FAA Requests $42M for Airport Tech Research in FY2027 Budget
The White House is requesting $42.1 million for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Technology Research program in its fiscal year 2027 budget proposal, continuing federal investment in integrating emerging technologies safely into airport operations.
The request, released April 3, 2026, is part of a broader $4 billion allocation for the Airport Improvement Program — the same funding level as the current year. The package targets infrastructure, safety research, and cooperative programs at more than 3,300 public-use airports across the country.
What the Airport Technology Research Program Does
The FAA’s Airport Technology Research program funds applied research aimed at the safe incorporation of new and evolving technologies into airport environments. Areas of focus historically include pavement performance, wildlife hazard management, winter operations, and unmanned aircraft systems integration. For airport operators and safety managers, the program represents a direct pipeline from research findings into operational guidance — including standards that shape how airports detect surface hazards, manage weather-related conditions, and plan infrastructure improvements.
Full Breakdown of Airport Improvement Program Funding
Within the $4 billion AIP request, the Department of Transportation’s FY2027 budget highlights identify the following allocations:
- $3.8 billion for infrastructure grants at 3,300+ public-use airports
- $42.1 million for Airport Technology Research
- $15 million for the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP)
- $160 million for administrative costs
- Continued funding for the Airport Pavement Technology Program
The administration did not request supplemental discretionary AIP grants for FY2027. By contrast, last year’s transportation spending package included $577.4 million in supplemental AIP discretionary grants.
Broader FAA Budget Picture
The overall FAA request totals approximately $22.4 billion — about $220 million less than the current level, and nearly $4.9 billion less when accounting for expiring Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. The Airport Infrastructure Grants and Airport Terminal Program both conclude after fiscal year 2026.
The budget also proposes $4 billion for FAA Facilities and Equipment, focused in part on what the administration calls a “Brand-New Air Traffic Control System.” An additional $165 million is requested for Research, Engineering, and Development — $126 million below the current enacted level.
Operations funding comes in at nearly $14.2 billion, about $482 million above current levels. Of that total, $95.4 million is earmarked to sustain an accelerated controller hiring initiative. The FAA is targeting 2,300 new controller trainees in fiscal year 2027.
Airport Cooperative Research Program
The $15 million request for the Airport Cooperative Research Program maintains support for an industry-driven effort that has produced hundreds of applied research reports and guidance documents since the program’s inception. ACRP projects are selected through a competitive process involving airport operators, the FAA, and the Transportation Research Board.
What Comes Next
A White House budget request is a proposal, not law. House and Senate Appropriations Committees will now begin work on their respective FY2027 transportation funding bills. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
Aviation industry groups are already weighing in. The American Association of Airport Executives noted the budget maintains core AIP funding but flagged the absence of supplemental discretionary grants — and the expiration of IIJA airport programs — as significant concerns for capital planning at airports of all sizes.
Subscribe to FODNews for daily coverage of airport safety research, FAA policy, and aviation infrastructure.
