Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) Report for FY 2021-2025
October 6, 2020
Today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its report to Congress on the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) for fiscal years 2021 to 2025. In the report, FAA estimates that approximately $43.6 billion is needed between 2021 and 2025 for airport projects eligible for funding under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). This is an increase of $8.5 billion (or 24%) from the last report issued in 2018, which identified $35.1 billion in necessary airport projects. However, FAA inserted a prefatory note acknowledging that its analysis was conducted without assessing impacts from the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency:
As required by statute, FAA submits to Congress a report on the NPIAS for the purpose of identifying the estimated cost of eligible airport development FAA considers necessary to provide a safe, efficient, and integrated system of public-use airports adequate to meet the country's needs. The report also identifies the airports within the national airport system and the roles they serve. Only the airports included in the NPIAS are eligible for AIP grants. FAA prepares the report for Congress every two years.
The new FAA report identifies 3,310 public-use airports (3,304 existing and 6 proposed) that are important to the national air transportation system. The six proposed airports include one primary airport for the Chicago area and five non-primary airports for Angoon, Alaska; Newtok, Alaska; Noatak, Alaska; Sitka, Alaska; and Sparta, Kentucky. This total is down slightly from the previous report two years ago, which identified 3,328 critical public-use airports.
You can review the entire FAA report and list of NPIAS airports here.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Justin Barkowski at justin.barkowski@aaae.org.
Today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its report to Congress on the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) for fiscal years 2021 to 2025. In the report, FAA estimates that approximately $43.6 billion is needed between 2021 and 2025 for airport projects eligible for funding under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). This is an increase of $8.5 billion (or 24%) from the last report issued in 2018, which identified $35.1 billion in necessary airport projects. However, FAA inserted a prefatory note acknowledging that its analysis was conducted without assessing impacts from the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency:
- The FAA collected statistics and started preparing this NPIAS many months prior to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency in March 2020. Airport development cost estimates are based on master plan updates and capital improvement plans that take significant time to update when there are major changes in activity levels.
An immediate consequence of this public health emergency was a sharp decline in air travel, but its full impact (and the longer-term recovery timeframe for both the national economy and aviation industry in particular) was not yet known and could not be assessed in time to be incorporated into this NPIAS, which is required to be published by September 30, 2020. Additionally, airport categories do not reflect the impact of COVID-19 on aviation activity levels. This NPIAS also does not take into account the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) enacted in March 2020 and that included $10 billion in funds awarded as economic relief to eligible U.S. airports affected by the prevention of, preparation for, and response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
As required by statute, FAA submits to Congress a report on the NPIAS for the purpose of identifying the estimated cost of eligible airport development FAA considers necessary to provide a safe, efficient, and integrated system of public-use airports adequate to meet the country's needs. The report also identifies the airports within the national airport system and the roles they serve. Only the airports included in the NPIAS are eligible for AIP grants. FAA prepares the report for Congress every two years.
The new FAA report identifies 3,310 public-use airports (3,304 existing and 6 proposed) that are important to the national air transportation system. The six proposed airports include one primary airport for the Chicago area and five non-primary airports for Angoon, Alaska; Newtok, Alaska; Noatak, Alaska; Sitka, Alaska; and Sparta, Kentucky. This total is down slightly from the previous report two years ago, which identified 3,328 critical public-use airports.
You can review the entire FAA report and list of NPIAS airports here.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Justin Barkowski at justin.barkowski@aaae.org.
