Airport planning at local, regional, state and federal levels should be coordinated and integrated. This goal, however, is often difficult to achieve. To some extent, this arises naturally from different areas of concern and expertise. At the extremes, local planners are attempting to plan for the development of one airport, whereas the FAA is trying to codify the needs of several thousand airports that might request aid. Local planners are most concerned with details and local conditions that will never be of interest to a national planning body.   Even though the airport authority might create a thoroughly competent plan, lack of information about other public or private development proposed in the community (or failure of municipal authorities to impose and maintain zoning ordinances) allows conflicts to develop over use of the airport and surrounding land. This problem can be especially severe where there are several municipalities or local jurisdictions surrounding the airport property. Just as there will always be a need for competent airport management, airport planners will always be needed to protect the viability of today's airport system for the aviation needs of tomorrow.

 Answer the following questions

 

1. Although the NPIAS is considered the national airport system plan, it often isn't a complete plan. Why is this? What is the purpose of regional-level system planning in your state airport? Mention the most critical issues addressed by regional-level system planning of that airport?
2. In your country of origin pick a popular airport and indicate the primary objective of its airport terminal area planning? What factors was taken into consideration in planning the airport terminal area?
3. What steps are involved in estimating the space requirements in planning airport terminals? What is an aircraft fleet mix?
4. Discuss the process involved with environmental planning for airport development?