About
The Project
The research initiative "The Future of Airports: A Vision of 2040 and 2070" coordinated by the Airport Think Tank of ENAC Alumni involves about 100 thought aviation leaders from various backgrounds, experiences, and affiliations. From March 2019 to April 2020, a global panel of about 20 members had discussed various prospective topics to explore and forecast the long-term future of the airport industry. Each time, the panel members considered the future trends and potential disruptive changes, the emerging transformational innovations, their impact on practice and challenges for air transportation, and the needs in research, education and policies for anticipating and facilitating these changes. The findings are available on the ENAC Alumni website (see Summary of findings and Publications). Since Summer 2020, focus groups all around the world continue this effort at the national and regional levels. The results of these discussions will contribute to the revision of the white papers of the global analysis that are already available, and they will be released as a compilation of local analyses as well. Other activities are being developed.
Timeline
Phase 1 ended in April 2020 with the release of the 11 white papers of the global analysis along with their posters. This work has been shared with the industry to educate the airport community about these long-term challenges. Phase 2 that started in Summer 2020 consists of regional and national focus groups under the umbrella of the local chapters of ENAC Alumni. Following the model of the global panel, these focus groups are bringing together leaders and experts, alumni and non-alumni, to discuss the future of local airports based on the findings of Phase 1. After these focus groups wrap-up their work, the global analysis will be updated. The local analyses will be published online. Findings per market segment and type of airports will be released as well.
The Research Team
Gaël Le Bris, C.M., P.E. (IENAC07T) is the Principal Investigator of the initiative on The Future of Airports. He is a member of the Board of ENAC Alumni, and he is the Chair of the Airport Think Tank. In 2018, he was the founder of ENAC Alumni USA. Gaël Le Bris is a Senior Aviation Planner and Technical Principal at WSP USA. Prior joining WSP, he was the Airside Development Manager at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport with Groupe ADP. He has participated in and managed several projects in airport engineering, planning and operations. He has authored over 40 guidebooks, articles and research papers. He is a member of several committees and workgroups – including Airport Consultants Council (ACC), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), SAE International, the Transportation Research Board (TRB), and The French-Speaking Airports (UAF&FA).
Loup-Giang Nguyen (IENAC15 AVI) has assisted Gaël Le Bris as Data Analyst. Loup-Giang is in charge of the Task Force on Licenses & Certifications of ENAC Alumni USA. He is an Aviation Planner at WSP USA. He is a member of the Infrastructure Workgroup of The French-Speaking Airports (UAF&FA) – he developed the first RFFS/ARFF response time assessment tool available to the industry. His master’s thesis completed in 2018 studied various airside/airspace capacity enhancements for San Antonio International Airport (SAT). He is currently pursuing the Professional Engineer license in the U.S.
The Global Panel
- Eduardo H. Bernardi (MS ANM 2018), Director, Department of Investments, Secretaria Nacional de Aviação Civil, Ministério da Infraestrutura (Brazil)
- Andy Brooker-Tormey, Director, Airport Operations Control Centre, Dubai Airports
- Philippe Fonta (IENAC87T), Senior Expert Sustainability, Strategy & Stakeholders, SCRUM-Consult
- Matthieu Gualino, Director of the ICAO Security Training Center, ENAC
- Ernie Heymsfield, University of Arkansas & Chair of the TRB AV070 Committee
- Marc Houalla (IENAC82 & IAC89), Managing Director of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Intl. Airport (CDG), Groupe ADP
- Marc Huault, Head of Infrastructure, Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS)
- Maurice Jenkins, Division Director, Information Services, Miami-Dade Aviation Department
- Pierre Jouniaux (IENAC89T), Chief Executive Officer, Safety Line
- Magali Kintzler (ICNA97 A), Air Traffic Manager CDG, DGAC/DSNA
- Philippe Laborie, Director of Airport Operations, Groupe ADP
- Nicolas Lamballe (IENAC99T), Aéroport Teacher, ENAC
- Ferran B. Lazaro (MS ATM 2013), Director of Operations, Quside Technologies S.L.
- Sébastien Lavina (IENAC94T), Manager Airport Data and Assessment, Airbus
- Eugene Leeman, Liaison Officer to Eurocontrol, ACI Europe
- Guy Marguet, Projects and Methods Coordinator, Genève Airport (GVA) & Chair of the UAF&FA Technical Committee
- Thomas Pétrelle (IENAC05T), Airport CDM Expert, Groupe ADP
- Arlyn Purcell, Director, Aviation Environment and Sustainability, Port of Seattle (SEA)
- Michel Ricaud, Deputy Managing Director – Project Management, Paris-Orly International Airport (ORY), Groupe ADP
- Olivier Sciara, (MS MA 2009) Senior Officer, Safety, Air Navigation & Technical Affairs, UAF&FA
The Local Focus Groups
- Central Africa hosted by ENAC Alumni Cameroon & ENAC Alumni DRC. Coordinator: Glawdys Flora Akete Oyono.
- United States of America hosted by ENAC Alumni USA. Coordinator: Gaël Le Bris.
- United Kingdom hosted by ENAC Alumni UK. Coordinators: Martin Lavrilloux & Alexandra Ott.
Participating Organizations
Participating organizations include the Technical Committee and the Infrastructure WG of The French-Speaking Airports (UAF&FA), the AV070 Aircraft/Airport Compatibility Committee of the U.S. Transportation Research Board (TRB), and the National University of Civil Aviation (ENAC) (France). The British Aviation Group and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport support the UK focus group as well. These organizations have brought valuable inputs to the roundtables and discussions that have been held as part of this research initiative. Their participation is not an endorsement or validation of any finding or statement of The Future of Airports.
Presentations and Citations
The Future of Airports was presented to ACI Africa, the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C., Massport, and Philadelphia International Airport, as well as at the TRB 99th Annual Meeting, the ACRP Insight Event "Future of Aviation", and the WSP Snack & Learn Series. The study has been referenced in publications including the 4th edition of ICAO's World Civil Aviation Report, in ACRP research publications, and in magazines such as Global Traveler and TR News.
About ENAC Alumni and the Airport Think Tank
ENAC Alumni is the alumni association of the National University of Civil Aviation (ENAC) (France). The Airport Think Tank brings together aviation leaders in order to discuss and study various topics in relation with airports and their community – from the curbside to the airspace – through initiatives that include roundtables and Task Forces.
