A/P OPS MGT UNDER FAR PART 139
CERTIFICATION of AIRPORTS
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FAR PART 139
• For A/Ps serving air carrier ops, FAA’s Regulations FAR Part 139Certification and Operations, defines specific policies, activities,
and standards for A/F ops mgt are to be followed
• FAR Part 139 applies to A/Ps that serve scheduled/unscheduled
passenger air carrier ops that is conducted with A/C having a
seating capacity of more than 30 passengers
• Regulations described in FAR Part 139 are designed to be broad
ranging and general in nature, so applicable to any civil-use A/P
• Approx 700 A/Ps in the US are certificated to be in either full
compliance or limited compliance with FAR Part 139
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FAR PART 139
CERTIFICATION of AIRPORTS
• All A/P are required to create operational procedures specific to its
unique environment that comply regulations listed in FAR Part 139
• For compliance, a comprehensive list of operational procedures
are required to be compiled into an Airport Certification Manual
(ACM)
• A/P in limited compliance are required to have a series of Airport
Certification Specifications (ACS), which describe procedures in
accordance with FAR Part 139
• FAA assesses an A/P’s compliance with A/P ops regulations mainly
on basis of A/P’s ACM or ACS
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FAR PART 139
CERTIFICATION of AIRPORTS
A/P are required to have written plans for
managing following areas
AIRFIELD
PAVEMENT MGT
A/C RESCUE &
FIRE FIGHTING
(ARFF)
SNOW AND ICE
CONTROL
SAFETY
INSPECTIONS
WILDLIFE HAZARD
MANAGEMENT
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PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT
• For most A/C, strong, level, dry, and well-maintained pavement
surfaces are required for safe movement on A/P
• Thus inspection, maintenance, and repair of the runways,
taxiways, and apron areas as part of A/F pavement mgt program
are of utmost importance
• FAR Part 139, Section
139.305, covers some specific
characteristics that define the minimum quality standards for
airfield pavements
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P
A
V
E
M
E
N
T
M
A
N
A
G
E
M
• Asphalt is less expensive than concrete, but requires much more
maintenance in the long run
• Much depends on preparation/grading of underlying ground
(subgrade), vigilance , and prompt attention to maintenance needs
• Moisture is the primary enemy
• If water does not drain off surface and away from the pavement
edging quickly, it will filter to underlying layers of pavement and
weaken it to the point where the overlying layers break open
• Potholes then appear as heavy rains wash away loose material
• Similarly, years of use and by exposure to atmospheric conditions,
asphalt R/Ws begin to lose their elasticity. When this occurs, cracks
begin to appear on the pavement surface, which allows moisture to
penetrate and further weaken the pavement
• Ultimately, when pavement is no longer able to support heavy loads,
pavement failure occurs
E
N
T
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P
A
V
• Concrete R/Ws/ T/Ws are found at large A/Ps with high volumes of
E
air traffic because of their high load-bearing capabilities & resistance
M
E
to the destructive effects of weather
N
• Concrete also resists deterioration from oil or fuel spillage better
T
than asphalt, and for this reason is generally used for parking ramps
M
and around hangars at all types of A/Ps
A
• Concrete, being a rigid material that expands and contracts with
N
A
temperature change, is laid down in slabs separated by contraction
G
and expansion joints
E
• Joints are filled with flexible binder, which either expands or shrinks
M
E
as the concrete contracts or expands
N
T
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P
A
V
E
M
E
N
T
M
A
N
A
• In colder temperatures, as concrete contracts, the joints might
separate enough to admit material that is incompressible, such as
sand or water when frozen
• When incompressible materials infiltrate the joints in concrete,
tremendous pressures are generated during later expansion of the
slabs, and the concrete might fracture in the joint area. This is known
as spalling
• Fractured edges permit rain to seep under pavement surface,
causing subgrade to washed away. This leads to empty foundation
under the concrete slabs, which in turn causes the slabs to become
misaligned and break
G
E
M
E
N
T
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P
A
V
E
M
• Incompressible materials can also cause the slabs to pop out over
adjacent slabs
E
• It can also cause slabs to buckle upward, cracking the surface and
N
opening up areas for moisture to seep under the pavement surface
T
• Considerable amounts of concrete surface can be destroyed in a
M
relatively short time because of poorly maintained expansion joints
A
• Even if the concrete slabs are misaligned only to a small degree,
N
A
they present a hazard
G
• Landing gear, particularly nose wheels, can be significantly
E
M
E
damaged, because irregular surfaces can blow tires and jerk
airplanes out of control
N
T
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P
A
V
• Number of actions can be taken to repair the damages that occur in
E
concrete and asphalt pavements
M
E
N
T
• Selecting an action is the degree to which the pavement has
deteriorated
• Pavements that have little deterioration generally require moderate
M
maintenance, whereas pavements that are more extensively
A
deteriorated require rehabilitation or reconstruction
N
A
• FAA defines pavement maintenance as “any regular or recurring
G
work necessary, on a continuing basis, to preserve existing pavement
E
facilities in good condition, any work involved in the care or cleaning
M
E
N
T
of existing pavement facilities, and incidental or minor repair work on
existing pavement facilities.”
P
A
V
E
M
E
N
T
• FAA defines pavement rehabilitation as the “development required
to preserve, repair, or restore the financial integrity” of the pavement.
• Adding an additional layer of asphalt on the surface of a runway
with the goal of re-strengthening the pavement would be considered
rehabilitation
M
A
N
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
• Approaches to repairing pavements may differ, but experts say that
suitably timed maint. and rehab prevents the need for pavement
reconstruction, which is a far more expensive process
• An suitable maint. program can minimize pavement deterioration
• Similarly, rehabilitation can extend the time needed until the
pavement must be replaced
• A proper pavement management program evaluates the present
condition of a pavement and predicts its future condition through the
use of a pavement condition index
• By projecting the rate of deterioration, a life cycle cost analysis can
be performed for various alternatives, and the optimal time of
application of the best alternative is determined
• During 1st 75 % of its life, a pavement’s performance is relatively
stable
• During last 25 % of its life, pavement begins to deteriorate rapidly
• Challenge of pavement mgt programs is to predict as accurately as
possible when that 75 % life cycle point will be reached for a particular
piece of pavement so its maintenance and rehabilitation can be
scheduled at the appropriate times
• Longer a pavement’s life can be stretched until it must be
rehabilitated, the lower the overall life cycle cost of the pavement will
be
• According to FAA’s estimates, total costs for ignoring maint. and
periodically rehabilitating poor pavement can be up to four times as
high as the cost for maintaining the same piece of pavement in good
condition
• Accurate & complete evaluation of pavement system is one of the
key factors contributing to the success of a maintenance project
• Major strides is development and application of non destructive
testing (NDT)
• One of the most effective and valuable of the nondestructive
techniques is vibratory or dynamic testing
• Technique measures strength of pavement system by subjecting it
to a vibratory load and measuring the amount the pavement responds
or deflects under this known load
• Rigid concrete pavements may also examined with this technique
• Testing of surface will reveal maint needed to upgrade the
pavement system to the specifications as outlined in the A/P plan
• One of the characteristics of R/W pavements is surface friction
• Surface friction allows A/C to safely accelerate for takeoff, and to
decelerate after landing
• Lack of sufficient surface friction will result in A/C skidding, slipping,
and general loss of control on the R/W surface
• R/W pavement surface friction is threatened by normal wear,
moisture, contaminants, and pavement abnormalities
• Repeated traffic movements wear down the runway surface
• Wet weather can create dynamic or viscous hydroplaning
• Dynamic hydroplaning is a condition where landing gear tires ride
up on a cushioning film of water on the runway surfaces
• Viscous hydroplaning occurs when a thin film of oil, dirt, or rubber
particles mixes with water and prevents tires from making sure
contact with pavement
• Contaminants, rubber deposits, and dust particles accumulate over
a period of time and smother the surface. The pavement itself might
have depressed surface areas that are subject to ponding during
rainfall
• Most effective & economical method of reducing hydroplaning is
runway grooving
• 1/4 inch grooves spaced approx 1.25 inches apart are made in the
runway surface
• Safety grooves help provide better drainage on the R/W surface,
furnish escape routes for water to prevent dynamic hydroplaning
• Grooving also assists in draining surface areas that tend to pond,
reducing the risks of spray, fluid drag on takeoff
• Unfortunately, the grooves become filled with foreign matter and
must be cleaned periodically
High-pressure water method is
based on high-pressure water jets
aimed at the pavement surface to
blast contaminants off the pavement
surface.
The
technique
is
environmentally clean and removes
deposits in minimum time
High-velocity
impact
method consists of throwing
rough particles at high
velocity
at
the
runway
surface. This technique blasts
contaminants
from
the
surface and can be adjusted
to produce the desired
surface texture
Chemical solvents have also
been used successfully to
remove contaminants from both
concrete and asphalt runways.
