The results of a comprehensive Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study find that Massachusetts public airports generate $11.9 billion in economic activity and support approximately 124,000 jobs, with positive impact seen in regions across the Commonwealth. For example:
The Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study completed by the MassDOT Aeronautics Division with the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration measured the total economic impact of the 39 public-use airports in Massachusetts, including Boston Logan International Airport. The airports’ $11.9 billion in economic activity and 124,000 related jobs reflects commercial airline service, military aviation, emergency law enforcement and medical transport activity and general aviation.
The MassDOT Board of Directors in the past two years has also approved additional infrastructure investments in the Commonwealth's airports, including a $13.4 million grant for runway extension and safety at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport and $13.1 million toward a new terminal building at Barnstable Municipal Airport, in addition to annual ongoing airport maintenance improvement projects statewide.
The Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study executive summary is available on the web:
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/portals/7/downloads/aero_economicStudy_111021.pdf
By Scott W. Lang, Mayor, New Bedford
Over a century ago, aviation enthusiasts in Massachusetts formed our country's first aeronautical society (1895) and first aeronautical club (1902), encouraging individuals to experiment and study the science of flight.
Sometime later, our state was home of the first licensed aircraft manufacturer in the United States with the establishment of the Burgess and Curtis Co. based out of Marblehead in 1911. And these stories go on and on — from the first-built monoplanes for the U.S. government, to the first nonstop service to Europe — we should be proud that much of the history of aviation has roots here in the commonwealth.
With a major commercial airport that serves as a worldwide hub, and over 200 publicly and privately owned aviation facilities, our state remains a leader in terms of aviation. While most people immediately think of commercial aviation, the truth is that our local general aviation airports serve as a lifeline for communities throughout the state, allowing local businesses, manufacturers, farmers, medical and law enforcement organizations, and charities to reach residents quickly and efficiently when time is of the essence. These airports and the aircraft that rely upon them play a pivotal role in our communities, generating over $304 million annually in economic activity and supporting roughly 10,000 jobs throughout the state.
Here in New Bedford, we have a great airport that is evolving to meet the demands of aviation in the 21st century. The New Bedford Regional Municipal Airport is a tremendous asset for our city and region. It is an economic driver that generates over $26 million annually in revenue, and its related companies employ over 200 people. Bridgewater State University has founded a School of Aviation and has built one of the most modern aviation educational facilities in the United States. It has partnered with our area high schools and vocational high schools to provide aviation careers in service, technology and mechanical areas.
At the present time, the airport is involved in a major FAA safety project extending buffer areas to its 5,000-foot runway. In the future, New Bedford airport will improve the aprons and taxi areas as well as expand its terminal to provide TSA screening and a dedicated access road to the airport. In fact, in the coming decades, New Bedford Municipal Airport will be a major factor in building our region's aviation sector in transportation, freight, education and public safety resources.
In addition, these aircraft and airports help in ways that many do not realize — after our recent snow storms, when communities were without power and supplies, FEMA responded using general aviation aircraft and airports to ensure supplies reached our cities and towns quickly. Throughout the year, charitable groups such as Angel Flight Northeast utilize airports such as Westover Metropolitan, offering free flights to those in need of transportation to critical care treatment centers. In fact, Holyoke Medical Center relies on Westover Airport to transport patients and organs, allowing medical services to be provided to those in need quickly.
It is for all these reasons and more that it is fitting that Gov. Deval Patrick recently declared "General Aviation Appreciation Month," and recognized just how valuable general aviation is to the state of Massachusetts.
Governor Deval Patrick today visited Bridgewater State University's Aviation Training Facility located at the New Bedford Regional Airport to announce the results of a comprehensive statewide airport economic impact study that finds Massachusetts public airports generate $11.9 billion in economic activity and support approximately 124,000 jobs.
After touring the training facility, Governor Patrick proclaimed the month of November as "General Aviation Month."
The Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study completed by MassDOT Aeronautics Division with the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration measured the total economic impact of the 39 public-use airports in Massachusetts, including Boston Logan International Airport. The airports’ $11.9 billion in economic activity and 124,000 related jobs reflects commercial airline service, military aviation, emergency law enforcement and medical transport activity and general aviation.
The Administration's investments in state airports also includes a $7 million grant awarded by MassDOT's Aeronautics Division to the city of New Bedford to help supports its ongoing $17 million New Bedford Regional Airport runway safety project, which is also supported by federal funding. The project began in 2010 with completion expected in 2013.
“The funds supporting this project in New Bedford will improve safety for all aviation users, including the Bridgewater State University flight instructors and the student pilots,” said Christopher Willenborg, MassDOT Aeronautics Division administrator.
The Bridgewater State program established in 1981 offers a four year Bachelors of Science in Aviation Management that includes flight training. Currently, there are approximately 140 students in the aviation management program.
The MassDOT Board of Directors in the past two years has approved additional infrastructure investments in the Commonwealth's airports, including a $13.4 million grant for runway extension and safety at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport and $13.1 million toward a new terminal building at Barnstable Municipal Airport, in addition to annual ongoing airport maintenance improvement projects statewide.
A MassDOT Aeronautics Division survey of aircraft operations during three one-week periods in 2010 and 2011 at the Commonwealth's general aviation airports highlights the airports' importance to the state's economy and tourism.
With the assistance of MassDOT Aeronautics Division intern Gilberto “Gil” Cardenas, MassDOT recorded takeoffs and landings at the public use airports excluding Logan in Boston over a 7-day period during the months of February 2010, April 2011 and July 2011 using the live flight tracking system available on the FlightAware website.
During the holiday week of July 1-July 8, 2011, the survey recorded 5,324 IFR takeoffs and landings from 30 of the 38 public-use airports. Nearly 99 percent occurred between the Commonwealth and other U.S. destinations. There were also 74 international takeoffs and landings to/from European, Caribbean, Asian, and Canadian destinations, including Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Bahamas, and Puerto Rico.
The busiest general aviation airport in Massachusetts during the July 2011 analysis was Nantucket Memorial Airport, above, with 1,847 recorded IFR takeoffs and landings.
Read more about this study and other Aeronautics Division information in the latest online newsletter.
Safety, customer service, and cost efficiency are MassDOT priorities. MassDOT's Aeronautics Division says all three were accomplished through an improvement in Beverly that came at no cost to the Commonwealth. Here’s what it’s all about:
Until August 25th, aircraft landing on instruments at Beverly Municipal Airport during low weather ceilings, could only descend to 500 feet above Runway 16, left, which is generally 100 feet above the area’s average low-level cloud cover. This would all too often mean that all aircraft could not land at the airport during an “instrument” approach attempt. This would result in a “missed approach” due to the requirement of high engine power to climb back to the approach altitude for either another try or to divert to another airport where there would be better weather.
Today, the new LPV instrument approach in place utilizes the new technology of Next Gen and provides greater accuracy without the costly ground infrastructure of similar precision instrument approaches. With a Global Positioning System, precision GPS approaches to the same runway can now be accomplished with better than a 98% completion rate, due to precise guidance by GPS down to 250 feel above the runway, well below the average low-weather conditions at Beverly Municipal Airport.
While there was a moderate cost to the Beverly Airport Commission for obstruction removal from the federally mandated runway clear zone, there was no cost to the Commonwealth for this significant safety and operational improvement for Beverly Airport users.
Thanks to senior aviation planner Dave Graham for this information and for his work with the Beverly Airport Commission and Federal Aviation Administration in organizing the steps necessary to make this upgrade possible.
The MassDOT Aeronautics Division in its latest newsletter takes a closer look at Aviation Education in Massachusetts. Check out a portion of the story by Katie Servis of the MassDOT Aeronautics Division below.
