2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Evaluation on the Regional Prosperity for Sustainable Local Air Networks

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23560618
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Civil engineering project/Traffic engineering
Research Institution	Hokkaido University (2012-2013) Muroran Institute of Technology (2011)
Principal Investigator	TAMURA TOHRU 北海道大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80163690)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Keywords	航空 / 空港 / 地域連携
Research Abstract	Airport policies used to focus on maintenance of facilities, but now they concentrate more on management, seeking to strengthen the ties between airport and surrounding communities. The airline industry in general is inherently burdened by large fixed costs, and small regional airlines in particular operate under a high-cost structure. However, if a number of airline companies share air routes, aircraft maintenance and capital investment including the procurement of aircraft, it will become possible to obtain a reasonable fixed cost ratio and improve the balance sheet. The purpose of this paper is to propose that local governments sharing common issues jointly procure aircraft and supplies and lease them to private operators at affordable fees. This will be the framework that enables the maintenance and development of air networks that are indispensable to regional prosperity.