A Guidebook for Airport Winter Operations (2015)

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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 123 TRANSPORTAT ION RESEARCH BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 2015 www.TRB.org Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration Subscriber Categories Aviation  •  Operations and Traffic Management  •  Planning and Forecasting A Guidebook for Airport Winter Operations Robert McGormley Timothy Arendt Devon Seal Elizabeth Fisher Gresham, smith and Partners Columbus, Ohio i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h Paul Sichko Woodbury, MN Vesta Rea-Gaubert Vesta rea and associates, LLc Houston, TX Tim Anderson Eden Prairie, MN Eric Tolton Caledon, Ontario Richard Marchi Washington, D.C.

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 near­term 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 100­Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary participants 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 operating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International­North America (ACI­NA), the American Associa­ tion of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) 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 end­users 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 airport­industry practitioners. ACRP REPORT 123 Project 10­15 ISSN 1935­9802 ISBN 978­0­309­30827­4 Library of Congress Control Number 2014957870 © 2015 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 not­for­profit 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 not­for­profit 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. Cover photos reprinted with permission of M­B Companies, Inc. (top left), Oshkosh Corporation (left, second down), Wausau Equipment Company (bottom left), and Metro­ politan Airports Commission (right). 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.national­academies.org/trb/bookstore Printed in the United States of America

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. The Transportation Research Board is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council. The mission of the Transporta- tion Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange, conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individu- als interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org www.national-academies.org

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 AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The ACRP 10­15 Project Team consisted of Gresham, Smith and Partners (GS&P) in association with Tim Anderson, Richard Marchi, Paul Sichko, Eric Tolton, and Vesta Rea & Associates, LLC (VRA). Robert McGormley was the Project Director and Principal Investigator for GS&P. Mr. McGormley and Mr. Sichko were the primary guidebook authors. Contributing authors included: Vesta Rea­Gaubert (VRA), Timothy Arendt (GS&P), Devon Seal (GS&P), and Elizabeth Fisher (GS&P). Research, technical, and editorial contributions were provided by Mr. Anderson, Mr. Marchi, and Mr. Tolton. The Project Team would like to thank the staff at the following airports for accepting our request to visit their facilities and for their generous hospitality: Centennial Airport (APA); Boise Air Terminal/ Gowen Field (BOI); General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS); Denver International Airport (DIA); Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW); General Mitchell International Airport (MKE); Teterboro Airport (TEB); Calgary International Airport (YYC); and Toronto Pearson Interna­ tional Airport (YYZ). We would also like to thank the many airport staff who completed questionnaires and participated in interviews during the research phase of this project. CRP STAFF FOR ACRP REPORT 123 Christopher W. Jenks, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Michael R. Salamone, ACRP Manager Theresia H. Schatz, Senior Program Officer Terri Baker, Senior Program Assistant Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications Scott E. Hitchcock, Editor ACRP PROJECT 10-15 PANEL Field of Operations Alvin L. Stuart, Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, UT (Chair) Steven Bastas, United Airlines, Chicago, IL Lisa A. Gahm, Denver International Airport, Denver, CO John S. Kinney, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), Los Angeles, CA Dale J. Lagerholm, SES, Inc., West Chicago, IL Richard J. Nelson, SICOP Coordinator, Minden, NV Michel Hovan, FAA Liaison Matthew J. Griffin, formerly Airports Council International—North America Liaison Tim A. Pohle, Airlines for America Liaison

ACRP Report 123: A Guidebook for Airport Winter Operations serves to help managers, operators, and users of small to large airport facilities prepare for, operate during, and recover from disruptive winter events as well as manage airport user expectations. The guidebook identifies and evaluates best practices in airport airside and landside winter operations, as well as provides guidance on how to manage overall passenger experience within a framework of safety and efficiency. The guidebook also provides guidance to air­ port operators on determining the optimal level of investment necessary to implement an effective program given expected winter conditions and the nature of the aviation activity at that particular airport. Winter weather has the potential to disrupt operations at airports of all sizes, and recent events at several airports have again illustrated the importance of preparing for, operating during, and recovering from winter events. Lack of preparation by an airport for these events can result in potential safety issues. In addition, it is well known that dealing with winter operations can represent a significant cost to airports. For example, the FAA Office of Investment Planning and Analysis estimated the 2014 operating cost of a delayed pas­ senger aircraft to be $82.66 per minute, and the 2014 value of time for a delayed business passenger to be $1.05 per minute with flight cancellations posing even greater costs— a factor that can support a decision to increase investment in snow removal so as to reduce the time required to clear a runway. To prepare for these events, airports have to develop a variety of procedures based on individual or unique requirements. Examining the range of existing procedures and evaluating effectiveness would help airports in general respond to a continuing winter operations requirement. Under ACRP Project 10­15, research was conducted by Gresham, Smith and Partners in association with Paul Sichko, Vesta Rea and Associates, Tim Anderson, Eric Tolton, and Richard Marchi to develop a guidebook that provides a useful framework based on best practices to ensure optimal investments into effective winter operations plans are being made at airports of varying sizes. As part of the research, the team visited a wide variety of airports including Centennial, Boise, Denver, Boston, Dallas, and Toronto, among others. In addition to this guide, the contractor’s final report is available on the TRB website (trb.org) by searching for “ACRP Report 123.” F O R E W O R D By Theresia H. Schatz Staff Officer Transportation Research Board

