Neel-Schaffer specializes in complete aviation engineering, providing a wide variety of services to general aviation, air carrier, and industrial airports of all sizes across the United States. In addition to airports, we have provided services to airlines, industries that support aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration, state departments of transportation, various aviation organizations, and local and regional development agencies.

Airport Planning

All successful airport development starts with a progressive plan that considers current and projected needs of the community the airport serves. Our planners utilize the expertise of engineers, forecasters, pilots, operations specialists and funding specialists to develop airport layout plans, master plans, noise studies, management studies, facility justification and funding and environmental documents specifically tailored to the needs of each airport.

Environmental Planning

A subset of airport planning, environmental planning ensures compatibility between airport operations and development and the human and natural environment. Our airport environmental planners are specialists who have a keen understanding of the day-to-day airport operational needs and the variety of development and construction techniques common to airport facilities.

Airport Engineering

Designing airport facilities requires specialized engineers with unique knowledge and experience. Our airport engineers are dedicated to the design of all types of aviation facilities and are involved in the entire development process, from planning through construction and project closeout. They utilize the expertise of our planners, operations specialists and construction personnel along with the client to ensure the usability and constructability of our designs.

Construction Services

After design is complete, our team assists with advertising and bidding, makes recommendations of award and prepares the contracts for execution. We provide appropriate construction administration, including resident project representation. After construction starts, our engineering service changes to on-site engineering, observation and compliance assurance, record and report submission and then closing out the project. Our experienced resident project representatives are the best in the business and are in continuous contact with a complement of construction engineers, materials specialists, grant administrators and FAA procedural experts.

Ancillary services

We realize there is more to owning and managing a public airport than planning, engineering, and construction. For that reason we offer a wide variety of related services we have developed during our decades of experience in the aviation industry. Our Aviation Team regularly assists clients with acquisition of land and navigation easements as well as helping them in preparing height zoning ordinances to protect their airspace. We often help airports write airport rules and regulations, airport information narratives, and minimum standards for commercial operations. Having worked with hundreds of airports over many years we can offer valuable insight into airport leases, contracts for services, and requests for FAA release of obligated land. We have assisted our client airports when faced with FAR Part 13 and Part 16 complaints and have on occasion offered expert witness in litigation.