Purpose: This study carries out a standardized analysis of the importance of an aerodrome in the Central Region (NUT II) of Portugal, focusing on the potential economic and social impacts resulting from the development of one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world today. The study is based on the hypothesis that an aerodrome, articulated with the Portuguese airport network, can transform a region of the country where is inserted, by attracting population and skilled labor, investments and tourist activities, with a crucial direct impact on other sectors, thus contributing to cohesion with other regions of the country. Design/methodology: In methodological terms, this paper will mainly make use of digital search engines by consulting books, repositories, databases, media articles and technical documents from entities in the aviation sector. The analysis includes a case study of the Castelo Branco region, an area marked by the problems that most affect the Central Region, namely its distance from decision-making centers, its ageing population and the fact that it is losing out in absolute numbers every year. To analyze the regional development potential of the Castelo Branco aerodrome, this study begins by characterizing the region in economic, geographical and demographic terms, as well as characterizing the aerodrome and assessing its viability. To this end, a comparison is made with the impact of the Ponte de Sor aerodrome, located in the Alentejo region, with a reality close to that of Castelo Branco. Findings: The results show that regional development from the Castelo Branco aerodrome is a reality and describe the conditions that are most conducive to this development, as well as the challenges that exist and could condition the development of its aerodrome. Originality/value: This paper aims to highlight the importance of investing in regional airport infrastructures to drive local development, through a study of the current state of global aviation, the Portuguese airport network, and the current context of an airport infrastructure.

Purpose: The aim is to analyze the centrality fluctuations of Azorean airports, which allow us to deduce their importance over the years.Design/methodology/approach: Just as the word "importance" can have diverse meanings in different contexts, centrality is also divided into various definitions. Of all the concepts found in the bibliographical references, those found to be the most relevant are highlighted and explained, and then the measure of centrality that is considered being the most appropriate to the context of the specific problem being addressed is selected (in this case, the Eigenvector Centrality). This centrality measure is calculated using data on the number of passengers transported through Portuguese airports between 2012 and 2022.Findings: It can be concluded that, in terms of passenger traffic on connections within the Portuguese airport network, Ponta Delgada airport is the most central in the network, with the other Azorean airports having medium or high centrality indices. Regarding international passenger traffic by air, the relevance of the Azorean airports is significantly reduced, with Santa Maria airport achieving the highest centrality values. In addition to the aforementioned conclusions, the Eigenvector Centrality study allows us to draw the important conclusion that, in addition to the number of connections themselves, it is necessary to assess the relevance of the connections. Originality/value: This type of analysis makes it possible to pinpoint the nodes of a network that are of utmost importance. Here, they will represent the airports with the most crucial connections and links. These are the ones that are expected to have some of the greatest flow of passengers and cargo and, therefore, the ones that contribute the most to the region in various aspects, for example, from a financial point of view.

Purpose: This research article addresses one of the most delicate topics in Portuguese civil aviation over the last 50 years, that is, the location of a new civil airport in the Lisbon region.Design/methodology/approach: This research paper aims to present an efficient methodology to be applied when choosing the location of new civil aviation infrastructure, based on the determination and aggregation of critical decision factors. Critical decision factors cover several areas, technical and scientific, making the methodology more robust and sustainable. The validation of the work is carried out, naturally, when applied to the case of the location of the new Lisbon airport, in Portugal.Findings: The results of the investigation demonstrated that the critical decision factors to be applied in the methodology for choosing the best location of Lisbon airport, Portugal, after all have an application in any latitude and longitude that are considered, and in any type of airport infrastructure.Originality/value: The originality of this work is its contribution to clarifying a problem that has existed in Portugal for more than 50 years, that is, what is the best location for a new airport in the Lisbon region. The critical decision factors and the subsequent methodology to aggregate them are an important contribution to finding the most suitable and sustainable option, technically and economically.

