development of highways, railroads, 

and transit can be helpful in improving surface access to an airport for passengers, air 

cargo operations, and congestion reduction. An early dialogue between aviation interests 

and surface transportation agencies is vital to ensure that highway and transit 

improvements are coordinated with airport expansion plans. Similarly, significant airport 

development projects should be coordinated with the appropriate state and metropolitan 

transportation planning agencies, especially if the plans may affect surface access and 

movement of air cargo. State and regional system planners should be aware of the parties 

involved in surface transportation planning, their roles, and funding availability. These 

parties include the Federal Transit Administration, Federal Highway Administration, 

Federal Railroad Administration, state highway departments, local bus and rail transit 

agencies, private transportation providers, metropolitan planning organizations, and other 

city and county transportation agencies. Airport sponsors, working with state and 

metropolitan planning organizations, should also be active participants in development of 

statewide and metropolitan transportation plans and transportation improvement 

programs. 

Figure 10 below, prepared by the Southern California Association of Governments 

(SCAG), identifies the projects and related funding needed for efficient access to the ten 

22
11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

commercial airports in the region from its 2030 Aviation Plan. Individual airport needs 

were determined by forecast growth in airport-related traffic added to forecast 

background and through traffic, capacity of existing ground access facilities, and related 

factors. SCAG included these airport ground access data in its Regional Transportation 

Plan. 

Figure 10: Sample Airport Ground Access Data Chart 

$-

$100,000,000

$200,000,000

$300,000,000

$400,000,000

$500,000,000

$600,000,000

$700,000,000

$800,000,000

Dollars (2003)

BUR JWA LAX LGB MAR ONT PMD PSP SBD SCL

Airports

All Projects by Project Type

Freeways/Interchanges Arterials Internal

Source: 2004 Regional Transportation Plan Update – Airport Ground Access, Appendix D6 –Technical 

Approach, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). 

b. In December 1996, the FAA and FHWA produced a report entitled “Inter-modal Ground 

Access to Airports: A Planning Guide,” which presents a step-by-step process for ground 

access planning, discusses surveys and data collection, examines alternative ways of 

addressing ground access issues and describes access implementation plans. 

c. Metropolitan planning organizations in air quality non-attainment or maintenance areas 

are required by Federal law to prepare regional transportation plans (RTPs) every three 

years, or every five years if they are not in those areas. The regulations require inclusion 

of access to airports in the RTP as a factor to be explicitly considered, analyzed as 

appropriate, and reflected in the planning process products. Some states, such as 

California, even have more specific requirements for addressing regional airport issues in 

an RTP that is prepared by an MPO. 

216. PLANNING STRATEGICALLY 

a. Planners need to look beyond the known, the familiar, and the foreseen to be prepared for 

challenges and opportunities that will occur as the result of changes in air transportation 

23 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

demand and supply, technology, and legislative requirements. They need to think 

strategically and to establish a flexible, dynamic airport system planning process, 

recognizing that risk is a reality of planning. This strategic evaluation can be achieved 

during a system plan update or can be accomplished through a separate special study. A 

methodology for strategic planning during the airport system planning process includes 

looking ahead to consider potential problems or opportunities; and then determining data 

collection procedures, problem analysis, the stakeholders that may be involved, areas of 

impact, range of feasible alternatives, and an action plan. This strategy allows the 

planning agency to be more flexible in altering an airport’s role; better able to assess 

strengths, weaknesses, and risks in the plan’s assumptions; and more responsive in 

adapting their airport system development to future changes in the aviation industry and 

airline market conditions. 

b. As part of strategic planning, a state or metropolitan aviation planning agency can 

develop its own strategy that defines and documents its role in the continuous airport 

system planning process. The strategy may involve establishing an overall airport system

planning philosophy, setting goals and objectives for the process, and defining the scope 

of involvement that the agency will have in maintaining a successful continuous airport 

system plan. A final product can be a realistic three to five-year funding scenario for the 

agency’s system planning projects, which should be coordinated with and supported by 

the local FAA Airports Office. The projects included in the agency’s plan can then be

included in the FAA’s national ACIP and considered for future Federal funding. 

24
11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

Chapter 3 Airport System Planning Products 

301. AIRPORT SYSTEM PLAN REPORT 

a. An airport system plan report is a document that identifies the system of airports that 

meets the air transportation needs of a state, metropolitan area, or multi-state region. The 

state airport system plan report (or where applicable, a multi-state or metropolitan airport 

system plan report) is the guiding document for assigning a current and future role to 

each airport and in determining development needs, expressed in estimated costs and 

implementation schedules, based on priorities and likely funding sources. Figure 11 

shows a general aviation aircraft operating at a small airport within a state’s unique 

airport system. 

Figure 11: General Aviation Airport 

b. The functions of an airport system plan are to: 

1) Explain the role of existing airports and their functions within the airport system, as 

well as to recommend the development of new airports, which should be classified 

according to NPIAS definitions. 

2) Describe the airports, their physical and operational features, ownership status, 

surface access, and aviation services and use. 

25 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

3) Identify issues, constraints, and opportunities for the system of airports. 

4) Describe the five, ten, and 20-year capital development programs required to 

maintain and improve each system airport to meet future demand, including timing 

and estimated costs. Where applicable, information from metropolitan area airport 

system plans should be incorporated into the state plan. 

5) Provide a framework and policy guidance for airport master planning. The state plan 

identifies each airport’s present and future aeronautical role in the system. It 

incorporates the development programs of individual airport master plans to the 

extent they are consistent with the airport’s state-defined role. 

6) Provide state, regional, and FAA planners with a forecast to reference when 

reviewing individual airport master plan reports. Forecasting the air service and 

general aviation demand/activity is essential for determining system-wide needs using

FAA design criteria. 

7) Provide an analysis of airport development and financial information needed to keep 

the NPIAS database up-to-date, and identify airports that have not been previously 

identified by the FAA, but do in fact meet national interest criteria. Also, identify

low activity airports (and duplicative facilities) that should be removed from the 

NPIAS or have their roles changed. 

8) Provide input to surface access agencies during the comprehensive transportation 

process. 

9) Provide the aviation industry and the general public with information on relevant 

aviation issues within the context of a system planning study. 

10) Assist state and local policymakers in preparing recommendations on compatible land 

use and tall structures zoning regulations. 

11) Prepare special initiatives to address aviation issues on an ongoing basis. 

302. INTERIM UPDATES: REVIEW AND REAPPRAISAL OF AIRPORT SYSTEM 

a. Interim updates are a critical element of the state or metropolitan area continuous airport 

system planning process. They initially involve a reevaluation of the basic airport system

plan report in relation to existing conditions in the local airport system. A reevaluation

will be necessary when planners identify changes or constraints that affect the validity of

the existing plan. Specific examples of areas that may need frequent updates include 

pavement condition surveys, obstruction analysis, design standards review, and airport 

capital improvement plans. Other elements, such as inventory, forecasts for low activity 

airports, and NPIAS roles, may not require as regular reappraisals. Some rural airports 

may not experience significant facility or demand changes until well beyond five years. 

Therefore, the level of analysis of plan elements will depend on the specific factors that 

have prompted the reevaluation. 

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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

b. Depending on the complexity of the state or metropolitan airport system, and the changes 

in the national or local aviation environment, interim updates of the airport system plan 

may be necessary every two to five years. 

303. ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS 

a. Geographic Information Systems 

A Geographic Information System (GIS) effort is eligible for funding under the Airport 

Improvement Program if it is needed to establish airport roles or airport development 

needs. A GIS system includes planning, environmental, engineering, and financial 

information and analyses. Consistency among GIS systems used by different aviation 

planning agencies is a good idea and, in the future, when a standard is defined by the 

FAA, planners should strive to use systems that comply with it. Until an FAA standard is 

set, planning agencies should coordinate their GIS efforts with the local FAA Airports

Office. Eligibility requirements for funding of electronic data systems are specifically 

defined in the AIP Handbook and include acquisition, licensing, and use of commercially 

available software that is necessary to complete eligible elements of a planning study. 

b. Airport Surveying – GIS Program

The objective of the new Airport Surveying – GIS Program is to accurately collect and 

maintain airport information that will support the needs of the FAA and its customers 

while reducing duplication and maintenance of redundant or disparate data. In preparing 

advisory circular guidance for this program, the FAA will establish the required data to

collect, how to submit the data, the required accuracy of the data to support the intended 

use, and how to have the information requiring validation by the National Geodetic 

Survey Aeronautical Survey Program approved. The new program will create a national 

aviation data standard for geographic information system development and 

implementation, establishing a single focused information resource for the program. 

Once the advisory circular is available, states, metropolitan planning agencies, airport 

sponsors, and consultants will be able to quickly obtain the information and guidance 

necessary to establish, contract, and complete a surveying project. This initiative will 

provide the FAA and its customers with geospatially referenced airport information for 

airport planning, construction, obstruction analysis, airspace and instrument procedure 

design, as well as for publication of government flight information publications. 

c. Airport Capital Improvement Program 

The electronic Airport Capital Improvement Program (ACIP) for airports in a state or 

metropolitan airport system plan should include a three- to five-year list of recommended 

priority development, describing the proposed project, funding requirements (Federal, 

state, local) and implementation years. The ACIP should be scheduled so that projects 

follow a logical sequence (e.g., review under the National Environmental Policy Act 

precedes design) and are properly constrained (e.g., funding request is reasonable). 

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AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

d. Airport Layout Plan 

When an electronic ALP is prepared, it should be developed in accordance with the 

criteria included in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5070-6, Airport Master Plans. Most 

local FAA Airports Offices have developed an ALP checklist for use when preparing 

these drawings. Under a state system plan, multiple airport layout plans may be 

developed for a group of general aviation airports. These may include the preparation of 

an Airport Facility Drawing, which meets the minimal requirements for an ALP, and is 

done for smaller non-primary airports that are only interested in maintenance of their 

facilities. 

e. Airport Inventory 

1) An airport inventory should determine the number and condition of an existing airport 

facility. The inventory phase of a study should provide enough time for planners to 

collect the data required to conduct the level of analysis needed to fulfill its ultimate 

goals. 

2) An electronic summary of an airport’s inventory should report current and historic 

aircraft activity, based aircraft, enplanements, the design aircraft using the airport 

(Airport Reference Code), and an Annual Service Volume for the existing airfield 

configuration, and should include a review of environmentally sensitive features. 

f. Aviation Forecasts 

A five, ten, and 20-year forecast of based aircraft, enplanements, and aircraft activity,

along with current and expected design aircraft should be provided. 

g. Financial Data 

1) A system plan should only collect financial data needed to make broad 

recommendations about the airport system and its development. Such electronic data 

should include the identification of the portions of the development costs that could 

be covered by AIP grants, passenger facility charges, state grants, bonds, and airport 

revenues. Information on the potential for financing capital projects with general 

funds or debt financing instruments should also be noted. Quantifying items such as 

fee and rental structure to make an airport as self-sustaining as possible should be 

explored. 

2) An airport system plan is not intended to audit each individual airport in order to 

determine its financial condition, but to describe the overall financial health of the 

airport system and to make recommendations to address problem areas. 

h. Other 

Various other electronic data systems are used to accomplish a variety of activities and 

elements during the system planning process, such as pavement maintenance and 

management data. 

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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

304. SPECIAL STUDIES 

a. The examination of new issues relevant to airport systems analysis can be accomplished 

within the framework of a state or metropolitan planning organization’s continuous 

airport planning process or as a separate special study. Such studies may be 

supplemental to the standard elements of a system plan. 

b. The FAA, metropolitan or regional government, or state system planners may request a 

special study to obtain data or conduct an analysis more efficiently than through the 

production of multiple airport master plans. 

c. Special studies may include, but are not limited to, air service, air cargo operations, 

standards reviews, safety area analyses, business jets access, satellite navigation and 

GPS, environmental or drainage inventories, surface access, economic impact, 

obstruction analysis or photogrammetry, general aviation security, multi-site acoustic

aircraft counters, and pavement management. Additional examples and policy guidance 

for these types of studies can be found in Chapter 7 of this document. 

d. Airport sponsors do not always have the authority to study new airports as a means to 

supplement or replace capacity-constrained airports. They may have little interest in 

carrying out a study of a new airport that they will not control, or even may consider as a 

potential competitor. However, special studies conducted as part of an airport system 

plan may be used in concert with master plans to evaluate airfield capacity alternatives 

for a metropolitan area. In these cases, the system plan can be used to examine the 

feasibility of building a new airport. In addition, system plans can be used to study 

transportation alternatives not within the jurisdiction of the airport sponsor, such as rail 

alternatives.