Chemicals
must
meet
environmental standards. Acidbased chemicals are used on
concrete runways and alkaline
chemicals on asphalt
Regardless of the type of pavement
used on an airfield’s runways,
taxiways, and apron areas, a
prescribed
plan
for
pavement
inspection,
maintenance,
and
rehabilitation is essential for the safe
operation and movement of A/C at the
A/P
• Although the incidents of fires are rare, when they occur
(especially on A/C), fire fighting and rescue capabilities at A/P may
save life of pilots, passengers, and A/P personnel
• Resultantly, ARFF services are required to be present at all A/P
operating under FAR Part 139
• For those A/P not operating under FAR Part 139, agreement with
local rescue and firefighting agencies is necessary for safe ops
• Characteristics of A/C fires are different because of the speed at
which they develop and the intense heat they generate
• So FAR Part 139 designates specific ARFF requirements based on
type of A/C that use A/P. Requirements are as follows
• FAR Part 139.315 designates the ARFF index of an A/C based on the
length of A/C using A/P and average no of daily departures of A/C
• FAR Part 139.317 describes the required ARFF equipment and agents
to be present at A/P, based on the A/P’s ARFF index
• It indicates a min response time of the first vehicle to an incident
• It suggests that all ARFF training curriculum should be held
• At least, one ARFF person on duty must be trained in emergency
medical care
• It requires all ARFF personnel to participate in at least one live-fire drill
every 12 months
• Removal of snow and ice from A/F pavements consume significant
portion of A/P’s ops budget
• FAR Part 139.313, states that all A/Ps where snow and icing
conditions regularly occur shall prepare, maintain, and carry out a
snow and ice control plan
• Snow and ice control plans should include ATC comm, safety
considerations, inspection standards, and notice to airmen (NOTAM)
responsibilities
• Large jet A/C have takeoff limitation of 1/2 inch of
heavy wet snow, and 1 inch of snow of medium
moisture content
• So removal ops must start before such conditions
occur, and must continue without interruption until the
end of snowfall and snow removal has progressed to
the point where A/C ops may be carried on with safety
• Snow removal ops are started on the active R/W and
progress to other R/W & T/Ws
• In tandem, snow clearing from ramps, A/C loading
positions, service areas, and public facilities also takes
place
Two basic methods of removing snow and ice: mechanical and chemical
Mechanical Means
• Most removal is accomplished by mechanical
means, because chemical methods are generally
more expensive and less effective
• Underground hot water and electrical heating
systems are used around ramps areas at some
large airports
• Such systems are very expensive to construct and
maintain, preventing them from implementation at
most airports. The three mechanical methods of
snow removal include plows, blowers/throwers,
and brushes
Chemical Means
• For airfield pavements, different types of
chemicals may be used to prevent or remove
snow and use accumulations
• Such chemicals include urea, acetate based
compounds, and sodium formate
• Urea is effective in removing ice and snow in
temperatures as low as 15 deg Fahrenheit
• Acetate-based compounds are known to be
effective in temperatures as low as -50 deg
Fahrenheit
• Snow accumulation pose serious risks to the safety of A/F ops as
ice is the greatest hazards to A/C ops
• Many A/P attempt to control such conditions through the use of sand
but dry sand spread on R/W and T/W is quickly removed by A/C
engine blast, so a means of securing the sand to the ice is necessary
• Most successful method uses conventional weed-burning
equipment. The procedure is to apply sand to the icy surface. These
lay down a uniform layer of sand. This is immediately followed by
flame-thrower type burner units, which heat the sand particles and
melt the ice sufficiently to produce coarse, sandpaper like surface
upon refreezing
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• Presence of ice or snow accumulation on A/C’s wings or fuselage
has potential adverse effects on the performance of A/C in flight
• So removal of accumulations is required prior to flight. This removal
process is known as aircraft deicing
• A/C deicing is accomplished by spraying one of two types of heated
aqueous solutions onto the aircraft
• Heat of the solution and the force of the spray melt and remove the
accumulation. The chemical properties of the solution act as an
antifreeze to prevent significant accumulation prior to takeoff
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• To ensure FAR regulations, A/P mgt should carry out
comprehensive safety inspection program
• Frequency of inspections varies by A/P, but certain facilities and
equipment (R/W, T/W, and nav aids) must be inspected daily
• FAA’s Airport Certification Program Handbook suggests the
following general categories in which emphasis on elimination,
improvement, or education should be placed
• Hazards by weather conditions such as snow, ice, and slush
• Obstacles on and around airfield surfaces
• Hazards that threaten the safety of the public
• Hazards created by erosion, or broken or damaged facilities
• Hazards occurring on A/P during construction activity, such as
holes, ditches, obstacles
• Bird hazards adjacent to the airport
• Inadequate maintenance personnel or equipment
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• Birds and wildlife striking A/C in operation at A/P has the potential to
cause serious damage to A/C and loss of human life
• In 2001, over 5,600 aircraft reported a wildlife strike, nearly five
times the amount reported in 1990
• An estimated $400 million/yr in A/C damage and over 500,000 hrs/yr
of A/C downtime was associated with these events
• Because most strikes occur on or near airports, emphasis on bird
and wildlife management is mandated
• FAR Part 139.337 directs A/Ps to conduct a study and provide a
wildlife management program for A/P
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• A flock of birds ingested into a jet engine at takeoff can cause a
dangerous stall, and a single large bird hitting an engine with the force
of a bullet might smash a fan blade that can cost thousands of dollars
to replace
• FAR Part 139 requires that A/P operators must established
instructions and procedures for the prevention or removal of factors at
the A/P that attract, or might attract, bird activity
• Most allowable control techniques are intended to discourage birds
from feeding at the airport
• Use of trained birds of prey, such as falcons and hawks,
complements a number of other measures
• Several airports have turned to border collies as an effective way to
chase birds
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