Purpose: This paper aims to provide an insight onto the smart airport concept, its advantages and disadvantages as the world is constantly in a state of change. Concepts related to such revolution as well as its characteristics are increasingly being considered into various daily operations. As of so the concept of a Smart City has risen and with it the concept of a Smart Airport. These airports use these technologies to ease travelling processes and ensure safe and secure airports as well. Some of these are computerized check-ins and baggage tracks, smart screening, live tracking of passengers, and parking. Such changes in the aviation industry brought about by the fourth industrial revolution, guarantee that a number of airports will continue to grow.Design/methodology/approach: Through a thorough study of the literature available it was possible to meticulously describe the concept of a smart airport. Therefore, the approach was to synthesize multiple perspectives, theoretical perspectives to empirical evidence, which leads to the development of a solid and elaborate paper which aims at exploring the complexity of this emerging construct.Findings: Findings indicate that airports tend to follow innovations as they occur around the world. Financial budgets, security concerns, passenger and workforce perception and acceptance are also factors on how airports tend to implement new technologies which leads to why airports around the world are so different technologically from each other.Originality/value: This study is directly defined as a matter of explication and a qualitative investigation into airports of the future. This article which takes up a qualitative approach not only reports the existing trends, but also reflects the scheme of the theory and conclusion for the future. Furthermore, this paper adds to the conversation about smart cities and the aviation industry's effect at a broader scale.

Purpose: Nowadays, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles continues to expand in our daily lives, due to their versatility and practicality across various domains. However, there is a growing concern regarding the responsible use of these vehicles. Issues related to privacy, safety, job displacement, and environmental and social impacts must be carefully considered when adopting this technology. To address these concerns and mitigate associated risks, regulatory entities, stakeholders, operators, and European Union Member States must collaborate in developing regulations that unify and clarify the use of these vehicles. This article aims to contribute to the evolution of legislation for unmanned aerial vehicles, addressing topics that still raise many questions, such as design verification. The purpose is to systematically outline the steps to obtain a Design Verification Report (DVR), considering a wide array of potential scenarios, giving rise to a framework.Design/methodology/approach: The research begins with a literature review of the legislation for UAS, with a particular focus on Regulation (EU) 2019/947 issued by EASA. After that, attention is directed towards documentation helpful to formulate the framework, such as the Guidelines on Design Verification for UAS operated in the Specific Category, issued in 2023.Findings: Findings suggest that the framework represents a roadmap, offering guidance through the intricate process of compliance verification and ensuring the safety and reliability of UAS operations. The design verification process can be divided into eight steps, ending in a DVR issuance by the competent authority. The primary objective of this document is to guide applicants seeking design approval from EASA.Originality/value: The value of this research lies in illustrating the Design Verification Process, which represents a noteworthy advancement for European UAS legislation. The framework intends to facilitate a deeper understanding of the design verification process.

Purpose: Remote control towers are the latest evolution in air traffic control at the airport level. These towers replace traditional air traffic control towers, moving the airport's air traffic controllers to a remote location called a remote control center. This concept was introduced with the main aim of combating the shortage of air traffic controllers, as well as making it possible to provide several airports with control that, until then, they did not have or were at risk of losing, because of the costs associated with this service. This makes it important to study this solution in Portugal, as there are many airdromes where having runway control may not be economically viable. The study will focus on a project by NAV Portugal, which is about to implement this solution on some islands in the Azores archipelago.Design/methodology/approach: Having identified the number of movements per month at a few chosen airports, the operational viability was studied according to the number of movements per hour to ensure that several restrictions were met.Findings: Even including the region's main airport, from the point of view of analyzing the number of movements, the installation of a remote control tower is feasible. There is also a substantial economic gain from this new solution, both in terms of implementation and operations.Originality/value: Remote control towers are a new air traffic control solution, making it possible to extend this service to countless airdromes that may be in the process of losing this service for economic reasons, or no longer are controlled by an air traffic controller.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the noise profiles of helicopters and eVTOLs at heliports and vertiports in order to support site planning and the development of local land-use compatibility guidelines. Design/methodology/approach: This study used existing helicopter and eVTOL sound profiles to develop noise distribution contours for heliports and vertiports. This study collected noise data from available studies on helicopters and eVTOLs. This data was then entered into dBmap noise mapping tool to develop noise maps for helicopters and eVTOLs. Three air transit facility configurations for each aircraft category were analyzed: open (unobstructed), urban, and rooftop. Two additional vertiport configurations were created by overlaying building and noise data with Google Earth imagery. Noise data was entered into dBmap for processing. Noise contours were mapped for three configurations for both aircraft categories.Findings: Key observations from the noise distribution analysis showed that open (unobstructed) facility configurations have even noise distributions for both eVTOLs and helicopters. Noise maps for urban locations showed areas of attenuation and asymmetrical patterns due to the interactions of sound waves with surrounding buildings. An analysis of a rooftop installation of a heliport or vertiport provided some noise mitigation advantages. Noise contour distributions closely matched those outlined in previous research; however, the sound intensities modeled in this study were lower than indicated in exigent research. Assessments were also conducted for real-world sites with potential future use as vertiports in Seattle, Washington, and Chicago, Illinois.Practical Implications: This study suggests that current land use compatibility guidance may be inadequate for rotorcraft and eVTOL operations. Findings suggest the development of symmetrical noise-impact zones centered around heliports and vertiports. Examples of these zones are outlined, and recommendations for future research are provided. Local planners can use the data from this study to make educated choices about the siting of heliports and vertiports. Additionally, the findings can assist planners in the development of zoning and land use compatibility standards.Social Implications: Land use compatibility standards for heliports and vertiports will help ensure a synergistic relationship between local communities and these air transit facilities. The data from this study can also help protect individuals from excessive noise and annoyance.Originality/value: This study is one of the few on this topic and the only known research on noise distributions of helicopters and eVTOLs with a particular focus on land use compatibility

