Airport Consultants Council

Schulz: “Some of the more nascent things our companies are involved in include engaging in public-private partnerships to help finance airport projects. Under P3s, the private sector not only design and finance airports, but also operate and maintain them. And we’re just starting to get into future technologies such as drones, UAMs – which are vertical electric taxis – and spaceports, too. So we’re expanding into a lot of innovative, aviation-related activities. There’s never a dull moment. “Among other things, airports hire ACC member companies to help fulfill their capital programs and projects and make sure they conform with TSA and FAA standards and funding requirements. Overall, ACC’s biggest service we provide to our members is networking opportunities. In this industry, different companies will align and team up on one project, and compete on another. We offer opportunities for companies to come together and learn from each other. We also provide market analysis on trends and priorities in airport developments. “We work on advocacy on Capitol Hill and securing funding for airports. But also, on a technical level, we’ve become trusted advisors to TSA and FAA. Because some of our members are actually in the field implementing the standards and regulations, we can provide perspectives on airports of all sizes and types across the country.” BVM: Does ACC provide education and training? Schulz: “We have a very strong training program that covers a vast array of airport activities and capital projects. Our meat and potatoes training primarily covers airport engineering, runway configuration, design, materials, and best practices in airport planning and environmental. We’re also very heavy on terminal passenger facilitation, security technology, and the use of biometrics. Even landside access to and from airports. We really touch on all aspects of the airport enterprise.