Advanced air mobility

Hanson maintains formal partnerships across the AAM industry, including the world’s two leading vertiport developers as well several of the top AAM aircraft manufacturers. Through these endeavors we are supporting private FBO vertiports, airport vertiports, and urban air mobility initiatives throughout Florida and across the United States as demonstrated on the map below. Across these engagements, Hanson has provided:

• Comprehensive technical consultation: Support includes airspace approvals, vertiport and drone CONOPS development, site selection and facility layout, electrical infrastructure planning, NEPA and regulatory coordination, state licensure requirements, landing site applications, and safety and security planning.
• A phased site development approach: An exploratory site identification process that includes screening and ranking multiple candidate locations using standardized criteria such as: airspace conditions, community impacts, operational applicability, zoning and land use, site ownership, intermodal connectivity, environmental constraints, and vertiport type.
• Client-directed site owner outreach: Initial outreach to site owners with subsequent engagement transitioning to the client after initial contact is established.
• Vertiport planning deliverables: Delivery of ranking summaries, site briefs, site scorecards, comparative analyses, and infrastructure recommendations.
• A future-ready approach: The site selection program also includes planning for pre-feasibility studies, preliminary layouts, red-flag reviews, permitting support, stakeholder engagement, preliminary technical drawings, and order-of-magnitude cost estimates.

Working relationships with the FAA

Hanson maintains longstanding, productive relationships with the FAA, including many airports district offices, regional airport divisions and FAA headquarters.
Key advantages include:
• strong FAA regional and headquarters relationships
• extensive coordination experience with state departments of transportation (DOT)
• successful projects delivered throughout Florida, including Naples Airport, Vero Beach Regional Airport, Lakeland Linder International Airport, Winter Haven Regional Airport and Arcadia Municipal Airport

Understanding of FAA rules and regulations for airport design and development

Our aviation team has coordinated hundreds of projects requiring FAA, state and local review. Our experience includes:
• one of Florida’s first ALP reviews containing vertiport development elements
• National Environmental Policy Act assessments
• land acquisition support
• construction contract management
• AAM integration into complex airspace environments
• FAA Air Traffic and Flight Standards coordination

Early and consistent agency coordination aligns scope, cost estimates, schedules, and funding availability.

Familiarity with FAA grant administration guidelines

Our staff’s experience working across multiple FAA regions allows us to efficiently navigate varying interpretations of regulations and resolve issues quickly. Key capabilities include:
• strong relationships with FAA program managers
• strong relationships with multiple state DOT aviation coordinators
• effective communication throughout the grant life cycle
• early coordination on project scope and funding strategies
• assistance with strengthening discretionary funding applications
• guidance with improving competitiveness for grant opportunities

Hanson pairs hands-on delivery experience with specialized regulatory insight to support successful outcomes from planning through construction.

Leadership advancing vertiports through FAA and state approvals

With Hanson’s support, Vero Beach Regional Airport became one of the first airports in Florida to integrate advanced air mobility into an airport master plan (ALP).
Key accomplishments include:
• direct coordination with FAA and Florida Department of Transportation reviewers
• development of a complete CONOPS
• arrival and departure airspace planning
• safety and security planning
• operating corridor development
• community impact mitigation strategies
• ALP modifications supporting future vertiport development

The resulting AAM plan and ALP updates are currently advancing through FAA review.