Airport Authority Honored for Bowman Field Safety Program

Bowman Field recognized nationally for innovative efforts

LOUISVILLE, KY (February 24, 2020) – The Louisville Regional Airport Authority was honored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) with the 2020 Jay Hollingsworth Speas Airport Award for the Bowman Field Airport Area Safety Program. The award is co-sponsored by the AIAA, American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC).

“We thank the AIAA, AAAE and ACC for recognizing the dedicated efforts of our Board and staff with this very complex program,” said Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Airport Authority. “The reality is there was a lot of community discussion about the Program that took a lot of effort to work through. I applaud the Board and our team who committed to going beyond what was federally required to take this Program, which was impactful to property owners and the community, and create a thorough plan that now serves as an innovative model for other airports.”

The Jay Hollingsworth Speas Award honors those who have contributed to the enhancement of relationship between airports and other surrounding environments with exemplary innovation that might be replicated elsewhere. The award was accepted by Dwight Clayton, Director of Engineering for the Airport Authority at the 2020 ACC/AAAE Airport Planning, Design and Construction Symposium in Reno, NV.

As part of the award, $7,500 was donated to a 501(c)(3) organization of the honoree’s choice. The Airport Authority selected to donate to the Louisville Urban League’s fundraising efforts for the new Sports and Learning Complex in the city’s Russell neighborhood. This complex is situation on a 24-acre site and will offer a 4,000-seat indoor track and field arena to be used for local, regional and national events.

The Bowman Field Airport Area Safety Program launched in early 2012 to comply with more stringent FAA safety standards for the approach areas of the airport. While the ultimate goal was safety, it became clear a central focus of the Program was to minimize the impacts to trees and other vegetative obstructions. To date, more than 700 trees have been planted as part of the program with 215 trees trimmed or removed. In addition, through its SDF Cares Program, the Airport Authority gave away 1,000 trees free to the community in the past year.

As part of the Bowman Field Airport Area Safety Program, the following was offered to those homeowners who participated in the program.

• Consultation with a certified arborist to determine if a tree should be trimmed or removed based on the homeowner’s preference.
• A two-for-one replacement of any tree removed with two low to mid-canopy trees as selected by the homeowner from a comprehensive palette of trees compiled by a certified arborist. In addition, this same offer was extended to the golf courses and public park that boarder the airport, but with a five-to-one replacement ratio.
• Consultation with a landscape architect and landscape allowance of up to $2,500 that is beyond the cost of the replacement trees.
• A one-year warranty on new landscaping and a two-year warranty on replacement trees.
• Purchasing an aviation easement based on market value appraisals conducted by a licensed and certified property appraiser.

For more information about Bowman Field, please click here.