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22 4.1 Introduction Major facilities such as large manufacturing plants with a considerable amount and diversity of expensive equipment have formal maintenance programs and require a wide variety of types of maintenance, including preventive maintenance. General aviation airports generally do not have this same degree of focus on preventive maintenance due to a lack of awareness of what it involves and resource limitations. Therefore, it is important that airport policy makers and airport management officials have an appreciation of what preventive maintenance is, its impor- tance, and how to go about developing and implementing a program at their airport. Previous chapters in this primer discussed the value of a general aviation airport and gave an overview of the types of infrastructure at an airport. This chapter provides an overview of pre- ventive maintenance for general aviation airports. It will answer questions such as: ⢠What is preventive maintenance and how does it relate to other types of maintenance? ⢠Why is preventive maintenance important and what is its value? ⢠What entities are involved with preventive maintenance? ⢠How does preventive maintenance relate to other airport plans and programs? Chapter 5 will provide information about the development and implementation of a preven- tive maintenance program for airports. The companion guidebook will provide more detailed information and tools to help airport staff execute a program. 4.2 What Is Preventive Maintenance? Most airports perform some type of maintenance on their facilities. Generally, the condi- tions of runways and airfield lighting systems are monitored every day by someone. If there is loose pavement on the runway, a light is not working, or a hangar door will not open, someone quickly addresses the problem. However, few airports have comprehensive preventive mainte- nance programs that include the regular assessment of the condition of infrastructure systems and scheduled maintenance of the many components of each airfield system. The maintenance of general aviation airports is frequently divided into the following types: ⢠Operational. There are certain aspects of operating an airport that require maintenance activ- ities due to weather, environmental conditions, and electrical/mechanical manufacturerâs calibration of equipment. Snow and foreign objects must sometimes be removed from pave- ments. Lighting systems and approach aids for pilots must be calibrated. These are examples of operational requirements that require maintenance activities and may have an impact on the condition of infrastructure. These types of operational activities are generally driven by C H A P T E R 4 Preventive Maintenanceâ An Overview
Preventive MaintenanceâAn Overview 23 regulatory and airfield safety requirements and are discussed in detail in sources such as FAA Advisory Circulars. Operational maintenance will not be a subject of this primer. ⢠Reactive. Reactive maintenance is basically characterized by an attitude of use it until it breaks or fix it when it breaks. A perceived advantage to this type of maintenance is that manpower and capital costs are not incurred until something actually breaks. The reality is that many general aviation airports are primarily in a reactive mode and are spending more dollars to repair equipment than they would be spending with a preventive maintenance approach. While waiting for something to break (e.g., an HVAC unit), the life of the equipment is short- ened, resulting in earlier replacement. This results in an increased capital cost in the long run. Also, some facilities do not break in a traditional sense, and their outright failure can have a significant impact on an airportâs mission. For example, joints in a runway pavement that are not kept sealed can result in water seeping into the pavement base structure, eventually causing serious pavement failure. This might require expensive rehabilitation or replacement of pavement systems. Simply reacting to this type of failure is not acceptable to the airport user or the airportâs budget. Reactive maintenance is poor customer service and can result in damage to aircraft. Airports cannot staff or plan for reactive maintenance. Multiple system failures will reduce staff availability, affect services provided to tenants and customers, reduce revenue, and may even require closure of the airport. ⢠Preventive. Preventive maintenance can be defined as those actions performed to detect, pre- clude, or mitigate the degradation of an infrastructure system or its components. Preventive maintenance involves routine scheduled activities intended to keep a system performing at its best and has the goals of preventing the systemâs breakdown and extending its useful life. Pre- ventive maintenance has several advantages over a reactive program. By performing preventive maintenance on a facility as envisioned when it was designed, the full design life of the facility may be realized. Preventive maintenance (e.g., lubrication, filter changes, sealing pavement joints) will generally help equipment run more efficiently and will ensure that infrastructure functions more safely and efficiently. This results in reduced costs and improved user sat- isfaction. Airports can plan and assign staff appropriately by applying scheduled preventive maintenance. ⢠Predictive. Predictive maintenance is an approach that involves testing and monitoring of equipment and facilities to detect symptoms that are out of specification and, thus, predict- ing potential failures. This approach is especially useful for vehicles and equipment. Some airports use a mix of preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance standards to ensure minimal impact on the operational capability of the airport. For purposes of this primer and its companion guidebook, preventive maintenance will include certain aspects of predictive maintenance. 