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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Identifying and Developing the Core Capabilities of an Airport Emergency Management Program



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2679053</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports must manage all-hazards events, which occur from time to time. Airports should be proactive in addressing the needs for the development and implementation of Emergency Management (EM) frameworks and core capabilities to build preparedness. As airports move toward the establishment or expansion of their EM initiatives, they should understand airport organizational designs of EM, training needs, guidelines, and requirements in the development, implementation, and sustainability of EM core capabilities. Airports should consider opportunities to explore lessons learned from airport case studies and examine interdependent industries and related disciplines with emerging risks to identify commonalities and variances. This project will assist airports in establishing and maintaining their EM programs through and standardized approach of continuous process improvement.

The objective of this research is to develop a guide of standardized core capabilities. The core capabilities should include EM-specific benchmarks tailored for the airport EM function for airport sponsors and its stakeholders to continuously evaluate the strengths and opportunities in the development or improvement of a comprehensive EM framework. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:08:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2679053</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Legal Aspects of Airport Programs. Topic 18-01. Legal Responsibilities Arising Out of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Air Carrier Access Act</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625813</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) ensure the rights and accommodations of individuals with disabilities in the United States. The ADA provides a comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including in employment, public accommodations, and transportation. The ACAA addresses the rights of passengers with disabilities in air travel and requires airlines to accommodate the needs of these individuals. Airlines and airports play critical roles in implementing these laws. Airlines are responsible for ensuring that their services, from booking to boarding, are accessible, while airports must provide accessible facilities. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) also have regulatory authority over air travel, including consumer protections, safety, and operational standards. While FAA's primary focus is on safety and efficiency of the national airspace system, it plays a supporting role in ensuring compliance with accessibility standards through various policies and guidance. It includes collaboration with the DOT, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and other agencies to ensure that regulations and guidance related to disability accommodations are upheld. However, the intersection of the ADA and ACAA can create challenges, as the ADA covers public spaces such as airport terminals, and the ACAA governs the treatment of passengers by airlines within the airport terminal. The objective of this research is to examine the legal obligations for airports and airlines arising out of the ADA and the ACAA, including accommodations for visible and invisible physical and mental impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:04:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625813</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Legal Aspects of Airport Programs. Topic 18-02. Role of Legal Counsel During an Airport Emergency</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625812</link>
      <description><![CDATA[All airports face risks from emergencies, whether man-made, mechanical, or natural. While 14 C.F.R. Part 139 Airports are required to establish an Airport Emergency Plan to address at least nine types of emergencies, some airports also create emergency plans to manage and plan for their response. The role of the Airport’s legal counsel in the AEP should be examined at various airports, considering steps airport legal counsel can take preparing, responding, recovering from major emergencies to support prompt emergency response and mitigate liability and risk to the airport.  

The report will provide analysis to explain the legal requirements for an Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) under 14 C.F.R. Part 139, identify other statutes and regulations that create responsibilities for emergency response outside of 14 C.F.R. Part 139, as well as other emergency plans airports implement. Additionally, it should evaluate tools an airport legal counsel can utilize, both in terms of emergency planning and conducting typical airport business to help manage potential risks during an emergency. It should discuss the roles of legal counsel and resources they can utilize during and immediately following the initial response and examine the benefits and drawbacks to these approaches. The report should include two or three case studies that explore whether and how legal counsel supports the Airport in responding to and recovering from an emergency.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:52:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625812</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Changing Landscape of Environmental Reviews under NEPA for Airports</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625811</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Prior to 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airports utilized the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations to review projects subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In 2024 in Marin Audubon Society v. FAA the DC circuit found the CEQ regulations ultra vires and in 2025, in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v.  Eagle County the U.S. Supreme Court held that agencies’ determinations related to the boundaries of environmental review are entitled to substantial deference, and clarified that reasonably forseeable effects are close in time and space to the project being reviewed, and subject to the agency’s regulatory authorities. The CEQ regulations were fully rescinded in February 2025. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued Order 5610.1D, Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts, and FAA issued Order 1050.1G, FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures. Additionally, the 2023 Fiscial Responsibility Act ammendments to NEPA and the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act resulted in significant changes to agencies’ historical NEPA practices.

