4 States Airport Conference 2025


Conference Schedule – 2025
Audio Visual (for all activities) Sponsored by Kansas City Aviation Department
Conference Attendee Materials Printing Sponsorship available
Conference Sign Printing Sponsorship available
CEU Certificates will be available for conference attendees.
*Note – All Sessions are based on availability of speakers and material. Some topics may change due to unforeseen circumstances

Break-Out Sessions #1
4 States Airport Conference
X Marks the Spot – Reconstructing the Intersection of Two Runways – Brian Tompkins, FAA; Brian Belt, Des Moines Airport Authority & Adam Wilhelm, Foth – Truman A
Need a Precision Approach with Minimum Disruption? – Don Seals & Michael Klasing, TREKK– Truman B
TSA Update and Q&A – Michael Frech, Dept. Homeland Security, TSA – Trianon A/B
Solar Farm Installation on Airport – Bob Crain, Burns & McDonnell – Trianon C/D

Break-Out Sessions #2
4 States Airport Conference
ACRP Project 02-98 Airport Energy Resiliency – Roadmap and Implementation Steps – Susan Zellers, Hanson Professional Services, Inc. – Truman A
FAA Development Grants Timeline and Documentation Overview – Justin Collier, FAA – Truman B
Runway Pavement Texturing for Friction Recovery – John Hunter, Skidabrader – Trianon A/B
Wetland Delineation and Permitting Basics – What Airports Need to Know – Meagan Schnoor, HDR – Trianon C/D

Break-Out Sessions #3
4 States Airport Conference
Unlocking the Secrets Design Requirements for Airport Buildings – Andrea McKinnie, FAA – Truman A
UAS Pavement Assessment Enhanced by Artificial Intelligence – Brad Waller & Bret Tremblay, Benesch – Truman B
Best Practices for Runway Length Evaluations – Kent Duffy, FAA National Resource Airport/Airspace Capacity – Trianon A/B
AIP, BIL and CDS, Oh My! – Ryan DaMetz & Russ Owen, FAA – Trianon C/D
Contract Towers – Steve Stockam, Olsson – TBD

Breakout Session #4
4 States Airport Conference
What the Airport Cooperative Research Program Can Do for You and Your Airport – Donald Harper, FAA – Truman A
Critical Aircraft Determination with Data Tools – Kent Duffy, FAA– Truman B
Aviation Weather & What the National Weather Service Can Do for You – Presented by Kenny Podrazik, CWSU-ZKC National Weather Service – Trianon A/B