1 Chapter 1  Introduction 1 1.1 Guidebook Objectives 2 1.2 Guidebook Organization 3 1.2.1 Operations Planning 4 1.2.2 Strategy and Tactic Implementation 4 1.2.3 Performance Evaluation 4 1.2.4 Improvement Opportunity Identification 4 1.3 Guidebook Limitations and Disclaimer 6 Chapter 2   Relationships as the Foundation  for Winter Operations Success 6 2.1 Identify Stakeholders 7 2.2 Communication 7 2.3 Coordination 8 2.4 Collaboration 9 2.4.1 Collaborating with Peer Airports 10 Chapter 3   FAA Requirements and Guidance Related  to Winter Operations 10 3.1 ACs Presenting Methods and Procedures for Snow and Ice Control Equipment, Materials, and Removal 10 3.1.1 AC 150/5200­30C, Airport Winter Safety and Operations 11 3.1.2 AC 150/5220­18A, Buildings for Storage and Maintenance of Airport Snow and Ice Control Equipment and Materials 11 3.1.3 AC 150/5220­20, Airport Snow and Ice Control Equipment 11 3.2 Other Winter Operations­Related ACs 11 3.2.1 AC 91­6A, Water, Slush, and Snow on the Runway 11 3.2.2 AC 120­57A, Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (SMGCS) 11 3.2.3 AC 150/5200­18C, Airport Safety Self-Inspection 11 3.2.4 AC 150/5200­28D, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS) for Airport Operators 12 3.2.5 AC 150/5210­20, Ground Vehicle Operations on Airports 12 3.2.6 AC 150/5210­25, Performance Specification for Airport Vehicle Runway Incursion Warning Systems (RIWS) 12 3.2.7 AC 150/5220­16D, Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) for Non-Federal Applications 12 3.2.8 AC 150/5220­22B, Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS) for Aircraft Overruns 13 3.2.9 AC 150/5220­26, Airport Ground Vehicle Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) Out Squitter Equipment 13 3.2.10 AC 150/5300­14C, Design of Aircraft Deicing Facilities 13 3.2.11 AC 150/5320­12C, Measurement, Construction, and Maintenance of Skid-Resistant Airport Pavement Surfaces C O N T E N T S

13 3.2.12 AC 150/5320­15A, Management of Airport Industrial Waste 13 3.2.13 AC 150/5340­26B, Maintenance of Airport Visual Aid Facilities 14 3.2.14 AC 150/5370­17, Airside Use of Heated Pavement Systems 15 Chapter 4   Regulation of Winter Operation Impacts  on Stormwater 15 4.1 Airport Winter Operation Activities Affecting Clean Water Act (CWA) Regulation and Compliance 16 4.1.1 Application of Chemical Deicers 17 4.1.2 Application of Sand 17 4.1.3 Deicer­Contaminated Snow Storage and Mechanical Snow Melting 18 4.2 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Discharge Permitting Under the CWA 18 4.2.1 General NPDES Permits 19 4.2.2 Individual NPDES Permits 19 4.2.3 Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs) and New Source Performance Standards (NSPSs) 20 4.2.4 Guidance for Interpreting Conditions in NPDES Permits 21 4.3 Other Regulatory Programs Applicable to Airport Winter Operation Activities 21 4.4 NPDES Compliance Through an Airport Deicer Management System 22 4.4.1 System Components 22 4.4.2 System Planning and Evaluation 23 4.4.3 Stormwater Runoff Monitoring (9) 24 4.4.4 Runoff Collection and Storage 25 4.4.5 Deicer­Impacted Stormwater Runoff Treatment (8) 25 4.4.6 Annual Operational Review 27 Chapter 5 Historical Winter Storm Event Data 27 5.1 Benefits of Utilizing Historical Meteorological Data 28 5.2 Meteorological Data Sources 29 5.3 Climate Changes Considerations 29 5.4 Data Manipulation and Analysis 29 5.4.1 Steps for Manipulating Raw Historical Meteorological Data 31 5.4.2 Event Frequency Analysis 33 Chapter 6  Winter Operations Performance Measurement 33 6.1 Identify Performance Goals, Objectives, and Measures 34 6.1.1 Performance Goals 34 6.1.2 Performance Objectives 35 6.1.3 Performance Measures 38 6.2 Plan Data Collection and Reporting 40 Chapter 7  Winter Operations Baseline and  Performance Targets 40 7.1 Document Performance Baseline 40 7.2 Associate Performance with Historical Winter Events 40 7.2.1 ATC Runway Closure Duration 41 7.2.2 Aircraft Delays Attributable to ATC Runway Closure Duration 45 7.3 Document Cost Baseline 45 7.3.1 Airport Winter Operations Costs 47 7.3.2 Airline Delay Costs 49 7.3.3 Passenger Delay Costs

