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A New Era for Airport Data

4 min readMar 5, 2025

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Department

By James Williams, FAA Safety Briefing Magazine

Change is hard. Change in critical systems is incredibly hard. Change in a critical system used by multiple user groups, well, you can probably guess how that works. But change is necessary and can also be empowering. The Airport Data Information Portal (ADIP) was a massive overhaul of a bedrock system that underpins many of the commercial applications and services we as pilots rely upon to operate in the National Airspace System (NAS).

“The ADIP system has enabled airport managers and airport owners to transition from a previous legacy paper-based process for updating airport data to an easily accessible system that allows airport proponents the ability to spatially visualize and manage aeronautical information related to their airport,” explains Chris Criswell, the manager of the Airport Data and Airspace Branch of the FAA’s Office of Airports and also a certificated flight instructor. ADIP is a revolution for both the people who enter data into the system and those who pull from it. For example, airport operators may submit changes to runway lighting systems, operating hours, etc.

Through the Portal

“ADIP allows all users the ability to easily access and query FAA airport aeronautical information for over 20,000 landing areas within the NAS and visualize those locations using satellite imagery,” Criswell said. Providing access to satellite or aerial imagery is a great tool for pilot’s situational awareness at airports that they may be operating at for the first time. The ADIP system not only provides essential data to pilots to make informed aeronautical decisions, but it also allows airport owners/operators to easily manage their data so that pilots are assured they have access to the most current information.”

Rapid access to data changes is key to higher quality information. The FAA ADIP team ensures the quality of the data entered into ADIP by vetting over 30,000 registered users and incorporating a verification/validation process along the entire data update process. “FAA’s ADIP system has more than 29,000 vetted, registered users who have designated permissions to manage airport data for over 20,000 landing areas in the NAS,” Criswell continued. “Beyond ADIP’s publicly accessible user interface, it is home to nine interconnected applications.

“These tools give airport owners/operators transparency to their airport aeronautical information and the ability to visualize, analyze, and manage their data,” says Criswell. “This ensures the most current and accurate data can be provided to the flying public to support data-driven decision making.”

You may be wondering why this matters to you. Making it easier and faster for airports or their representatives to update, modify, or correct information means your tools are better for navigation and access. That data is what underlies most flight planning tools, GPS systems, Electronic Flight Bags (EFB), etc. Better data quality means a lower likelihood of system errors. Also, by moving to an electronic submission system with ADIP, the hope is to make it easier for smaller operators to update information.

One of the challenges of increasing access to the system is ensuring quality remains high. That is why users are vetted before access is granted. Processes and standards developed by the FAA to maintain the quality of submissions in the new electronic system back this up.

How You Use It

Pilots do not even need to create accounts. Simply navigate to the site and search for any airport or other landing sites of interest, like heliports, for example. From there you can see the airport with high-quality satellite imagery and pull up anything from basic info to approaches or charts. Another nice touch is as you zoom out you can see other nearby facilities, which can be helpful for planning purposes. Whether it’s looking for alternate airports or alerting yourself to possible helicopter traffic to a local hospital in the vicinity of your destination, ADIP provides the kind of integrated experience that you previously would have had to go to the private sector for. ADIP is the type of program that people will come to appreciate more. Visit adip.faa.gov and give it a try.

James Williams is FAA Safety Briefing’s associate editor and photo editor. He is also a pilot and ground instructor.

Magazine
This article was originally published in the March/April 2025 issue of FAA Safety Briefing magazine. https://www.faa.gov/safety_briefing

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Cleared for Takeoff
Cleared for Takeoff

Published in Cleared for Takeoff

Voices, stories and news from the Federal Aviation Administration

FAA Safety Briefing Magazine
FAA Safety Briefing Magazine

Written by FAA Safety Briefing Magazine

The FAA Safety Policy Voice of Non-commercial General Aviation

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