The Arizona Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division has been recognized throughout the aviation industry as a leader among hundreds of airports & aeronautics divisions nationally. ADOT, in partnership with 3 other agencies in Arizona, spent more than a year developing a best practices manual. That manual now serves as a critical guideline for all airports in Arizona to successfully manage & administer grant programs through the state & the FAA.
It was this project that convinced the FAA’s Western-Pacific Region to award ADOT’s Aeronautics Division & the Arizona Best Practices Team with one of the agency’s most prestigious honors. The Herman C. Bliss Airports Partnership Award was presented earlier this month to ADOT during the region’s annual Airports Conference in Los Angeles. Aeronautics Division Director Barclay Dick accepted the award on behalf of ADOT.
The Arizona Best Practices Team is comprised of ADOT’s Aeronautics Division, the Arizona Airports Association & 2 consultants, Coffman Associates and Z & H Engineering.
"We should continually strive to make each other's jobs easier," Dick said. "That's what the Best Practices manual is intended to do for airport development stakeholders. I'm proud of the role the Aeronautics Division played in this effort & I appreciate the FAAR's recognition."
This is the second time the Herman C. Bliss Airports Partnership Award has been presented. Every airport & aviation division in every state is eligible for the award.
Herman C. Bliss was a longtime manager of the Airport District Office for the FAA’s Western Pacific Region. During his 40-year career, he was instrumental is helping airports expand services to better accommodate the traveling public.
ADOT's Aeronautics Division registers all general aviation aircraft in Arizona & issues grants & loans to the state's public airports. The division also operates the Grand Canyon National Park Airport & facilitates the state's Aviation Education Outreach program.