The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)

To allow the civil aviation system to continue, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) which transformed from the former National Airport Plan (NAP). The NPIAS consists of 3,310 existing or proposed airports that are part of the national airport system. Being identified as an airport within NPIAS is critical for Federal funding. [1] National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)”. www.faa.gov. FAA. February 19, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2021.

Airports are eligible to receive Federal funding through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) if they are part of the NPIAS. Just being a public use airport alone is not enough to warrant being included in the NPIAS. The FAA has created metrics that must be met to be be considered. The FAA publishes a 5-year estimate for AIP eligible projects every two years.

There have been cases where airports have been included in the NPIAS even though they were not eligible. According to a 2015 report published by the Secretary of Transportation, 252 out of the then 2,939 NPIAS airports did not meet the criteria. [2] Reporting to Congress: EVALUATING THE FORMULATION OF THE NATIONAL PLAN OF INTEGRATED AIRPORT SYSTEMS (NPIAS). (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2021, from … Continue reading The NPIAS contains all commercial service airports, all reliever airports, and selected general aviation airports.

National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems Criteria

To qualify to be included in the NPIAS, an airport must meet the criteria below. Be a:

  • Commercial service airport
  • GA Reliever airport
  • All airports receiving scheduled air carrier transport to where a Freight Forwarder or FBO is under contract with the US Postal Service.
  • Public use airports with a Air National Guard or US Armed Forces Reserve unit.
  • Other potential qualifiers:
    • Part of a State Airport System Plan
    • Serves a community that is more than 30 minutes from another NPIAS airport
    • Forecasted to have 10 or more aircraft based within the next 5 years
    • Currently under consideration by an eligible airport sponsor for ownership and development.

Funding AIP

The determination for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding comes from three metrics that the FAA uses. Since an airport must be part of the NPIAS to receive AIP, it goes without saying that an airport must be part of the NPIAS. The three metrics used include enplanements, cargo weight, and operations.

  • Enplanement – a passenger boarding a commercial flight.
  • Cargo Weight – total cargo weight in tons.
  • Operations – a takeoff or landing.

AIP funding and uses is a subject that warrants its own topic, which we be covered later.

References

1 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)”. www.faa.gov. FAA. February 19, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
2 Reporting to Congress: EVALUATING THE FORMULATION OF THE NATIONAL PLAN OF INTEGRATED AIRPORT SYSTEMS (NPIAS). (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2021, from https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/media/evaluating-formulation-npias.pdf
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