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You are here: Home / 37th Annual Texas Aviation Conference / Program

Program

Updated April 2, 2019 | complete program

Tuesday, April 16, 2019
10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Special Events
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Exhibitor Setup
(Expo C)
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Registration/Check-In
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Exhibits Open
(Expo C)
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Get Acquainted Reception
(Exhibit Hall)
7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Dinner and Networking
(on your own)
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Registration Desk Open
7:00 – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
(Expo C)
8:00 – 8:45 a.m. Opening Session
(Expo B)

Presentation of Colors
Galveston Fire Department Honor Guard

National Anthem

Welcoming Comments
Dave Fulton, Director, TxDOT, Aviation Division
Brian Maxwell, City Manager, City of Galveston

State of the Aviation Division Address
Dave Fulton, Director, TxDOT, Aviation Division
(Fulton presentation slides, 525KB)

8:45 – 9:30 a.m. Aviation Advisory Committee Panel

Jim Schwertner, Chairman, Austin
Pete Huff, Vice Chairman, McKinney
Michael Schnell, Spearman
John White, Corpus Christi
Shelly Lesikar deZevallos, Houston
Fred Underwood, Lubbock
(Aviation Advisory Committee Panel presentation slides, 840KB)

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. General Aviation Industry Outlook and Washington Update
Shelly Simi, President and CEO, NASAO
(Simi presentation slides, 2.7MB)

John Shea, Government Relations Manager, NASAO
(Shea presentation slides, 316KB)

Jens Hennig, Vice President-Operations, General Aviation Manufacturers Association
(Hennig presentation slides, 2.6MB)

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Break in Exhibit Hall
(Expo C)
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Keynote Address
(Expo B)
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Luncheon
(Moody II and Salon D)
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Texas Airports Council Meeting
(Floral Hall A1)

  • Approval of minutes from previous meeting
  • Election of 2019 officers
  • TAC goals for 2019
  • General discussion
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Breakout Session I

I. Airport Manager’s Roundtable
(Expo AI)

Eric Pratt, Airport General Manager, Mesquite Metro Airport
James Brown, Airport Director, Conroe North Houston Regional Airport
Camilla Viator, City Manager and Airport Manager, Madisonville Municipal Airport

Got questions? We have answers! This session provides attendees with an open forum to engage a panel of experienced airport managers. No formal presentations will be made during the session, but the panel members will share their experiences and thoughts on issues brought up by the moderator and attendees. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions about any issues and concerns at their airports. This forum is designed to provide an exchange of information and ideas among airport professionals.

II. Promoting Your Airport in Your Community and Beyond
(Expo B)

Sharlette Wright, Airport Manager, Cleburne Regional Airport
(Wright presentation slides, 2.1MB)

This session focuses on effectively promoting general aviation airports, both for aviators and the general public. This important topic will focus on the positive ways general aviation airports help our communities with an emphasis on engaging the aviation community and the community at large. In this session, a seasoned general aviation manager shares her tips on how to become successful at promoting your airport through social media, fly-ins and getting your community involved with airport activities.

III. Addressing Environmental Issues at Your Airport
(Expo A2)

Amy Foster, TxDOT, Aviation Division
(Foster presentation slides, 6.0MB)

A high level synopsis of the environmental requirements that could affect general aviation airport projects, to the extent that they are relevant to a sponsor’s planning and management responsibilities. What is the “environmental process” and why do we have to do it? What are the most common environmental issues on general aviation airport projects in Texas? Which are most likely to affect a project’s budget and timeline, and what can we do about it? Illustrated with a brief “tour” of environmental issues to watch out for on airports throughout the state.

3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Break
(Exhibit Hall)
3:15 – 4:15 p.m.

Breakout Session II

I. Airport Planning Studies: Which One is Best for My Airport?
(Expo A2)

Planning and Programming Staff, TxDOT, Aviation Division
(Planning and Programming Staff presentation slides, 2.1MB)

Several types of airport studies and analyses are available to help airport sponsors identify needs and develop a blueprint for implementing improvements. These include airport layout plans, master plans, business plans, development plans and action plans among others. This session, led by TxDOT Aviation Division Planning and Programming staff, will help airport sponsors understand the purposes and differences of each type of study to identify which approach is best suited for their airport.

