A group from the University of South California, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Winston Laboratory of Hygiene, Molecular Knowledge System Inc., and the Western Washington University worked on the Airport Cooperation Research Program completed project number 02-01. George Bowman, Steven Corsi, Lee Ferguson, Steven Gesi, Harris Gold, Kevin Joback, and Dean Mericas wrote the final report.
The impact that discharges of spent aircraft and airport deicing and anti-icing fluids have on receiving waters in the environment was the project's stated problem. In particular, the airports across the United States of America to a larger extent got affected by the fluids in the storm water runoffs that led to increased aquatic toxicity and biochemical oxygen demand observed in the receiving waters. Additionally, it made the collection and treatment of the fluids very expensive.
The project’s rationale hence was to examine the potential of developing airfield as well as aircraft deicing and anti-icing formulations of lower aquatic toxicity as well as reduced biochemical oxygen demand. Finding such alternative products could be influential in reducing the infrastructural costs at the airports, provide improved operational latitude to the airport's operators, and advance the general reliability of the transportation systems within the airports.
Conclusive findings of the project were that an alternative Type IV formulation was identified. The product significantly showed the efficacy of reduced toxicity compared to other products that the airports were using then. According to Bowman et al., (2010), the final formulation had aquatic toxicity levels that were less compared to the least toxic commercial Type IV products examined. General findings led to the conclusion that there potential viable alternative components that can be used by the airports and have advantages including corrosion inhibitors, thickeners, and surfactants.
Proposed Project: Encouraging Community Involvement at General Aviation Airports
The proposed project is numbered FY 2016 problem number 16-01-01 in Airports Cooperation Research Program. The identified problem of statement for the project’s basis is the need to encourage the community involvement at General Aviation Airports. The review touches on the problem of many aviation airports struggling tighter operational budgets and the limited number of staff. Hence, the project proponents attempt is to research and establish modalities of assisting the airports in areas to do with planning, hosting, and marketing events while promoting the community involvement at the aviation airports.
The project's objective is to design a comprehensive report based on the research findings, case studies, and event planning guides as well as social media guide that can encourage the involvement of the community and the development of the airports. This can be in regards to identified areas comprising marketing options for small budgets, social media methods and benefits, event planning checklists, community event opportunities, event and budget templates, marketing and event sponsorship opportunities and benefits to both the airports and the community based on the proposal initiatives.
In order to push through the proposal, the proposers are tasked with having to review the current successful marketing campaigns and events that have been held at various aviation airports, compile the best practices, and create event planning guides for easy applications for general aviation airports. The project funding is estimated at $250,000 and the research duration is projected to last approximately one fifteen months (Hunt, 2015).
Reference
Bowman .G., Corsi .S., Ferguson .L., Gesi .S., Gold .H., Kevin Joback, K., & Mericas D.(2010). Alternative Aircraft and Pavement Deicers and Anti-icing Formulations with Improved Environmental Characteristics. Accessed on 06/05/2017 from http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/163408.aspx
Hunt.R. (2015). Encouraging Community Involvement at General Aviation Airports. Accessed on 06/05/2017 from https://www.nap.edu/login.php?action=guest&record_id=14370
