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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-01-20-HFAC-minHanscom Field Advisory Commission (HFAC) Minutes — 20 January 2026 Prepared by Massport Staff Video of HFAC Meeting on the Lincoln, MA TV Page: g11kro //;,lakaifl alai Iv/v„akcfl/1�b1 a%ib�'roa}n al()Np:E HFAC Website:al • Call to Order: Chair Margaret Coppe called the meeting to order at 7:00pm • Announcements: Chair Coppe recording HFAC Meeting; greeted all to January 20' meeting pursuant to MA Open Meeting Law Christopher Eliot announced Legal Subcommittee meeting with Massport Legal scheduled for 28 Jan at 11:00am o Participants will include Amber Goodspeed, Terrence Parker and human rights lawyer Megan Chapman Minutes: The December 2025 Meeting Minutes were reviewed for approval The December 2025 Meeting Minutes were approved unanimously with the following amendments: o Correct spelling of Christopher Eliot's first name in the Capital Projects section o Correct spelling of Chair in the Agenda Items section o Correct spelling of Terri Ackerman's last name twice in the Agenda Items section o Correct spelling of Barbara Katzenberg's last name in the Agenda Items section o Correct spelling of Kristi Noem's first name in the Agenda Items section o Chair Coppe will send approved HFAC meeting minutes to the respective Town Clerks for the four towns Monthly Noise Reports: presented by Amber Goodspeed In December 2024 as compared to December 2025: • 7am - l 1pm operations decreased 6.7% in December 2025 • Singles (including touch and goes) decreased 17.5% in December 2025 • Turbo activity decreased 11.7% in December 2025 • Jet operations increased 4.7% in December 2025 • Helicopter activity increased 0.2% in December 2025 • Night Operations (1 1pm-7am) increased 9.0% with 200 in December 2024 compared to 218 in December 2025 • Terri Ackerman questioned if increase of jets correlated to increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flights; Amber Goodspeed replied construction at Logan had a significantly larger impact than the ICE jets • Patricia Lynch requested definition of Local flights; Amber Goodspeed defined a local operation as a single-engine piston that departs the airport, performs training/practice flights within a 20 -mile radius and lands again • Toby Sackton queried about the number of Boeing 737s at Hanscom Field; Amber Goodspeed suggested that Mr. Sackton continue his dialogue with Massport Legal office • Christopher Eliot requested to show a map of the Noise Monitoring Terminals (NMTs) on Page 6 • Elizabeth Coules asked for air traffic numbers since 2010; Amber Goodspeed replied that the information will be contained in the State of Hanscom report upcoming in March 2026 Capital Programs and Third Party Development Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the Capital Programs and Third Party Development reports and noted that: Oshkosh provided Massport with demonstration of the Volterra hybrid fire truck for future purchase consideration Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) work completed at end of Runway 11; work at end of Runway 23 is ongoing o Chair Coppe referenced online conversations from concerned citizens that too many trees are being cut down o Amber Goodspeed indicated Massport received orders of conditions from the Conservation Commissions in each respective Town to perform VMP; matter of safety when trees grow too tall and have to be topped or removed No update on North Airfield Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Report (SDEIR) release o Amber Goodspeed explained it is still set to be released in March 2026 by North Airfield Ventures, LLC (NAV) Cargo or Scheduled Commercial Passenger Services Amber Goodspeed stated there have been no requests for future scheduled passenger or cargo service • Agenda Items: Topics discussed on published agenda: • Emir Skokie, Chief Strategy Officer and Flavio Leo, Director Aviation Planning & Strategy, presented Massport's 10 year Strategic Plan Overview across Logan International Airport, Worcester Regional and Hanscom Field o Reviewed Massport's substantial economic input to New England, renewed focus on customer service across all aviation assets, aspirational goals, cost-cutting themes, regionalization and balancing demand across regional airports and sustainable aviation leadership, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) o Logan priorities focused on ground access improvements to alleviate congestion, airside optimization to meet projected demand and facilities modernization, which include the aging air traffic control tower o Highlighted Hanscom Field as a leader among General Aviation (GA) airports in innovation with research partnerships and development of sustainability while remaining the premier GA reliever for Logan o Core mission at Worcester is continued growth with attention to additional opportunities like cargo and land use o Conley and Flynn maritime facility goals