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.
102 5.1 Key Points The purpose of this guidebook is to help airport management, airport staff, and others responsible for the operation and maintenance of airports gain an understanding of what a good preventive maintenance program includes and how to develop and execute the program. Although airports have considerable value to communities, they are expensive to build. A new basic general aviation airport typically costs several million dollars. Replacing failed infrastruc- ture is also costly. Infrastructure at airports includes airfield pavement, runway/taxiway edge lighting, airfield signs, visual and navigational aids, airfield markings, hangars, terminal and administrative buildings, maintenance and storage buildings, fueling facilities, deicing facilities, airport-owned utilities, turf and safety areas, fencing and gates, drainage systems, maintenance equipment, airport vehicles, and landside infrastructure such as automobile parking, access control, roads, and lighting. Preventive maintenance can be defined as those actions performed to detect, preclude, or mitigate the degradation of an infrastructure system or its components. These actions involve routine scheduled activities intended to keep a system performing at its best, with goals of preventing its breakdown and extending its useful life. Preventive maintenance has several advantages over those of 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, thereby saving money. 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, improved airport safety, reduced energy consumption, improved longevity of facilities, and compliance with legal/regulatory requirements, and helps the airport owner better market the airport and the community. Suggested steps for developing or improving an airport preventive maintenance program are: 1. Understand and embrace important guiding principles. 2. Establish a baseline of information about the airportâs infrastructure and condition. 3. Identify the preventive maintenance needed for each infrastructure system. 4. Prioritize maintenance based on airfield safety, economics, operations, contractual requirements, and extension of the life of each facility. 5. Obtain resources (policy-maker and management team buy-in, funding, staffing, equipment/ tools, and outside contracts). Ensure that staff are properly trained. 6. Implement the program, using appropriate checklists, work orders, recordkeeping, and the necessary equipment/tools. 7. Keep program up-to-date. C H A P T E R 5 Summary
Summary 103 This guidebook includes detailed checklists for the preventive maintenance of airport infra- structure systems. These are available on the accompanying CD-ROM and may be modified for individual airports. Also on the CD-ROM is a PowerPoint presentation that covers the key points of both the primer and guidebook. 5.2 Where to Go for Help 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 knowledge. Preventive maintenance is the joint responsibility of the airport owner (e.g., city/county), policy- making board, airport manager, and airport maintenance staff. Other city/county agencies can provide resources and expertise. Many state aviation agencies help with both expertise and grants. Although eligibility is limited, FAA grants can help with some maintenance and rehabilitation of infrastructure. Also, vendors, manufacturers, and airport consultants are good sources of information. The companion primer can help airport policy makers and new airport managers understand the importance of preventive maintenance. It provides basic information about airport systems and preventive maintenance programs. Other sources of information about preventive maintenance programs, inspection practices, and safety are other airports that have good preventive maintenance programs, insurance com- panies, local hospitals, schools, and large companies. These entities often have expertise in main- tenance practices and can help an airport set up or improve its preventive maintenance program. Manufacturers of airport facilities or components (e.g., vehicles, HVAC systems, electrical equipment, approach aids) are excellent sources of information for airports. Airports that do not already have manuals for their equipment should contact the manufacturer to obtain them. Appendices B, C, and D provide a list of information sources, sample job descriptions for maintenance personnel, and additional information regarding several pavement treatments.
