Airport Safety
New England Regional Airports Division
The Airport Safety Program addresses general aviation airport safety, runway safety, airports certificated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139, and safety management systems (SMS).
Part 139 Certification
14 CFR Part 139 prescribes rules governing the certification and operation of airports in any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States serving any scheduled passenger-carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft designed for more than 9 passenger seats and unscheduled operations of an air carrier operating aircraft designed for at least 31 passenger seats.
This part also applies to those portions of a joint-use or shared-use airport that are within the authority of a person serving passenger-carrying operations. This part does not apply to airports serving scheduled air carrier operations only by reason of being designated as an alternate airport.
Wildlife Hazards
FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5200-33, Hazardous Wildlife Attractants on or Near Airports provides guidance on locating land uses that may potentially attract hazardous wildlife onto or in the vicinity of public-use airports. The AC provides examples of land uses that may be compatible with airport operations and those that have been deemed incompatible. Siting criteria for the non-compatible uses is defined and notification requirements are provided.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
The proliferation of interest in and use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, has led to significant policy and regulatory adaptations to integrate these platforms into the airport environment. As the technology and its use continues to mature, the FAA is committed to conducting research and providing policy and guidance to ensure the safe operation of UAS on-airports.
Safety Management Systems (SMS)
With the expected growth in air transportation, we will need to make greater efforts and adopt new measures to continue improving aviation safety. The use of Safety Management Systems (SMS) at airports can contribute to this effort by helping airports detect and correct safety problems before they result in aircraft accidents or incidents.