seek to optimize land use, upgrade crane and wharf, continue development of cruise business, drive regional economic development and improve throughput speeds o Plan will be distributed for Public input on January 22nd with a comment period January 22nd — March 6th o Massport aims to adopt the report in the March/April timeframe with implementation in May of 2026 o Christopher Eliot requested a separate meeting to discuss SAF; Amber Goodspeed will assist with scheduling o Barbara Katzenberg expressed concerns over expansion of infrastructure for private jets and deportation activity o Terrence Parker queried on how timeline was developed; Flavio Leo clarified Massport has been working on a draft for the last year and wants to provide the public with ample time for examination and input o Chair Coppe queried about definition of a Massport customer and how to distinguish between a private jet and a business jet; Massport is focused on the end user and terms for jet classes have become more generic o Chair Coppe also asked about public transportation as it was not referenced in the report; Emir Skokie reiterated that Massport has a goal to enhance ground transport access which would include elevating public transportation o HFAC resolved to spend time at the February HFAC to discuss issues with the material presented by Massport in order to formally compose and submit a statement during the public comment period o Patricia Lynch commented on Hanscom's regional impact in terms of pollution and increased jet activity o Elizabeth Coules echoed concern for pollution and rise in jet traffic; Flavio Leo countered with verbiage in report that states Massport's ongoing commitment to reduce aviation impacts on surrounding communities o Tommy Butler reiterated Massport's Net Zero plan already implemented for 2031, placing sustainability and resiliency into the DNA of Massport going forward; strategic plan supplements roadmap to net zero o Terrence Parker questioned how strategic plan is utilized when considering possible North Airfield expansion; Flavio Leo explained that by balancing the larger mission across all aviation assets, to include partnerships with other municipal airports, Massport can limit one airfield from being disproportionately impacted by flights o Jennifer Boles sought to expound on ideas for future innovation at Hanscom Field; Flavio Leo listed electric aircraft, Global Positioning System (GPS) research and autonomous vehicles as future areas for advancement • Chair Coppe did not receive a response from Christopher Celozzi, public affairs representative for U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Boston o Toby Sackton presented his interpretation of 60 Seat Restriction at Hanscom Field; suggested could potentially be applied more broadly than Massport currently operates, depends on legal interpretation and waiver limitations o Amber Goodspeed stated Massport's longstanding interpretation of the 60 -seat rule applies only to commercial scheduled passenger service, ticketed service offered to the public, not charter/private flights o Amber Goodspeed encouraged HFAC to raise 60 -Seat rule interpretation questions directly with Massport Legal at the January 28th meeting, noting she is not counsel and would defer to legal o Terri Ackerman requested meeting with Terrance Parker and Meghan Chapman prior to meeting with Massport Legal o Terrence Parker remarked futures actions will be based on the legal interpretation of 60 Seat rule o Thomas Hirsch stated that under Part 121, commercial flights are defined as passengers purchasing tickets; deported passengers are not purchasing tickets; Barbara Katzenberg reasserted have to understand the case law • Chair Coppe asked Elizabeth Coules if she was able to investigate Beverly Regional Airport's noise abatement procedures; Elizabeth Coules unable to present but will try and have information for February HFAC • Citizen Comments: • No citizen comments presented • Other Business: The date for the next HFAC meeting will be at 7:00 pm on 17 February 2025 o No HATS meeting scheduled for the near future • Action Items: HFAC formulate comments on Massport Strategic Plan during the public comment period • Schedule SAF discussion meeting Massport add NMT map to noise report Elizabeth Coules investigate Beverly Regional Airport's noise abatement procedures • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m. Attendees: Margaret Coppe, Terri Ackeman, Christopher Eliot, Thomas Hirsch, Barbara Katzenberg, Terrence Parker, Tommy Butler, Alaina Coppola, Emir Skokie, Amber Goodspeed, Anthony Guerriero, Flavio Leo, Mike Vatalaro, Christopher Willenborg, Mark Wimmer, Tonya Alanez, K. Beckley, Jennifer Boles, Elizabeth Coules, Patty Dahlgren, Corinne Doud, Charlie Homer, Ed Kihanya, Jeanne Krieger, Patricia Lynch, Amy McCoy, Trish O'Hagan, Piper Pavelich, Deb Parker -Johnson, Wendy Rovelli, Toby Sackton, Sobol, Mark Sandeen, Lara Sullivan, Stuart Trout, Kati Winchell and Veronica Wirtz.