Visit the Aeronautics Division website to learn more about aviation investments, airport improvements, safety and security.
According to online sources such as www.bestaviation.net and www.campusexplorer.com the Commonwealth of Massachusetts provides undergraduate students with a choice of among four state colleges, universities and/or training academies that offer undergraduate programs and/or certification geared towards various aviation industry careers.
The programs offered in Massachusetts rival those offered by nearby New England states such as Rhode Island offering programs at three colleges and/or universities, Connecticut with two colleges and/or universities, and Vermont and New Hampshire each offering aviation related programs at one college and/or university.
In Massachusetts alone, students can earn specialized certificates, associates degrees and/or bachelor degrees in aviation through programs offered at North Shore Community College, National Aviation Academy, Bridgewater State University and Westfield State University.
If you grew weary of the recent harsh winter, you are not alone. But the snow crews at three Commonwealth airports in Boston, Bedford, and Mansfield are being recognized for keeping air travel disruptions to the absolute minimum.
The Balchen/Post Awards are named for pioneering aviators Wiley Post and Col. Bernt Balchen and given each year to airports whose “snow crews” did exemplary work in maintaining their airports in safe and operational conditions during the winter season. The 2010-2011 awards included:
Boston Logan International Airport- Winner, Large Commercial category
Mansfield Municipal Airport- Winner, Small General Aviation category
L.G. Hanscom Field, Bedford- Honorable Mention, Large General Aviation category
Logan and Hanscom are operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority. This is Logan's 3rd award in the past six years, this year sharing the award with LaGuardia Airport. Chicago O'Hare received honorable mention. Last winter, Logan’s snow crews battled more than 80 inches of snow with recent innovations including flush taxiway edge lights which allow crews to plow to the edge of the pavement without the buildup of large windows, and laptop computers in Airport Operations vehicles to provide real-time field condition reporting and access storm tracking radar data on the airfield.
The annual Real World Design Challenge asks high school students to work on real world engineering challenges in a collaborative environment. Each year, student teams address a challenge that confronts one of our nation’s leading industries. This year’s Challenge: design of an aircraft wing that provides better operational performance and improved fuel efficiency. This experience provides the students with the background and framework for competing effectively in a 21st century workforce through an innovative partnership involving government, private industry and education.
Over the past six months, representatives from PTC, MIT, Marlborough Airport, MassDOT Aeronautics Division, and the FAA assisted the students with mentoring and providing computer software for this design challenge. Four Massachusetts high school teams participated in this year’s competition: Marlborough, Newburyport, Milton and Lowell. With the assistance the MIT Aerospace Program, each high school team was ranked based upon their work and response to the challenge.
Team Pizzaz of Marlborough High School, left, comprised of eight students (William Andrade, Matthew Bailey, Rachel Dass, Alec Deveau, Jessica Mendoza, Chris Ortiz, Nicholas Strella, Matthew Whitmore) and their teacher, Ken Hanson, were ranked number one and will represent the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the National Real World Design Challenge in Washington DC this weekend. Congratulations to all students and teachers for their dedication and accomplishments.
MassDOT's GreenDOT environmental responsibility and sustainability initiative is a priority focus in all MassDOT divisions. GreenDOT's three primary goals are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote healthy transportation options including walking, bicycling, and public transit, and support smart growth development.
Katie Servis of the MassDOT Aeronautics Division is a member of MassDOT's Sustainability Committee who along with other committee members is featuring the "green" initiatives of MassDOT. In the Aeronautics Division, Servis is assembling "green" fact sheets on the Commonwealth's general aviation airports.
In the latest edition of the Aeronautics newsletter, the fact sheet highlights the installation of a solar panel system on the roof of the community hangar at the Northampton Airport. The solar panels are connected to the local utility power grid and are projected to provide up to $1,800 worth of electricity annually.
Visit the MassDOT Aeronautics Division on the web to learn more and view the Aeronautics newsletter in news and updates.
