Airport & Aerodrome Consulting

Expert Advisory for Airport Operators, Aerodrome Authorities and Transport Infrastructure Stakeholders

Aerospace and Aviation Consulting Services (AACS) provides senior-level airport and aerodrome consulting to certificated aerodrome operators, airport authorities, government departments, infrastructure investors, and transport agencies worldwide.

Our airport consulting capability spans the full operational lifecycle of an aerodrome — from initial certification and safety management system implementation through to operational management, aviation security, air traffic management, and strategic transport planning. We bring genuine aerodrome expertise to every engagement: our consultants have served as aerodrome directors, safety managers, regulatory inspectors, and senior advisors to airport authorities across multiple continents.

AACS delivers aerodrome advisory that is operationally grounded, regulatory compliant, and commercially realistic — built on over 30 years of real-world airport and transport infrastructure experience.

Our Airport & Aerodrome Consulting Services

Aerodrome Operational Management

Effective aerodrome operational management requires the integration of safety, security, regulatory compliance, and commercial performance across a complex multi-stakeholder environment. AACS advises airport operators on the design, governance, and continuous improvement of their operational management frameworks.

Services include:

•      Aerodrome certification support — ICAO Annex 14, EASA ADR.OR, national CAA requirements

•      Aerodrome Operations Manual (AOM) development, review and update

•      Airside operations procedure design and airside driving regulation development

•      Wildlife hazard management programme development

•      FOD prevention programme design and implementation

•      Emergency response planning and exercise design

•      Aerodrome inspection programme design and safety oversight frameworks

•      Operational management system gap analysis and corrective action planning

Further detail — aacsltd.co.uk/services/airport-aerodrome-consulting/operational-management/

Aviation Security Consulting

Aviation security is both a regulatory obligation and a strategic risk management challenge. AACS provides specialist aviation security advisory to airport operators, airlines, government authorities, and private sector stakeholders seeking to design, assess, or strengthen their security programmes.

Services include:

•      Airport security programme design aligned with ICAO Annex 17 and national authority requirements

•      National Aviation Security Programme (NASP) development and review

•      Airport Security Programme (ASP) gap analysis and corrective action planning

•      Security risk assessment and threat and vulnerability analysis

•      Access control and perimeter security programme review

•      Passenger and baggage screening procedure design and assessment

•      Security management system development and security culture assessment

•      Security audit and compliance inspection support

•      Security training programme design for aerodrome and airline personnel

Further detail — aacsltd.co.uk/services/airport-aerodrome-consulting/aviation-security/

Air Traffic Management Consulting

Air Traffic Management is at the core of aerodrome safety and capacity. AACS provides independent advisory to aerodrome operators, ANSP providers, and government authorities on ATM safety, regulatory compliance, and operational performance.

Services include:

•      ATM safety case development and safety argument review

•      ANSP regulatory compliance advisory — EASA Part ATCO, national licensing requirements

•      Airspace design review and change management advisory

•      Runway incursion prevention programme development

•      ATM SMS integration with the aerodrome operator SMS framework

•      ATC operational procedure review and human factors assessment

•      ATM capacity and demand analysis for aerodrome development planning

•      Military and civil ATM interface advisory and airspace coordination

Further detail — aacsltd.co.uk/services/airport-aerodrome-consulting/air-traffic-management/

Rail & Seaports Advisory

Airports sit at the centre of multimodal transport networks. AACS extends its transport infrastructure advisory capability beyond aviation to provide integrated advisory for rail, seaport, and intermodal hub operators — delivering the same standards of safety management, regulatory compliance, and operational governance that underpin our aviation practice.

Services include:

•      Rail safety management system design and implementation

•      Seaport safety and regulatory compliance advisory

•      Intermodal transport hub operational safety framework development

•      Transport infrastructure safety case development

•      Rail and maritime regulatory framework gap analysis

•      Integrated transport safety audit and independent assurance

•      Safety culture assessment across multimodal transport operations

Further detail — aacsltd.co.uk/services/airport-aerodrome-consulting/rail-seaports/

Strategic Transport Advisory

Airport development, capacity planning, and multimodal connectivity decisions have long-term consequences for regions, governments, and investors. AACS provides independent strategic transport advisory to support evidence-based decision-making at every stage of the infrastructure development cycle.