Break-Out Sessions #5
4 States Airport Conference
Ideas On Internal and External Audits of SMS – Scott Simpson, Safety & Security Institute (SSI) – Truman A
Wildlife Hazards & Solutions for Airports – Spencer Nelson, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services – Truman B
“Planning, Schmanning . . . Just Let Me Build My Runway” – Sadie Robb, FAA– Trianon A/B
Deicing and Glycol Collection – Best Practices and Future Considerations– Skye Coleman, Burns & McDonnell – Trianon C/D
Conference Presentation Descriptions 2025
A Review of Interesting and Non-Compliant Things When Completing Aeronautical Surveys – A review some of the non-compliance items we see, discuss the field survey component, and explain why these issues can cause major problems and delays when submitting 18B data, whether it be increased minimums, NA Night, changed runway lengths LDA TODA, etc. – Presented by Justin Ness, Woolpert – Trianon C/D
Advancing Airport Safety Through Smart Technology and Regulatory Insight – This session explores how emerging technologies are enhancing airport safety while aligning with evolving FAA standards. We will also clarify the Modification of Standards (MOS) process and share best practices for navigating it effectively. Presented by Grant Bishop, Silent Falcon UAS Technologies – Trianon C/D
Airport Compliance – This session will cover a variety of airport compliance issues and provide guidance on how to avoid common pitfalls. Presented by Angie Muder, FAA Central Region– Trianon A/B
Airport Design & Planning for Safety – Explore the safety implementations of airport planning and design. Take a focused look at the components of airport design that a direct safety implication. Presented by Sadie Robb, FAA Central Region – Truman A
At Your Discretion (Discretionary Money) – A FAA team of Planners and Engineers will discuss the process of completing an airport improvement project utilizing discretionary funds – from initial programming and planning through engineering and construction. Learn about the highly competitive discretionary world! Presented by Ryan DaMetz & Junior Lindsay, FAA Central Region – Truman A
Bringing STL Consolidated Terminal to Life – How Key decisions were made and the strategies used during the STL master planning and how they managed subsequent financial and stakeholder engagements. Also, how the design teams initiated this transformation into an airport wide program. Presented by Jerry Beckman, St. Louis Lambert International Airport – Truman B
Contract Towers – Roundtable on Contract Towers. Presented by Steve Stockam – TBD
Do You Have an Airport Driver Training Program – Airport Driver Training is needed at all airports regardless of size. This session will cover best practices, new ideas, training, and record keeping. Presented by Scott Simpson, AirTera, Trianon C/D
Does Your Airport Need the Support of a Good Aircraft Brooker? – An Aircraft Broker can support your airport even if not on your airport. The Broker can provide aircraft support services such as – locating equipment, finding support personnel like an A&P, Aircraft Inspector, dealing with the disposal of abandoned aircraft. A real go-to person! Presented by Mark Dickensheets, Meisinger Aviation, LLC – Trianon C/D
How Angel Flight Central Provides a Public Benefit to Your Airport & Community – Your airport is more than just a runway to people in need. Sixty-two public-benefit flying organizations with volunteer pilots are taking off and landing everyday airports all around the Midwest. Learn how Angel Flight Central can provide a humanitarian service to your community and provide an economic impact with their services. Presented by Jenna Gerdes, Angel Flight Central – Truman A
How to Protect and Repair Your Concrete and Asphalt – This session will cover PoreShield and pavement repair techniques. Presented by Austin Stading, Craftco – Truman A
Instant Project Knowledge for Aviation Leaders – The Power of GPT Prompts – Transforming construction – one project at a time at a time! GPT prompts allow for instant knowledge transfer, drives construction costs down 30%, ends disputes and drives stainability. Presented by Shelley Armato, MySmart Plans – Trianon C/D
Legal Aspects of GA of Safety & Security – An Airport by Any Other Name. An exploration of the legal basis for the existence of airports and the importance of defining airports with the advent of urban air mobility by the Principal Investigator of ACRP 48: “Legal Issues Concerning General Aviation Airport Safety and Security”. Presented by C. Edward Young, Jetlaw – Trianon A/B
Part 139 View of Construction and Irregular Ops – The Perfect Storm for Increased Airfield Hazards and Risks. This session will discuss the impact of airfield geometry, signs, markings, lights, construction activities, and unexpected operations on the potential for runway incursions and other safety concerns. Presented by Clint Thorp, Des Moines Airport; Jerry Hayes, Andrew Edgar & Andrew Wells, FAA Central Region – Truman B
Planning for Advanced Air Mobility – As technology advances, airports and their communities should take steps to ensure the safe integration into their transportation system. This session will cover land use compatibility, land use impacts, proactive planning steps and other considerations that can be undertaken at the local level. Presented by Hilary Flether & Zach Hazzard, Woolpert – Trianon A/B
Quality Control and quality Acceptance of Airport Pavement – Quality control and quality assurance are critical to airfield construction processes and specifications. This project started in 2022 as part of the Airport Concrete Pavement Technology Program (ACPTP), a cooperative program between the CP Tech Center and FAA. The goal was to develop a “best practices manual” for quality processes at concrete airfield sites, within the context of P-501.specifications. Updated airport specifications emphasize the critical need for improved quality control and quality assurance in airfield construction. Presented by Tata Cavalline, UN Charlotte – William States Lee College of Engineering – Truman B
So Now You Own a NAVAID – What should you know about owning and operating NAVAIDS. Presented by Anthony Pollard & Todd Madison, FAA Central Region – Truman A
Solar for Tomorrow’s Airport Buildings – Presented by Michael Shonka, Solar Heat and Electric – Trianon A/B
TSA Update – The latest information from Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration. Presented by Jennifer Brassel, Assistant Federal Security Director, TSA – Truman B
What Happens When Your Tenant’s Lease is Up? – Dealing with the ownership of leasehold improvements at the end of a lease term – commonly referred to as reversionary rights. Many airports are faced with this challenge as historical commercial and non-commercial lease agreements begin expiring and improvements could be scheduled to revert to the airport sponsor. This session discusses the variety of options airport sponsors can utilize to effectively deal with this potentially contentious issue. Presented by David Benner, Managing Principle, AMCG – Truman B
What Kind of Problems Could You Face After a Crash – Are you ready to answer questions from the NTSB or the FAA about your fuel system. Proper communication and verification can prevent a tragedy. Avoid costly mistakes in your fuel systems. Presented by Tori Martin, Campbell Oil Company – Trianon A/B