OBJECTIVE: This report will summarize the major changes in statutory and regulatory requirements, provide an overview of how Section 743 of the 2024 Reauthorization Act intersects with FAA’s National Enviornmental Policy Act (NEPA) obligations (e.g. segmentation, connected actions), and address how these changes interplay with state and local environmental laws. It should provide strategies for integrating local, state, and federal planning and environmental and permitting requirements to facilitate expedited project delivery. This report should update ACRP LRD 22, The Role of the Airport Sponsor in Airport Planning and Environmental Reviews of Proposed Development Projects Under the NEPA and State Mini-NEPA Laws.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:14:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625811</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S01-34. Leveraging Technology to Streamline Capital Improvement Program Management



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621997</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Inconsistent technology used across airports, state aviation departments, and federal agencies can create inefficiencies in Capital Improvement Program (CIP) management. Industry stakeholders are evolving their use of technological systems for CIP portfolio management and data sharing, which allow for collaboration and streamlined processes. It also allows them to track recurring projects and share information across departments.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document practices leveraging technology in ways to streamline Capital Improvement Program management through internal and external information sharing. For this synthesis, Capital Improvement Program (CIP) management encompasses the portfolio management life cycle from the idea of a project through planning, development, etc., to closeout, for all airport projects regardless of funding source. The audience for this synthesis is aviation planners, airport executives, and commissions/boards.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:28:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621997</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S01-33. Practices for Determining Landing Fees at General Aviation Airports</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621998</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports across the United States face increasing pressure to develop sustainable funding sources while maintaining fair and competitive pricing strategies. Landing fees represent a significant potential source of revenue, yet there is little consistency in how these fees are established or structured. Non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors do not have a standard way to determine general aviation landing fee schedules that balance operational and capital costs, market competitiveness, and stakeholder expectations. Recent ACRP reports have addressed topics related to airport operations and finance, but not specifically the determination of general aviation landing fees at non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors. Other industry research tends to focus on commercial service airports or on general airport funding strategies without a detailed examination of landing fee methodologies. This synthesis will focus on the unique considerations and challenges faced by non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document practices for determining and implementing general aviation landing fees levied by non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors. The audience for this synthesis is airport sponsors.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:25:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621998</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S06-10. Airport Apprenticeship, Internship, Cooperative Education, and Externship Programs</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621999</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports increasingly recognize the value of structured apprenticeship, internship, cooperative education and externship programs in developing a highly qualified workforce. These programs offer training pathways that blend classroom instruction with practical, on-the-job learning, making them particularly effective for technical, skilled trades, and operational roles within the airport environment. However, there is variation in how airports design, deliver, and evaluate these programs. A clearer understanding of the current landscape and emerging practices would help airports establish robust apprenticeship, internship, cooperative education or externship programs that aligned with both airports’ goals and industry workforce needs. Furthermore, understanding the current landscape of practices can help airports optimize these opportunities and align them with organizational objectives, academic program and student needs, and industry workforce efforts.

The objective of this synthesis is to document the approaches and practices that airports of various sizes use to structure apprenticeships, internship, cooperative education, and externship programs. The audience for this synthesis is airport leadership, human resources, operational departments, and aviation education programs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:23:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621999</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S09-12. Considerations in Airport Landscaping</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2622000</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports can be adversely affected by their surrounding environments (wildlife, tree growth, standing water, weather related impacts, etc.) causing safety and security issues.  As common landscaping practices can introduce a variety of these issues it can be difficult to create attractive landscapes at airports. Furthermore, airside and landside landscaping is not eligible for federal funding, making this more challenging to implement. However, some airports have identified benefits of landscaping, including providing visual and noise buffers between the airfield and surrounding communities, and have incorporated creative landscaping to enhancing the airport environment for employees and customers.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document airside and landside landscaping practices that enhance user experience at the airport while sustaining operational safety.  The audience for this synthesis is airport managers.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:19:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2622000</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S04-30. Emergency Response Roles and Responsibilities for Non-Operational and Administrative Airport Staff</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621996</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airport operations and first responders are well versed in how to respond to an airport emergency. However, the administrative and staff teams (non-operational positions, including executive leadership) who have completed required emergency response training but haven’t put it into practice may not feel prepared during a real emergency. Additionally, airport operations and emergency teams are unable to provide the type of training needed to get administrative teams ready to respond. While the Incident Command Structure outline responsibilities, the information doesn't translate smoothly to an administrative team’s understanding. Understanding their role can be especially important at smaller airports with fewer staff.

The objective of this synthesis is to document the administrative and non-operational airport staff roles and responsibilities that support emergency response. The audience for this synthesis is for airport operators who are training administrative staff for response.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:16:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621996</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Guide on Integrating and Advancing IT throughout the Airport



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588324</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In 2012, the ACRP published ACRP Report 59: Information Technology Systems at Airports—A Primer. As a primer, it attempts to holistically describe the technology landscape of an airport environment and help airport leaders and information technology (IT) professionals communicate about IT and appropriately plan and implement IT systems. Since it was published, many IT solutions have changed from discrete systems to integral parts of the modern digital ecosystem at many U.S. airports. The role of IT professionals and broader IT business units at airports has also evolved.

Building on ACRP Report 59, airports need a deeper discussion around the unique technological aspects of the modern airport industry to educate leaders and IT professionals coming from inside and outside the industry. Additionally, airport executives and IT leaders need guidance to address the integration of IT systems and solutions with other airport functions and business units to enable better data sharing, process optimization, and decision-making. Research is needed to identify effective strategies, frameworks, and examples that can guide airports in achieving this integration and advancing their IT maturity.

