53rd Annual MAMA Conference

Rural airports such as the Ogdensburg International Airport (OGS) in the New York state’s North Country present unique opportunities to enrich their communities beyond transportation infrastructure.These buildings are often well positioned to drive economic activity as tourism gateways that can also function as commercial and community spaces.

During the OGS terminal expansion, Fennick McCredie, McFarland Johnson, and the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority recognized an opportunity to include a 14,000 SF multifunctional Great Room in the terminal program that would serve a dual purpose of future proofing the airport for expansion and peak travel seasons, while offering an unconventional space that could be used in a variety of ways to generate commercial activity, social events, and publicity for the airport.

This session will discuss the many social, economic, and traveler experience benefits to including multiuse spaces within an airport program.

Session Key Takeaways:
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Airport safety programs are often built around regulatory compliance—but their true value is realized during real-world events. This panel brings together perspectives from FAA certification, state aviation oversight, and airport management and planning to explore how preparation, training, and coordination translate into effective operational response. Panelists will highlight common safety discrepancies at Part 139 airports, discuss how general aviation airports can adopt scalable safety practices, and examine how consultants and service providers can minimize operational impacts during projects. The session will emphasize proactive preparation, including tabletop exercises, interagency coordination, and construction planning. Through interactive polling, attendees will identify common discrepancies, followed by practical strategies to prevent and address these. The session will also feature a mock emergency preparedness tabletop exercise based on audience participation.

Session Key Takeaways:
- For Part 139 airports: Common discrepancies and prevention strategies.
- For GA airports: scalable safety and emergency preparedness practices.
- For consultants/service providers: key CSPP and project risk considerations.
- For all audience members: practical approaches to improve coordination, training, and readiness across facilities of varying sizes and complexities.

The air transport industry is approaching a critical scale challenge, with global passenger volumes expected to reach 8 billion annually by 2040. Traditional identity verification at security checkpoints, including agent-dependent CAT-2 workflows, cannot efficiently support this growth while maintaining security and traveler experience. This session examines how biometric automation, self-service kiosks, and eGate technology can modernize checkpoint operations through a two-step process: credential authentication and enrollment at a kiosk, followed by biometric clearance at the gate. The approach reduces reliance on one-to-one staffing, increases throughput, and enables officers to focus on exceptions and higher-risk cases. Drawing on live airport deployments and current technology readiness, the session will explore implementation considerations, interoperability, privacy, passenger choice, and the operational benefits of a more scalable identity verification model.

Session Key Takeaways:
1. The scalability imperative
2. A two-step model that works
3. Operational efficiency gains — Automating identity verification to enable a single officer to monitor multiple eGates
4. Proven at scale - technology is operational and delivering results today.
5. A practical path forward — Cloud-enabled, API-driven, and compatible with existing common-use platforms

How old is your Exhibit ‘A’ and is it accurate? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, your airport may be at risk of noncompliance with FAA requirements. An Exhibit ‘A’ serves as the official “master record " of all airport-owned property and includes critical information such as the airport property boundary, property acquisitions, the purpose of acquisitions, and the funding source used to acquire the property. It also tracks land that has been released from federal obligations. These details determine which properties must be dedicated for airport purposes, and which properties can be used for non-aviation purposes. This information is critical in aiding airports with development decisions and understanding their rights under existing easements. This panel discussion will focus on key issues surrounding inaccurate Exhibit ‘A’ property maps and will include representatives from the FAA, MassDOT Aeronautics, airport management, and an airport consulting firm.

Session Key Takeaways:
- Participants will gain a better understanding of FAA requirements and expectations surrounding Exhibit ‘A’ maps, when Exhibit ‘A’ updates are necessary and eligible, and the impacts of outdated or inaccurate Exhibit ‘A’ maps.
- The panel will provide a case study to highlight how inaccurate Exhibit ‘A’ maps impact airport projects and how these issues can be resolved. Participants will have the opportunity to have their questions answered by professionals with varied perspectives and experience.

This interactive briefing will demonstrate the real time story (told by the pilot) of an aircraft complete engine stoppage that happened on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at Provincetown Municipal Airport. Additionally this interactive briefing will describe the preparedness actions and reactions of the Airport Manager (told by the Airport Manager of PVC) on this August 27, 2026 day.

