Written Assignment 3: Oversight of Airport Operations
Airports face oversight and scrutiny from many different federal, state, and local government agencies. Select three of these agencies at the federal level and one at the state or local level and prepare a detailed analysis of their involvement and their specific areas of oversight of the airport’s management and operations. Submit your analysis in a paper of 750 to 825 words (3 pages), which complies with APA standards and includes appropriate reference documentation.
Written Assignment 3: Oversight of Airport Operations
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Written Assignment 3: Oversight of Airport Operations
The aviation industry is a highly regulated field because of the high benefits and complexities associated with it. The industry does not only generate a lot of revenues for the country but also connects it with other countries. That is why in the US, there are so many agencies that have been developed for oversight and scrutiny of airports at federal, state, and local levels. This paper will identify some of these agencies and analyze their roles and involvement in executing these mandates.
- federal Agencies
- The Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT is the federal government’s lead agency that plans and coordinates federal transportation projects. It develops, implements, and enforces federal regulations that govern the use of America’s airports and air corridors, roads and highways, railways, and seaports (US Department of Transportation, 2022). For air traffic, it ensures oversight with the aid of other bodies such as the FAA and the Office of Aviation Analysis that works under it. The Office of Aviation develops and supports the implementation of other policies that concern economic oversight of the airline industry, both in domestic and global markets. It ensures oversight by administering some aviation regulatory programs for air service to small communities, commercial airlines fitness, slot-controlled airports access, and the setting of mail rates within Alaska. It also works with other divisions such as the Competition and Policy Analysis Division to keep the competition in check and Air Carrier Fitness Division to ensure the eligibility of applications for new economic authority. The Department’s Office of Consumer Affairs is responsible for the safety oversight and licensing of US airlines (US Department of Transportation, 2022).
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
FAA is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation that regulates and keeps oversight of civil aviation within the country along with the development and operations of the National Airspace System (SKYbrary Aviation Safety, 2022). It primarily ensures that US civil aviation is safe. It ensures safety by setting regulations and minimum standards concerning aircraft maintenance, operations, and manufacturing, and also enforces them. It certifies airports and airmen serving air carriers. FAA also operates a network of airport towers, flight service stations, and air route traffic control centers to ensure safe and efficient navigation of airspace. It develops and enforce air traffic rules, control air traffic, and assign airspace usage for safety reasons. It has air navigation facilities with both visual and electronic capabilities to ensure efficient oversight (SKYbrary Aviation Safety, 2022). Other means of oversight include the Civil Aviation Abroad and Commercial Space Transportation.
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
TSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that seeks to improve security in airports. TSA brings together all security efforts under one agency to override the overreliance on private security (Civil Service HQ, 2020). Though TSA agents are mostly found in airports, they operate in many other events and venues including, railways, subways, and even bridges. It maintains oversight by employing screening officers in airports, mobile teams of dog handlers, armed Federal Air Marshals on planes, and explosives specialists. It also develops and implements various regulations and screening processes pertaining to carry-on luggage and passengers, including explosives screening, device restrictions, full-body scanners, pat-downs, and identification requirements (Civil Service HQ, 2020). For instance, TSA agents are responsible for screening carry-on bags and checked bags for explosives and other dangerous devices like ammunition and weapons. It has put in place guidelines for liquids, gels, and aerosols to ensure safety. The officers also have X-ray Machines and Metal Detectors for screening passengers or manual screening by pat-down. It also has checkpoints to check tickets, direct passengers, and detect suspicious activities (Civil Service HQ, 2020).
- State/local Agencies
- Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)
ADOT is a state government agency in Arizona responsible for facilitating mobility within the state. It plans, constructs, and maintains Arizona’s highway infrastructure and collects transportation revenues (Arizona, 2022). ADOT is mandated to oversight duties because it has exclusive jurisdiction and control over state-owned airports, state routes, state highways, and all state-owned transportation systems or modes. It has an aeronautics or Aviation Division responsible for licensing aircraft dealers and encouraging and advancing the safe and orderly development of aviation in Arizona by working with local, state, and federal organizations. It operates the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, makes and enforces rules, collects and distributes funds, and provides public information (Arizona, 2022).
All airports require strict regulations for the safety of the environment and people to prevail. Since air transport affects travel from local to international levels, regulations should cover all the levels – local, state, federal, and international. The US has an intricate chain of agencies in the aviation industry that cut across all administrative levels to maintain oversight and ensure safety. People involved in the aviation industry should be cognizant of the rules involved to abide by and comply with them adequately. Additionally, enforcement of oversight roles must strictly be maintained to achieve the safety enshrined within.
References
Arizona. (2022). Department of Transportation (ADOT). https://azlibrary.gov/sla/agency_histories/department-transportation-adot
Civil Service HQ. (2020). TSA Agent vs. TSA Officer: What’s the Difference? https://civilservicehq.com/tsa-agent-vs-tsa-officer-whats-the-difference/
SKYbrary Aviation Safety. (2022). Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). https://skybrary.aero/articles/federal-aviation-administration-faa
US Department of Transportation. (2022). Office of Aviation Analysis. https://www.transportation.gov/policy/aviation-policy/office-aviation-analysis