Airports consistently face challenges coordinating with external entities to address verified obstructions to air navigation. Even when obstructions are verified through inspections by State Aeronautical Agencies or additional analysis, airports often must negotiate with landowners or other stakeholder to remove the obstructions that do not fall within the airport or municipality’s jurisdiction (e.g., obstructions on private land, land in a neighboring municipality, etc.). The need for external coordination sometimes results in delays, additional costs, or legal action to address the obstruction (such as eminent domain). There is currently no single resource that synthesizes how airports address these situations.

The objective of this synthesis is to collect information on the various agreement’s airports enter into to address obstructions, with a focus on obstructions that are outside of the airport boundary.

Information to be described in a concise report includes (but is not limited to):

• A literature review of the various tools airports have at their disposal to address obstructions.
• Describe the obstruction evaluation process.
• Examples of collaborative approaches to addressing obstructions and the length of time it takes from identifying an obstruction to the resolution.
• Document various agreements that airports have to address obstructions.
• Describe other solutions to addressing obstructions besides removal and its impact.
• Case examples from selected airports on particularly challenging situations in this area.

Information will be collected through literature review, a survey of airports if applicable, and interviews with selected airports for the development of case examples. Knowledge gaps and suggestions for future research to address those gaps will also be identified.

Partial Information Sources

ACRP Report 195, Best Practices for Airport Obstruction Management Guidebook, 2019 https://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/178568.aspx

TRB Staff: Jordan Christensen, jchristensen@nas.edu

STATUS First panel meeting to select the contractor is in June 2024