Session Key Takeaways:
- Drama in real life - How a 180 degree turn saved my life. (Patrick McNamara - Pilot perspective)
- How being prepared for an Emergency Readiness/Response aftermath of an aircraft complete engine stoppage and safe landing at a small non-towered airport - William B. Hurascheck - PVC Airport Manager.

This session explores how airports can use ADS-B data not just for aircraft counts, but as a practical decision-support tool for funding, pavement and runway planning, noise complaint management, fly-friendly programs, traffic flow analysis, economic impact, rates and charges, and community engagement. Drawing from real airport examples, it shows how operational data can help airports better understand who is using the airport, when activity occurs, and how trends affect safety, infrastructure, and neighborhood concerns. It also addresses widely spread ADS-B misinformation and the growing sensitivity around ADS-B “weaponization,” privacy, public perception, and trust. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to use ADS-B data strategically, communicate its value more effectively, and ask better questions about what the data means for their airport and community.

Session Key Takeaways:
- Understand how ADS-B data supports funding, planning, and safety decisions for GA airports.
- Learn practical uses for noise management, fly-friendly programs, and real-time economic impact.
- Recognize risks of ADS-B “weaponization” and privacy concerns and how to address them in communications.
- Recognize incorrect assumptions and misinformation about ADS-B
- Leave with questions and framing to discuss ADS-B value and concerns with pilots, officials, and community members.

Hoyle Tanner and HRP Associates, Inc (HRP) will present several PFAS related topics that have the potential to significantly impact airport operations and budgets. The topics will include:
• Obstacles and hidden costs transitioning from Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) to Fluorine-Free Foam (F3).
• EMAS, should we test it for PFAS if we are replacing it?
• Identifying, investigating and remediating areas impacted by historic AFFF usage.
• Managing soil and groundwater containing PFAS and how this can significantly impact airport operations and budgets.
• PFAS forensics, why incorporate this early in an investigation.

Session Key Takeaways:
- At the end of the session, airport leaders will have a general understanding of how the topics above can add significant cost and delays to future projects if not appropriately planned for.

We'll discuss how to utilize the tools at your disposal to track and reduce community concerns and how to have successful community engagement using aircraft tracking. Passur Aerospace and Amber Goodspeed of Massport at Hanscom Field will use Hanscom Field's partnership with neighboring Minute Man National Historical Park as an example of how to create a program, monitor, and reduce frequently recurring issues.

Session Key Takeaways:
- Reducing complaints comes from a combination of grass roots discussions with neighbors, air traffic contral and pilots, as well as using available tools to identify and track issues.
- Keeping track of the success (or needed improvements) of the program ensures continued positive engagement with neighbors.

Present early development of aircraft like the Burgess Flyer, to the Gee Bee up to today’s electric and autonomous units and effects on Massachusetts economy and aviation as a whole. Roles of Raytheon, GE, Draper and US Government. Discuss early airports, where they went and ones that thrived. Look at early commercial aviation, from Boston-Maine Airways (Northeast Airlines) to Provincetown-Boston Airways, to Cape Air and companies like Wiggins Airways. Fits and starts at Hanscom and Worcester. End with role of entities such as Massachusetts Air and Space Museum, MAMA and MBAA to preserve future.

Session Key Takeaways:
- Without active involvement by aviation stakeholders, airports will close, manufacturing will leave and jobs lost. History has proven this. Consistent active community involvement is needed. Public support is the way to go. Stakeholders cannot do it alone but can make a huge impact together.

As airport operations grow more complex, leaders are under pressure to improve efficiency, manage growth, and reduce operational risk without disrupting live environments. This session explores how AI-powered simulation and digital rehearsal environments allow airports to test operational decisions before implementation. Covering everything from surge readiness and construction planning to IROPs and autonomous systems integration.

Session Key Takeaways:
- Why reactive operational models are becoming unsustainable
- How simulation enables safer operational testing and planning
- Practical applications for surge readiness, capital projects, and IROPs
- How airports can adopt AI-driven operational rehearsal without large-scale disruption

The purpose of this discussion is to highlight the impact of an airport growth strategy that involves robust community engagement. This approach extends beyond promoting air service; it fosters meaningful community buy-in and shared investment in the airport’s long-term success.

Session Key Takeaways:
- Your community wants to be involved. They understand the economic impact that an airport has and would prefer to help guide its growth and be a part of its success.