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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
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Page 7
Page 8
Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
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Page 9
Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter One - Introduction ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22105.
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3 This synthesis presents information on the challenges and successful practices or strategies for coor- dinating and conducting snow removal operations at small, primarily general aviation (GA) airports with budget limitations. The study focuses on the removal of snow from the airports’ airsides, not the landsides. LITERATURE REVIEW The subject matter has not attracted extensive study or research. A web search of academic and public databases produced only a few articles having a particular focus on small airports. Most were news articles that highlighted a small community experiencing budget difficulty as a result of recent winter events. The budget issues were municipal-wide and did not reflect separately on the airport. Typical reports referred to the city’s making fund transfers from reserve accounts and reconsidering adjustments to the next year’s budget. There is existing guidance on snow removal at airports, generally for larger-sized airports than those included in this report. However, the practices and strategies in the literature have applicability to small airports. The FAA produces three relevant advisory circulars (AC) that provide guidance for airport operators: Airport Winter Safety Operations (AC150/5200-30C 2012); Airport Snow and Ice Control Equipment (AC150/5220-20A 2014); and Buildings for Storage and Maintenance of Airport Snow and Ice Control Equipment and Material (AC150/5220-18A 2007). Minimum safety require- ments for airports with Part 139 certification are identified in 14 CFR Part 139 (2014). Appendix A provides a list of ACs and FAA orders related to airport winter operations. All ACs are intended to provide useful guidance material to all airports, whether GA or Part 139. Another key literature resource is the Guidebook for Airport Winter Operations (McGormley et al. 2015), intended to help airports prepare for, operate during, and recover from disruptive winter events, as well as to manage airport user expectations. A number of strategies, techniques, practices, and resources are provided within the guidebook. For instance, it identifies and evaluates effective practices in airport airside and landside winter operations, and provides guidance on how to man- age overall passenger experiences within a framework of safety and efficiency. The guidebook also provides guidance to airport operators on determining the optimal level of investment necessary to implement an effective program, given the expected winter conditions and the level of aviation activity at a particular airport. SURVEY METHODOLOGY The study methodology addressed the following objectives and selection criteria: • Focus on nonprimary commercial service and GA airports; • Obtain a sampling of airports from a cross-section of states; • Select public-use airports listed in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS); • Select airports that have 30 inches or more of annual snowfall. The NPIAS identifies nearly 3,400 existing and proposed airports that are significant for national air transportation and thus eligible to receive federal grants under the Airport Improvement Pro- gram (AIP). It also includes estimates of the amount of AIP money needed to fund infrastructure chapter one INTRODUCTION

4 development projects that will bring these airports up to current design standards and add capacity to congested airports. The FAA is required to provide Congress with a five-year estimate of AIP eligible development every two years (NPIAS 2013). The NPIAS comprises all commercial service airports, all reliever airports, and selected GA airports. A review of the NPIAS identified more than 400 public-use nonprimary commercial service (NP COMM SVC) and GA airports in the northern tier of the United States that routinely experience snow. Public-use airports that routinely received more than 30 inches of snow a year—the FAA recom- mended threshold for having snow removal equipment beyond just one snow plow (AC150/5220-20A 2014)—were selected, as they were more likely to experience challenges associated with the purpose of the study, and to have established strategies to address them. (Annual snowfall amounts were obtained from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center.) The screening criteria produced 175 potential interviewees. All 175 airports were sent a letter requesting their participation in the study; 50 offered to participate. Forty-six (46) airports completed the 38-question survey, a response rate of 92%. Participating airports are identified in Appendix B and the survey is reproduced in Appendix C. The survey sought to capture data on the following: • Equipment inventory and preferences • Type of snow and frequency • Achievement of FAA guidelines timely removal of snow removal • Snow clearing techniques • Safety, including vehicle incursions and incidents from surface contamination, and airfield communication • Snow plans and other effective practices • Training • NOTAMS and other condition reporting techniques • Anti-icing and de-icing practices • Joint purchasing or sharing arrangements for equipment. GA and rural airports in Alaska have a different organizational structure for snow removal than airports in the contiguous United States. Therefore, they were not included in the survey solicitations; instead, interviews were conducted with persons having oversight of snow removal operations at mul- tiple airports in the state. The information and data from the interviews are presented in chapter seven. Because of the different oversight structures, regulations, and geographical and operational needs, not all practices described in other chapters of the report are applicable to airports in Alaska. When refer- ring to survey respondents, the report is addressing the responses from those airport operators in the contiguous United States; attempts are made to identify where practices differ. AIRPORT CATEGORIES The airports responding to the survey represent a cross-section of sizes and roles of general aviation airports, as well as different weather conditions. The list of airports in Appendix B provides addi- tional information on the number of snow removal equipment (SRE) reported at each airport and the number of personnel normally used for snow removal operations. The location of surveyed airports are displayed in Figure 1. Airports are categorized throughout the synthesis using a combination of roles identified in the NPIAS funding categories and the GA ASSET Report (FAA 2012; NPIAS 2014). The NPIAS divides airports between primary and nonprimary. The nonprimary category includes GA, reliever, and NPCS. The category of NPCS is separate from the other categories, even though those airports could have a GA ASSET designation, because commercial service airports have funding capabilities different from the other categories, and their equipment needs and capabilities can also be distinct from others. The NPIAS’s nonprimary categories are further broken out by the GA ASSET Report categories into the following roles: basic, local, regional, reliever, national, and unclassified. The

