TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD (TRB) RELEASES RESEARCH ON FUNDING AVIATION BUSINESSES
The TRB recently released a research on Funding Industrial Aviation as Synthesis 79 under its Airport Cooperative Research Program. This report explores how airports fund infrastructure to support aviation business development. For purposes of this report, aviation business development includes: aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), specialized aviation services such as paint and interior completion (single service operators, SSOs), aircraft manufacturing and assembly, aircraft fabrication and development, aviation warehousing, spaceports, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) platforms.
Of 64 airports surveyed, 53 responded about the nature of the aviation business development, types of infrastructure required to support the development, nature and effectiveness of the funding mechanisms used, and lessons learned. Forty-five airports (85%) indicated that they had aviation business activity, 40 of these (89%) reported that the activity is related to some type of maintenance, repair, and overhaul services facility. Twenty-six airports (58%) reported specialized aviation service operations such as painting or interior completion; 16 airports (40%) provide aviation warehousing; 13 (33%) reported aircraft fabrication and development; and 12 (29%) reported aircraft manufacturing and assembly. The survey results suggest the following strategies for success in funding industrial aviation: (1) using a team or collaborative approach, and (2) outreach to other airports in similar situations and with similar goals.
ACRP projects are supported by the non-profit Transportation Research Board with funding from the Federal Aviation Administration.
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Shelley Ewalt.
* * * * *
McBreen & Kopko’s Aviation Group represents air carriers, fixed base operators (FBOs), airport managers, aviation service providers, and business aircraft owners and operators on a wide range of aviation issues including regulatory matters, commercial transactions, aircraft finance matters, and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights.