National Academies Press: OpenBook
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14454.
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Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

TRANSPORTAT ION RESEARCH BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 2010 www.TRB.org A I R P O R T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M ACRP REPORT 38 Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration Subscriber Categories Aviation and Policy Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports LEIGHFISHER Burlingame, CA I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H ASRC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC Minneapolis, MN LANDRUM & BROWN San Francisco, CA THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION Columbus, OH

AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM Airports are vital national resources. They serve a key role in trans- portation of people and goods and in regional, national, and inter- national commerce. They are where the nation’s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal respon- sibility for managing and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry. The Airport Coopera- tive Research Program (ACRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the airport industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions in 2003, based on a study spon- sored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The ACRP carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies and are not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. It is modeled after the successful National Coopera- tive Highway Research Program and Transit Cooperative Research Pro- gram. The ACRP undertakes research and other technical activities in a variety of airport subject areas, including design, construction, mainte- nance, operations, safety, security, policy, planning, human resources, and administration. The ACRP provides a forum where airport opera- tors can cooperatively address common operational problems. The ACRP was authorized in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary partici- pants in the ACRP are (1) an independent governing board, the ACRP Oversight Committee (AOC), appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation with representation from airport oper- ating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), and the Air Transport Association (ATA) as vital links to the airport community; (2) the TRB as program manager and secretariat for the governing board; and (3) the FAA as program sponsor. In October 2005, the FAA executed a contract with the National Academies formally initiating the program. The ACRP benefits from the cooperation and participation of airport professionals, air carriers, shippers, state and local government officials, equipment and service suppliers, other airport users, and research orga- nizations. Each of these participants has different interests and respon- sibilities, and each is an integral part of this cooperative research effort. Research problem statements for the ACRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to the TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the AOC to formulate the research program by iden- tifying the highest priority projects and defining funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each ACRP project is assigned to an expert panel, appointed by the TRB. Panels include experienced practitioners and research specialists; heavy emphasis is placed on including airport pro- fessionals, the intended users of the research products. The panels pre- pare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooper- ative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, ACRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Primary emphasis is placed on disseminating ACRP results to the intended end-users of the research: airport operating agencies, service providers, and suppliers. The ACRP produces a series of research reports for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties, and industry associations may arrange for work- shops, training aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by airport-industry practitioners. ACRP REPORT 38 Project 03-13 ISSN 1935-9802 ISBN 978-0-309-15517-5 Library of Congress Control Number 2010938975 © 2010 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB or FAA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. NOTICE The project that is the subject of this report was a part of the Airport Cooperative Research Program, conducted by the Transportation Research Board with the approval of the Governing Board of the National Research Council. The members of the technical panel selected to monitor this project and to review this report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance. The report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board, the National Research Council, or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, the National Research Council, and the sponsors of the Airport Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. Published reports of the AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from: Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet at http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore Printed in the United States of America

CRP STAFF FOR ACRP REPORT 38 Christopher W. Jenks, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Crawford F. Jencks, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs Michael R. Salamone, ACRP Manager Joseph D. Navarrete, Senior Program Officer Melanie Adcock, Senior Program Assistant Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications Margaret B. Hagood, Editor ACRP PROJECT 03-13 PANEL Field of Policy and Planning Flavio Leo, Massachusetts Port Authority, Boston, MA (Chair) Daniel R. Benson, Texas DOT, Austin, TX Tracy Victorine Lewis, CH2M Hill, Chicago, IL Douglas Mansel, Port of Oakland, Oakland, CA Verne R. Skagerberg, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Juneau, AK Aaron N. Smith, Florida DOT, Tallahassee, FL E. C. Hunnicutt, FAA Liaison Christine Gerencher, TRB Liaison AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The research discussed in this report was performed under ACRP Project 03-13, “Understanding Air- space, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports,” by a research team of recognized experts in airport plan- ning, airspace obstruction study, and flight procedure design. LeighFisher (formerly Jacobs Consultancy) was the primary research consultant. William J. Dunlay, PhD, Director at LeighFisher was the Principal Investigator, and Byron Thurber, Associate Director at LeighFisher was the Deputy Principal Investigator. The other authors were Tom Cornell, Vice President at Landrum & Brown; Robert Varani, Director at ASRC Research and Technology Solutions; Seth Young, PhD, Associate Professor, The Ohio State Uni- versity; and Elizabeth Ike, Graduate Researcher, The Ohio State University. The research team would like to express its gratitude to the members of the project panel for their sup- port and insightful comments during periodic document reviews. The research team would also like to thank the many airport staff who took the time to share their insights, experience, and opinions with the research team and to respond to follow-up queries in the development of the case studies. C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S