5 categories allow for comparison of an airport’s ability to receive FAA grant funding for SRE and for better comparison of snow removal characteristics and practices among the airports. According to the 2014 NPIAS report, NPCS airports are publicly owned airports with scheduled air carrier service and annual boardings between 2,500 and 9,999 passengers. Reliever airports are high activity airports that provide GA aircraft with alternatives to congested hub airports. Reliever airports are located in metropolitan areas and have 100 or more based aircraft or have at least 25,000 annual itinerant operations. GA airports are public-use airports that do not receive scheduled commercial service and have fewer than 2,500 revenue passenger enplanements on air taxi or char- ter aircraft. GA airports in the NPIAS usually have at least 10 locally based aircraft and are at least 20 miles from the next nearest NPIAS airport. Figure 2 provides a description from the GA ASSET Report and the type of activity that can be expected at each of the different categories of airports. The number of airports in each category FIGURE 1 General locations of airports participating in the study. FIGURE 2 Description of typical aircraft activity at different categories of airports. Source: General Aviation Airports: A National Asset (2012).

6 represented in the synthesis are: basic (six); local (21); regional (seven); reliever (six) nonprimary commercial service (six). Only one national airport participated in the survey; its data were grouped with the reliever airports. The different roles that airports play in the National Airspace System (NAS) are reflected in the type of aircraft that use them. The type of aircraft affects design and construction requirements for an airport’s runway length and its airfield lighting and marking requirements. From a winter operations perspective, aircraft operations are affected by braking capabilities on runways that are wet, icy, or snow-covered; allowable snow bank heights; the type of pavement friction enhancement that can be used; and the need for timely clearing of the pavement surfaces. Table 1 summarizes the most demanding type of aircraft that routinely serve those airports surveyed, implying that any smaller-sized aircraft also use them. AIRPORT CERTIFICATION Only 15 of the 46 airports participating in the survey have Part 139 certification. The applicability requirements for Alaskan airports are slightly different than those in the contiguous United States. Table 2 identifies the number of Part 139 airports and the category to which they belong. Part 139 airports located in regions that routinely experience snowfall are required to have a snow and ice control plan (SICP) as part of the regulation. As a result, they can receive higher priority under the FAA AIP to acquire SRE than non-certificated airports; AIP funding criteria is described later in this chapter. Noncertificated GA airports do not have the same requirement or eligibility priority to receive AIP grant assistance as certificated airports. The data in Table 2 illustrates the breakdown of certificated and noncertificated airports participating in the study. FUNDING OF SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT Small airports are more likely to have limited budgets because they do not generate the level of air- craft activity, fuels sales, or other revenue opportunities that larger commercial service airports can generate. As a result, the ability of a small airport or municipality to acquire SRE can be hindered by its lack of resources. Although SRE is an eligible item for acquisition and funding under Congres- sional authorization (FAA Modernization and Reform Act 2012), noncertificated airports receive a lower priority in the allocation of funds available. Jet — 13 6 5 4 Turboprop 5 3 1 1 3 Multi-piston 1 2 — — — Single-piston — 3 — — — — = no data. Source: SMQ Airport Services. Type of Primary Aircraft Served Basic (6) Local (21) Regional (7) Reliever (6) NP COMM SVC (6) TABLE 1 MOST DEMANDING TYPE OF AIRCRAFT SERVING SURVEYED AIRPORTS Certificated 139 — 5 4 — 6 15 Noncertificated 6 16 3 6 0 31 — = no data. Source: SMQ Airport Services. Certification Basic (6) Local (21) Regional (7) Reliever (8) NP COMM SVC (6) Total TABLE 2 NUMBER OF PART 139 CERTIFICATED AND NONCERTIFICATED AIRPORTS IN THE SURVEY