305. INNOVATIVE PLANNING TECHNIQUES 

The FAA guidance on project eligibility in FAA Order 5100.38, AIP Handbook, and on 

airport planning contained in this document and in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5070-6, 

Airport Master Plans, is not intended to preclude the use of innovations in airport planning 

and development. However, before the FAA will approve the use of innovative planning and 

development techniques and methods in airport system planning, it needs to evaluate them to 

ensure that they will result in a useful product that neither degrades the safety and efficiency 

of an airport, nor has a negative impact on the community in which the airport is located. 

Such innovative techniques should also be reasonable in cost and relatively uncomplicated to 

use. To obtain FAA’s consideration of the use of innovative planning and development 

techniques, the following items should be submitted to the FAA with a description of the 

proposed planning or development change: 

a. An assessment of the impact of the change on the efficiency of planning and development 

decisions 

b. Documentation that the change does not degrade the safety, efficiency, or utility of the 

airport operation, and 

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AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

c. Documentation that the change does not increase the environmental impact of airport 

development. 

d. The result of the innovative study should be incorporated into the existing state, regional, 

or multi-state system plan, when appropriate. 

Airport system innovations and non-conventional technologies may require nation-wide 

changes in organizational structures, policies, standards, or plans. The system plan is a 

means of describing innovations for adoption as part of FAA’s test and evaluation program

for national airport systems. Such proposals might be provided as conceptual studies for 

discussion purposes until agreement is reached about further development of the concept. 

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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

Chapter 4 Airport System Plan Project Development 

Airport system plan project development can be divided into three major components: approach; 

scoping; and implementation. Appendix C provides a Checklist for Project Development that 

may be used by the planning agency and the local FAA Airports Office to help ensure that each 

of the major steps is completed. 

Figure 12 illustrates the key steps in the project approach component. The first steps, which 

include identification and ranking of issues, determination of broad goals and specific objectives, 

deciding on the stakeholders involved in the planning process, and analysis of legislative 

requirements, should be initially defined by the planning agency and then agreed to in 

consultation with the FAA. The FAA should also be consulted on the determination as to what 

work will be accomplished by the planning agency in-house (by force account) and what by a 

consultant. 

Figure 12: Airport System Plan Project—Approach 

Identification

and Ranking

of Issues

Determination of

Goals and

Specific Objectives

Decision on

Stakeholders

and Their Roles

Decision:

Force Account

vs. Consultant

Consultation

with FAA

Analysis of

Legislative

Requirements

Identification

and Ranking

of Issues

Determination of

Goals and

Specific Objectives

Decision on

Stakeholders

and Their Roles

Decision:

Force Account

vs. Consultant

Consultation

with FAA

Analysis of

Legislative

Requirements

401. ISSUES 

Planners should identify and discuss major aviation-oriented problems, including issues that 

airports in the state or region face now and those issues that are expected to impact aviation 

in the future. Items to consider should include issues internal to aviation, such as airport 

ownership, project financing, revenues and expenses, the level and type of air service and 

general/recreational aviation activities, changes to approach procedures; as well as issues 

caused by outside influences, such as environmental and land use requirements, airspace 

considerations, surface access, or public controversy regarding airport development. Issues 

to consider may go beyond state boundaries, depending upon the location of relevant 

airports. Multi-state aviation planning studies will always consider issues that affect areas 

across state boundaries.

402. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN 

a. The project evaluation should begin with a general statement of goals with respect to 

aviation and airports. 

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AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

b. Although such a broad statement will often be applicable from state to state, more 

specific objectives and the performance criteria to be used to determine how well these

objectives are met may vary significantly. The previous issues identified should then be 

ranked by order of importance relative to the goals and objectives of the study. 

c. Some examples of broad statements of goals to be identified during the airport system 

plan project development are: 

1) To provide for the timely development of airports that will meet the air transportation

needs and economic goals of the system planning study area; 

2) To develop a system of airports that provides a high degree of safety to the users, 

while at the same time providing adequate levels of service in terms of reliability and 

efficiency; 

3) To maximize the economic benefits from the development of the airport system; 

4) To develop an airport system whose attributes are consistent with, and integrated into, 

the state’s or metropolitan area’s long-range comprehensive planning policies and 

plans, particularly with respect to surface transportation and land use; 

5) To minimize the airport system’s environmental impact; and 

6) To develop safe and efficient airports, which are built and maintained to appropriate 

design standards, and meet long-range aviation needs. 

d. Some examples of more specific objectives, consistent with the goals, are:

1) Adequately assessing air service, general aviation, cargo, security, and surface access 

needs; 

2) Maintenance, inventory, and update of aviation activity data and information about 

socioeconomic and environmental factors; 

3) Review and validation of data affecting the airport system plan; 

4) Reappraisal and modification of the airport system plan to account for the impact of 

changing aviation industry conditions; 

5) Development of a mechanism for ensuring the successful interchange of information 

between system planning studies for a multi-state region, an individual state, a 

metropolitan area, airport master plans, the NPIAS, and airport capital improvement 

plans; 

6) Development of improved aircraft approach procedures; and 

7) Consideration of public comment to ensure awareness of the role the community 

believes that the airports play in the area’s transportation system;

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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

403. STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR ROLES 

a. When formulating the project, planners should decide which stakeholders will be 

involved and what roles they will play. Interested parties should include the state 

aviation agency, metropolitan and regional planning organizations, airport sponsors, FAA 

representatives, airlines and other aircraft operators, aviation industry groups, elected 

officials, other state transportation and environmental agencies, consultants, and local 

community groups. 

b. The roles of the stakeholders in the process should include project formulation, project 

management, analysis and documentation, public coordination, information 

dissemination, and implementation.

404. LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS 

a. In developing the study, planners should identify existing and proposed state and local 

legislative requirements that might affect airports and their development. Such 

requirements might include compatible land use around airports, tall structures zoning, 

state aviation funding, and airport or pilot licensing. 

b. Specific legislation may also define the role that the state or metropolitan agency will 

play in the system planning process and the authority that the agency has in implementing 

airport development, such as channeling. State channeling of Federal airport grants 

varies nationwide, and can include specific channeling of Federal funds and/or AIP grant 

approvals. It is based on enabling legislation rather than on Federal law. 

405. CONSULTATION WITH THE FAA 

a. State or metropolitan aviation agencies should hold a conference with local FAA Airports 

Office representatives to discuss a new project under its system planning process and 

how it fits in with previous planning work. The discussion should include specific goals 

and objectives, as well as the approach, stakeholders, estimated project costs and 

schedule, and expected final study products. 

b. For first-time sponsors, the FAA should discuss grant assurances, project eligibility, and 

procedures for requesting Federal funding under AIP.

406. FORCE ACCOUNT VERSUS CONSULTANTS 

a. Force Account 

1) A force account arrangement is one in which a sponsor proposes to accomplish work 

under an AIP grant with its own personnel. A state, metropolitan, or regional 

planning agency may request permission to accomplish work under a force account in 

an effort to maintain an in-house aviation planning capability. The sponsor should 

recognize that under a force account, the FAA will fund only the work specifically 

associated with the accomplishment of an airport system planning or special study 

grant. The justification for performing the work under force account should provide 

33 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

documentation that the in-house staff has the necessary experience, as well as the 

time and qualifications, to do the work in a timely, thorough, and competent manner, 

and that the costs are reasonable. 

2) When the state, metropolitan, or regional planning agency is committed to 

maintaining a continuous airport system planning process, staff involvement is 

necessary in all activities.

b. Consultants 

1) The initial airport system planning study, as well as updates to the plan, often require 

the assistance of consultants, who bring special expertise in the use of current aviation 

planning methodologies. Consultant services may also be necessary to help with 

reevaluations and reappraisals and in the performance of special studies. Local FAA 

Airports Office staff assist the sponsor in understanding the requirements for 

selection of a consultant and with the development of the scope of work, negotiations, 

type of contract, mandatory provisions of Federal grants, and determination of 

reasonableness of fees. 

2) A firm fixed price contract is the preferred method for contracting with consultants 

for an airport system planning project. FAA Advisory Circular 150/5100-14, 

Architectural, Engineering, and Planning Consultant Services for Airport Grant 

Projects, provides guidance for the selection of a system planning consultant under 

the Federal grant process. 

3) Title IX of the Brooks Act (Public Law 92-582) requires qualifications-based 

selection procedures be used for selection of firms to perform architectural and 

engineering services, pursuant to a fair and open selection process based on 

qualifications of the firm. Prior to evaluating consultants, the aviation agency should 

develop a list of criteria to rate potential consultants. The consultant should be 

selected by an unbiased and technically qualified panel that solicits and reviews 

technical qualifications of a number of firms. No FAA representatives may serve on 

this panel. The firm’s qualifications should be based on its experience doing similar 

state and/or regional system planning work and professional credentials. Fees for 

services are established after the firm’s selection through a negotiation process to 

determine a fair and reasonable price. 

After hiring a consultant (or deciding to perform the work in-house), the next component 

in the airport system plan project development is to complete the scoping that provides 

the basis for the plan. These steps are illustrated in Figure 13 and include preparation of 

scope of work, coordination plan, and project schedule; examination of interstate or interregional considerations; selection of methodologies to be used; and defining the details 

for the preparation of airport capital improvement plans. Each of these steps is described 

in the paragraphs below, and occurs prior to the AIP grant application process. 

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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

Figure 13: Airport System Plan Project—Scoping 

Determination of

Scope of Work,

Coordination Plan

and Schedule

Examination of

Interstate and

Inter-regional

Considerations

Define Detail for

Airport Capital

Improvement Plans

Selection of

Methodologies

Determination of

Scope of Work,

Coordination Plan

and Schedule

Examination of

Interstate and

Inter-regional

Considerations

Define Detail for

Airport Capital

Improvement Plans

Selection of

Methodologies

407. WORK SCOPE, COORDINATION PLAN, AND SCHEDULE 

a. The scope of the planning process will be largely dependent on whether the planning 

agency is beginning the airport system planning process or is building on an existing 

plan. The structure and scope of work in the planning study should be designed 

according to the system of airports being examined and should identify specific issues 

and clear attainable goals, select appropriate work elements, and specify the level of 

effort needed for each activity. It should also define the planning approach to be used, 

techniques and methods, resources, work allocation, schedule, cost, financing, products, 

study area, public involvement, and implementation plans. Appendix D contains a 

Checklist for Elements of an Airport System Plan, which can be used by the planning 

agency and the FAA during the preparation of a project scope to determine which 

elements should be included in the plan. 

b. During the scoping process for an airport system planning project, the planning agency, 

selected consultant, and the FAA should begin with a “brainstorming session,” where 

they identify pertinent issues involved in the airport system’s development. If issues are 

identified early in the process, planners can devise strategies for dealing with them, 

resulting in a plan that can be successfully implemented. The project scoping team

should have broad representation so that all relevant issues will be identified. Some

issues may be so comprehensive that they require a separate special study as part of the 

airport system planning process. 

c. The planning agency and the selected consultant should agree on the scope of services to 

be provided, including identification of the areas and major components to be studied, a 

description of the job activities required to accomplish the work, and the anticipated

format of the end product. A detailed work scope should show that cohesive, complete, 

and usable plans or other products will be produced. The scope should be sufficiently 

detailed so that the consultant can prepare a reasonable cost estimate. Where the scope of 

the project is too large or complex to be accomplished in a reasonable period of time 

under a single planning grant, the project may need to be conducted in several phases. 