ACRP Report 38: Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports provides a comprehensive description of the regulations, standards, evaluation criteria, and processes designed to protect the airspace surrounding airports. Aviation practitioners, local planning and zoning agencies, and developers all have a need to understand and apply the appropri- ate airspace design and evaluation criteria to ensure a safe operating environment for air- craft, to maintain airport operational flexibility and reliability, without unduly restricting desirable building development and attendant economic growth in the surrounding com- munity. Many airports are facing the challenge of protecting their airspace from encroaching development; developers, desiring to maximize their investment, frequently propose build- ings of significant height; and local planning and zoning agencies often face the apparently conflicting goals of ensuring a safe operating environment for aircraft and promoting eco- nomic growth. By their very nature, airspace design, evaluation, and protection criteria are complex and technical, because aircraft operate in three dimensions and their performance characteristics vary greatly. In addition, airspace protection requirements depend on run- way layouts and the instrument flight procedures designed for the airport, which change over time as the airport expands physically and operationally, and new technologies are implemented. Topography and existing development in the airport vicinity also directly affect airspace needs and geometry. Finally, there are different airspace evaluation criteria and procedures, depending on the purposes of the evaluation. The research, led by LeighFisher (formerly Jacobs Consultancy), shows that, while a thor- ough understanding of airspace issues is essential, many stakeholders find the rules, evalu- ation criteria, and processes are difficult to understand. Additionally, many stakeholders are simply not aware of airspace issues. Through the presentation of case studies, the research team documents several serious airspace/building development conflicts that highlight how airspace issues arose and were resolved. The Guidebook first lists and describes the key airspace protection criteria and how they are to be applied, including Federal Aviation Regulations Part 77; United States Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS); Advisory Circular 150/5300-13, Airport Design; and one-engine-inoperative (OEI) requirements. The Guidebook then clarifies the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, including the FAA, the airport, local authorities who issue building permits, and developers. The Guidebook concludes with recommendations for best practices for airports, local planning and zoning agencies, and developers that should significantly mitigate airspace-building development conflicts. F O R E W O R D By Joseph D. Navarrete Staff Officer Transportation Research Board

Reading this Guidebook will help key stakeholders better understand the processes for evaluating potential airspace impacts and for protecting airspace, and should lead to a stake- holder partnering that will both preserve airport operational flexibility and promote eco- nomic growth.

1 Chapter 1 Introduction and Background 1 Introduction 1 What Is this Guidebook About? 2 Why Was the Guidebook Written? 2 Who Should Understand and Use the Guidebook? 2 Airport Management 3 Local and Regional Planning Agencies, State Transportation Departments 3 Building Developers 4 Background 4 Incomplete Information 6 FAA Analysis Process Misunderstood 6 How this Guidebook Was Created 8 Chapter 2 Fundamental Airspace Protection Criteria 8 Principal Sources of Criteria 9 Terminology—Definitions and Abbreviations 11 FAR Part 77—Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace 11 FAR Part 77 Notification Criteria 12 FAR Part 77 Obstruction Criteria 16 Why FAR Part 77 Alone Is Inadequate 16 Common Misconceptions 17 FAA Order 8260.3B, The United States Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) 19 FAA AC 150/5300-13, Airport Design, Appendix 2: Runway End Siting Requirements 22 OEI Criteria 23 Summary 25 Chapter 3 Mechanisms and Processes of Airspace Protection 25 Roles and Responsibilities of the Authority Having Jurisdiction to Issue Construction Permits 25 Roles and Responsibilities of the Construction Proponent 26 The FAA’s OE/AAA Process 29 Roles and Responsibilities of the Airport Management 30 Summary C O N T E N T S

32 Chapter 4 Conclusions, Recommendations, and Best Practices 33 Recommendations and Best Practices 33 Recommendations for Airport Management 33 1. Become familiar with your airport’s airspace protection needs 34 2. Become familiar and involved with the FAA’s OE/AAA process 34 3. Become familiar with height zoning and airspace protection regulations in the communities surrounding your airport and encourage improvements where practicable 36 Recommendations for Local and Regional Planning Agencies, and Municipal Authorities 36 1. Recognize that the airport is a regional and national asset 36 2. Consider the airport’s virtually unchangeable physical configuration 36 3. Recognize that the process of identification of areas of height restrictions can also identify areas of height potential, where taller buildings would not conflict with aeronautical requirements 36 4. Account for airspace protection in height zoning regulations. Work with legal council when implementing such regulatory changes 37 Recommendations for Building Developers 37 1. At the earliest conceptual stages of project planning, meet with staff from the local municipality and airport to learn about airspace-related height restrictions 37 2. At the earliest conceptual stages of project planning, file Form 7460-1, Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration, with the FAA 40 3. Be aware that a final DNH is not “permanent” or “final” 40 4. File FAA Form 7460-2, Notice of Actual Construction, Parts 1 and 2, at the required times as specified on the determination letter 40 5. If obstruction marking and/or lighting are required for the structure, provide and maintain them 41 Appendix A The Purpose, Function, and Application of Criteria 78 Appendix B Interrelationships Among Criteria 97 Appendix C The FAA’s Obstruction Evaluation/ Airport Airspace Analysis Process 105 Appendix D Case Studies

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TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 38: Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports provides a comprehensive description of the regulations, standards, evaluation criteria, and processes designed to protect the airspace surrounding airports.

The report is designed to help understand and apply the appropriate airspace design and evaluation criteria to ensure a safe operating environment for aircraft and to maintain airport operational flexibility and reliability, without unduly restricting desirable building development and attendant economic growth in the surrounding community.

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