THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT DETERIORATION ON KANSAS COMMUNITIES

Given indications of the decline in the quality of Kansas General Aviation Airports and the potential negative effects of airport deterioration on Kansas communities, the objectives of the research are to document the deterioration of Kansas General Aviation Airports by obtaining information regarding the needed capital improvements at these airports; to measure the economic impacts of substandard airports on general aviation service users; and to identify the types of business firms whose location decisions are significantly affected by high quality air service. The objectives of the research are accomplished through the use of questionnaires distributed to managers of Kansas General Aviation Airports, to Kansas businesses that use airports, and to members of the Kansas Pilots Association (KPA). Airport managers provided a long list of needed capital improvements with special emphasis on lengthening and resurfacing the runway. Managers revealed that they believe that the most important problem of General Aviation Airports is obtaining financing for airport maintenance and capital improvements. The principal effect of airport deterioration on the users of airports is a decrease in safety. The KPA and business firm respondents indicated that condition and length of the runway are two of the most important factors in the decision to base their aircraft at a particular airport. The implication of this finding is that deteriorating general aviation airports will lose based aircraft, possibly leading to closure of the airport. The KPA and business firm survey respondents described the impacts on airport users if the airports they use frequently were closed. A total of 53 Kansas companies said that they would collectively lose $35.3 million per year if the airports they frequently used are closed. The report concludes that some state program of airport investment could be justified, if it were to mitigate this loss and preserve the estimated $16 million direct economic impact of the Kansas General Aviation Airport system.