Each phase should result in a useable product. The planners and the consultant should 

agree on schedules showing milestones for the completion of each technical product, as 

35 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

well as coordination and review. Deadlines should be realistic, based on the effort 

involved in preparing the document and the planning agency’s information requirements. 

The planning agency, consultant, and local FAA Airports Office should agree on target 

dates and should be aware of their responsibilities in meeting the project schedule. 

Decision points during the project should be clearly identified and all parties should 

recognize the importance of timely decision making. 

d. A basic airport system plan scope of work may include a wide range of items. FAA 

Order 5100.38, AIP Handbook, more specifically defines airport system planning items

that are eligible for AIP grant funds. However, airport system plan projects should 

include only those of the following elements or activities required to produce a plan that 

meets the needs of the planning agency (multi-state, state, region, or metropolitan area), 

and that will be beneficial in the development of a viable system of airports. Funding for 

airline operating studies, airport promotion or marketing, or legislation are normally 

ineligible under AIP. The local FAA Airports Office should be contacted for further 

information. The scope of work may include the following items: 

1) Study designs that identify the framework, parties involved, organizational 

arrangements, major airport problems to be resolved, specific objectives, scope of 

work, time schedules, and cost breakdowns for projects; 

2) General site inspections, inventories and surveys of airports, user preferences, and 

secondary socioeconomic data; 

3) Forecasting to justify proposed airport development in terms of aviation activity 

levels and aircraft mix, limited to simple methods and assumptions that establish the 

demand for aircraft operations, based aircraft, passengers, cargo, and ground access; 

4) Analysis of airfield, terminal area, and surface access to determine airport capacity 

values, identify causes of delay, analyze alternatives, or provide input to a capacity 

enhancement plan. Most system plans will not require a detailed capacity analysis, 

and should use the data from individual airport master plans, when possible. 

However, a simple determination of the overall capacity of the individual airports 

included in the system plan can be accomplished, using the concepts defined in FAA 

Advisory Circular 150/5060-5, Airport Capacity and Delay; 

5) Analysis of airspace capacity, based on the availability of air navigation aids, 

communication facilities, and the presence of natural or man-made obstructions that 

affect the use of airspace; this analysis should be limited to that needed to support 

airport system development; 

6) Facility requirements determination, including analysis of the suitability, possibilities 

for expansion, and safety deficiencies of existing airports; the general location and 

need for land bank programs or new airports; and the compatibility of airports with 

surface access plans and comprehensive planning; 

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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

7) Analysis of a reasonable number of alternative airport systems, including feasibility 

and sensitivity analysis, contingency plans and the evaluation of safety, efficiency, 

environmental impacts, energy considerations, and cost; 

8) Preparation and adoption by the sponsor of the airport system plan (for specific 

forecast periods) of airport role assignment, design type, major facilities, and cost 

estimates; 

9) General land use, noise, air quality, and other environmental studies to consider the 

impact of airport development on the environment and the protection of airports from

incompatible uses in neighboring areas; 

10) Development and implementation of land use compatibility plans and projects by 

state (or local unit of government) for large and medium hub airports that have not 

submitted a noise compatibility program within the past 10 years. The state must 

have the authority to plan and adopt land use control measures, including zoning, in 

and around the large or medium hub airport, and must have the airport owner agree to 

work cooperatively with it during the development of the plan. 

11) Schedules of plan implementation, describing the staging of airport land acquisition 

and development based on aviation demand forecasts; 

12) Estimates of funding from public agencies, as well as the financial community or 

other private sources, required to implement the plan, and estimates of revenue 

generated from improvements. A financial plan should contain estimates of funding 

from AIP, passenger facility charges, the Facilities and Equipment (F&E) and 

contract airport traffic control tower programs, and from other Federal, state, local, 

and private sector sources; 

13) Capital improvement plans are normally a compilation of individual airport CIPs, 

screened for compliance with state or metropolitan goals, and airport role definitions, 

and should be provided in electronic form for downloading to the NPIAS in a 

prescribed format, if this is defined by the FAA; 

14) Documentation of the eligibility of airports meeting the entry criteria for inclusion in 

the NPIAS; 

15) Study coordination and reports, including public meetings and community 

involvement sessions; 

16) Continuous planning activities that relate to elements of ongoing or existing airport 

system plans; 

17) Airport surface access programs and plans that indicate proposed routes to central 

business districts or arterials. The work should be based on other airport access 

studies that take into account traffic demand, existing and potential access problems, 

surface transportation facilities, heliports, and remote terminals; 

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AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

18) Preparation of state standards for development at non-primary airports; 

19) Site selection and feasibility studies of the general area (excluding the specific airport 

area) for new, replacement, supplemental, or joint-use airports, where existing public 

airport sponsors agree to participate or an area-wide agency has been required or 

authorized by state or local law to do the planning; 

20) Acquisition, licensing, and use of commercially available computer software 

including simulation models and other applications, when required for an approved 

planning purpose; 

21) Economic studies to measure the benefit of interrelated developments in the network 

of airports and their impact on airport activity; 

22) Identification of appropriate airport sponsorship arrangements (such as for a new 

airport), airports that have inappropriate ownership, and where interagency 

agreements are needed; 

23) Policy analysis for specific airport development proposals, such as for state aviation 

taxes or land use policies; 

24) Performance indicators or priority systems for pavement management and capital 

improvement plans; or 

25) Involvement in master plan projects at one or more airports. In such cases, the 

affected individual airport sponsors should agree, in writing, to the scope of work. 

408. INTERSTATE AND INTER-REGIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 

a. When formulating the project scope of work, the sponsor should be aware that airports 

benefit and affect surrounding states or regions. Some of the aviation demand of the 

specific state or region under study, including residents’ demand for commercial air 

service and general aviation facilities, as well as the business community’s need for air 

cargo services, may be met by airports in adjacent states. 

b. Multi-state aviation system planning studies generally include large metropolitan areas,

where the air service demand extends across state borders to multiple airports. Since one 

or more of the airports are usually located outside the jurisdiction of a single metropolitan 

planning agency, multiple state and metropolitan areas must cooperate to address regional 

demand and implement the recommended airport development plans. Figure 14 shows 

the importance of regionalization in Boston Logan’s market area. 

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11/10/04 AC 150/5070-7

Figure 14: Regional Demand Addressed in a Multi-State Airport System 

Source: LoganPassenger

Survey

Regional

Airport

Diversion 

from Logan:

2.4M Pax

Regional

Airport

Diversion 

from Logan: om Logan:

2.4M Pax

13.8%

21.7%

1996 1999

13.8%

21.7%

1996 1999

Percent of Passengers

Originating 

Outside of I-495

Percent of Passengers

Originating 

Outside of I-495

Source: New England, At the Forefront of Building a Regional Aviation System, 

sponsored by Massport and the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission 

409. METHODOLOGIES TO BE USED 

a. The airport system planning process should be thorough and analytical. There should be 

no ambiguity in its analysis and recommendations, since these may be used to justify 

project entry in the NPIAS or in prioritizing airport project development. Where 

possible, the use of established tools and methods, such as FAA’s forecast or benefit/cost 

analysis (BCA) methodologies, is encouraged. Normally, development of a BCA to 

justify AIP discretionary dollars is not accomplished under a system plan, so the local 

FAA Airport Office should be consulted in this case. A discussion on forecast 

methodologies is included in Paragraph 506. The FAA Airport Benefit-Cost Analysis 

Guidance, prepared by the agency’s Office of Aviation Policy and Plans in December 

1999, can be found at http://api.hq.faa.gov/cost_ben/faabca.pdf. During the development 

of an appropriate approach, planners (and their consultants) should consider what data are 

available, what uncertainties must be accommodated, and what information they must get 

from the study. 

b. During the scoping process, the planning agency should, in concert with the local FAA 

Airports Office, define its role in the development of forecasts. Forecasts for individual 

airports under a system plan are used to update the NPIAS, make adjustments to the 

FAA’s terminal area forecasts (TAF), determine the timing of project development, and 

act as the basis for a benefit/cost analysis. In lieu of individual airport forecasts, in some

cases it may be appropriate to develop based aircraft, activity, or enplanements forecasts 

for a metropolitan area within the state. 

39 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

c. Methodologies used in analysis should be appropriate for the application and should be 

selected during project formulation. A system plan can evaluate demand and aviation 

activity for the state or region being studied, and then determine a methodology for 

allocating it among the airports serving that area. There are a number of forecasts 

available, so to the extent that they meet the requirements of the system planning project, 

they should be incorporated into the process. For towered airports, the system level 

aviation forecast can rely on airport-generated forecasts if they are current and approved 

by the FAA. For non-towered airports, the system level aviation forecast should use 

simple methods such as trend analysis, but may use the TAF. The accuracy of baseline 

master plan forecasts for non-towered airports may be improved through aircraft counting 

programs. However, these counts may not be cost beneficial for airports with less than 

100,000 annual operations, where a more exact count would not affect the airport’s 

development requirements. 

d. Various airfield and airspace simulation models are available for analyzing airfield 

capacity and delay, including SIMMOD, ADSM, and RDSM from the FAA. When a 

daily schedule of aircraft operations is entered, these models provide estimates of airfield 

delay for various runway configurations and airfield improvements. Such modeling is 

time consuming and expensive and is normally done only as part of a master plan for a 

large hub airport with a capacity problem, but can be used in analyzing system-wide 

capacity issues. Advisory Circular 150/5060-5, Airport Capacity and Delay, provides 

simple methods for determining the annual capacity (Annual Service Volume) of an 

airfield.

e. The fundamental airport system planning process should include a methodology to 

address unforeseen events that could affect the analyses and conclusions of a system plan 

developed by the state or metropolitan planning agency. The methodology should 

identify changes or trends, identify affected airports, determine possible impacts, and 

develop alternative action plans and an implementation plan for future challenges and

opportunities. The alternative action plans should account for changes in air carrier 

routes and alliances, airport competitors, the national and local economy, and technology. 

Various scenarios may consider the impact on small communities of the loss of access to 

airline hubs or the conversion of regional carrier fleets to regional jets, the impact of a 

reduced fare structure for hub-and-spoke airports on air service at those airports, the 

creation of a new ground transportation corridor through a region, the impact of local or 

state land use initiatives, the growth of air taxis as a means of providing communities 

with access to the national air transportation system, the increase in movements and 

efficiency of air cargo operations, introduction of new airlines, or the decline in available 

flights as the result of a weak national economy. 

For example, consider the introduction of service by a low-cost carrier at a secondary 

airport that previously had no significant air carrier service. This could attract a 

significant volume of traffic from the other air carrier airports in the region, and would 

require unanticipated airport development at the secondary airport in question, while also 

impacting the traffic growth and the development needs at the existing commercial 

service airports. Developing a response to this could change the state or regional system

plan basic elements, recommended airport development, or airport roles. 

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410. DEFINE DETAIL FOR AIRPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS 

a. An airport Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is a compilation of projects planned for a 

particular airport for the next three-to-five years and includes the priority, costs, and 

expected funding sources for each project. Airport capital improvement planning may be 

accomplished as part of a state or metropolitan airport system plan or as part of an 

airport’s master plan. During the scoping effort, representatives of the planning agencies, 

the local FAA Airports Office, and individual airports should discuss the degree of detail 

to include in the airport capital improvement plans that will be developed as part of a 

specific airport system plan. They should also decide how the CIPs will be used as the 

basis for input into the NPIAS and in the prioritization of projects to receive AIP funding. 

The ultimate decision on the distribution of Federal funds for airport development rests

with the FAA, except where AIP funds are disbursed by block grant states. 

b. The schedules for proposed airport development listed in a CIP that are directly related to 

forecast demand levels can be tied to such levels, rather than dates, if desired, since the 

dates when demand actually reaches forecast levels are often revised. 

The final component in airport system plan project development is the series of steps that 

lead to implementation. These are shown in Figure 15 below. 

