Small Aircraft Transportation System

SATS Symposium 2000
MAY 11-13, 2000
RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA

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Symposium Organizer

• NASA Nebraska Space Grant & EPSCoR

Co-Sponsors

• NASA South Dakota Space Grant
• Aero-Space Technology Working Group of the National Council of                                      Space Grant Directors
• Aerospace States Association
• South Dakota Division of Aviation
• University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute

Program Attachment

1. SATS Primer. Overview of SATS vision, goals and implementation by the manager of NASA’s general aviation program (Holmes).
2. States Report on Their SATS Preparation Activities: Panel and Follow-Up Discussion.” The goal of this panel session will be to: (a) inform participants about the areas three states have focused on in their efforts to be leaders in the implementation of SATS at the state level, especially in the airport infrastructure and (b) to develop a dialogue among conference participants about efforts to prepare for SATS.

First, two “early-leader” states (Florida and Virginia) will profile their SATS preparation activities. Florida’s presentation (Stackpoole) will focus on efforts to educate and energize stakeholders, support NASA GAPO studies, and SATSLab activities. Virginia’s report (McCrea and Williams) will focus on a number of activities. These will include the process and criteria used to identify SATS airport infrastructure elements, as well as the selection of initial pilot SATS airport locations.

A member of Nebraska’s team (Moussavi) will first provide participants with a general overview of the tentative minimum infrastructure requirements of SATS. Next, the team (Penney and Hansen) will provide a summary of Nebraska’s efforts to define the components of a SATS airport.

Finally, symposium participants will have a chance to participate in a dialogue about how states can move from the current system of general aviation airports to the system envisioned by SATS. For example, NASA is asking the states to be revolutionary; the states are more likely to think incrementally. Can we harmonize these perspectives?(Smith).

3. Lunch Speaker. Dr. Drabenstott will discuss rural economic development trends with commentary on the importance of transportation—especially air transportation—to development in the Great Plains states.
4. Year 1 in Nebraska: SATS Issues.” Panel members will report on the design and completion of work undertaken during the first year of Nebraska’s NASA-EPSCoR Prep Grant focusing on SATS. White papers and other work completed by the panel members will serve as the basis for comments.
5. Sound-Off—State Reactions to the Day. This will be a time for representatives of each state’s delegation to reflect on/react to what has been said during the day.
6. Wrap-Up.”Summary of major themes and issues identified during the day, including participant comments. This session provides a bridge to the Saturday morning session to develop a Great Plains vision for SATS.
7. Great Plains Reaction to SATS and Vision for Future Work. Russ Smith will facilitate this session.   First, the goals of the session will be reviewed. They will be to:1.) discuss how state aviation/aeronautics departments/officials want to approach the SATS preparation process in their states AND inform the NASA SATS team about such issues; (2) identify state level implementation issues AND inform the NASA SATS team about the issues and needed assistance; and (3) discuss how a regional effort could assist states in preparing for and implementing SATS.

Participants will first discuss state reactions to SATS and the SATS preparation and implementation process. Smith will lead off with a review of the issues and themes profiled in the sessions, including policy issues identified by UNO in its August 1999 National Research Council presentation report and April 2000 American Society for Public Administration implementation paper. Smith will also review Nebraska's completed and planned "preparation" activities. Finally, the idea that state level SATS preparation will require an advocacy process (if Bruce or someone else has not already done so earlier in the conference) that includes a "patron" (e.g., governor), a "champion" (e.g., aviation director) and one or more "change agents" (e.g., universities, industry).This information and related themes will be listed on flip chart paper and reviewed.

A quick review/recap of this information should jump-start discussion. Participants will be asked for their reactions and thoughts on this information, especially its applicability to their own state.The process may involve going around the room/table and asking participants for voluntary reactions. An alternative may include asking people to write key questions and concerns re: SATS on note cards for discussion. UNO faculty and staff will help take notes on flip chart paper for group discussion.

Next, participants will be encouraged to discuss regional SATS alliance and support activities. Smith will ask Brent Bowen to lead off by identifying some areas where he thinks a regional effort might pay off. Smith will facilitate discussion and development of additional ideas and suggestions. UNO faculty and staff will help take notes on flip chart paper for group discussion.

The final activity will be to develop a consensus Great Plains statement on SATS. The focus of the conference communiqué will be to identify critical policy issues of SATS that are unique to the region as well as those which will be facing all states. Action steps necessary to develop processes to address these concerns will be cited. A consensus of collective option regarding the benefits of SATS will also be included.