Altaport recently attended the 2024 Association of California Airports (ACA) Fall Conference in South Lake Tahoe as a sponsor, exhibitor, and panelist, participating in many discussions about the future of airport operations. Advanced air mobility (AAM) and aircraft electrification, a topic of particular interest to many California airports, took center stage in a panel on "Futureproofing Airports", in which Altaport CEO Cory Cozzens participated alongside Melissa McCaffrey (Head of Government Affairs at Archer), Michael Luetgens (Airport Operations Manager at Palo Alto Airport), Timothy Middleton (Principal Consultant at HMMH), Lisa Harmon (Aviation and Environmental Planner at Mead & Hunt), and panel host Andrew Swanson (Airport Manager at Palo Alto Airport). Read on for some of the key insights shared by the panel!
Advanced air mobility and aircraft electrification will transform even the smallest airports. As air mobility becomes increasingly common and affordable, once quiet airports will be pushed into service as essential hubs for both passenger and freight transport. This shift will have a dramatic affect airport operations, economic potential, and community relations. Airports need to evaluate their role in this changing landscape and prepare their infrastructure accordingly. This may involve developing facilities for intermodal transportation, enhancing passenger flow management, and installing electric charging stations. Collaboration with local government, aircraft OEMs, and other stakeholders will be critical.
Assessing existing facilities is crucial to determining necessary upgrades, such as expanding terminals, installing electric charging stations, and rethinking layouts to accommodate new types of aircraft. Airports can begin preparing now by engaging with their communities about the role desired for the airport in this evolving ecosystem and creating a roadmap for incremental improvements that align with their communities' long-term goals.
Noise concerns were a key topic for the panel, with conference attendees all wondering how AAM will impact airport neighbors and what airports can do to address community concerns. While electric aircraft are significantly quieter than traditionally-powered aircraft—potentially 100 times quieter than today's helicopters—noise perception involves more than just decibels. Factors like flight frequency and visibility also play a role that an airport must consider when addressing concerns. That said, panelists seemed to agree that there is no magic bullet for addressing airport noise concerns. The FAA is appropriately hesitant to grant requests to change flight paths when doing so would decrease safety or shift noise impact from one community to another. Similarly, airports that are funded by the FAA are generally constrained in their ability to accept or reject certain operators or traffic types. While noise abatement programs can be put in place, for safety reasons, they can generally only be voluntary in nature. With these constraints on airports, the panel concluded that the most important thing an airport can do is communicate openly and proactively with their communities, setting realistic expectations, aligning interests, and seeking common ground.
Electrification infrastructure was also of great interest to conference attendees and panelists. Many airports are either unsure what to do about electrification, or are relying on FBOs to take the lead. Nevertheless, the panel emphasized the importance of airports taking initiative, as electrification projects can take years to plan and implement. Similarly, airports should not be shy as they explore potential solutions, which may include onsite power generation and microgrids.
As airports consider electrification requirements, it's important that they consider not only those needs expressed proactively by eVTOL OEMs, but also the broader needs of an electrified fleet ranging from training aircraft to corporate jets. The Pipistrel Velis Electro is already being used for flight training, while the Eviation Alice is paving the way for electric business aviation. While eVTOL manufacturers have been particularly proactive about communicating their needs to airports, airports should similarly be proactive in exploring the future needs of customers that may not have as much foresight into their needs for electrification, but who will certainly want to take advantage of electrified aircraft as they become available.
As airports consider electrification strategies, they should also consider their opportunities to differentiate themselves based on the charging solutions they provide and the reliability and affordability of those solutions. Partnering with renewable energy providers can help reduce the carbon footprint and attract environmentally conscious operators. Similarly, low costs energy sources will be key to attracting flight training programs and other cost-sensitive operations.
Many airports still rely on outdated manual processes, such as radio communications and paper records, which will prove inadequate for the operational demands of AAM. The panel stressed the importance of digital transformation to prepare for the future GA airports face. Implementing onsite ADS-B solutions, for instance, can improve situational awareness, operational control, and potentially enable an airport to tap into additional FAA funding needed to prepare effectively for increasing and evolving airport utilization. That said, digital transformation isn't just about technology—it requires cultural changes within airport management. Training programs will be key to equipping staff with the necessary skills for managing new systems and embracing technological advancements.
Small to mid-sized airports will be the backbone of the early AAM network, and will see major increases in demand as electrification and automation drive down aviation costs. Airports need to evaluate and prepare for their roles in this evolving ecosystem, invest in modernization, and effectively communicate with their communities. The discussions at the ACA Fall Conference underscored the importance of taking proactive steps today to prepare for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
By positioning themselves as leaders in AAM and electrification, airports can benefit from increased traffic, new business opportunities, and stronger community ties. Advanced air mobility and electrification are not just about adapting to changes—they offer an opportunity to reimagine the role of airports in the modern world.