7 Hence, small airports find it necessary to seek out different sources of capital funding. Table 3 provides a summary of purchase methods used to acquire SRE at surveyed airports. For all catego- ries of airports in the survey, AIP funding was the most prevalent source. Fleet and surplus property purchases were most prevalent at basic category airports. Regional and reliever category airports had higher percentages of equipment purchases using internal funds. Airport Improvement Program Funding SRE and snow removal equipment buildings (SREBs) are eligible for federal funding assistance under AIP, which is funded through a trust fund established by Congress. The funds are received from aviation taxes and fees and are distributed by the FAA to airports for needed improvements. For nonprimary and GA airports, an AIP grant for SRE and SREB requires a 10% contribution share from the local sponsor, while the FAA contributes 90%. Some state aviation programs provide assistance to the local airport governing authority by contributing to the 10% local share. State Funding Assistance State requirements can be a variable in the funding process. States can require an airport to submit its project through a state program or a regional planning agency before being reviewed by the FAA. This is more often true for noncommercial and GA airports, especially if an airport is located in one of the 10 states—Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin—considered by the FAA to be a “block grant” state. As defined in 49 U.S.C. § 47128, a block grant state is one that has an established aviation department with the resources and capabilities to administer AIP funds on behalf of the FAA. The state allocates AIP funds to nonprimary NPIAS airports within the state. EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION Before submitting an application for SRE or SREB purchase, the airport submits projects for con- sideration to the FAA’s Airport Capital Improvement Program (ACIP). Some FAA Airport District Offices (ADO) require justification for the purchase of SRE. Within the ACIP, the FAA utilizes How Vehicles Acquired Basic Local Regional Reliever NP COMM SVC Total Number of Vehicles Total Number of Vehicles 17 95 40 35 18 205 AIP Grant 9 (52.9%) 44 (46.3%) 16 (40.0%) 20 (55.9%) 15 (83.3%) 104 State Grant 1 (5.8%) 8 (8.4%) 8 (20.0%) 2 (5.9%) 1 (5.6%) 20 Fleet Purchase 2 (11.8%) 4 (4.2%) — 3 (8.8%) — 9 Internal Funds 1 (5.8%) 13 (13.7%) 11 (27.5%) 6 (17.6%) — 31 Surplus Property 3 (17.6%) 15 (15.8%) 5 (12.5%) 4 (11.8%) 1 (5.6%) 28 Joint Purchase — — — — 1 (5.6%) 1 Other 1 (5.8%) 1 (1.1%) — — — 2 Contractor Provides — 10 (10.5%) — — — 10 Note: Percent totals do not equal 100% due to rounding. Note: Other is a personal vehicle and a shared vehicle. — = no data. Source: SMQ Airport Services. TABLE 3 NUMBER AND PERCENT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUIRED FROM DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES

8 a national priority rating scale to rank eligible projects among other submitting airports. Obtain- ing a high enough priority to qualify for grant assistance can be a challenge to small GA airports. The purchase of SRE is often given lower priority than other critical improvement projects on the airport, such as runway, taxiway, or safety area construction. Or, with limited total funds allocated for the AIP small airport fund, a state block program, or discretionary funds used for GA airports, there may not be enough money available for all eligible projects or items submitted to the state or the FAA. Assistance from State Aviation Agencies In a November 24, 2014, telephone interview, K. Wanner, State Aviation Director in North Dakota, com- mented that many small airport operators and municipalities do not think to ask the state aviation agency for assistance in acquiring equipment. A number of states have programs to assist airports in the purchase of SRE. They can share in the cost of an AIP SRE acquisition; have a separate state equipment list or fleet pur- chase program at federal or state contract prices; or provide coordination of purchases through a state surplus property program. There may also be state-to-state reciprocity agreements that allow airports to purchase equipment through contracts of an adjacent state agency. SRE requirements are based on the annual aircraft operations at an airport and the amount of surface area to be cleared within certain times recommended by FAA. Airport operators seeking to use AIP funds to obtain SRE are to use the guidance provided in Airport Snow and Ice Control Equip- ment (AC150/5220-20A 2014), detailed in chapter two and excerpted in Appendix D. In areas of the country where snowfall is particularly heavy, the AC indicates that a snowblower (rotary plow) is the primary piece of desirable equipment. For snow sweepers, guidance on specifi- cations is to be obtained by contacting the local ADO. In Alaska, the acquisition process is slightly different for rural airports, as they are owned and operated by the state. Upon acquiring a SRE using AIP funds, the airport is limited in its use of AIP for future SRE purchases for another 10 years, which is the expected life of the original SRE. ADOs have some flexibility with that time frame, provided airports are able to justify the need. For that reason, work- ing with an airport’s state aviation agency or ADO is important, as each ADO has responsibility for processing FAA grants. Accepting an AIP-funded SRE grant places restrictions on the use of the equipment. It can only be used for aeronautical and related activities and are to remain in operation at the airport for the expected or useful life of the equipment, unless otherwise authorized by the FAA: AIP funds cannot be used for an airport’s operating and maintenance costs. FAA Order 5100.38D states incidental use is permitted at nonprimary airports without an active Part 139 certificate only if: • The activity does not significantly degrade the SRE useful life; • The SRE is used only for airport purposes and will not be used off airport; • The SRE is only used by airport employees; • The SRE is generally used for activities on AIP eligible surfaces; and • The incidental use cannot be included as part of the SRE justification. In the review, it was found that several airports had received reminders in the past from either the state aviation agency or the FAA, reiterating the sponsor grant assurances. Authorization to sell used AIP-funded SRE requires FAA approval. The FAA places the responsibility of purchasing SRE on the local airport sponsor and its purchase process. As with any federal funding assistance, certain provisions are required in all AIP contracts