4.3 Why Is Preventive Maintenance Important? As indicated previously, one of the purposes of PM is to extend the life of a facility and avoid incurring capital replacement costs prematurely. This allows capital funds to be available for other projects such as improvements or expansion rather than required rehabilitations or replacements. For this reason and many others, it makes good sense for airports to adopt a PM program. These reasons are discussed in the following and include safety, economics, reduction in energy usage, system longevity, legal/regulatory issues, environmental impacts, and commu- nity marketing. Safety. Airport maintenance directly contributes to keeping airports and their facilities safe for users. Pilots expect pavements to drain well and expect clear approach paths, legible pave- ment markings, and reliable airfield lighting systems. Preventive maintenance helps ensure that
24 Preventive Maintenance at General Aviation Airports those systems used by pilots are functioning properly. Similarly, well-maintained fueling facili- ties and airport vehicles help improve safety for their users. Economics. Preventive maintenance extends the life of facilities and avoids costly and early replacement or rehabilitation. Preventive maintenance may result in the identification of the need for timely rehabilitation before a system fails or before more costly rehabilitation is needed. An example of this is with pavement rehabilitation. Pavement performance and the economic impact of no preventive maintenance or waiting too long for rehabilitation are shown in Figure 4.1. Another example of how a poorly maintained facility can adversely affect an airportâs financial well-being is a hangar that is rusted so badly that aircraft cannot be stored in it, resulting in lost hangar rental revenue (See Figure 4.2). The other reasons discussed here for preventive maintenance have an economic effect too. An aircraft or personal accident related to poor airport maintenance is not only tragic but can be costly to the airport owner. Increased energy usage caused by poorly maintained electrical systems is also costly. An airport that is so poorly maintained that it drives away a corporation that wishes to base an operation there results in an adverse economic impact on the community from loss of jobs and tax revenue. Figure 4.1. Typical pavement life cycle. Source: FAA Central Region, GuidanceâAirport Obligations: Pavement Maintenance. Figure 4.2. Rusted hangar not usable for aircraft storage. Source: Delta Airport Consultants, Inc.
Preventive MaintenanceâAn Overview 25 It is difficult to quantify the specific monetary value of preventive maintenance for all infra- structure. The type of maintenance, the nature of the infrastructure, and various components of each system vary widely (e.g., roof, HVAC, motors, door hinges, pavement joints, drainage swales). However, the value of preventive maintenance is generally intuitive. For example, pavements typically last their design life of 20 to 30 years if properly maintained. Proper main- tenance may include surface treatments every few years, which over the design life might total $1 million, followed by a major rehabilitation or reconstruction at the end of the life, which could cost $2 million to $5 million for a general aviation airport runway. If the surface treat- ments are not done over the life of the pavement, a large rehabilitation or reconstruction would likely be needed at 10 to 15 years. So, over the course of the life of the runway, the additional cost would be $2 million to $5 million for the premature failure of the pavement caused by the lack of preventive maintenance. A roof can also be used to demonstrate the value of main- tenance. The cost of maintaining a roof is often much less than letting a roof prematurely fail, causing interior building damage and possible adverse impacts on the customer. This is particularly true in the earlier years of a roofâs life, but late in a roofâs life it may be more cost- beneficial to replace the roof. Reduction in Energy Usage. Poorly maintained electrical and mechanical systems lead to increased use of energy. Airfield lighting systems with aging cable and loss of energy drive electrical bills up. This can be managed through an effective preventive maintenance program. Similarly, poorly maintained HVAC units or weatherproofing in a general aviation terminal building will increase energy costs. These excess energy costs are ongoing and can become significant over time. System Longevity. The life of many airport infrastructure systems can be extended with proper preventive maintenance. Examples of PM in this area are pavement crack sealing, servic- ing HVAC equipment, regular oil changes for airport vehicles, checking and replacing airfield lighting isolated transformers, greasing hangar door components, and keeping drainage