To maintain a safe and efficient air transportation system, Virginia has implemented several management programs to enable the Department of Aviation to monitor and correct existing deficiencies and maximize the benefits received from limited budgets. The three systems discussed in this paper are (a) runway approach identification,(b) airport information management, and (c) pavement management. The runway approach identification system is used to identify obstructions to the approach surfaces for all hard surfaced public-use runways in Virginia. By using the photographs produced through this procedure obstructions are easily identified. The airport information management system is used to store information on an airport's property holdings, approach slope analysis, FAA Form 5010-1, runway and apron pavement data, grant tracking for planning and construction projects, and other valuable data used in airport management and planning. The pavement management system (PMS) is used to store and analyze pavement condition data. PMS provides a coordinated, budgeted, and systematic approach to programming maintenance and rehabilitation work. All three systems have been of enormous assistance to the Department of Aviation by identifying, quantifying, and storing a large amount of information for quick and easy update and retrieval. The systems have been computerized to allow for ease and speed of the system. The integration of these management systems permits the Department of Aviation to consider all pertinent factors (pavement condition, runway obstructions, and property ownership within runway protection zones) when making decisions pertaining to Virginia's air transportation system.

Since 1928, the Commonwealth of Virginia has taken an active role in the development of an efficient air transportation system. When Virginia enacted its first law in 1928, the Commonwealth had 1 licensed aircraft, 8 airports,· and 37 licensed pilots. In the following 64 years, aviation became an important part of Virginia's economic st. rength. Virginia's air transportation system consists of 75 publicuse airports and 1 heliport, shown in Figure 1. These airports link Virginia with commercial markets, serve as gateways for tourism, generate $1.3 billion in wages, and contribute $6.4 billion to the economic activity of Virginia (1). Before implementing the three management systems, the Department of Aviation relied heavily on the sponsor's knowledge of aviation laws and regulations and their project