CAAC and Chinese Airport Leaders Successfully Visit US on Airport Sustainability Best Practices
CAAC and Chinese Airport Leaders Successfully Visit US on Airport Sustainability Best Practices
From September 7 to 18, 2009, a delegation from the Airport Department of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) successfully completed a study tour to the United States for the planning and management of sustainable airports.
The delegation, led by Deputy Director General Diao Yonghai of CAAC Airport Department, was made of CAAC airport officials and senior executives from top five biggest Chinese airport groups, namely Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Yunan. The delegation conducted a comprehensive study on airport sustainable development, and had good discussion on green airport management and environmental policies with FAA and US airports in San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Washington D.C., and New York. The visit was sponsored by US TDA, and in conjunction with the Airport Sustainability Best Practice Study funded by US TDA as part of ACP 2009 Grants. The study tour was organized and accompanied by American Association of Airport Executives, ACP Airport Committee member Landrum & Brown, and ACP Program Manager Bai Ying. A number of ACP member companies, including HOK, Jeppesen, Fentress Architects, Oshkosh, Metron Aviation, Honeywell, GOMACO, participated in the event in different cities and sponsored the dinner.
The two-week study tour covered the following topics:
l State and Federal environmental regulations
l Noise mitigation programs
l Aircraft Deicing System Management
l Industrial and Storm Water Management
l Waste management
l Energy management and alternative energy
l Land use planning integration and design management
l Material and resources management;
l Emission management
l Indoor environment control management
l Environment program incentives and financial implications
Along with five US airports, the delegation also visited FAA Northwest Mountain Region Office and FAA headquarters in D.C.. The noise issue has become a big problem for airport operators and CAAC. In response to the delegation’s questions about noise measurement and mitigation, FAA officials responsible for Planning, Environmental and Financial programs gave a focused presentation 14 CFR Part 150 – Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, including Part 150 Noise Measures and FAA’s role in Noise Study. Through the presentation on “Green Skies over Seattle”, the delegation learned about RNP procedures implemented in Seattle Airport, and how RNP procedures helped to reduce emission, noise and fuel consumption. Other topics covered in the FAA presentation also included the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Voluntary Airport Low Emission Programs (VALE) – Air Quality reduction credit for VALE, Environmental Management System (EMS), etc.
The Airport Sustainability Best Practices Study and the airport sustainability orientation visit received the strong support from US TDA form the very beginning. During the delegation’s visit to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, US TDA Acting Administrator Lee Zak welcomed the delegation at the airport and attended dinner with delegation. The delegation also met Lida Fitts, US TDA Country Manager-China, and Tom Hardy, US TDA Chief of Staff during the business briefing in D.C..
The two-week trip, although quite short, nonetheless provided a good understanding on the overall picture of airport sustainability practices in the areas of policy, planning, and operation. In addition to understanding the three levels of environmental planning at federal, regional/state, and metropolitan level, the delegation learned about the planning and implementation at individual airports by their owner, based on their geographic and meteorologic uniqueness. The delegation also met and talked with over 20 US companies providing airport related services and products along the trip and in the US TDA business briefing.
The study on Airport Sustainability Best Practices and Airport Sustainability Orientation Visit under US-China Aviation Environmental Partnership will deepen the cooperation between CAAC, FAA, US industry, Chinese airports and US airports. The study trip helped create a dialogue between experts from the public and private sectors in the US and China, and craft a future in aviation that is green and sustainable in both countries.