Figure 15: Airport System Plan Project—Implementation 

Adoption of

Implementation

Plan

Establishment of

Technical Advisory

Committee

Determination of

Public Consultation

Process

Project

Management

FAA

Approval

Process

Application for

AIP Grant

Adoption of

Implementation

Plan

Establishment of

Technical Advisory

Committee

Determination of

Public Consultation

Process

Project

Management

FAA

Approval

Process

Application for

AIP Grant

411. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

a. The airport system plan should outline the organizational structure, authority, and 

responsibility for implementation of its recommendations, along with a realistic 

assessment of needs and available resources. The recommendations should reflect the 

technical and financial analyses in the report. Planners should give appropriate 

consideration to the desires of airport operators, users, and local communities. The plan 

should describe the processes to be followed to ensure the adoption of appropriate land 

use controls, ground transportation plans, and airport sponsorships. 

b. The implementation plan should be formally adopted by the aviation planning agency. 

There should be reasonable assurance prior to the adoption of the plan that the state, 

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AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

FAA, and airports will generally have the financial capability to undertake the proposed 

airport development. 

c. The airport system planning process will be considered successful if its recommended 

actions are consistent with the local airports’ master plans and are implemented. The 

plan should have a list of action items, and descriptions of each action item, responsible 

parties, schedule, financial requirements, special conditions, and approvals that must be 

obtained, and a means of determining the effectiveness of the recommendations. The 

plan may need to be coordinated with all affected parties. The planning agency is 

responsible for tracking progress and ensuring a successful implementation.

412. TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 

a. Meaningful dialogue with the various stakeholders helps identify the challenges and 

opportunities that should be examined during the course of the study. For system

planning projects, a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) may be appropriate to ensure 

that the plan analysis is thorough and that the results are adequately documented and 

disseminated. The committee should have a representative of each party that is likely to 

be affected by study recommendations, and should reflect the complexity of the project 

scope. It should include representatives of the state aviation agency, metropolitan or 

regional planning organization, FAA, air carrier and general aviation airports, airlines and 

other aircraft operators, and, depending on the scope of the project, state or local 

transportation agencies, municipalities, state economic development offices, as well as 

Federal and state environmental resource agencies. 

b. Members of the TAC should be identified in the initial development of the scope of work, 

and their names and affiliations listed in reports prepared during the planning project. A 

list of key individuals and organizations expected to work on the project, along with their 

responsibilities, should also be included in those documents. 

c. Depending on the timing of the establishment of the Technical Advisory Committee, the 

members should review the project scope, applicability of the work, and project 

feasibility at the start of the study. If the committee is set up after the study has been 

initiated, it should review all interim reports, as well as drafts of the final products, and 

provide the project sponsor with comments and recommendations. These comments 

should focus on reasonableness and project implementation. Members of the TAC 

should also provide information and insights in their areas of expertise.

413. PUBLIC CONSULTATION 

a. The airport system planning process should provide suitable opportunities for 

participation by the public. The public includes a broad spectrum of people with 

interests, such as airport operators, users, and aviation industry groups, as well as 

neighbors of existing and potential airports, environmentalists, local government and 

metropolitan or regional planning agencies, business and industry, environmental 

resource agencies, and elected officials. Particularly for a controversial project, planners 

will find it helpful to seek community input to ensure that they have addressed obvious 

community concerns and identified major environmental issues. 

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b. The planning agency should determine the extent of public consultation needed in the 

airport system planning process and develop a plan commensurate with the scope of 

work. The earlier any public concerns are identified, the more easily the issues can be 

addressed. 

c. Technical advisory committee meetings can be open to the public and the press to keep 

the general public informed. Such efforts can be supplemented with the distribution of 

publications to libraries or local government, and by posting on the planning agency’s 

web site.

414. AIP GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS 

a. FAA staff will review the grant application to determine if the project is adequately 

structured, the elements are eligible, the schedule is realistic, and the scope of work is 

commensurate with its costs. The local FAA Airports Office is responsible for approving 

a system planning grant application. The planning project application process is 

thoroughly described in FAA Order 5100.38, AIP Handbook. 

b. The grant application should contain a project scope of work consistent with the 

requirements defined in this advisory circular and those in the AIP Handbook. For 

contracting work, the project scope and cost resulting from the consultant selection 

process should be the basis for the requested AIP grant. Requests for FAA’s approval of 

force account should also be consistent with guidance in the AIP Handbook. 

c. In state and metropolitan planning studies, an AIP grant is issued to the eligible planning 

agency that will be responsible for managing the project. In multi-state planning, one 

AIP grant can be issued to a lead planning agency to organize and conduct the study, or 

separate AIP grants can be made to the various state and regional planning agencies. It is 

important in these cases that the work is appropriately coordinated to be sure that the 

separate studies are completed concurrently and that data and analysis are consistent.

415. FAA APPROVAL PROCESS 

a. The responsibility for the approval or disapproval of a system planning grant application 

rests with the local FAA Airports Office. That FAA office will also review and approve 

a consultant contract or an aviation agency’s use of a force account. 

b. The FAA, with the assistance of a block grant state where appropriate, will decide which 

recommendations from a system plan are incorporated in the NPIAS or an ACIP. 

c. For system planning grants that include the preparation of multiple airport layout plans 

(ALPs), the local FAA Airports Office approves each ALP with a signature. When 

administering AIP for the FAA, block grant states have the authority to approve ALPs for 

the non-primary airports in their states. Individual airport sponsors also sign their ALPs.

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416. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

a. The airport sponsor is responsible for the continuous monitoring of the airport system

planning project. The sponsor ensures that time schedules are met, work activities and 

coordination are accomplished satisfactorily, expenditures are reasonable and justified, 

and other performance conditions are met, including grant requirements. The sponsor 

provides the FAA with all reports that are required for grant approval, as well as for grant 

closeout. 

b. The local FAA Airports Office is responsible for reviewing the performance of the 

sponsor and its consultant, and the project reports, to ensure that the activities and work 

elements are completed in accordance with the AIP grant agreement. The FAA 

representatives should attend key planning meetings, and participate on the Technical 

Advisory Committee and in the public consultation process when managing the project. 

The local FAA Airports Office also ensures that the sponsor and its consultant coordinate 

the study based on the requirements contained in the scope of work, all previous 

comments are adequately addressed, the project schedule stays on track so that critical

tasks are completed on time, and the sponsor is held accountable for each final product 

identified in the project scope. 

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Chapter 5 Elements of an Airport System Plan Report 

An airport system plan report can contain many elements, which are illustrated in Figure 16 and 

described in the paragraphs below. It is a good idea to use a checklist to determine which 

elements should be included in the report. Appendix D, Checklist for Elements of an Airport 

System Plan, is an example of a checklist that may be used during the preparation of the plan to 

ensure that each of the applicable elements is provided satisfactorily. 

Figure 16: Elements of an Airport System Plan Report 

Recommended

NPIAS

Changes

Policy and

Investigation

Recommendations

Development

Priorities and

Justification

Public

Consultation

Inter-modal

Integration and

Airport Access

Identification of

System of

Airports

Alternatives

Analysis

Environmental

Considerations

System

Requirements

Activity

Forecasts

System Goals

and Performance

Measures

Inventory of

System Condition

and Performance

State, Regional, 

and Local

Airport Issues

Study

Design

Executive

Summary

Recommended

NPIAS

Changes

Policy and

Investigation

Recommendations

Development

Priorities and

Justification

Public

Consultation

Inter-modal

Integration and

Airport Access

Identification of

System of

Airports

Alternatives

Analysis

Environmental

Considerations

System

Requirements

Activity

Forecasts

System Goals

and Performance

Measures

Inventory of

System Condition

and Performance

State, Regional, 

and Local

Airport Issues

Study

Design

Executive

Summary

501. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

An executive summary, which highlights the main elements and final recommendations of 

the planning study, should be provided as part of the report. Interested parties, especially 

those outside the aviation industry, can use an executive summary to quickly review the 

scope and findings of the system planning study. 

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502. STUDY DESIGN 

The first element of a complex airport system planning effort should be a study design. It is 

a comprehensive outline of what data will be collected, the methodologies to be used in the 

analysis, and the output that is required. The study design should include a detailed 

description of how, what, and when each element of the report will be completed. 

Organizing the work with a study design is crucial to successful completion of the plan and 

usually will result in reduced costs and time savings for all parties involved. 

503. STATE, REGIONAL, AND LOCAL AIRPORT ISSUES 

Sound judgment and common sense should be used in developing the scope of work for the 

airport system plan. Preparing a list of major aviation issues, problems, questions, and 

opportunities is a vital part in developing the plan. Because of the uniqueness of the system

planning process, the report may include issues of a national nature, as well as concerns 

specific to an individual state, metropolitan region, a local community, or even a multi-state 

area. The items in this list should be ranked in order of importance and strategies to address 

each should be presented.

504. INVENTORY OF SYSTEM CONDITION AND PERFORMANCE 

a. The inventory of system conditions and performance contains a number of items listed in 

Figure 17 and defined in the following paragraphs. 

Figure 17: Inventory of System Condition and Performance 

 Airport physical characteristics

 Airport activity levels

 Environmental and land use 

considerations, and applicable laws

 Navigational aids

 Local socioeconomic data

 Airport financial data

 Historical weather data

 Surface transportation characteristics

 Terminal, airspace, and airfield capacity

 Airport physical characteristics

 Airport activity levels

 Environmental and land use 

considerations, and applicable laws

 Navigational aids

 Local socioeconomic data

 Airport financial data

 Historical weather data

 Surface transportation characteristics

 Terminal, airspace, and airfield capacity

b. The adequacy of a system of airports can be determined from the condition and 

performance of certain important characteristics of individual airports. Planners should 

initially conduct an inventory to identify existing conditions that may have an effect on 

the service level or role of the airports. Relevant features of an airport include such 

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elements as runway length, width, and strength; design aircraft; distance from population 

centers; aircraft approach procedures; compliance with current airport design standards; 

ground access; airport ownership; aviation sectors that utilize the airport; apron capacity; 

based aircraft; enplanements; operational activity; airport services; and master plan, ALP, 

and Exhibit A Property Map status (showing ownership and interest in each tract within 

airport boundaries). 

c. As part of the inventory, the information described below should be gathered from a 

variety of sources. Not all of these data need to be collected for each plan: 

1) An inventory of the condition and activity of individual airports in the state or system

plan areas. An airport safety data inspection report (FAA Form 5010) is one source 

of the data. Some planning agencies choose to collect these data during airport visits 

by the project team. 

2) Summary of environmental features and conditions, and land use considerations, and 

an inventory of Federal, state, and local laws and ordinances that may affect the 

development and use of the aviation facilities. Broader data may be gathered for state 

plans and more detailed data for metropolitan plans. 

3) Information on navigational aids; individual airport visual and electronic landing aids; 

and approach minima and procedures. 

4) Statewide or regional socioeconomic data and airport financial information. 

5) Historical data on weather conditions on a system-wide or regional basis. 

6) Surface transportation, including the existing and planned highway and transit 

system, should be inventoried to the extent that it may have an effect on the access 

and development planned at existing or new airports. 

7) Terminal, airfield, and airspace capacity. 

Figure 18 illustrates the airports included in the inventory completed under a regional 

airport system plan for the Copper Basin and Upper Tanana Valley area in Alaska. 

505. SYSTEM GOALS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES 

a. Broad system goals and performance measures are established at the outset of the 

planning process, resulting in products that can be effectively used by the region, state, 

and the FAA in determining annual airport development needs. The system plan sponsor, 

along with the FAA, should use these measures as a control to ensure the implementation 

of a successful aviation system that meets user and community needs. 

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Figure 18: Sample Inventory Map from a Regional Airport System Plan 

Source: Copper Basin and Upper Tanana Valley Regional Airport Plan, prepared for the Alaska 

Department of Transportation and Public Facilities 

b. More specific goals that are defined for a system plan report will vary depending on the 

characteristics of the planning area. Examples of goals include having a system of 

airports readily accessible to the population of the region or state(s); providing for 

emergency medical access to the greatest possible percentage of the population; 

providing a system of airports that is safe and efficient; and preserving the existing 

airport system with a high degree of stable ownership. 

c. Performance measures, which are tied to the goals, should be developed to determine the 

level of service of the system of airports, based on the performance of individual airports. 

