Legal Issues Concerning the Safety and Security of General Aviation Airports

At general aviation (GA) airports, safety and security is generally regulated pursuant to federal laws including sponsor grant assurances. Sponsors of GA airports are subject to state and local laws. ACRP Synthesis 3: General Aviation Safety and Security Practices (2007) identified approximately 30 states with licensing requirements primarily for public-use airports within their state. Of those 30 states with licensing requirements, approximately 20 have a recurring inspection program. The range of standards and programs for enforcing standards at GA airports across the country creates confusion among federal and state regulatory agencies, airport sponsors and operators, and pilots, which makes it difficult for GA airports to adhere to consistent safety standards and other related oversight requirements. Legal research is needed to build upon, update, and expand ACRP Synthesis 3. An update is needed of the information regarding the nature and extent of state and local regulation of GA airports that should include state and local safety requirements in the states that participate in the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) block grant program. The objective is to provide a comprehensive compilation of legal source information for stakeholders in safety and security of federally obligated noncertificated GA airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Research should minimally include identifying state and local laws, supplemented by surveys as needed, to compile state aviation laws, regulations, and policies on safety and security at public-use, GA airports, focusing on federally obligated airports. The research should include a table showing and comparing major requirements for airports in all 50 states and territories.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5428
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $75000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 11-01, Topic 15-02

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Airport Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Project Managers:

  Christensen, Jordan

• Start Date: 20230619
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aviation safety; General aviation airports; Laws; Legal factors; Policy; Regulations; Security
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01879055
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 11-01, Topic 15-02
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Apr 10 2023 5:04PM