Unison has performed economic impact analysis and benefit-cost analysis for non-hub, small hub, medium hub, and large hub airports across the United States. These analyses were conducted either as stand-alone projects or part of a more comprehensive study, such as an airport master plan or an airport financial feasibility study.

Economic impact studies involve the following tasks:

• Review of related studies, literature, and airport activity

• Primary data collection using survey questionnaires and telephone interviews of airport officials, airport tenants, airport passengers, and related businesses

• Secondary data collection involving research of published materials, official Internet sites of government statistical agencies, and FAA guidelines and circulars

• Identification and quantification of direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts in terms of output, employment and earnings

• Application of Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS II) multipliers methodology in assessing regional economic impacts

• Development of a computer simulation model to assess the economic impact of future activity and airport capital investment.

• Preparation of technical reports, executive summaries, and presentation materials

Benefit-cost analyses (BCA) are related economic studies that investigate the economic viability of specific airport development projects and assess economic costs and benefits to aviation users. BCA involves the evaluation of all the costs and benefits associated with an investment project, as well as alternative ways to accomplish project objectives. The objective is to determine whether it is economically worthwhile to pursue a project and how best to accomplish the project objectives given alternatives. Project benefits and costs are compared using the following measures: net present value, benefit-cost ratio, and internal rate of return. BCA techniques can also be applied to the analysis of other types of investments such as the provision of airline subsidies to attract new service or expand existing service. The conduct of BCA involves the following tasks:

• Define investment objectives

• Identify the base case and investment alternative

• Establish assumptions about future airport environment

• Identify and quantify investment costs and benefits

• Compare costs and benefits using the following criteria: net present value, benefit-cost ratio, and internal rate of return.