swales free of debris so pavements can drain properly. Legal/Regulatory Issues. There are legal, regulatory, and contractual reasons for preven- tive maintenance. Airport owners wish to reduce their liability and risks, and good preven- tive maintenance of facilities can help in this regard. Tenants with leases of airport land or hangars expect well-maintained airport facilities, and often the lease itself addresses the air- port ownerâs responsibility. State and federal capital improvement grants include contractual obligations that require airport owners to keep the airport safe, operational, and well-maintained. FAA grants specifically require airports to have a pavement preventive maintenance pro- gram. FAA grant assurances become airport obligations when airports accept federal funds for airport development. Grant obligations require airport improvements to be maintained for their design life, typically 20 years. Failure to comply with grant assurances can signifi- cantly affect an airportâs ability to receive future federal funds. Environmental Impacts. Some airport infrastructure can adversely affect the environment if not well-maintained. Examples include drainage systems that start backing up and allow poor- quality runoff to environmentally sensitive areas. Fuel leakage from poorly maintained fueling facilities will harm the environment. Most communities and states have environmental regula- tions that directly affect aspects of an airportâs preventive maintenance requirements. Community Marketing. An airport is often the front door to a community. If it is well- maintained and attractive in appearance, it conveys a message that the community protects its investments and cares about those who use its facilities. Businesses deliberating about where to base themselves not only look at location and the ability of the airport to serve their needs but also consider the condition of the airport.
26 Preventive Maintenance at General Aviation Airports 4.4 What Entities Are Involved with Preventive Maintenance? Preventive maintenance is not simply a program or responsibility placed on the shoulders of the airport manager to handle alone. Other entities help with direction, resources, and knowl- edge. Preventive maintenance is the joint responsibility of the airport owner (e.g., city/county), policy-making board, airport manager, and airport maintenance staff. Although airport man- agement typically makes recommendations or requests certain resources, the airport owner and policy-making board normally approve the budget and other resources for a preventive mainte- nance program. Airport management and staff then execute the program. Airports owned by a city or county typically have access to non-airport resources for some maintenance activities. These activities include motor vehicle fleet maintenance, use of public works staff to help maintain HVAC or buildings, and routine maintenance such as lawn mow- ing and cleaning ditches. Airport staff typically focus on those tasks related to airport-unique systems such as airfield lighting. Use of municipal staff may not always be the best option for the airport. Other departments often charge for services, may have higher non-airport priorities, and may not provide the same level of service as airport staff. State departments of transportation and aviation offices may be able to help with some main- tenance activities. Some states have robust programs to help airports; others are unable to do much other than provide guidance. A strong state/airport partnership can help significantly with an airport maintenance program. These partnerships include a state funding program, advisory help, and an active state presence by state officials through an inspection program. Following is a list of some of the activities that states may offer to help general aviation airports with their maintenance programs. ⢠State airport inspections. ⢠Grant programs that include eligible maintenance work. ⢠Development of a formal pavement management plan with specific goals and funding to improve pavement condition. ⢠Supporting airport efforts to gain FAA funding for work such as pavement and lighting rehabilitation. ⢠Providing airports with a fixed amount of funds each year to use for the maintenance of facilities. ⢠State purchase of crack-sealing equipment for airports to use. ⢠State-sponsored training for airport staff. Examples include pavement maintenance and stormwater management. ⢠Statewide contracts for activities such as airfield marking, pavement joint sealing, and air- field electrical repairs. Doing this on a statewide basis helps to reduce the cost for individual airports. ⢠Combining the maintenance work of several airports under a single FAA grant coordinated and sponsored by the state. An example is rehabilitation of rotating beacons at several airports in the state. ⢠State aviation office coordination with other state agencies for the use of equipment to per- form maintenance activities at airports. The FAA Airport Improvement Program is limited in what it can fund for airport mainte- nance. The work that is eligible for funding depends on current congressional authorization and is normally limited in available funding. Projects such as needed pavement and lighting rehabilitation may also be eligible. Airports are encouraged to work with both their FAA and state aviation offices to determine how they may get help.
