Awareness and Preparedness Levels of Public-Use NPIAS Airports Toward Integration of AAM Technologies – A Case Study of Public-Use Airports in Ohio
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Abstract
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations are anticipated to transform the landscape of flight operations in the aviation industry in the near future, potentially minimizing road traffic, traffic delays, and associated transportation safety costs. Numerous use cases of AAM have been identified that could support various industries such as logistics and healthcare. However, several obstacles must be addressed to enable the establishment and deployment of AAM operations in these industries. These challenges include developing the necessary policies and regulations for AAM operations, investing in AAM vehicles and supporting infrastructure, and educating the public regarding future AAM services. Public-use airports have the potential to facilitate early AAM operations by providing landing and takeoff surfaces, storage and electric charging facilities, and space for local businesses to utilize AAM operations. The availability of public-use airports may therefore play a vital role in advancing AAM initiatives. This study analyzed the awareness and readiness levels of public-use NPIAS airports in the state of Ohio by assessing airport managers’ familiarity with AAM, general preparedness of the airports, and infrastructure readiness of the airports. A total of 40 of Ohio’s 97 NPIAS airports (41.2%) participated in the study. A capability maturity framework that uses a multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was employed to analyze the collected data. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation resulted in an overall readiness score of 1.5379, indicating that the participating airports were generally between Level 1 and Level 2 of the capability maturity framework and had primarily reached preliminary levels of AAM awareness, planning, or implementation. The descriptive findings also indicate varying levels of awareness and readiness among the participating airports and a need for further education of airport operators, local businesses, and communities regarding AAM. The assessment framework developed in this study may serve as a practical self-assessment tool for airports to evaluate their individual preparation and planning initiatives toward integrating AAM services in their local areas.
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