1.15.25 - AV12 Course update:
AV12 Airport Systems Planning and Design course is open for enrollment. We will host the in-person program this summer (July 13-17, 2026 in Berkeley). If you have questions, please reach out to: Fredda Olivares, olivares@berkeley.edu. Thank you.
55th Annual Short Course
Summer 2026 – In-person (July 13 -17, 2026) UC Berkeley Campus
3.7 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
37 Course Maintenance (CM) Units through the American Planning Association (APA): TBA
Registration is open; click here to register (registration opens January 1st)
This five-day course offers an overview of airport planning and design for those entering or wishing to become more familiar with the field, as well as an opportunity for those with more experience to expand their knowledge of specific topics. The course will give particular attention to the challenges and uncertainties involved in planning airport facilities in the current situation and the implications for planning airport facilities for the future environment during and after recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The course is taught by some of the leading practitioners (and most experienced instructors) in the industry. In addition to covering the fundamentals of airport planning and design, the course discusses emerging issues and likely future trends facing airport planners, operators, and consultants in the US and around the world.
The topics covered range from airport and airline economics and travel demand forecasting to airport capacity analysis, noise analysis, and environmental planning. Topics covered also include airfield design, passenger terminal planning, airport ground access, and air cargo facilities planning.
The course is being offered by the National Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations Research (NEXTOR).
Who should attend
This course is intended for engineers and planners working for airport authorities, consultants, and government agencies, as well as airport and airline management personnel interested in the technical considerations that need to be taken into account in planning airport development in the post-coronavirus pandemic environment. It will also be of interest to those involved in teaching transportation engineering courses or undertaking research on airport-related topics.
2026 Course Program (Proposed program as of 12.17.25)
*Note: all times Pacific Daylight Time
MONDAY, JULY 13
8:30-9:00 Course Overview and Attendee Introductions / Gosling
9:00-10:35 Airport System Planning / Gosling
10:35-10:55 break
10:55-12:30 Airport Strategic and Master Planning / Stewart
12:30-1:30 lunch
1:30-3:05 Advanced Air Mobility / Cohen
3:05-3:25 break
3:25-4:30 Overview of group assignments / Gosling & Hanowsky
6:30 Optional Dinner, depart from course hotel
TUESDAY, JULY 14
8:30-10:05 Aviation Traffic Demand Forecasting / Gosling
10:05-10:25 break
10:25- noon Airspace and Airport Capacity / Hanowsky
Noon-1:00 lunch
1:00 -2:35 Airline Operations and Economics / Nason
2:35-2:55 break
2:55-4:30 Airport Finance / Richardson
4:30-5:00 Group assignment discussions
Dinner on your own
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15
8:30-10:05 Airfield Planning and Design / Cornell
10:05-10:25 break
10:25-noon Airport Passenger Terminals / Thurber
Noon-1:00 lunch
1:00-2:35 Airport Ground Access/ Mandle
2:35-2:55 break
2:55-4:30 Air Cargo Logistics and Facilities / Phillips
6:30 Dinner / Speaker: TBD
THURSDAY, JULY 16
8:30-10:05 Airport and Aviation Sustainability / Cooke
10:05-10:25 break
10:25-noon Environmental Planning and Management / Full
Noon-1:00 lunch
1:00-2:35 Airport Noise Management / Mestre
2:35-2:55 break
2:55-4:30 Airport and Land Use Compatibility / Harmon
4:30-5:00 Group assignment discussions
Dinner on your own
FRIDAY, JULY 17
8:30-10:05 From Planning to Construction / Oswald
10:05-10:25 break
10:25-noon Airport planning group presentations
Noon-12:15 Course wrap-up / Gosling
12:15 Adjourn
Faculty member in charge
Mark Hansen, Professor of Civil Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
Course coordinators
Geoffrey Gosling, Principal, Aviation System Consulting, Berkeley, California
Michael Hanowsky, Director, Practice Lead for Data Analytics and Operational Planning, Woolpert, Oakland, California
Instructional staff
Adam Cohen, Research Associate, Innovative Mobility Research Group, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley
Erin Cooke, Sustainability Director, San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California
Thomas Cornell, Vice President, Landrum & Brown, San Francisco, California
David Full, Vice President Aviation – Environmental Service Group Leader, RS&H, San Francisco, California
Geoffrey Gosling, Principal, Aviation System Consulting, Berkeley, California
Michael Hanowsky, Director, Practice Lead for Data Analytics and Operational Planning, Woolpert, Oakland, California
Lisa Harmon, Project Planner - Aviation, Mead & Hunt, Sacramento, California
Peter Mandle, Executive Vice President, InterVISTAS Consulting, Burlingame, California
Vincent Mestre, Retired, Vice President Emeritus, Landrum & Brown, Port Townsend, Washington
Scott Nason, President, SDN TT&H Consulting, Dallas, Texas
Christopher Oswald, Senior Vice President, Safety & Regulatory Affairs, Airports Council International –
North America, Washington, DC
Thomas Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Keiser Phillips Associates, Seattle, Washington
Nora Richardson, Director, Frasca & Associates, Houston, Texas
Burr Stewart, Aviation Strategic Planning & Sustainability Consultant, Seattle, Washington
Byron Thurber, Senior Aviation Planner, Arup, San Francisco, California
Course Location:
The course takes place on the beautiful Berkeley campus, at the Berkeley Faculty Club, an architectural landmark. Course will begin Monday, July 13, 2026 and end on Friday, July 17, 2026.
The University of California at Berkeley visitor website includes travel information for reaching the UC Berkeley campus. Please note visitor parking on campus is very limited and we do not recommend driving.
Course Fees:
Standard: $3550
Early Bird (by March 31st): $3250
FAA employees (up to 6 at this rate): $3250
Late (June1 – July 10): $3850
The course fee includes: course notes, daily lunch and a course dinner.
Registration
Click here to register. Click here to register.
Direct inquiries to email: olivares@berkeley.edu
General information
Continuing education units (ceu)
These units are a nationally recognized means of recording noncredit study and are accepted by many employers and relicensure agencies as evidence of a serious commitment to career advancement and the maintenance of professional competence. One ceu is awarded for each 10 hours of attendance.
Hotel Reservations
The following hotels are within walking distance to the class. Attendees are responsible for their own hotel accommodations. Costs will not be covered by NEXTOR.
Hotel Shattuck Plaza (We recommend this hotel for best rates)
2086 Allston Way
https://www.hotelshattuckplaza.com/
or
Graduate by Hilton Berkeley (We recommend this hotel for location closest to the classroom)
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/oakgbgu-graduate-berkeley/
or
2121 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/oakrr-residence-inn-berkeley/overview/
If you have questions
Please email: olivares@berkeley.edu
For questions about the course content please contact: Geoff Gosling (Gdgosling@aol.com)