Series 150 Advisory Circulars (ACs) for Airport Projects

Provides an interactive specification that airports can use in procuring Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles. It describes the selection process, vehicle requirements, and how to produce formal specifications.

This advisory circular (AC) contains the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) standard for the non-Federal AWOS. This AC applies to anyone proposing to design, procure, construct, install, activate or maintain an AWOS.

Establishes minimum performance requirements for the design, construction, inspection, and maintenance of heated pavement systems for use in the Aircraft Operations Area (AOA).

Provides guidance on the use of avian radar systems to supplement an airport’s Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP) and reduce the potential avian threats to aircraft.

See also:

• Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Guidance Letter 12-04: Avian Radars (3/5/2012) Discusses the eligibility of Avian Radar Systems and the justification required to use AIP grant funds to acquire and install them.
• Notice to Manufacturers of Airport Avian Radar Systems about AIP Buy American Requirement (10/28/2011). The FAA is requesting information to determine if waivers to this requirement are needed.

Provides FAA standards and recommendations for the training of airport firefighting and rescue personnel in the proper operation and tactical use of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles and ARFF vehicles equipped with High Reach Extendable Turret (HRETs). This guidance includes the development of department Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) and the development of department proficiency evaluation standards.

Provides guidance for developing and managing an airport foreign object debris (FOD) program.  In addition, this AC provides specifications for the equipment used in FOD removal operations.

The described program addresses prevention, detection, removal, and evaluation as well as strategies and practices that can help reduce FOD at airports. The guidelines presented in this AC are advisory and can be implemented at the discretion of the airport operator in accordance with the airport operator’s approved Airport Certification Manual.

This AC cancels AC 150/5380-5B, Debris Hazards at Civil Airports, dated July 5, 1996.

Provides guidance on the design, construction, and operation of aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) training facilities.

Announces the availability of the Guide for Private Flyers published by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Guide lists all U.S. international airports, designated airports, landing rights airports, and user fee airports. It also defines the term InternationalAirport and clarifies the use of the word International in an airport name. Any airport may use the word International in its name. However, only airports listed in the CBP guide are considered international airports for CBP purposes.

This AC replaces AC 150/5000-5C, Designated U.S. International Airports.

Provides guidance to assist airport operators in preparing for water rescue operations.

Provides the specified manufacturing requirements for panels used for remote control of airport lighting and auxiliary systems.

Contains a specification for constant current regulators (CCR) and a monitor for use with airport lighting circuits.

See also Engineering Brief 67, Light Sources Other than Incandescent and Xenon for Airport and Obstruction Lighting Fixtures.

Contains the FAA specifications for unlighted and lighted signs to be used on taxiways and runways. See also Engineering Brief 67: Light Sources Other than Incandescent and Xenon for Airport and Obstruction Lighting Fixtures.

Contains equipment specifications for light beacons that are used to locate and identify civil airports, military airports, seaplane bases, and heliports.

Provides guidelines on providing airport data to the FAA  using FAA Forms 5010-3 and 5010-5.

See also Form 5010-3 and Form 5010-5.

Contains the specifications for discharge-type flashing light equipment to be used for runway end identification lights (REIL) and for an omni-directional approach lighting system (ODALS).

See also Notice to Manufacturers of Airport Lighting and Navigation Aid Equipment about AIP Buy American Requirement (12/19/2011). The FAA is requesting information to determine if waivers to this requirement are needed.

Contains the FAA standards for markings used on airport runways, taxiways, and aprons. This AC cancels the Signs and Marking Supplement (SAMS).

This document is consolidated to include Change 1, dated November 17, 2010.

Contains standards for the siting and installation of signs on airport runways and taxiways, including taxiway ending markers, location signs, runway distance remaining signs, mandatory hold signs associated with POFZ and CAT II/III operations, and many others.

Explains how to obtain the latest airport-related research and development (R&D) products funded by the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Airports Organization. This AC describes R&D products from the FAA’s Airport Technology Research and Development Branch, the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), the Innovative Pavement Research Foundation (IPRF), and the Airfield Asphalt Pavement Technology Program (AAPTP).

Provides guidance, specifications, and standards for painting, marking, and lighting of ground vehicles operating in the airport air operations area (AOA). The approved lights, colors, and markings described in the AC assure the conspicuity of vehicles operating in the AOA from both the ground and the air. The AC contains new specifications and recommendations for the painting, marking, and lighting of Towbarless Tow Vehicles (TLTVs).

Provides information that airports can use to procure foreign object debris (FOD) detection equipment. Contains minimum performance specifications for systems and equipment that detect foreign objects on airports, including stationary radar, stationary electro-optical, stationary hybrid radar and electro-optical, and mobile radar.

See also Buy American Preferences to view:

• Notice of Decision to Issue Buy American Waivers for Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Detection Equipment (11/28/2010)
• Notice to Manufacturers of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Detection Equipment (8/5/2010)
• Waiver request process

Provides guidance for conducting predesign, prebid, and preconstruction conferences for projects funded under the FAA airport grant program. This version adds quality acceptance as a topic of discussion for the preconstruction conference, items to be addressed in the engineer’s report, details about what should be included in the phasing plan, and discussion of construction management plans.

Provides guidance to the public on the design and evaluation of pavements at civil airports.

Because of the size of the document, it is available as one large file (see Complete) or as four smaller files (see Parts 1-4).

See also related Airport Design Software.

Provides recommended guidelines for maintenance of airport visual aid facilities, including Runway Status Lights (RWSL) Systems, rotating beacons, lighted wind cone assemblies, runway and taxiway guidance signs, Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) Systems, Visual Approach Slope Indicators (VASIs), Runway End Identifier Lights (REILs), Medium Approach Lighting Systems (MALS, MALSF, MALSR), Hazard Beacons And Obstruction Lights, and Airport Lighting Control And Monitoring Systems (ALCMS).

Contains the FAA standards for power and control units for land and hold short lighting systems.

Provides guidelines and procedures for measuring and evaluating runway roughness as identified by surface profile data of rigid and flexible airport pavements. Provides technical procedures to quantify surface irregularities and to determine how surface irregularities may affect specific categories of airplanes.