This qualitative case study was used to examine the Request for Proposal (RFP) evaluation process used by airports for selecting concessions business operators, including retail and duty-free gift shops, restaurants, newsstands, and public parking. The case consisted of 42 purposefully selected RFPs from 35 airports representing 92% of all U.S. commercial airline passenger traffic compared against guidelines found in Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 54. A problem occurs when evaluation outcomes are challenged because of perceptions of bias, and formal protests and legal claims create delays that disproportionately affect small and minority-owned businesses. The purpose of this study was to compare RFP documents for congruence and influences of concessionaire evaluation ratings. Qualitative data analysis, qualitative content analysis, and interpretive coding were used to explain socioeconomic factors inferred from the documents. Gaps existed in available literature for the effect of airport size, governance type, and evaluator motivation on the RFP process. Study findings showed weighted evaluation criteria inconsistencies with the guidelines, evidence of innate governance system influences, government-operated airport RFP preference of revenue generation measures and socioeconomic attachments, independent authority operated preferences for command and control measures, and potential for the use of standardized core evaluation criteria. By challenging the premise of a bias-free government procurement process, positive social change was achievable through this study's reinforcement of federally qualified small and minority business expansion initiatives promoting open participation and fair competition in concessions opportunities at U.S. commercial passenger airports.

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A prototype computer software was created to predict airport hourly capacities and delays~ taxiway hourly capacity, gate group hourly capacity, overall airport hourly capacity, and annual service volumes. The possibility to replace the existing Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 15015060-5 in the future was also explored. The development of the computer software, ICAD--Integrated Airport Capacity and Delay Model was based primarily upon HyperCard as well as other supporting statistical and drafting computer software such as CA Cricket Graph III, Minitab 7.0, MacPaint and MacDraw II 1.1. A friendly user interfaces and internal computations were the two main concerns for ICAD development. In a. typical application interface, runway use configuration is identified from various diagrams. Input parameter are inserted in the model and outputs are readily obtained in table and graphical form. ICAD scripts have been developed i~ HyperTalk, the language associated with HyperCard. Regression equations were used to convert graphs from the FAA AC 15015060-5 into equations in ICAD. This thesis presents descriptions and validations of the prototype model. Conclusions and recommendations are also included. / Master of Science

A methodology is developed to determine the locations of the fewest number of fire stations at an airport such that two guidelines, recommended to the Federal Aviation Administration, are met. The first guideline stipulates that airport fire vehicles must be capable of reaching any potential crash site on the runway system within a two minute time period. The second guideline requires stations to be located such that the chance of possible blockage of vehicle response routes to potential crash sites is minimized. The methodology transforms an initial continuous facility location problem into a discrete problem. By modeling the discrete formulation as a modified set covering problem, a solution is determined that meets the two guidelines. To illustrate the utility of the methodology, it is applied to two situations at the Atlanta Airport. In the first situation it is assumed that no fire stations exist at the airport, and in the second, three of the four fire stations planned to be in existence at the airport are assumed to be in operation. For both situations, the methodology is applied three times, changing the average speed vehicles are assumed to be capable of traveling on the runway system each time. For an average speed of 40 m.p.h., it is shown that fire vehicles, responding from the four stations at the airport, are not capable of reaching every potential crash site on the runway system within a two minute time period. / Master of Science

This is a bachelor thesis project covering a method to get an insight to what could be a first step in the electrification of the aviation system in Sweden. Sweden currently has 39 active commercial airports and the goal is to integrate airports capable of supporting electric airplanes into this system. By utilizing available travel-data, a program is created to optimally select the number of airports to electrify and which ones. No definite answer is decided however it is shown that either 3, 7 or 13 airports are good choices. Which number is favored is dependent on what aspect is weighted more: emission reduction or cost.

The increasing demand on the air transportation system is causing delays due to congestion, leading to monetary losses and passenger inconvenience. Traditionally, research has been conducted to improve the airside component of the airport. This led to improvements in the airside component in tum leading to increased demand. The landside was not considered as a serious threat to the capacity of the airport. However, the increased demand and inconsistent improvements to the landside has made this airport component critical at some facilities. Research in recent years has produced many methods to assess landside capacity and to predict the behavior of the system under different demand scenarios. Many of these tools are cumbersome and are not suitable for every day use of planning professionals. This research is aimed at developing a computer based simulation model (ALPS) to estimate or predict the capacity of the landside components under varying scenarios. ALPS is a discrete-event simulation model developed using EXTEND (version 2 © Imagine That inc., 1992) a simulation software based on the 'C' programming language. This model is designed to be able to simulate a given airport in a short time with accurate results. The model runs on a Apple Macintosh computer and needs no special programming for effective use. The model is well suited for every day use of planning professionals. / Master of Science

by Chu Yiu Sun, Stephen. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1987. / Bibliography: leaf 79.

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