Public use airports host planned aeronautical special events to increase public awareness, foster community support, and potentially generate revenue. There is guidance to assist airport operators in planning, organizing, and conducting an event, and restoring normal operations after an event.  However, it would be beneficial to provide a single source document to assist airport operators and event sponsors to successfully host aeronautical special events.

An aeronautical special event for the purpose of this report involves aviation activities (fly-ins, open houses, static displays, etc.).  It does not include non-aeronautical events such as 5K runs, car shows, concerts, etc.

The objective of this report is to consolidate available information and lessons learned in planning, organizing, and conducting an aeronautical special event, and restoring normal operations after the event.  The intended audience for this report is airport operators and aeronautical special event organizers.

The following information will be collected and a report written through literature review and survey/interview with select airport operators and event organizers that have hosted aeronautical events at their airport.  The report should describe typical types of aeronautical special events occurring on airport property or impacting its airspace at public use airports nationwide. At a minimum, the report should consider, describe and include the following:

·         Site planning (e.g., ground ops)

·         Safety

·         Security

·         Emergency/incident planning (weather, mutual aid)

·         Agreements and legal considerations

·         Air traffic management

·         Crowd control (e.g., traffic, people, parking)

·         Tenant relations

·         Sponsorships

·         FAA coordination (waivers, NOTAMS)

·         Volunteers

·         Local coordination (e.g., permitting, VIPs)

·         Financial planning and economic benefits

·         Insurance, liability and risk management

·         Staffing

·         Equipment

·         Pre-, during, and post-event procedures

·         Marketing, media and community relations

·         Concessions

·         Challenges and successes

·         20-20 hindsight and lessons learned

A partial list of information sources follows:

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Airport Open House:  The Complete Guide to Holding an Airport Open House, http://www.aopa.org/asn/open_house.pdf

AOPA, Temporary Airport Closure for Special Events, http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/region/closure.html

John Wayne Airport Special Event Application, http://www.ocair.com/BusinessandEmployment/docs/SpecialEventApplication042511.pdf

FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management

FAA CertAlert No. 02-07, Air Show Event Ground Operations Plan

Applicable ACRP reports
Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 16: Guidebook for Managing Small Airports http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/162145.aspx