The measures should reflect the users’ needs, while providing guidance for system-wide 

policy and investment strategies. Because of their different roles, separate performance 

measures may be proposed for the commercial service and general aviation airports in the 

system. They can be tied to such indicators as safety, security, capacity, delay, system 

flexibility, design standards, cost effectiveness, financial support, environmental quality, 

or accessibility to airport or desired destination. The system plan sponsor can decide to 

measure the number of airports that meet certain development criteria, the percentage of 

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communities within a certain travel time of a category of airports, various aspects of the 

condition of the airports in a state or region, or the number of aircraft accidents by 

aircraft type. Specific examples of performance measures may include having 90 percent 

of the state population within 60 minutes drive time of an air carrier airport; 95 percent of 

the state population within 30 minutes of a NPIAS airport; 95 percent of the highest level 

of airports with precision instrument approaches; 95 percent of pavements in fair 

condition; 90 percent of system airports by category where automobile parking facilities 

are matched to demand, or length of the waiting list for aircraft tie down space does not 

exceed two percent of the aircraft based in a region. In some cases, the development of 

the measures may be an on-going process because the initial work may not supply useful 

information, or they may end up being too difficult to measure. 

506. ACTIVITY FORECASTS 

a. Airport system plans provide forecasts to define an airport’s role within the system, 

prioritize airport development, and determine airport reference codes (ARC). An ARC 

relates airport design criteria to the operational and physical characteristics of the aircraft 

types that operate at the airport. System plan forecasts should focus on requirements for 

system planning, including project justification and timing of development. However, if 

the scope of a state system planning project involves preparation of master plans or 

airport layout plans for multiple airports, the individual airport forecasts should follow 

the guidance provided in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5070-6, Airport Master Plans. 

b. A number of forecasts are readily available. To the extent that these forecasts meet the 

requirements of the system planning effort, they should be incorporated into the process. 

The report prepared by the FAA’s Office of Aviation Policy and Plans (APO), entitled

Forecasting Aviation Activity by Airport, dated July 2001, should be consulted to 

determine what approach to use in the forecasting effort of the plan. The report can be 

accessed at http://api.hq.faa.gov/pubs.asp?Lev2+1. The APO data systems web site at 

http://www.apo.data.faa.gov/index.html provides access to historical traffic counts, 

forecasts of aviation activity, and delay statistics.

c. Steps in the preparation of aviation forecasts include collection and review of previous 

forecasts, determination of data needs, identification of data sources, collection of the 

data, evaluation of historic forecasts, selection of forecast methods, preparation of 

forecasts, and evaluation and documentation of results. Several factors can be considered 

in forecasting demand and updating or refining existing forecasts, including

socioeconomic data, demographics, disposable income, geographic attributes, and 

external factors such as fuel costs and local attitudes towards aviation. 

d. Planners should obtain a reliable baseline, select an appropriate forecast methodology, 

develop a forecast, compare it to other forecasts (e.g., FAA’s Terminal Area Forecast) for 

reasonableness, and submit the forecasts to the FAA for approval. The forecasts should 

be based on a methodology that is logical and appropriate for the airport system in 

question. The planning agency should use appropriate statistical techniques to estimate 

activity where primary data based on activity counts are not available. The level of detail 

of the forecast should be based upon the activity in the airport system, the planning issues 

49 
AC 150/5070-7 11/10/04

to be addressed, and the future use of the forecasts. Forecast methods can use regression 

analysis, trend analysis, share analysis, and a variety of aviation industry surveys. 

e. Regional planning agencies may use a forecasting model that considers interaction 

between airports in a complex, metropolitan, multi-airport system. Forecasts developed 

on a regional basis for individual airports with overlapping service areas may in some

instances be more appropriate, from a regional perspective, than summing up forecasts 

developed at a local level, since airports can claim the same passengers, resulting in 

double counting of estimated demand. 

f. The FAA has found that it is difficult to prepare forecasts for non-towered airports when 

baseline activity data are questionable. Under system planning, activity counts may be 

conducted at individual airports to establish baseline operations data and estimates of the 

number of based aircraft. The results of these counts can be used to improve the baseline 

forecasts in individual airport master plans. APO has published a report entitled Model 

for Estimating General Aviation Operations at Non-Towered Airports Using Towered 

and Non-Towered Airport Data, dated July 2001, which presents a regression model for 

estimating general aviation operations at non-towered airports. Independent variables in 

the model include airport characteristics, demographics, and geographic features. The 

report applies the model to estimate activity at 2,789 general aviation airports in the TAF, 

and can be found at http://api.hq.faa.gov/pubs.asp?Lev2=1. 

g. The system plan forecast should be prepared for five, ten, and 20-year periods and should 

specify the existing and future design aircraft. Forecasts can be developed for aircraft 

operations (landings and takeoffs; local and itinerant; and air carrier, commuter/air taxi, 

general aviation, and military), enplanements (air carrier and commuter), number of 

pilots, hours flown, fuel use, air cargo tonnage, peak hour operations, design aircraft, 

fleet mix, aircraft size, military activity, and general aviation operations. As a general 

rule, forecasts for general aviation airports are limited to aircraft operations, based 

aircraft, and design aircraft. Figure 19 illustrates the types of aircraft normally based at a 

general aviation airport. 

h. FAA approval is required for forecasts that are used to support the justification and 

timing for an AIP project. If the system plan forecast exceeds that of the FAA’s TAF by 

more than ten percent in the first five years, the difference must be reconciled by either 

changing the TAF, the system plan forecast, or both. Inconsistencies with the forecasts 

should be worked out at the local FAA Airports Office before seeking FAA Headquarters 

involvement. The TAF is at http://www.api.faa.gov/taf97/taftoc.htm and is updated in 

December of each year. 

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Figure 19: General Aviation Based Aircraft 

i. Further guidance on the FAA review and approval of aviation forecasts is defined in a 

memorandum dated May 2002 found at http://www.faa.gov/arp/planning/02forcst.pdf. 

For general aviation and reliever airports where the five-year forecast exceeds 100,000 

total annual operations or 100 based aircraft, locally developed forecasts for operations, 

based aircraft, and enplanements are considered to be consistent with the TAF if they 

meet any of the following criteria: 

1) Forecasts differs by less than 10 percent in the first five years, or 

2) Forecast activity levels do not affect the timing or scale of an airport project, or 

3) Forecast activity levels do not affect the role of the airport. 

For general aviation and reliever airports where the five-year forecast is less than 100,000 

total annual operations or 100 based aircraft, the forecast does not need FAA 

Headquarters review, and the data should be provided for use in the annual update of the 

TAF. APO-110 may require additional information if the forecast varies significantly

from historical trends without adequate justification. 

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507. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 

a. Development Standards 

1) The FAA has developed a system of dimensional standards for the design of airports. 

The application of these standards to airports supports the development and 

maintenance of a national system of safe, useful, and efficient airports. FAA 

Advisory Circular 150/5300-13, Airport Design, provides detailed design standards. 

The use of these standards is mandatory for airports receiving AIP grants and strongly

recommended for other airports. 

2) Dimensional standards are based on the design aircraft expected to use the airport on 

a regular basis (500 or more annual itinerant operations or scheduled service). The 

airport reference code (ARC) is used to relate airport design standards to the 

operational and physical characteristics of the airport’s design aircraft. An ARC has 

two components: the aircraft approach speed (A-E) and the aircraft wing span (I-VI). 

A typical business class turboprop is a B-II, and a narrow body jet aircraft (B-737) is 

a C-III. A more detailed description of ARC is contained in Appendix B of FAA 

Advisory Circular 150/5300-13. 

b. Capacity Analysis—Airfield and Airspace 

1) Airfield capacity analysis is not normally required in system planning. An airfield 

with fewer than 100,000 existing or forecast annual operations is not likely to have an 

airfield capacity problem and does not need capacity analysis. Depending upon the 

level of operations and the configuration of the airfield (number and orientation of 

runways and taxiways), airports with more than 100,000 operations also may not have 

an airfield capacity problem. However, a simple determination of the overall capacity 

of the individual airports in the system plan can be made. The annual service volume 

for general aviation airports can be calculated, while existing capacity analysis data 

from larger commercial service airports should be taken from current airport master 

plan documents, when available. When necessary, an airfield capacity analysis is 

normally conducted by the sponsor’s selected consultant as part of an individual 

airport's master plan. In some instances, the FAA may take on the responsibility for a 

capacity study, but those usually involve a group of airports that have been identified 

as having significant congestion issues. Guidance on how to calculate airport 

capacity and aircraft delay can be found in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5060-5, 

Airport Capacity and Delay. 

2) Airspace capacity analysis is primarily an FAA function because of the agency’s 

responsibility to ensure the safe and efficient movement of aircraft. Capacity analysis 

of airspace can consider navigational aids, communication facilities, and obstructions

that affect the use of the airspace; however, it is limited to assessing what is needed to 

support state or metropolitan airport system development. This analysis may prove 

useful to the planning agency and the FAA in examining airfield configuration 

alternatives, finding potential operational limitations, and highlighting the need for a 

more detailed TERPS study. 

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c. Fundamental airport development, the basic configuration recommended for an airport in 

the national system, is defined in Table 3-1 in FAA Order 5090.3, Field Formulation of 

the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). The fundamental development 

for an airport should be in accordance with the standards and criteria contained in the 

appropriate FAA planning and design advisory circulars and orders, as listed in the 

reference materials included in Appendix B. 

d. An analysis of possible new airport development should consider the potential of 

underutilized airports in the region that could provide additional regional capacity, 

obviating the need for new investments. Consideration should be given to the reasons 

why the airports are currently underutilized in the first place, and what might cause a shift 

in the distribution of future aviation activity to those locations. 

508. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS 

a. Preparation of an environmental document is not normally a Federal requirement under a 

multi-state, state, or metropolitan area system plan. It should be noted, though, that state 

laws may vary and, as an example, under California law, environmental impact reports 

are required for state and Federally mandated regional transportation plans (RTP). Since 

the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) incorporates aviation 

system planning work into its RTP, system-level environmental documentation for this 

work is required. 

b. Environmental issues, though, should be considered in the evaluation process and 

development of airport system planning recommendations. This ensures the early 

evaluation of potential problems, with the objective of identifying alternatives, and may 

identify the need for additional environmental analysis for projects at a particular airport. 

FAA Order 5050.4, Airport Environmental Handbook, can assist airport sponsors and/or 

their consultants in the preparation of necessary environmental documentation. 

c. The airport system plan provides an opportunity to inform the public of future aviation 

needs and the potential environmental effects. Such an evaluation may alter decisions to 

pursue airport development projects that involve Federal, state, and local expenditures. 

d. In most cases, the airport system plan will not inventory environmental features to the

degree necessary to make decisions on viable master planning alternatives or to scope an 

environmental document. However, the plan should consider obvious and known 

environmental features, such as the presence of significant residential development, 

parklands, wildlife preserves, non-attainment areas, or known historic resources. 

Environmentally sensitive features on and around an airport could be included in the 

larger inventory that describes the airport’s physical characteristics and facilities. Based 

on this preliminary environmental inventory, planners will be able to identify 

environmental factors that would be important in defining viable airport roles and 

reasonable development alternatives for further consideration during the airport’s master 

planning process. 

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e. The consideration of environmental features during the system planning process provides 

an opportunity to take early action to minimize potential environmental impacts, such as 

limiting incompatible land uses. More detailed land use compatibility planning may be 

accomplished under a state or regional system plan around large and medium hubs, 

depending on previous noise compatibility efforts by that airport owner. The planning 

agency must have land use control authority and an agreement by the airport owner to 

work cooperatively in this effort. Specific eligibility details are in FAA Order 5100.38, 

AIP Handbook. 

509. ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS

a. Alternative plans should be developed once the extent of the projected system demand 

and the timing and nature of aviation system development are determined. If the 

assessment of airport system capacity shows that expansion of facilities is necessary to 

accommodate projected demand, an investigation of alternatives should be conducted. 

Generally, these should examine a broad set of functional alternatives for the airports in 

the system, rather than detailed design considerations for each individual airport. Critical 

objectives during this analysis are to make the best use of existing airport facilities and to 

support any expansion based on aeronautical, financial, and environmental factors. 

Alternatives may focus on financing (constrained vs. unconstrained), the airport system 

(expanded vs. reduced), airport roles (private vs. public), and environmental impacts 

(mitigation vs. no build).

b. Criteria to compare alternatives can include capital costs, aviation safety, airspace 

utilization, ability to address need, environmental impacts, delay and other operational 

costs, consistency with local area comprehensive and transportation plans, and land use 

availability and compatibility. 

c. Alternatives analysis should include a “do nothing” option, the transfer of some or all of 

the operations to another facility, or the construction of a new airport to replace or 

supplement an existing one. Having regional airports replace more than one airport may 

also be an option to consider. Under the FAA’s Military Airport Program, a designated 

number of current or former military airfields receive AIP grant funds for projects 

necessary to convert them to civilian use to reduce congestion. Consideration should be 

given to the use of these airfields during the alternatives analysis. 

d. The evaluation of system alternatives is usually a more complex activity for large 

metropolitan or regional areas than it is for the remainder of the state. In high activity

areas, airspace and land are scarce; ground transportation options may be limited due to 

congestion, which affects airport accessibility; and potential environmental impacts can 

be substantial. Therefore, the analysis of practicable alternatives should attempt to 

balance the need for airfield capacity and use of airspace with the need to minimize 

environmental impacts. 

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510. IDENTIFICATION OF SYSTEM OF AIRPORTS 

a. The final system of airports, including existing and new airports, can be identified 

following the determination of system requirements, the investigation of alternatives, and 

the application of evaluation criteria. The existing role of each airport also should be 

identified. 

b. Each airport that the airport system plan recommends for inclusion in the NPIAS should 

have a service level and role based on the definitions defined by the FAA in that 

document. The NPIAS defines airport roles as primary commercial service (large, 

medium, small, and non-hubs), non-primary commercial service, relievers, general 

aviation, and non-NPIAS. The role of the airport influences the type of aircraft that it can 

accommodate, or in the case of commercial service, the routes and markets they can 

serve. The role assignment assumes that appropriate facility requirements will be met. 

c. If the state or metropolitan agency is using role definitions for an airport that are different 

from those defined in the NPIAS (e.g., primary, reliever, general aviation), then the 

current NPIAS role should also be provided in the inventory and implementation 

elements of the plan. This will establish a standard for uniformity in airport role 

definition that will help maximize the system benefits of airport investments, as well as 

ensure the rationalization of Federal priorities across airport categories. 

511. INTER-MODAL INTEGRATION AND AIRPORT ACCESS 

a. An evaluation of aviation needs within the context of multi-modal planning should be

undertaken. Plans should be developed in coordination with other transportation 

planning efforts, including comprehensive long-range plans. Consideration should be 

given to the area’s social, economic, and environmental conditions, and to overall 

transportation system performance issues. Airport access and land use impacts should be 

treated explicitly in appropriate state and metropolitan plans. Surface transportation 

plans should consider the issues of highway access to airports, highway congestion, 

parking supply and fees, public transit access by city bus or passenger rail, access for 

taxicabs and other private surface transportation providers, and rail or truck access for air 

cargo. The aviation planning agency should consult with highway and transit planners, 

MPOs, and airport sponsors. Airport sponsors should be encouraged to become familiar 

with the current, long-range (20-year) transportation plan, updated every three to five 

years by the MPO (depending on air quality designation status), as well as to work with 

the MPO to prioritize surface transportation improvements that are important for access 

to the airport as part of the transportation improvement program, which is developed and 

adopted by the MPO at least every two years. 

Figure 20 shows a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train at San Francisco International 

Airport. BART airport connectors integrate transit access to the airport, providing an 

economical and convenient way to travel to and from Bay Area airports. 

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Figure 20: Inter-modal Access to an Air Carrier Airport 

Photo of BART station at San Francisco International Airport courtesy of BART. 

b. Planners should focus on airports as an element of the larger transportation system that 

takes people and cargo from where they are to where they want to be. The system plan 

needs to be coordinated with surface transportation planners to ensure that all airports in 

the system can be readily accessed by the population and businesses that they serve; that 

surface access to larger primary airports is efficient, convenient, and cost effective; that 

customers have a wide range of access choices; that travelers’ special needs are met; and 

that additional truck traffic due to air cargo operations and its separation from passenger 

traffic is considered. 

c. DOT/FFF/AP 96-3 Inter-modal Ground Access to Airports: A Planning Guide should be 

used as a reference during the evaluation of this issue. The division office of the FHWA 

in each state, and/or the state department of transportation, are valuable sources for 

information about highway planning and financing. Information on transit planning and 

financing can be obtained from local transit agencies or from the regional offices of the 

FTA listed at http://www.fta.dot.gov/about/offices/4978_ENG_HTML.htm. 

d. The aviation planning agency should have a working knowledge of highway and transit 

financing prior to coordinating airport development projects with surface transportation 

agencies. Knowledge of the financing, planning, management and coordination of 

highway, railroad, and transit projects will allow the airport planner to be more effective 

in securing access improvements that the airport needs. Highway and transit projects are 

financed by Federal, state and local funds, much as airports are. However, unlike FAA’s 

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role with airport projects, FHWA and FTA do not directly prioritize, select, or develop 

individual surface transportation projects. Instead, MPOs and state DOTs cooperatively 

plan, prioritize, and select individual surface transportation projects for implementation. 

e. Understanding the databases and analytical tools of the various planning disciplines can 

be useful in planning for airport access issues. The many GIS systems employed by other 

transportation and land use planners can help in airport system analysis, especially for 

airport access studies, where common surface transportation terms and metrics may be 

introduced. Other analytical issues might be: 

1) How many additional air passengers per year would cause a decrease in the highway 

level of service or intersection performance along a major access road to the airport?

2) How do the peaking characteristics of airport traffic compare with the peaks of 

surface traffic during the day? 

3) How do the travel patterns of airport employees and other daily commuters affect the 

analysis of surface access by airport passengers? 

4) How do cargo and trucking operations impact air terminal access?

5) How can quality access be provided by different transportation modes in order to 

successfully meet the needs of the community? 

512. PUBLIC CONSULTATION 

a. As described in the system plan project development chapter, the airport system planning 

process should provide an opportunity for public participation, the extent of which should 

be commensurate with the scope of work. Appropriate coordination of study drafts with 

the aviation public, community organizations, airport sponsors and users, and other 

interested parties is critical to the successful adoption and implementation of the final 

planning report. It is important that all affected or potentially affected parties perceive 

that the process is open, that the opportunity for participation exists, and that the study is 

designed to consider input from all of them. 

b. The degree of participation by various groups will differ. Some groups will want to 

provide direct input to the planning process. Others will be satisfied with the opportunity 

to review and comment on interim products, and some will be content to be kept 

informed during the process and to comment on the final product. Public participation 

should be a part of the overall study design, including the provision of the funding 

necessary to accomplish it. The public consultation process should be documented in the 

report, with a summary of dates, parties involved, significant points of discussion, and 

action items. Establishment of a web site for the project is an interactive opportunity to 

release the study documents to the general public. The technical advisory committee, 

which receives periodic oral and written reports throughout the process and provides 

comments and reactions, can also be an effective vehicle for receiving public input. 

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c. The FAA’s Community Involvement Manual, FAA-EE-90-03, is helpful to planning 

professionals and others dealing with airport development and the concerns of airport 

communities. The manual, which can be found at 

http://www.aee.faa.gov/noise/aee100_files/LUPItoolkit/VI.A.pdf, provides practical 

guidelines for involving the community in a variety of aviation planning situations. Since 

this involvement will vary with different states, airports, communities, issues, and at 

different points in the planning process, the manual outlines a process for identifying 

community involvement needs, evaluating techniques to meet these needs and designing 

a workable program. 

513. DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES AND JUSTIFICATION 

a. This phase of the report involves the translation of the justified development needs into 

costs and schedules, based on priorities and likely financial sources. 

b. The state aviation agency’s role in identifying priorities for future airport development is 

crucial, because it is in a position to sort out the priorities among competing airports. The 

state’s responsibility in assigning project priorities is essential to the successful 

development of the NPIAS and to the facilitation of FAA’s grant funds through the 

ACIP. Similarly, the MPO provides specific recommendations prioritizing the needed 

airport development projects within its region. For example, when several airports in a 

metropolitan area desire major runway development, but it can only be justified for one 

of those airports, the state planners should consider the metropolitan or regional planning 

organization’s recommendations in determining what development level is needed to 

meet the forecast demand in that part of the state.

c. Some states and regional planning organizations define priority indices with relative 

weightings, establishing their own priority rankings for proposed airport development 

projects. In general, these rankings should be consistent with FAA’s AIP priorities, if 

Federal fund are sought. However, the application of state and local goals, objectives, 

and policies may require some adjustments to the FAA’s National Priority System (NPS). 

Also, the states’ (and regional planning agencies’) evaluation of a project’s importance 

may be based on specific factors and cost effective measures not inherent in the 

application of FAA’s NPS. Phasing of individual project elements should be logical. 

d. A cost-effective plan of action should be prepared for five, ten, and 20-year planning 

horizons. The highest priority projects will be designated as five-year or short-term

airport capital improvements, which can include an immediate action plan. The FAA, 

state, and local aviation funding limitations should be kept in mind when the plan is 

prepared. For the five- to ten-year period, proposed development should be geared to 

realistic financial capabilities, with the justification based on the state’s and region’s 

goals, objectives, policy strategies, and system trends in activity levels. The ten- to 20-

year timeframe should focus on a more general assessment of airport development needs. 

The long-term period provides a less precise estimate of costs than near-term

development and is conducted primarily for fiscal planning purposes. All airport 

development needs should be reported in a consistent manner. All development needs 

should be included (for an accurate reflection of overall system requirements), even 

though the airport may be funding development with non-AIP sources. Development that 

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is eligible for AIP funding should be identified so it can be easily incorporated into the 

FAA’s ACIP and the NPIAS, as well as into the airport sponsor’s master plan and ALP. 

514. POLICY AND INVESTIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS 

a. The airport system plan report may contain recommendations on state, regional, or local 

policy changes to address the needs of aviation, including new funding mechanisms, land 

use and zoning guidance, or regulatory changes. It may also give insight to 

organizational changes that may be necessary to more effectively carry out state or 

regional planning and development activities. 

b. The airport system plan should also recommend additional studies, when appropriate, to 

collect inventory data on runway safety areas, pavement condition, or approach 

procedures, or to investigate specific problems such as poor air service or inefficient 

inter-modal connections. 

515. RECOMMENDED NPIAS CHANGES 

a. Although all commercial service airports must be included in the NPIAS, only about fifty 

percent of the nation’s public-use airports are included in the report. 

b. The FAA Regional Airports Division Managers are responsible, within national program

policy parameters and program guidance, for making all decisions with respect to entry 

and development inputs and revisions to the NPIAS, except for recommendations for 

proposed commercial service airports. The director of the FAA’s Office of Airport 

Planning and Programming (APP-1) must approve recommendations for proposed 

commercial service airports before they can be included in the NPIAS. 

c. Recommending the addition or deletion of an airport in the NPIAS is a significant action 

that must be carefully evaluated. After completion of a system planning effort, a state 

aviation agency can recommend inclusion of a new, or removal of an existing, airport to 

the FAA. Five factors that should be considered by the state aviation agency prior to 

making any written recommendations on whether to recommend deletion of an airport 

from the NPIAS: (1) reasons for deletion; (2) funding status, such as multi-year grant or 

unexpired non-primary entitlement; (3) inclusion in a state or regional plan; (4) local 

reaction; and (5) Federal grant obligations. Further guidance to assist in this 

determination is available from the local FAA Airports Office. The state should consult 

with the local FAA Airports Office before finalizing any written recommendations 

concerning changes to the NPIAS. When evaluating whether to recommend that a 

general aviation or reliever airport be added to the NPIAS, the state should consider the 

airport use, as well as the NPIAS entry criteria defined in FAA Order 5090.3, Field 

Formulation of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). 

