Advisory Circulars

Contains useful information concerning measurements for intensity, covering, and color of aircraft position and anti-collision lights.

Provides information and suggested procedures to increase service life and to minimize blade failures of metal propellers.

Contains references to the minimum requirements for the selection and performance of aircraft rescue and firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE), self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and powered rescue tools. Designed to assist airport management in the development of local procurement specifications for airport fire departments.

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

Provides guidance to assist airport operators in preparing for Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) communications.

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

This advisory circular (AC) provides recommended tire care and maintenance practices needed to assure the safety of support personnel and the continued airworthiness of aircraft. Specifically, this AC provides guidance on the installation, inflation, maintenance, and removal of aircraft tires. In addition, this AC provides guidance on those operational practices necessary to maintain safe aircraft operations. This AC is not mandatory and does not constitute a regulation. It is issued for guidance purposes and to outline acceptable tire maintenance and operational practices. In lieu of following this method without deviation, operators may elect to follow an alternative method that has also been found acceptable by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Alerts pilots to the hazards of aircraft wake turbulence and recommends related operational procedures.

Provides one means, but not the only means, for obtaining approval of a weight and balance control system. It provides guidance to certificate holders that are required to have an approved weight and balance program by Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 121 or choose to have an approved program under 14 CFR Part 135.

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 information and guidance concerning acceptable means, but not the only means, of complying with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 23 Subpart C and portions of Subpart D. It consolidates the substance of existing Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) letters into a single reference. It also presents information from certain presently existing AC's that cover general topics and specific airworthiness standards. Material in this AC is neither mandatory nor regulatory. AC methods may be freely chosen, or ignored, by an applicant who seeks to demonstrate regulatory compliance. Use of FAA published AC guidance frequently speeds the design approval process for an applicant.

This advisory circular (AC) provides information and guidance to owners and pilots of experimental airplanes and to flight instructors who teach in these airplanes. This information and guidance contains recommendations for training experience for pilots of experimental airplanes in a variety of groupings based on performance and handling characteristics. This AC does not address the testing of newly built experimental airplanes. The current edition of AC 90-89, Amateur-Built Aircraft and Ultralight Flight Testing Handbook, provides information on such testing. However, if a pilot is planning on participating in a flight-test program in an unfamiliar experimental airplane, this AC should be used to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to safely accomplish the test program using AC 90-89. This AC may also be useful in planning the transition to any unfamiliar fixed-wing airplanes, including type-certificated (TC) airplanes.

Identifies the information that must be provided in Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) under the airworthiness regulations and provides guidance as to the form and content of the approved portion of an AFM.

Provides an acceptable means of ensuring compliance with the FAR regarding the evaluation and qualification of all training devices in which flight training, qualification, or certification of airmen under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, is accomplished. Specifies the criteria to be used by the FAA when qualifying a device and determining what the qualification level should be.

Calls attention to the regulatory requirements relating to the subject and provides information to aid pilots to comply with these requirements.

Provides an acceptable means, but not the only means, of compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) regarding the evaluation of and qualification of airplane simulators used in training programs or airmen checking under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

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.

Explains how to compute airport capacity and aircraft delay for airport planning and design. Consolidated file contains Changes 1 and 2.

Note: Portions of this AC are under review for update. Please contact the National Planning and Environmental Division for assistance.

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

Provides methods for meeting the certification requirements specified in Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 139, Certification of Airports. This AC cancels AC 139/201-1, Airport Certification Manual (ACM) and Airport Certification Specifications (ACS).

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.

Provides guidance to the airport operator in the development and implementation of an Airport Emergency Plan (AEP). The AEP addresses essential emergency related and deliberate actions planned to ensure the safety of and emergency services for the airport populace and the community in which the airport is located.

Consolidated file includes Change 2 dated 11/3/2010. Change 2 updates the date by which AEPs must be submitted to June 30, 2011.

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 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).

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.