9 and bid documents. Included are those related to preferentially buying goods produced in the United States, as required in 49 U.S.C.§50101, and to the bid process itself. Provisions that are prohibited in bid documents are those that: • provide for sole sourcing of equipment; • restrict equipment to match existing airport equipment; • require a local procurement preference; or • add non-standard features to the specifications. State grant funding can have similar requirements or restrictions, though it also may have more flexibility. Airport managers were asked about the degree of flexibility an airport has in acquiring equipment of its choice; Table 4 shows the responses. Local purchasing policies can affect the kind of equipment an airport can acquire. States may also have a pre-approved list of equipment available for municipalities to purchase at special prices. The drawback to pre-approved state lists can be the availability of generic vehicles and equipment not designed for airport purposes or needs. Survey respondents with limited budgets and resources expressed the desire to acquire SRE that is multi-purpose rather than specialized, allowing them to address other safety concerns, such as main- taining the airfield during the summer months, limiting wildlife attraction, and addressing drainage issues. For GA airport communities, respondents suggest a multi-purpose vehicle is a better use of those limited resources. Multi-purpose refers both to the ability to utilize several attachments with one prime vehicle and to be able to use the vehicle for activities other than snow removal, such as for mowing, brush removal, hauling, grading, and general on-airport duty. Multi-purpose is in contrast to multi-tasking equipment (MTE), which is found at larger air carrier airports and is eligible for AIP funding. MTE is a dedicated piece of SRE that includes a combination of carrier vehicle, snow plow, rotary broom, and high veloc- ity air blast in one long unit. The integrated snow and ice removal system is capable of performing multiple and simultaneous functions requiring no more than one operator (SAE ARP 5548). An issue with the acquisition of MTE and attachments is that current legislation does not allow AIP funds to be used for maintenance activities, such as mowing. A second issue is that multi- purpose equipment may do many things but not as well as a dedicated piece of SRE. Compromises exist in the design of vehicles. For instance, vehicle speed, weight distribution, maneuverability, and cabin visibility are factors to be considered. A third issue is at basic and local category GA airports where snow removal is often accomplished by a city or county public works department and not by a dedicated airport crew. The training of personnel and the storage and use of equipment outside the airport can be problematic if not properly addressed. REPORT ORGANIZATION This chapter provides information on the objectives of the synthesis and lays the foundation for understanding how SRE can be funded. It also describes the survey participants and the classification of airports as used throughout the report. Flexibility of Equipment Acquisition Basic (6) Local (21) Regional (7) Reliever (6) NP COMM SVC (6) Flexible 2 5 4 2 2 Limited 2 9 2 3 1 Depends 1 7 1 1 3 Source: SMQ Airport Services. TABLE 4 NUMBER OF AIRPORTS HAVING FLEXIBILITY IN THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT NEEDED

10 Chapter two provides an overview of the governance of or arrangements made for snow removal, the practice of having a SICP, recommended snow removal clearance times, and discussion on bud- get allocations at the surveyed airports. The procurement or acquisition of equipment, current equipment used and preferred, and the need for storage shelters and weather protection are discussed in chapter three. Chapter four addresses the procurement or acquisition of equipment, current equipment used and preferred, the type and age of SRE being used at the surveyed airports, and the need for storage shelters and weather protection. Operational safety, runway incursion prevention, winter accident and incidents, and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and other condition reporting practices at surveyed airports are described in chapter five. Chapter six discusses personnel staffing, training, and the importance of human factors during operation. Alaska’s rural airports have requirements and attributes different from those in the contiguous states. Chapter seven provides background and information on the unique characteristics of rural airports with limited budgets in Alaska. Chapter eight provides conclusions from the study and the survey of small airport operators.

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TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Synthesis 67: Airside Snow Removal Practices for Small Airports with Limited Budgets covers challenges and successful strategies that airport operators use at small airports with significant budget and other constraints to coordinate and conduct snow removal operations.

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