Services include:

•      Airport master plan review and strategic development advisory

•      Aviation demand forecasting and capacity gap analysis

•      Multimodal connectivity strategy development for airport catchment areas

•      Airport privatisation, concession, and investment transaction advisory

•      Route development strategy and air service agreement advisory

•      Airport economic impact assessment and business case development

•      Government aviation policy alignment and regulatory impact assessment

•      Public inquiry and planning examination expert advisory and witness support

Further detail — aacsltd.co.uk/services/airport-aerodrome-consulting/strategic-transport/

Airport Safety Management Systems

Airport safety management system design and implementation is one of AACS’s most in-demand services — and one of our most distinctive. One of our senior consultants personally authored the SMS regulations for airports, giving AACS an unmatched depth of regulatory authority in aerodrome SMS advisory and training.

Airport SMS services are covered in full at our dedicated Airport SMS service page and Airport SMS Training page. Links below.

•      Airport SMS Service — aacsltd.co.uk/services/safety-management-systems/airport-sms/

•      Airport SMS Training — aacsltd.co.uk/training/sms-training/airport-sms-training/

Why Choose AACS for Airport & Aerodrome Consulting

  Former aerodrome directors, safety regulators, and transport planners — not generalist consultants applying aviation templates

  Over 30 years of real-world airport and transport infrastructure advisory experience

  Full-spectrum capability — safety management, security, ATM, rail, seaports, and strategic transport in a single firm

  Regulatory authority — our consultants have written aviation and aerodrome safety regulations, not just interpreted them

  Operational credibility — advice grounded in how airports actually work, not how they are described in guidance material

  Internationally applicable — ICAO, EASA, UK CAA and national authority frameworks across multiple jurisdictions

Frequently Asked Questions

(FAQ section targets Google ‘People Also Ask’ and featured snippet placement.)

What does airport consulting involve?

Airport consulting covers the full range of advisory services that support the safe, compliant, and commercially effective operation of an aerodrome. This includes safety management system design and implementation, aerodrome certification and operational management, aviation security programme development, air traffic management advisory, strategic transport planning, and investment transaction support. AACS provides all of these services from a single, experienced team with direct operational and regulatory backgrounds in airport management.

What regulations apply to aerodrome operators?

Certificated aerodrome operators are subject to ICAO Annex 14 (Aerodromes), which sets international standards for aerodrome design, operation, and safety management. Within Europe, EASA Regulation EU 139/2014 transposes Annex 14 requirements into national law for EASA member states. The UK CAA maintains equivalent requirements for UK-licensed aerodromes under CAP 168 and associated regulatory instruments. National civil aviation authorities in ICAO member states outside EASA similarly apply Annex 14 through their own aerodrome certification frameworks. AACS advises across all of these regulatory environments.

Does AACS work with small and regional aerodromes as well as major airports?

Yes. AACS works across the full spectrum of aerodrome types and sizes — from major international airports to regional commercial aerodromes, general aviation airfields, heliports, and offshore platforms. The same ICAO Annex 14 and national CAA obligations apply regardless of aerodrome size, but the proportionate application of those requirements varies significantly. AACS calibrates all advisory to the aerodrome’s actual risk profile, operational complexity, and regulatory environment.

Can AACS support an aerodrome through the certification process?

Yes. AACS provides end-to-end aerodrome certification support — from initial gap analysis and readiness assessment through to authority submission, inspector engagement, and post-certification compliance monitoring. Our advisors have direct experience navigating aerodrome certification with EASA, UK CAA, and multiple national aviation authorities, and understand what regulators look for at each stage of the process.

Does AACS provide airport consulting services internationally?

Yes. AACS provides airport and aerodrome consulting to clients in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. All advisory is aligned with the applicable national regulatory framework and the international standards of ICAO Annex 14. Our experience with ICAO technical assistance programmes and bilateral advisory engagements means we are equally effective working with developing aviation states as with mature regulatory environments.

Enquire About Airport & Aerodrome Consulting

To discuss your airport or aerodrome consulting requirements, request a capability statement, or arrange an initial consultation, contact the AACS team.