Figure 21 is an example of the typical entries included in the NPIAS for a particular state. 

Rhode Island’s data are shown here. 

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Figure 21: Typical NPIAS Entry 

2005-2009

Current Year 5 Enplaned Bsd Aft Dev Cost

Block Island Block Island State BID CM CM 9,273 7 $3,000,001

Providence Theodore F Green State PVD PR PR 3,291,854 65 $204,240,880

Westerly Westerly State WST CM CM 9,592 68 $5,388,889

2005-2009

Current Year 5 Dev Cost

Newport Newport State UUU GA GA 26 $6,405,556

North Kingstown Quonset State OQU RL RL 58 $1,611,111

Pawtucket North Central State SFZ RL RL 115 $4,111,112

Reliever and General Aviation Airports

City Airport LocID Role Year 5

Based Aircraft

Rhode Island

Primary and Commercial Service Airports

City Airport LocID Role Year 5

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Chapter 6 Review and Reevaluation of Airport System Plans 

601. ADEQUACY OF CURRENT SYSTEM PLAN 

a. An initial or basic airport system plan document should be adequate for up to five years, 

depending on the significance of the changes that occur in the state or metropolitan 

aviation system. However, the adequacy of the document can be evaluated no sooner 

than every two years. This review should be a coordinated effort among the state 

aviation agency, metropolitan/regional planning organizations, and the local FAA 

Airports Office. For states with active aviation organizations, a dynamic process should 

be established subsequent to the completion of the basic plan. This dynamic process will 

provide a means to monitor the effectiveness of the plan and its implementation and to 

provide the planning agency with the ability to prepare major updates as needed. 

b. The review should identify changes in issues important to aviation, including constraints 

to the effective operation of the jurisdiction’s airports. The planning agency should be 

alert to technological changes that provide opportunities to enhance the airport system, 

such as improvements in approach procedures, aircraft, avionics, and surface access 

systems. 

c. If major changes occur in airport roles, implementation of development, or issues that 

would affect the operation and development of system airports, an updated system plan 

may be needed. If the changes are relatively minor, an interim update (or addendum) to 

the existing document, addressing the changes that have taken place and updating the 

airport database, is sufficient. If the changes are significant, a total update of the plan 

may be in order, resulting in the publication of a new airport system planning report. To 

determine if revisions are needed, a critical review process should be formalized, keeping 

several questions in mind: 

1) Where has the current plan failed to meet the region’s needs?

2) Where has it been successful? 

3) Are there more efficient ways to achieve the same benefits? 

4) What assumptions have changed?

d. Certain issues may require preparation of special studies to address a complex or unique 

problem, to assist in the collection of data, to determine their impact on the aviation 

system and to develop an action plan that addresses those issues. Consideration of the 

impacts of the growth of business jet use, like those pictured in Figure 22, on airports 

across a state or metropolitan area can be the topic of a special study. 

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Figure 22: Business Jets 

Photo of two Learjets in the forefront with two King Airs and one Beech Baron in the 

background courtesy of Jet Network, LLC. 

e. All decisions should be based on an evaluation of current data. A review of aviation 

activity, airport characteristics, socioeconomic factors, land use patterns, and surface 

access should determine the extent to which this information needs to be updated. 

Surface transportation planning and land use planning initiatives should also be 

considered, since changes in their status may influence airport planning decisions. 

602. REVIEW WITH STAKEHOLDERS 

a. The planning agency should maintain contact with stakeholders involved in or affected 

by the recommendations made in the current system plan report. These may include 

representatives of the FAA, adjacent states, metropolitan and regional planning 

organizations, airport sponsors, local government, aviation interest groups, and the 

general public. 

b. Coordination with airport sponsors permits the exchange of information between system

and master planners, including sharing of information on aviation forecasts, airport roles, 

and anticipated facility needs. Coordination with local governments regarding airport 

ground access planning, land use, and funding support will help avoid conflicts in 

decision making and planning. Such contacts also ensure the integration of airport 

planning into comprehensive transportation and land use planning. 

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603. DESIGNATE ELEMENTS NEEDING REEVALUATION 

Once the changes in important issues have been identified and their impact on the aviation 

system assessed, the planners should designate elements that need reevaluation. The degree 

of analysis of these elements depends on the factors that have precipitated the reevaluation. 

604. ASSESS SUCCESS OF SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS 

As part of the reevaluation process, the planning agency should evaluate each element of the 

system plan to determine the effectiveness of that section in supporting planning and 

development decisions. Weak or ineffective sections should be redesigned, strengthened, or 

even deleted, and useful sections emphasized. Questions to ask include: 

1) Is the inventory thorough, yet concise?

2) Did we use force account effort where appropriate?

3) Did we use consultants where appropriate?

4) Was the consultation process valuable? 

5) Has there been effective leadership? 

6) Has the planning agency’s staff been active and dedicated to the process?

7) Did we use the plan in making planning and development decisions? Did the FAA, 

other planning organizations, and local airports do so?

8) Does the general public understand the plan?

9) Have other state and local planning agencies used the report? 

10) Did we develop a plan that can be easily reevaluated and updated?

11) Did we pursue special studies that addressed important issues? 

12) Did we use our recommended development plan in consultation with the FAA in 

making funding decisions?

605. INTERIM UPDATES 

a. Because of changes in many variables affecting the plan, interim updates may be 

necessary after the development of the basic multi-state, state, or regional aviation system 

plan. The timing of these updates will depend on the nature of the aviation system trends, 

but may be needed every two to five years. 

b. Planners should expect to conduct interim updates to the airport system plan in the areas 

of airport role, activity forecasts, airport inventory, and airport development plans and 

CIPs. The system plan should be updated to reflect changes in airport roles. Forecasts 

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and inventories should be revised at least every five years. To ensure that accurate data 

are input to the NPIAS, the recommended development plan should be evaluated about 

every year. 

606. DETERMINE NEED FOR FORMAL UPDATE 

The airport system plan report is the product of a complete update cycle and replaces the 

existing plan as the source document for all related aviation system planning and 

development decisions. The update should incorporate the information included in any 

interim reports and special studies that have been published since the original system plan 

was completed. The extent of the plan revision will depend on the degree of change since the 

development of the existing plan. Depending on the sponsor’s requirements, a formal update 

to the report should be prepared at least every five years. 

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Chapter 7 Special Studies 

701. DETERMINE SPECIAL STUDIES NEEDED 

a. The examination of new issues relevant to the aviation system can be accomplished 

within the framework of a system plan, or through a separate supplemental study. Such 

special studies should be undertaken to analyze new issues or to further address unique 

situations or problems that were identified during the basic airport system planning 

process. These studies can be used to gather additional data required for successful 

continuous system planning and to develop productive new techniques for acquiring and 

managing the new information so that they can be used on a statewide or regional basis, 

such as pavement maintenance/management studies. Special studies are important to 

system planning because the new data and analysis that they provide can support 

decisions on airport role and result in sound recommendations for developing a system of 

airports within a specific jurisdiction. In many cases, special studies may be exploratory 

or involve a new approach to an old problem, and may be useful to planners in other 

states and regions across the country. 

b. Special studies may be necessary to complete the components of a state or metropolitan

study to address significant changes in the system and to evaluate navigational aids, 

security, airspace, ground access, pavement condition, zoning implementation, and multijurisdictional issues. Such studies may also be necessary to integrate aviation projects 

with other transportation mode plans, with the NPIAS and airport master plans, and can 

serve to keep elected and appointed officials, media, consultants, and the general public 

informed of local airport system activities, such as an increase or decrease in the area’s 

available airline service, number of enplaned passengers, or amount of air cargo. 

c. At small airports receiving non-primary entitlements, multiple Airport Layout Plans can 

be accomplished under the state system planning process and be eligible for AIP funding. 

When considering this type of special study, the state should develop recommendations 

on how to undertake this work, taking into account the level of effort required for 

development needs at these smaller facilities. 

d. States and, in some cases, the FAA provide funding to airport sponsors to assist in the 

maintenance of airfield pavements. Pavement management programs are an example of a 

special study and qualify as system planning projects as described in paragraph 306 of 

FAA Order 5100.38, AIP Handbook. A network level pavement condition survey 

provides a broad systematic approach to inventory, evaluates data, identifies costeffective maintenance and rehabilitation needs, and examines general alternatives and 

timeframes for maximizing benefits. Advisory Circular 150/5380-7, Pavement 

Management System, discusses essential components of such a system and outlines how 

to use it to make cost-effective decisions regarding pavement maintenance and 

rehabilitation. Through an AIP system planning grant, the Oklahoma Aeronautics 

Commission developed a web-based airport pavement management product, which can 

be accessed for an individual airport or for the overall state system of airports at 

http://cec-b30.ecn.ou.edu/. Information for each Oklahoma airport includes an aerial 

photo, directory information, construction history, geotechnical data, visual distress 

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surveys, condition forecast, pavement health, and pavement capacity. Figure 23 shows a 

pavement condition and repair alternatives exhibit taken from the Georgia Airport 

Pavement Management Study completed in May 2003. 

Figure 23: Sample from Pavement Management Study

Typical Pavement Surface Repair Alternative

Can be kept operational using 

cost-effective preventive

maintenance actions, such as 

crack sealing and surface 

treatments.

Preventative maintenance may

still be advisable and will typically

require rehabilitation.

Pavement allowed to deteriorate

requiring costly reconstruction to 

restore it to operational condition.

Typical Pavement Surface Repair Alternative

Can be kept operational using 

cost-effective preventive

maintenance actions, such as 

crack sealing and surface 

treatments.

Preventative maintenance may

still be advisable and will typically

require rehabilitation.

Pavement allowed to deteriorate

requiring costly reconstruction to 

restore it to operational condition.

Typical Pavement Surface Repair Alternative

Can be kept operational using 

cost-effective preventive

maintenance actions, such as 

crack sealing and surface 

treatments.

Preventative maintenance may

still be advisable and will typically

require rehabilitation.

Pavement allowed to deteriorate

requiring costly reconstruction to 

restore it to operational condition.

Source: Georgia Airport Pavement Management Study, Condition Assessment 

and Preservation Plan, Georgia Aviation System Plan, May 2003. 

e. Air cargo is an important and growing activity at many airports. Air cargo demand may 

require special facilities for truck access and for security that need to be considered in the 

planning and project development process. Where appropriate, special studies should be 

prepared to address a variety of air cargo issues on a statewide basis. 

f. Other special studies might include these aviation-related topics, among others: 

1) Identification of airports (and priorities) that should be improved to accommodate 

business jets on a regional basis; 

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2) Identification of airports that need improved instrument approaches and the facility 

improvements required to support those approaches; 

3) Identification of airport improvements needed at smaller commercial service 

airports to accommodate regional jets, statewide navigational aids, or automated 

weather observing system (AWOS) studies;

4) Studies to develop statewide guidance or standards on noise, zoning, or land use 

compatibility; 

5) Statewide economic impact studies; 

6) Emergency services and security planning; 

7) Evaluation of market routes; 

8) General aviation airport security; and

9) Strategic planning. 

Figure 24 shows a graphic from an economic impact study conducted for Texas’ airports, 

which summarizes the total aviation service activity in the state. 

