What is the difference between a master plan and a capital improvement plan in an airport context?

• A. A master plan is a long-range vision for facilities and services; a CIP is a financially constrained schedule of approved improvements derived from the master plan.
• B. A master plan is a yearly budget; a CIP is a long-range vision.
• C. A master plan details only financials; a CIP covers operations.
• D. A master plan is for security; CIP is for environmental compliance.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that a master plan lays out a long-range vision for airport facilities and services, while a capital improvement program translates that vision into a funded, time-bound list of approved projects. In an airport context, the master plan covers future needs, demand projections, facility layouts, and how the airport will grow over decades. The capital improvement program takes what the master plan envisions and lays out specific projects, with cost estimates, funding sources, and sequencing for the next several years, all constrained by available funding. That’s why the best choice describes the master plan as a long-range vision and the CIP as a financially constrained schedule of approved improvements derived from that plan. The other options miss this distinction by mislabeling the roles or scope of each document.