Purpose: This paper aims to provide a holistic insight into the performance of the Turkish air transportation network through complex network analysis. While many countries' airport network structures and performances have been widely studied, the rapidly growing Turkish airport structure still needs to be adequately analyzed. Therefore, this paper evaluates the structural properties of the Turkish domestic aviation network from 2012 to 2020 and compares it with worldwide practices.Design/methodology/approach: To evaluate the topological properties of the Turkish airport system, this study utilized five complex network metrics: average degree, diameter, average path length, clustering coefficient, modularity, and density index.Findings: The findings indicate that the Turkish domestic aviation network has a smaller diameter, lower average path length, decreasing clustering coefficient, and lower modularity compared to worldwide practices, which implies low robustness and flexibility. The pandemic has increased the unique paths, density index, and average degree, which implies more connectivity among airports, possibly due to mandatory flights.Practical implications: The analysis of complex networks can help evaluate network characteristics and understand their influence on the Turkish domestic network. The long-term evaluation of the airports' topological properties provides valuable insights into their structural resilience, operational efficiency, and potential for network optimization.Originality/value: This study is the first to analyze the topological structure of the Turkish airport system and compare it with worldwide practices. Moreover, it sheds light on the effects of the pandemic on airport network structure.

Purpose: The United States airline industry is a highly competitive industry. Airlines could benefit from satisfied and loyal customers. This study investigates the effect of personality traits of airline consumers on satisfaction and loyalty in the U.S. airline market.Design/methodology/approach: An online survey was constructed to measure the “big five” personality traits, service quality, satisfaction, and loyalty. Data were collected using Amazon Mechanical Turk, resulting in 624 respondents. Factor analysis was conducted using principal component extraction and varimax rotation.Findings: The results show that service quality, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness influence airline satisfaction, while satisfaction, neuroticism and openness influence behavioral intention loyalty. When moderation effects were examined, openness was the only moderating personality trait.Originality/value: This research examined the big-five personality traits, often not investigated in airline satisfaction and loyalty studies. This study offers several managerial insights and theoretical implications that practitioners and researchers who are interested in airline satisfaction and loyalty might use. Further, this study may provide a foundation for future research in airline and airport satisfaction, loyalty and service quality.

Purpose: The airport infrastructure plays capital importance in the development of national trade. It facilitates the flow of people, goods, and services more quickly. Thus, given its importance, this study seeks to analyze the impact of the Angolan investment in airport infrastructure between 2000 – 2020.Design/methodology/approach: this article presents the results of quantitative and qualitative research, based on narrative review and output of the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique, which aimed to analyze the impact of investment in airport infrastructure on the growth of Angola GDP per capita.Findings: The results of the stationarity tests performed shows mixed integration in both I(0) and I(1), which justifies the used ARDL. Similarly, the bounds test showed that there is a very strong relationship between airport infrastructure investment and GDP per capita growth in the short and long run. However, in the Angola case study, the impact that exists is negative, meaning that airport infrastructure negatively impacts per capita GDP growth in both the short run and in the long run.Research limitations/implications: this research has been among the first to analyze the impact of investment in airport infrastructure on the growth of Angola GDP per capita. Besides the contribution of this research, some limitations are the difficulty to find data of investment and the literature about transportation infrastructure in Angola.Originality/value: the analyze of the impact of investment in airport infrastructure in the growth of Angola GDP per capita is a fundamental step that can help public and private entities in making decisions that aim to improve the management of the Angola transport infrastructure.