II. Airport Weather Forecasts
(Expo B)

Sean Luchs, National Weather Service Houston/Galveston
Andy McNeel, National Weather Service, Center Weather Service Unit Houston
(Luchs and McNeel presentation slides, 1.7MB)

This session will cover topics that include how airport forecasts are made, how National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) interacts with the Center Weather Service Unit at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), resources available to the aviation community and the anticipated evolution of services. Currently, NOAA is in the process of transitioning into doing “gridded” aviation forecasts which will bring forth forecast information for ceiling and visibility available everywhere, instead of just at the Terminal Aerodrome Forecast.

III. Pavement Maintenance and Drainage Issues at Your Airport
(Expo A1)

Harry Lorton, Project Manager, TxDOT, Aviation Division
(Lorton presentation slides, 8.6MB)

Tom Freeman, Pavement Management Program Manager, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
(Freeman presentation slides, 3.7MB)

This session will cover the important topic of managing and maintaining the pavements at our airports. This will include a discussion of the pavement inspection process at airports as well as the testing distress, profile and deflection testing along with maintenance andrepair recommendations. Appropriate maintenance and repair techniques will also be discussed. Additionally, the importance and basics of drainage maintenance and related issues will be covered.

4:15 – 4:30 p.m. Break
(Exhibit Hall)
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Breakout Session III

I. RAMP Session
(Expo B)

Amy Slaughter, RAMP Program Manager, TxDOT, Aviation Division
(Slaughter presentation slides, 1.7MB)

II. DBE/CUF Training for Consultants (Required for Consultants Contracting with TxDOT)
(Expo A1)

Trudy Hill, TxDOT, Aviation Division
(Hill presentation slides, 3.6MB)

Martha Arnold, TxDOT, Civil Rights Division

6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Awards Banquet
(Moody II and Salon D)

2019 Awards Presentation

  • Aviation Art Contest Winners:
    • Category I (Ages 6-9)
      • 1st Place: Diya Vermireddy, McCoy Elementary, Carrollton, TX
      • 2nd Place: Akshaya Obilisetty, Hobby Center Dallas, McKinney, TX
      • 3rd Place: Kashmira Kuloor, McCoy Elementary, Carrollton, TX
      • Honorable Mention: Tanishq Verma, Hobby Center Dallas, McKinney, TX
    • Category II (Ages 10-13)
      • 1st Place: Maya Hopson, Danny Jones Middle School, Mansfield, TX
      • 2nd Place: Sanjana Anand, Hobby Center Dallas, McKinney, TX
      • 3rd Place: Chloe Ward, Danny Jones Middle School, Mansfield, TX
    • Category III (Ages 14-17)
      • 1st Place: Quanjie Dai, Calhoun High School, Port Lavaca, TX
      • 2nd Place: Kelly Xu, Calhoun High School, Port Lavaca, TX
      • 3rd Place: Yiru Zhou, McKamy Middle School, Flower Mound, TX
  • RAMP Coordinator of the Year
  • Most Improved Airport of the Year
  • Reliever Airport of the Year
  • General Aviation Airport Manager of the Year
  • General Aviation Airport of the Year
Thursday, April 18, 2019
8:00 – 10:30 a.m. Exhibits and Registration Desk Open
(Expo C)
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet
(Expo C)
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Urban Air Mobility, NASA’s Grand Challenge and the Texas Vision
(Expo B)

Michael Sanders, Executive Director, Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence and Innovation
(Hill presentation slides, 2.8MB)

Joe Henry, Director, Outreach and Commercialization, Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence and Innovation

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Aviation Division Section Director’s Forum
Kari Campbell, Director, Grant Management and Administration
Greg Miller, Director, Planning and Programming
Eusebio Torres, Director, Engineering and Project Management
(Campbell, Miller and Torres presentation slides, 955KB)
10:30 – 11:15 a.m. TxDOT/FAA AIP Program and Listening Session
Gary Loftus, Program Manager, Regional Airports Compliance, FAA Southwest Region
(Loftus presentation slides, 1.7MB)

Dave Fulton, Director, TxDOT, Aviation Division
Terry Biggio, Regional Administrator, FAA Southwest Region
Ben Guttery, Manager, Texas Airports Development Office, FAA Southwest Region

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37th Annual Texas Aviation Conference

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