Transportation

Multimodal Systems/Aeronautics

Statewide Outcome(s):

Aeronautics supports the following statewide outcome(s).

Sustainable options to safely move people, goods, services and information.

Context:

Aeronautics plays an important role in the state transportation system. Consolidating the management of state and federal grants, statewide planning, aircraft registration, navigational aids, technical assistance, safety and educational information related to airplanes, airports, airline travel, and freight provides consistent administration at the lowest possible cost.

The purpose of the Aeronautics activity is to:

1.      Construct, improve, and operate airports and other air navigation facilities

2.      Assist municipalities in the zoning and comprehensive planning processes

3.      Assist municipalities in initiating, enhancing and marketing scheduled air service

4.      Promote interest and safety in aeronautics through education and information

5.      Collect aircraft registration.

6.      Provide safe air travel to state personnel to enhance efficiency

The aeronautics activity provides funding for safety, preservation, and expansion projects at Minnesota’s airports. The aviation system allows Minnesota residents and businesses to utilize air travel as a safe, fast, and efficient mode of transportation. This furthers the economic growth of all regions of the state.

The primary customers of the aeronautics program are airport sponsors, including municipalities, counties, and airport commissions; the pilots and passengers who use of the system; and numerous aviation and non-aviation businesses.

The primary source of state funding for aeronautics is the state airports fund which is a statutorily dedicated fund. This fund has three primary revenue sources: aircraft registration fees, tax on aviation fuel, and air flight property tax.

Strategies:

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) administers the state airports fund and channels funds from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to airport sponsors. The funds are used for safety, preservation, and expansion projects at airports, as well as for air navigation systems. The funded projects greatly enhance the safety of air travel, both in the air and on the ground, and improve the mobility of people and goods by creating greater economic competiveness and opportunities. This work is accomplished in partnership with MnDOT and FAA staff, airport sponsors/owners, aircraft owners, businesses, airlines, and other stakeholders.

In addition, the Aeronautics Office administers numerous regulatory tasks including aircraft registration, airport licensing, airport safety inspections, tall tower permitting, and airport safety zoning approvals.

Results:

For over two decades MnDOT aeronautics staff have been using a variety of performance measures to analyze the aviation system and direct investment priorities to produce the greatest public benefit. These measures suggest the following trends:

1.      Airport pavement conditions have been degrading slightly in recent years

2.      Most residents of the state live near a paved and lighted runway, providing convenient access to the aviation system

3.      The number of aviation accidents has been diminishing in the last ten years

4.      Pilots have adequate weather data available to make informed decisions on when and where to fly

The 2011 Legislature provided $3.7 million in bond funds to improve runway pavements at airports throughout the state. Airport system pavement conditions are expected to meet or exceed targets upon completion of the program for projects under construction in 2012.

Although stable, access to the aviation system as measured by the percent of population near an airport appears to have decreased because of changes used in the methodologies that determine service areas. In addition to a new census data approach, drive time analysis conducted as part of the 2012 State Aviation System Plan employed advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software that was unavailable for previous analyses. The resulting changes in methodologies produced data that is more precise, but do not provide an equivalent comparison to previous years’ information.

Minnesota residents who live within a 30 minute surface drive time of an airport with a paved and lighted runway have convenient access to the aviation system. The system provides access to passenger airlines, air charter providers, corporate aircraft, and package delivery services that connect Minnesota to regional, national, and inte­national destinations. The air transportation system also supports agricultural needs in crop protection as well as the delivery of medical and emergency services such as those delivered by air ambulance providers, the Minnesota State Patrol, aerial fire fighters, the Civil Air Patrol, and local law enforcement.

The number of aviation accidents in Minnesota is trending downward. The primary tools used by MnDOT include improved weather information dissemination and outreach through pilot safety seminars. A common cause of aircraft accidents is continued flight into deteriorating weather conditions. Minnesota’s continental climate provides a variety of quickly changing weather conditions from thunderstorms in spring and summer to ice storms in late fall and winter. Up-to-the-minute accurate weather reporting at airports helps pilots make good flight planning decisions. Weather stations at local airports provide instant reporting of current conditions at those airports. Providing weather stations at several airports creates a reliable network of available weather information along any flight route and enhances the safety of the flight; however, not every airport needs a weather observation station. A distance of 30 nautical miles is considered adequate spacing.

Performance Measures Notes:

Airport pavement condition: Additional information is available in the 2011 Annual Minnesota Transportation Performance Report.

*Aviation access: As referenced earlier in the document, changes in methodology resulted in a more precise set of data in 2011 that does not provide an equivalent comparison to past years’ data. Additional information is available in the 2011 Annual Minnesota Transportation Performance Report. Previous data is available in the 2010 Annual Minnesota Transportation Performance Report both available at:

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/measures/.

Aviation accidents: Aviation accidents are investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) further information is available at: http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/index.aspx.

Weather data: Additional information is available at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/avoffice/weather.html.