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(upbeat tune)

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(plane engine roaring)

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- [Narrator] General aviation airports

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certainly help their
communities economies,

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but many of those airports
don't have the tools they need

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to help them operate at optimal levels.

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That's why researchers

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with the Texas A&M
Transportation Institute,

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developed an online tool
that could increase revenues

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and economic development opportunities.

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- With this project what we tried to do

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was develop a web-based
intermodal connectivity

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and self-sufficiency model
for airports in Texas.

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And so it sounds like a lot,

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but it really comes down
to a couple of things.

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We wanted to make available
to airport stakeholders,

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those airports that have
good airport connectivity.

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And by that we mean good roadway access,

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rail access if they have it
and develop a (indistinct)

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The second part self-sufficiency,

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refers to airports having
a better understanding

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of what kinds of rates and
charges they should have.

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- Having a collection of information

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related to rates and charges
that an airport can use

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to make sure they're
doing everything they can

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to be financially self-sufficient
is extremely important.

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And a project like this is
gonna put a lot of tools

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and resources in airports' hands

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by allowing them to know not
just what fair market value is,

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appraised value is,

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but really what is being charged

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and being paid at other
airports throughout the state,

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for services and
facilities that they have.

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So that way they can ensure the
long-term economic viability

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of their individual airport.

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- We started with a survey

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and we sent out a survey
to all the airports

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in the Texas airport
system and we asked them,

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what size hangers do you have?

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What do you charge for them?

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How do you charge for fuel?

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We asked them about their
intermodal connectivity.

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How far are you away from, a state highway

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from an interstate?

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- A lot of our airports are
smaller with fewer resources

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and what this tool really gives them,

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is the ability to be more resourceful

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with the limited resources
that they do have

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and to be able to have that knowledge

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and that information

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and that confidence when they
are setting rates and charges.

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- Having rates and charges
that are market rates

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and having opportunities for developers

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to see what kind of facilities exist,

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what kind of opportunities exist.

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All of that collectively puts the airport

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on a path towards self-sufficiency.

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- That instant access to this information

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into these tools is really
going to help airports,

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which operate in a very
dynamic rapid environment

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to be able to make quick decisions

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and to update their rates and charges

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and their policies on a
pretty consistent basis.

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- [Narrator]] For more information,

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and to find the publications
for this project,

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please visit the textile research library

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at the link shown below.