Abstract:

Foreign object debris (FOD) poses significant safety and financial threats to aviation. Estimates of the annual global costs of FOD range up to $22.7 billion in current United States dollars. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recognizes that airport FOD detection systems can help reduce FOD risks. The FAA Airport Technology Research and Development Branch research team reviewed a recent cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of such systems. Inputs to this analysis included stakeholder interviews, literature review, safety and operational databases, and airport FOD detection records.

The research team created six CBA models with varied component cost models for underlying expenses. All six models showed a net financial benefit and break-even within 1–9 years. With only modest estimates for indirect cost (1x direct costs) and a partial estimate for fringe costs, CBA showed a benefit of $15.4 million and a break-even in Year 3.

This report discusses related issues, including fringe benefits, cost-sharing structure between stakeholders, and tailoring of these results to individual airports.