The objective of this research is to develop: (1) A guide to help airports strategically plan, implement, and maintain IT systems; (2) A primer for non-IT airport executives on the importance of collaboration between the IT unit and other internal stakeholders (e.g., operations, maintenance, planning, engineering) and of integrating IT considerations into key airport processes (e.g., capital planning, budgeting); and (3) A matrix of traditional and airport-specific IT systems and common characteristics, e.g., basic infrastructure requirements, internal and external users, the sizes and types of airports that might use the IT system, and applicable regulatory entities.

The guidebook, primer, and matrix must be scalable to all sizes of airports, speak to both IT professionals and airport executives, and address varying levels of maturity in the relationships between IT and internal and external stakeholders.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:36:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588324</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Airport Safety Culture and Its Impact on Aviation Safety Management</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588327</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) final rule, effective April 24, 2023, mandates that certain certificated airports implement and maintain a safety management system (SMS) to enhance operational safety. Central to the success of these systems is a positive safety culture. This concept, emphasized in Advisory Circular 150/5200-37A, underscores the importance of developing a safety-conscious environment and understanding the existing safety culture within airports. Equally important is the need to assess the safety climate—employees' perceptions of safety practices and policies at a given time.

Given the diverse, multi-employer landscape of airport operations—including airlines, ground handling agents (GHAs), fixed-base operators (FBOs), and public safety partners—there are unique challenges in aligning the safety cultures of various stakeholders, each with its own operational practices and regulatory requirements.

Research is needed to bridge the gap between an airport’s intended expectations for a robust safety culture and the actual perceptions reflected in its safety climate.

The objective of this research is to develop a playbook with tools that assist airports in assessing, improving, and sustaining a positive safety climate and safety culture. The research should help airports understand the gap between an organization's intended expectations for a robust safety culture and the actual impact of the organization's safety climate.

Research should focus on the unique multi-employer and multi-regulatory environment of airports, which includes airlines, various stakeholders, GHAs, FBOs, concessionaires, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MROs), and public safety partners.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:32:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588327</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Guide for Airport Parking Operation and Revenue Management Models


</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588329</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airport parking fees are a critical source of non-aeronautical revenue for airports. According to a 2024 Airport Council International (ACI) report, U.S. airports generate approximately $5-7 billion annually from parking, accounting for 43% of total non-aeronautical revenues. Given the significance of this revenue stream, airports are prioritizing enhanced customer experiences while exploring new monetization opportunities. Over the past 5–10 years, many airports have adopted innovations such as cashless, attendant free in-lane kiosks, dynamic pricing models, and pre-booked parking reservations to streamline operations and boost yields. 

Research is needed to help airport practitioners compare the long-term financial and operational performance of various parking operating models (including hybrid third-party) across different airport sizes and regions. This research should help airport practitioners assess the impact of emerging technologies and pricing strategies on customer satisfaction, utilization rates, and revenue optimization under various operating models.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to develop a guide to help implement parking strategies, map the future parking models and evaluate the pros and cons of each operational model, and enable airports to select the approach that best aligns with their strategic goals.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:30:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588329</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessing the Risk of Runway Incursions at Non-Towered Airports



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588328</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No abstract provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:28:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588328</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACRP Insight Event: Enhancing Operational Efficiency Through Extended Reality Technologies

</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588325</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The airport industry faces increasing pressure to enhance operational efficiency due to growing passenger demands, heightened security measures, and airspace constraints. Traditional training methods and operational workflows often rely on outdated systems, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs. Building on the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Project 07-26, “Extended Reality Possibilities in the Airport Environment,” which identifies categories of extended reality (XR) technologies, their benefits, best-use applications, and airport “readiness” to implement them, further research is needed to explore how XR technologies can be applied to enhance operational efficiencies at airports.  

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project is to conduct an in-person ACRP Insight Event (see Special Note A) for airport-industry practitioners, relevant stakeholders, and subject matter experts (SMEs) to discuss XR technologies to determine how these technologies can be integrated into the airport environment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:26:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588325</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Guide for Airports to Mitigate Outdoor Worker Exposure to Extreme Temperature Conditions</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588331</link>
      <description><![CDATA[U.S. airports have outdoor workers who are exposed to extreme heat and cold, which may contribute to substantial health hazards and productivity losses. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards require measures to protect outdoor workers but do not provide specific mitigation strategies that airports can implement. The types of operations and the built environment of an airport may impact workers’ exposure to extreme temperatures.

Research is needed to provide airports with guidance for protecting outdoor workers’ health and safety while maintaining operations in extreme temperatures. A resulting guidance document would help airports mitigate exposure to extreme temperatures and minimize risk to outdoor workers. 

The objective of this research is to develop a guide for airport practitioners to protect outdoor workers’ health and safety while maintaining operations in extreme temperatures. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:23:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588331</guid>
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