Analysis of Portland International Airport Case Study

Airport Case Study

Project Description: Each student in AVN 2050 will complete a case study of a commercial service airport. Specific airports **will let you know later** Assigned airports are large hub airports according to FAA criteria, which means that they rank among the top 30 airports in the nation in terms of passenger enplanements. Because of their size and importance to the nation’s air transport system and the communities they serve, there is no shortage of information and materials on any of the assigned airports.

Although you will need to provide a detailed description of the airport and its operations, the main objective of the case study will be the development of a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This type of analysis is a standard approach in both the business and public sectors. It allows the researcher to go beyond the simple description of the airport and its operations.

Project Components: Developing a sufficient bibliography is an important first step in the development of the case study. Each student will search available resources for information regarding his or her airport and should assemble an annotated list of sources that will be used to complete the case. Students must use a myriad of sources to complete this project. It is insufficient to simply search for information related to the airport. You must also search for information about the context within which the airport operates.

While the airport web site can be a useful resource, it is woefully inadequate for providing a full picture of an airport’s SWOT. Any information from the airport must be corroborated or balanced by information from government and industry sources as well as local media and other published analyses.

There is no minimum requirement for the number of sources, but there is a clear expectation that each student gathers sufficient information to document and substantiate the claims made in the case study. We will discuss in class various sources and the appropriate use and citation of web based resources including the airport website.

The case outline is the next step in the development of the case study. It is an extension of the work completed in the development of the annotated bibliography. At this stage, students will evaluate the information they have gathered and decide what needs to be reported in the case study. At a minimum, the outline should provide an indication of what will appear in the distinct sections of the case document. The final document should be formed from the student’s case outline.

The format of the case study final document should adhere to the following framework:

1. Title Page
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Airport Background
   1. Historical Background
   2. Airport Governance
   3. Airport Finances
   4. Airport Management
   5. Airfield Facilities (runways, taxiways, aprons, NAVAIDs, etc.)
   6. Airport Operations (types, numbers, etc.)
   7. Airline and passenger facilities and activity (enplanement numbers)
5. SWOT Analysis
   1. Strengths
   2. Weaknesses
   3. Opportunities
   4. Threats
6. Conclusion
7. References
8. Appendices with appropriate exhibits

We will discuss in class the kinds of things one might consider putting in each section of the case study. One of the learning objectives in this exercise is for the student to determine what is important and worthy of inclusion in the case study.

Project Requirements: This document must be at least 15 and no more than 17 double spaced pages of text (exclusive of the tile page, abstract, references and any appropriate exhibits such as tables, charts, maps, and other attached materials, which are critical for the development of a good case study). The modified APA guidelines provided in the “Succeeding in AVN 2050” document must be followed. In other words, the case study document must include a title page, an abstract, the text of the document organized according to the outline described above, a reference list and any attachments. Recall that attachments must be noted in the text and organized appropriately.