Preventive MaintenanceâAn Overview 27 Tenants and airport users can be important sources of information about the condition of facilities. A tenant that rents an airport-owned hangar should be encouraged to let airport management know when some aspect of the hangar needs attentionâfor example, bearings on a door that are becoming noisy. However, airport management still needs to make periodic inspections of the hangar. Airports should have a process whereby pilots can report conditions to the airport through the fixed-base operator servicing them. Consultants help airports with engineering design and preparation of plans and specifications for the more complex maintenance work. Consultants can also provide help to airports in setting up an airport maintenance program. 4.5 Strategic Planning The primary goals of airports include to (1) provide airport users and tenants with the facili- ties they need, (2) keep the airport open and safe, (3) operate the airport in an economically efficient manner, and (4) make the airport an asset to the local community. These goals are reflected in the airportâs strategic plans and programs, all of which have an influence on the airportâs preventive maintenance decisions. Airport master plans and airport layout plans provide the short- and long-term development plans for the airport. These plans can help decision makers determine what facilities need to be maintained. For example, if the plan is to construct a new terminal building in 2 years, per- haps minimal preventive maintenance would need to be done on the existing terminal building. Master planning should reflect considerations for additional capacity needs of the airport and whether it makes sense to maintain a facility if it will soon need to be removed to build another facility in its place. As another example, if an aircraft apron needs a surface treatment but will also soon need additional pavement strength with an overlay, it may be wise to not do the surface treatment and wait for the overlay. Some airports adopt a business plan that may include non-aeronautical uses of airport surplus property such as an industrial park. These plans can influence decisions about who will maintain certain infrastructure such as access roads. An example of how a business plan might affect an airportâs preventive maintenance program is a 5-year plan to build an airport restaurant adja- cent to the terminal area parking lot. This would likely strengthen the need to keep the parking lot well-maintained so as to preserve its life for future use by both the airport and restaurant. Airport business plans include information about expected revenues from leases, tie-downs, and hangar rentals. Another example of how this plan might influence a maintenance program is the use of excess apron. If an airport has a large unused World War II surplus aircraft parking apron and no likelihood of its use, there is little need to incur preventive maintenance costs for it. An airport capital improvement plan identifies an airportâs plan for future development proj- ects and typically includes a funding breakdown for local, state, and federal contributions. This plan would provide information about the airportâs future financial challenges that will create competition with airport operational and maintenance costs. Airport maintenance staff should participate in the development of an airportâs capital improvement plan. The plan should reflect life-cycle cost considerations (see Section 5.5 of this primer). An airportâs wildlife management plan may indicate the need for frequent cleaning of drain- age ditches to avoid the ponding of water and attraction of birds. This plan would indicate the need to increase funding for this activity in the airportâs preventive maintenance program. Another maintenance need for wildlife management plans would be to inspect and repair open- ings in or beneath the fencing.
28 Preventive Maintenance at General Aviation Airports Airports should do strategic planning when developing their annual budgets for preventive maintenance. This would include consideration of what the previously discussed plans indicate about the future use of infrastructure. Also, life-cycle considerations would help indicate the need for preventive maintenance. For example, a good seal coat might help extend the life of an aging pavement for a few years, thus postponing the need for an extensive rehabilitation. Strategic planning may also include an analysis of resources needed for the operation and maintenance of the airport. This may include assessment of the benefits of hiring dedicated staff versus relying on part-time help from other departments. Dedicated staff often take much greater pride in the airport. Public works or utility departments often take on airports as an added or peripheral responsibility.
