This AC contains minimum performance specifications for systems and equipment airports use to provide a warning to drivers on an airfield about a potential runway incursion. This AC discusses two types of detection systems: a preconfigured, commercial off the shelf (COTS) system; and a system with custom hardware and software.

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.

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

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.

Contains standards for the planning, design, installation, and maintenance of Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS) in runway safety areas (RSAs).

Contains specifications for the frangible connections used to support objects located in airfield safety areas, including fuse bolts, special material bolts, frangible couplings, tear-through fasteners, and tear-out sections.

This AC is based on the performance standards, specifications, and recommendations contained in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Aerodrome Design Manual, Part 6, Frangibility, and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Engineering Technical Letter (ETL) 01-20: Guidelines for Airfield Frangibility Zones.

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 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 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.

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.

Explains the specifications for establishing geodetic control on or near an airport. It also describes how to submit the information to the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) for approval and inclusion in the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) in support of aeronautical information surveys. See also Airports GIS Video Training Series.

Provides guidance on the use of remote sensing technologies in the collection of data describing the physical infrastructure of an airport. This version is a substantial rewrite and includes new sections on remote sensing technologies other than aerial imagery (primarily LIDAR) for collecting airport data. See also the Airports GIS website.

Provides the specifications for the collection of airport data for the FAA Airport Surveying – Geographic Information System (GIS) Program. Also explains how to submit data to the FAA, which will forward the safety critical data to the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) for independent verification and validation. The standards covered in this document provide critical information for the operation and safety of the National Airspace System (NAS) and are classified as critical by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ICAO Annex 15 defines data as critical when “there is a high probability when using corrupted critical data that the continued safe flight and landing of an aircraft would be severely at risk with the potential for catastrophe.” The information furnished under these standards covers the entire spectrum of the FAA’s airport data requirements. See also FAA Airport Surveying - GIS Program and Airports GIS Video Training Series.

Provides guidance for engineers, airport managers, and the public in the design and maintenance of airport surface drainage systems. Combines existing surface drainage topics covered in different agency manuals into one Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) document that will serve as the design and analysis standard for surface drainage for FAA and the Department of Defense. Consolidated file contains Change 1.

The AC is 12.7 MB (see Complete file). Because of its size, the AC has been broken into several parts to make it easier to download (see Parts 1-13).

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 guidance for using the standardized International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) method, called the Aircraft Classification Number – Pavement Classification Number (ACN-PCN) method, to report airport runway, taxiway, and apron pavement strength. Includes instructions for using the COMFAA program to calculate ACN values to determine PCN.

Also provides guidance for reporting changes to airport data that is generally published on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Form 5010, Airport Master Record, particularly those data elements associated with Gross Weight (Data Elements 35 through 38) and Pavement Classification Number (Data Element 39).

Access COMFAA and related Support Spreadsheet on our Airport Design Software page.