Report from ACI-NA Environmental Affairs Conference

05.21.2013 | HMMH |

ACI-NA’s Annual Environmental Affairs Conference was held this week in Halifax, NS.  The agenda was robust and featured several innovations, including the use of TurningPoint polling technology and providing the ability for several travel-challenged speakers to participate remotely via webinar.   I had the privilege of participating directly in three sessions:

• Is Perception Reality?  Human Health Studies & Risk Management – A Hypothetical Airport Case Study:  In this session, we conducted a “table-top” exercise of how airports respond to concerns about potential for health issues resulting from airport (noise, emissions, etc).  This interactive panel role-played an airport staff meeting – including a surprise visit by the concerned citizen, Mr. Bob Jones from Erewhon, YZ.
• Technology Tools for Environmental Management:  this session provided an overview of GIS and other tools that are being to deployed to cost-effectively manage airport environmental issues.  My presentation, “There’s an app for that! Tools and technology for addressing aircraft noise issues” provided an overview of recent advances in noise monitoring.
• Noise and NextGen:  I provided an update on the work of the RTCA’s CATEX 2 Working Group, which has finalized its recommendation to the NextGen Advisory Committee (it will be presented at the NAC on June 4).

Looking forward to the next Environmental Affairs Seminar in San Jose, CA at the ACI-NA Annual Conference.