49 7.4 Define Target Threshold Winter­Event Conditions 50 7.5 Set Performance Targets 51 Chapter 8 Winter Operations Best Practices 52 8.1 Airport SICC 54 8.2 Snow Control Center 54 8.2.1 Pre­Event Planning and Coordination 55 8.2.2 Ground Movement Coordination 56 8.2.3 Command Center/Snow Desk 56 8.2.4 Staffing 58 8.2.5 Runway Closure Coordination 58 8.2.6 Information Dissemination 60 8.3 Airfield Clearing Priorities for the SICP 62 8.4 Terminal and Landside—Ground Side Priority 62 8.5 Airfield Clearance Times 62 8.5.1 Consistency and Predictability 63 8.5.2 Multi­Function Equipment 64 8.6 Sizing and Staffing Snow and Ice Control Equipment Fleet 64 8.6.1 Equipment Procurement and Disposition 66 8.6.2 Equipment Maintenance 68 8.6.3 Warranties 68 8.6.4 Staffing/Shift Management 70 8.7 Storage of Snow and Ice Control Equipment 71 Chapter 9 SICP Best Practices 71 9.1 Safety Requirements 72 9.2 Topics for Pre­ and Post­Season SICC Meetings 73 9.3 Outlining an SICP 74 9.4 Topics for Writing Instructions and Procedures for Winter Operations and Notification 75 9.5 Runway Incursion Mitigation and Operations During Non­Towered ATC Periods 75 9.6 Staff Training and Recordkeeping 78 9.7 Other Related Items 78 9.7.1 Lease Agreements 79 9.7.2 Contracted Snow Removal 79 9.7.3 IROPS and Tarmac Delays 81 9.7.4 Passenger Assistance 82 9.7.5 Winter Event Public and Media Relations 83 9.7.6 Passenger Outreach Through Social Media 86 Chapter 10  Snow Clearing Operations and Preventive  Measures/Ice Prevention Best Practices 86 10.1 Weather Forecasting 87 10.2 Forecasting Runway Surface Conditions 88 10.3 Snow Clearing Principles 88 10.3.1 LOA 88 10.3.2 Damage Prevention and Repair 90 10.3.3 Snow Clearing Operations 90 10.3.4 Managing Human Factors 91 10.3.5 Tracking and Reviewing Performance

93 10.4 Snow Disposal 93 10.4.1 Snow Piles 93 10.4.2 Snowmelters 94 10.5 Methods for Ice Control and Removal 94 10.5.1 Chemical Application 95 10.5.2 Chemical Storage 96 10.6 Approved Chemicals 96 10.7 Sand 97 Chapter 11  Runway Surface Assessment and Reporting  Best Practices 97 11.1 Runway Condition Reporting 98 11.2 Runway Friction Surveys 99 11.3 Friction Assessment Reporting 100 Chapter 12  Winter Operations Performance Evaluation 100 12.1 Conduct Performance Evaluations 100 12.1.1 Qualitative Evaluation 101 12.1.2 Quantitative Evaluation 101 12.2 Examine Significant Performance Shortfalls 102 12.2.1 Performance Shortfall Investigation 103 12.2.2 Root Cause Determination 104 12.2.3 Corrective Action Identification 104 12.2.4 Preventive Action Identification 105 12.3 Identify Performance Improvement Opportunities 105 12.3.1 Strategy Opportunities 105 12.3.2 Tactic Opportunities 106 12.3.3 Procedure Opportunities 107 Chapter 13  Investment to Reduce SRE Runway  Occupancy Time 108 13.1 FAA Guidance on SRE Procurement 108 13.2 Variables Affecting SRE Runway Occupancy Time 109 13.3 Identify Runway Snow Removal Capacity Shortfall 110 13.4 Estimate SRE Needs to Reduce Snow Removal Capacity Shortfall 111 13.5 Estimate Benefits of New or Additional SRE 112 13.5.1 Additional Benefits of Multi­Function Equipment 114 Chapter 14  Selecting Winter Operations Improvement  Alternatives 114 14.1 Establish Evaluation Criteria 114 14.2 Develop Alternatives 114 14.2.1 Scope 115 14.2.2 Key Assumptions 116 14.3 Evaluate Alternatives 116 14.3.1 Comparative Analysis of Alternatives 116 14.4 Plan Alternative Implementation 118  References 120  Acronyms

122 Appendix A Accessing Meteorological Data 122 A.1 Accessing Meteorological Data through the ISD, Hourly, Global Database 123 A.2 Accessing Precipitation Data through Hourly Precipitation Data Publication/Database 124 Appendix B  Example Airport Performance Indicators 124 B.1 Snow and Ice Removal 124 B.2 Chemical and Sand Application 124 B.3 Equipment 125 B.4 Safety 125 B.5 Stakeholder Coordination 126 B.6 Financial 126 B.7 Environmental Compliance Note: Photographs, figures, and tables in this report may have been converted from color to grayscale for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the web at www.trb.org) retains the color versions.