The National Economic Impact Of Civil Aviation

"This study provides insight into the contribution of civil aviation to the U.S. economy, as well as the economic and employment costs of congestion and delay to the nation and its citizens. Analyzing the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Operational Evolution Plan (OEP), which consists of air traffic initiatives aimed at slowing the growth in congestion and delay, as well as a variety of potential runway investments, this study reveals the essential role that increased airport capacity and modernization of the air traffic system play in managing the growth of these problems and points to the need for additional efforts to reduce them. The study's findings are based on econometric models that capture the detailed workings of the U.S. economy. The framework of the study ensures consistency between its results and those of the U.S. national system of economic accounts. Using a base year of 2000, the study estimates (in year 2000 constant dollars) the total cost of flight delays to passengers and airline operators of scheduled commercial passenger airline services in the United States for 2000, 2007, and 2012, and the benefits of increased capacity for the two forecast years."--Executive summary.