Advisory Circulars

Lists all commonly used drugs by pharmacological effect on airmen with side effects and recommendations.

Acquaints pilots with the hazards of regular exposure to cockpit noise. Especially pertinent are piston-engine, fixed-wing, and rotary-wing aircraft.

Provides guidance on the development, installation, testing, approval, and maintenance of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) Out squitter units for airport ground vehicles. Using this AC, airports will be able to acquire approved and authorized airport ground vehicle ADS-B squitter units that are compliant with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 91, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS–B) Out Performance Requirements to Support Air Traffic Control (ATC) Service, as well as the initial set of ADS-B applications. Please note that the technical specifications for manufacturing ADS-B squitter units for airport ground vehicles are published in the FAA’s document, Vehicle Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) Specification, Version 2.4, published May 1, 2012.

Contact the appropriate FAA Airport District Office or Regional Airports Division to discuss Airport Improvement Program (AIP) eligibility.

Learn more about Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B).

Assists airports in complying with the current laws and regulations governing individuals with disabilities by (1) identifying the relevant statutes and regulations that impact upon airports, (2) presenting in a single document the main features of each of the statutes and regulations, (3) providing legal citations to facilitate research, (4) listing sources of assistance or additional information, and (5) identifying Final Rules. It presents and reconciles the Federal accessibility regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (ACAA); the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (RA); and the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended (ABA), which affect the architectural or program accessibility of airports in the U.S. transportation system and employment opportunities on these airports for individuals with disabilities.

Contains the FAA's performance standards, specifications, and recommendations for the design, manufacture, testing and maintenance of equipment used in the boarding of airline passengers. The physical area covered in this AC is that which is bounded by the door of the passenger terminal area, on one end, to the door of the aircraft, on the other end. Although this AC refers only to aircraft boarding (enplaning), all references apply equally to disembarking (deplaning) with the described procedures occurring in reverse order.

The previous version of this AC discussed only the passenger lift scenario and associated equipment. This document updates that effort and addresses the other methods and equipment used to board an aircraft, including passenger boarding bridges, ramps, lifts, and aircraft boarding chairs.

Provides guidance on Aircraft Fire Extinguishing Agents and provides an acceptable methodology for complying with Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 139, Certification of Airports.

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

Contains information, references and guidelines for construction of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) station building design.

Provides guidance on understanding and rating the surface condition of flexible and rigid airfield pavements and provides a simple system to visually rate pavement condition.

Because of the size of this document, it is available as one complete file (see Complete) or as three smaller files (see Parts 1-3).

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.

Contains the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) standards and recommendations for the geometric layout and engineering design of runways, taxiways, aprons, and other facilities at civil airports.This substantial revision fully incorporates all previous changes to AC 150/5300-13 as well as new standards and technical requirements.

See also Interim Guidance on Land Uses Within a Runway Protection Zone.

This AC describes the Airport Lighting Equipment Certification Program (ALECP). It provides information on how an organization can get Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acceptance as a third-party certification body (third-party certifier) and how manufacturers may get equipment qualified under the program. It includes a list of the equipments that are certified under the program. This AC does not impose requirements or mandate participation in the ALECP by any party. This revision clarifies the criteria that FAA will use to determine whether a certification body qualifies for participation and how equipment may be qualified.

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.

Discusses the Airport Pavement Management System (APMS) concept, its essential components, and how it can be used to make cost-effective decisions about pavement maintenance and rehabilitation.

Provides guidance on airport related signs and graphics. Recommends use of 'Guidelines for Airport Signing and Graphics' (American Association of Airport Executives, the Airports Council International - North America, the Air Transport Association of America, and the Airport Consultants Council, 2001) in designing airport terminal signing systems until an updated manual, currently being developed under the Airport Cooperative Research Program, is available. At international airports, also recommends International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 9636, 'International Signs to Provide Guidance to Persons at Airports and Marine Terminals (1995)'.

Provides guidance to airport operators on the procurement of snow and ice control equipment for airport use.

Provides guidance for the planning, design, installation, and maintenance of aviation grade artificial turf in areas adjacent to the operational areas of an airport.

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

Announces the availability of RTCA, Inc., Document RTCA/DO-221, Guidance and Recommended Requirements for Airport Surface Movement Sensors, dated April 24, 1994. Provides recommended minimum performance standards for airport surface movement sensors and specifies both sensor and system characteristics that provide guidance to airport systems designers, manufacturers, installers, and users of the equipment.

Cancels AC 150/5000-13, Announcement of Availability-RTCA Inc., Document RTCA-221, dated September 7, 1994.

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).

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.