Figure 24: Economic Impact of Aviation Summary

Commercial Service Activity Total

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 643,722

TOTAL PAYROLL $14,409,707,600

TOTAL OUTPUT $34,871,517,400

General Aviation Activity Total

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 16,474

TOTAL PAYROLL $508,148,600

TOTAL OUTPUT $1,292,180,300

Commercial Service Airport Total

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 660,196

TOTAL PAYROLL $14,917,856,200

TOTAL OUTPUT $36,163,697,700

Commercial Service Activity Total

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 643,722

TOTAL PAYROLL $14,409,707,600

TOTAL OUTPUT $34,871,517,400

General Aviation Activity Total

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 16,474

TOTAL PAYROLL $508,148,600

TOTAL OUTPUT $1,292,180,300

Commercial Service Airport Total

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 660,196

TOTAL PAYROLL $14,917,856,200

TOTAL OUTPUT $36,163,697,700

Source: Economic Impact of General Aviation in Texas, 

prepared for Texas Department of Transportation, June 2003. 

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g. Specific recommendations for additional studies can include aircraft traffic counts, 

obstruction studies, and capital improvement plans (similar to metropolitan and/or 

statewide Transportation Improvement Programs). 

702. FOLLOW PROJECT DEVELOPMENT STEPS 

The work scope for special studies should be developed in a manner similar to a work scope 

for other airport system planning efforts. The steps in that process are described in 

Chapter 4 of this advisory circular, including the identification of issues, goals and 

objectives; the designation of stakeholders and their roles; consultation with the FAA, 

affected airports, and the public; consultant selection; work scope development; preparation 

of an implementation plan and grant application; and establishment of a project management 

process. 

Figure 25 below highlights the specific objectives identified in a special study, The RNAV 

and WX System Plan, completed by the Colorado Division of Aeronautics in 2001. Data 

from the RNAV (GPS) portion of the study are used by the state to recommend modifications 

to FAA’s procedures production schedule, as input to master plans, and during the 

preparation of five-year airport capital improvement programs that are updated annually. 

Figure 25: Sample Specific Objectives for an 

RNAV (GPS) Approach Procedures System Plan 

The RNAV (GPS) objectives of the study included:

1. List current approaches and minimums for each airport.

2. Determine the target approach minimums appropriate for each

airport. For instance, all intermediate airports with a weighted

performance measure score >54.8 should have an RNAV (GPS)

procedure with LNAV/VNAV minimums of 300-3⁄4.

3. Determine potential best minimums at each airport using RNAV 

(GPS) TERPS procedure design guidance for the intended type of

minimums. Consider planned or programmed changes to the 

runways when warranted.

4. List capital improvements needed and associated costs at each 

airport to achieve the potential approach minimums.

5. Establish priorities for implementing new RNAV (GPS) 

approaches and airport improvements based on benefit/cost

analyses and other appropriate considerations.

The RNAV (GPS) objectives of the study included:

1. List current approaches and minimums for each airport.

2. Determine the target approach minimums appropriate for each

airport. For instance, all intermediate airports with a weighted

performance measure score >54.8 should have an RNAV (GPS)

procedure with LNAV/VNAV minimums of 300-3⁄4.

3. Determine potential best minimums at each airport using RNAV 

(GPS) TERPS procedure design guidance for the intended type of

minimums. Consider planned or programmed changes to the 

runways when warranted.

4. List capital improvements needed and associated costs at each 

airport to achieve the potential approach minimums.

5. Establish priorities for implementing new RNAV (GPS) 

approaches and airport improvements based on benefit/cost

analyses and other appropriate considerations.

Source: Colorado RNAV and WX System Plan, prepared for the Colorado 

Division of Aeronautics, September 2001. 

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703. IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 

The real value of any airport system planning effort is realized with the implementation of

the plan recommendations. Therefore, most special studies should include a realistic 

implementation plan for the system of airports included in the effort and identify 

recommended actions, responsibilities of various parties, and a feasible implementation 

schedule. In some cases, the document may just define a planning strategy that identifies 

alternatives and advises the policy makers what happens as a result of a particular policy 

decision. In other cases, the result of the study may just be a collection of data, such as 

aircraft activity counts. Any pertinent results should be provided to the airports within the 

state or metropolitan area so that they can consider incorporating the recommendations onto 

their ALP or into their capital improvement plans. If the results of the study have application 

beyond an individual state or metropolitan area for which the study was conducted, the 

implementation plan should include recommendations for the dissemination of the study 

results. 

704. INCORPORATE INTO EXISTING AVIATION SYSTEM PLAN 

Once the special study has been completed, it is critical that appropriate results be 

incorporated into the funding and implementation plans of the existing airport system plan. 

This allows for the consideration of special issues in conjunction with ongoing aviation 

system planning efforts, ensuring a greater degree of continuity than if the special study was 

accomplished in isolation. 

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Appendix A Glossary 

AC Advisory Circular 

ACIP Airports Capital Improvement Plan 

AIP Airport Improvement Program

ALP Airport Layout Plan 

APO FAA Office of Aviation Policy and Plans 

APP FAA Office of Airport Planning and Programming 

ARC Airport Reference Code 

ASTM American Society of Testing and Materials 

AWOS Automated Weather Observing System

CIP Capital Improvement Plan

COG Councils of Government

DOT Department of Transportation 

FAA Federal Aviation Administration 

F&E Facilities and Equipment 

FHWA Federal Highway Administration 

FTA Federal Transit Administration 

GIS Geographic Information System

GPS Global Positioning System

MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization 

NAS National Airspace System 

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act 

NPIAS National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems 

NPS National Priority System 

RNAV Radio Navigation 

RPC Regional Planning Council or Commission 

RTP Regional Transportation Plan 

SCAG Southern California Association of Governments 

TAC Technical Advisory Committee 

TAF Terminal Area Forecast 

TERPS United States Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures 

WX Weather 

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Appendix B Useful Reference Materials 

1. FAA ADVISORY CIRCULARS 

A list of advisory circulars that include specialized guidance on airport planning can be found 

on the National Planning Division’s web site at www.faa.gov/arp/400home.cfm. These 

include, among others, the following: 

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5060-5, Airport Capacity and Delay, explains how to 

compute airport capacity and aircraft delay for airport planning and design. 

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5070-6, Airport Master Plans, details national guidance for 

the airport community to use in preparing airport master plans. 

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5100-14, Architectural, Engineering, and Planning 

Consultant Services for Airport Grant Projects, contains guidance for sponsors in 

selecting and employing consultants under FAA’s airport grant programs. 

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13, Airport Design, provides guidance that defines 

airport design and clarifies the rationale used in airport, statewide, and metropolitan 

planning. 

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5380-7, Pavement Management System, discusses essential 

components of such a system and outlines how to use it to make cost-effective decisions 

regarding pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. 

2. FAA ORDERS 

A number of FAA Orders also provide guidance on the airport system planning process, and 

are found at http://www.faa.gov/arp/publications/orders/index.cfm?ARPnav=orders. They 

include the following: 

FAA Order 5050.4, Airport Environmental Handbook, provides guidance for preparing 

environmental assessments, findings of no significant impact, and environmental impact 

statements for airport development proposals and other airport actions as required by 

various laws and regulations. 

FAA Order 5090.3, Field Formulation of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems 

(NPIAS), contains guidance on long-range airport planning and instructions for the 

continuous formulation and maintenance of the NPIAS computer database and the 

biennial report to Congress. 

FAA Order 5100.38, Airport Improvement Program Handbook, provides specific 

guidance on the funding eligibility of planning elements. 

FAA Order 5100.39, Airports Capital Improvement Plan, details the development and 

process through which FAA formulates the national Airports Capital Improvement Plan 

(ACIP). 

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3. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE 

Additional FAA, DOT, other government, and academic reference materials may provide 

assistance to planners. These include the following: 

Airport Systems Planning, Design and Management, by Richard de Neufville and Amedo 

R. Odoni, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, published by McGraw-Hill in 2003. 

Aviation System Performance Measures for State Transportation Planning, by Geoffrey 

D. Gosling, Transportation Research Record, No. 1703, Transportation Research Board, 

September 2000. 

Community Involvement Manual, FAA-EE-90-03, is helpful to planning professionals 

and others dealing with airport development and the concerns of airport communities. 

The manual, which can be found at 

http://www.aee.faa.gov/noise/aee100_files/LUPItoolkit/VI.A.pdf, provides practical 

guidelines for involving the community in a variety of aviation planning situations. 

Forecasting Aviation Activity by Airport, July 2001, by FAA’s Office of Airport Policy 

and Plans (APO-110) provides guidance on the preparation of airport activity forecasts. 

A variety of current forecast data can be found at the FAA’s Policy and Plans Office 

website at http://www.api.faa.gov/pubs.asp?Lev2=1. 

Improving Public Transportation Access to Large Airports, January 2001, TRB’s Transit 

Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 62, prepared by Leigh Fisher Associates 

in association with Matthew A. Coogan and MarketSense, which presents data on the use 

of public transportation at large U.S. airports and selected international airports; provides 

examples of successful airport access systems from around the world; identifies key 

factors affecting the use of public transportation by airline passengers and employees; 

and describes the institutional environment and factors that affect public transportation at 

large U.S. airports, including airport structure, funding for ground access, and airport 

agreements with airlines. The report is available at 

http://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/bookstore. 

Inter-modal Ground Access to Airports – A Planning Guide, December 1996, is an 

FHWA and FAA report used by airport, state, local, and metropolitan planners to manage 

and plan for inter-modal ground access for all types of airports, which can be purchased 

from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. 

Model for Estimating General Aviation Operations at Non-Towered Airports Using 

Towered and Non-Towered Airport Data, July 2001, by FAA’s Office of Airport Policy 

and Plans (APO-110) presents a regression model for estimating general aviation 

operations at non-towered airports, and can be accessed at 

http://api.hq.faa.gov/pubs.asp?Lev2=1. 

National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), 2005-2009, Report to Congress, 

Federation Aviation Administration. The NPIAS report is updated and published by the 

FAA and provided to Congress on a biennial basis. It includes a listing by state and role 

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of those public-use airports important to the national air transportation system. The 

airports are publicly owned facilities, except those privately owned airports that are 

designated as relievers by the FAA. 

Standard Specification for Recreational Airpark Design, by the American Society for 

Testing and Materials (ASTM) Technical Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft, 

provides details on what can affect the future makeup of general/recreational airports. 

The specification can be accessed at http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/ 

COMMIT/COMMITTEE/F37.htm?L+mystore+admc2845+1085618671. 

Strategies for Improving Public Transportation to Large Airports, December 2002, 

TCRP Report 83, prepared by Leigh Fisher Associates in association with Matthew A. 

Coogan and MarketSense, which describes the advantages of rubber-tire transit as 

compared to rail transit and emphasizes market-based approaches to maximizing airport 

ground access and alleviating ground side congestion. The report is available at 

http://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/bookstore. 

The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process: Key Issues, a briefing notebook for 

transportation decision makers, officials and staff, is published by the Transportation 

Planning Capacity Building Program of the FHWA and FTA and can be accessed at 

http://www.planning.dot.gov/documents/briefingbook/bbook.htm. 

23CFR Part 470, Highway Systems, and 23CFR Part 450, Planning Assistance and 

Standards, are regulations that may be useful to state, metropolitan and regional agencies 

for system planning activities, including some guidance for airports. These requirements 

can be accessed at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/legreg.htm#I. 

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Appendix C Checklist for Project Development 

9 Date Add comments below

1 Issues identified and ranked

2 Goals and specific objectives determined

3 Stakeholders and their roles identified

4 Legislative requirements analyzed

5 FAA consulted

6 Work to be done in-house (force account) and by consultant defined

7 Work scope identified with schedule and description of products to be delivered

8 Interstate airport relationships considered

9 Methodologies selected

10 Detail for Airport Capital Improvement Plans (ACIP) defined

11 Technical advisory committee established

12 Implementation plan outlined

13 Public consultation process determined

14 AIP grant application submitted

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Appendix D Checklist for Elements of an Airport System Plan Report 

9 Date Add comments below

1 Executive Summary

2 Study design

3 State and local airport issues

4 Inventory of system condition and performance

5 System goals and performance measures

6 Activity forecasts

7 System requirements

8 Environmental considerations

9 Analysis of system alternatives

10 Identification of system of airports

11 Inter-modal integration and airport access

12 Public consultation

13 Airport development priorities and justification

14 Policy and investigation recommendations

15 Recommended NPIAS changes

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