AOPA members urged to weigh in on Ohio airports study

As the Ohio Office of Aviation prepares to hold its final public meetings on a major focus study of airports, AOPA is asking members to attend one of several informational events being held across the state to provide their feedback.

For the past two years, AOPA has participated on the project advisory committee for the Ohio Airports Focus Study, which is assessing the Ohio airport system, its economic impact, and its future priorities. Now that the study is near completion, the Ohio Department of Transportation will be offering several meetings to present initial findings and to seek feedback from users of the state airport system.

AOPA has participated in teleconferences and in-person meetings to provide its expertise to the process. The organization also has worked to continue to ensure that general aviation airports are appropriately represented in the final Airports Focus Study report.

“The work completed by the Ohio Department of Transportation, the FAA, the consultant team, and guided by the project advisory committee, is quite impressive,” said Bryan Budds, AOPA Great Lakes regional manager. “The final study report will contain not only airport system characteristics but also provide an overview of the statewide economic impacts of general aviation. This is important to AOPA members because the focus study results will be used to determine funding priorities for the airport system and the communities they serve well into the future.”

The final round of public meetings will be between Sept. 16 and 29 at locations across Ohio (see specific dates and times).