a3i global Paper Argues NPIAS Airports Already Hold Data for AI Digital Twins, Maps Funding and Regulatory Gaps
Why It MattersIf airports can build digital twins from records they already keep, adoption hinges on funding, standards and data access rather than new data collection.
A November 2026 edition of a3i Next Wave™, written by Walsh, founder of a3i global aeronautics advisors, LLC, argues that most airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) already hold the foundation for a digital twin in records they keep for the FAA. The paper also maps what is still missing in funding, standards and data access.
The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) describes digital twins as detailed virtual representations of a facility or system kept up to date with real-time data. ACRP project 03-66, Guidebook for Digital Twin Programs at Airports, was a $350,000 project.
