------

3 Airport Data Sources

------

Notes:

-If using MS Word, then for easy navigation in all modules, select View, Show and Navigation Pane.

-Most times, the “*” highlights outcomes material.

-The review questions mirror the outcomes.

-The ePortfolio assignments come from the review questions.

-Exams come from the review questions.

-Get the idea?!

Overview

-Airport Data Sources

-Summary

-Review Questions

Outcomes: After completing this module, students will be able to:

  1. Identify the airport manager’s responsibility regarding airport information.
  2. Access and extract data from the following online airport information sources:
  1. Airport Master Records
  2. Airport Layout Plans (ALP)
  3. Airport Facility Directories (A/FD)
  4. Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) Charts
  5. Airport Diagrams
  6. Google Earth and Google Maps
  1. Define:

a. Airport elevation

b. Airport Reference Point (ARP)

  1. Name the information source for the A/FD.

Assignment

-Browse the online references listed below.

-Read and study this lesson plan.

-Answer the lesson plan review questions in writing.

-Create a document containing only the review questions with answers, preferably in MS Word.

-Save the document with the file name “YourLastName LessonNumber LessonTitle”, e.g., Cain 2 airport design regulatory environment.

-Upload the document into the ePortfolio Assignment Digital Dropbox.

References

AC 150/5300-13

-Chapter 1 Introduction

--106 Airport Layout Plan (ALP) 15

--107 Collection, processing and publication of airport data 15

-Chapter 2 Design Process

--207 Airport Reference Point (ARP) 37

ICAO Annex 14

-CHAPTER 2. Aerodrome data 2-1

--2.1 Aeronautical data . 2-1

--2.2 Aerodrome reference point 2-2

--2.3 Aerodrome and runway elevations. 2-2

--2.4 Aerodrome reference temperature 2-2

--2.5 Aerodrome dimensions and related information 2-2

--2.13 Coordination between aeronautical information services and aerodrome authorities 2-9-

------

3 Airport data sources - Collecting, processing, and publication of airport data

------

Overview

-Introduction

-Airport Master Records

-Airport Layout Plans (ALP)

-Airport Facility Directories (A/FD)

-Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) Charts

-Airport Diagrams

-Google Earth and Google Maps

-Summary

Introduction

-Airport planning and design activities require information sources that accurately describe airport facilities.

-Most of this airport information can be obtained from official FAA or ICAO online sources.

-This module identifies online information sources referenced throughout this course.

--Online airport data sources should be bookmarked for future reference.

*-Airport managers must insure all FAA data sources concerning their airport are up to date and accurate.

-When searching for airport data online, most airports can be identified and found by their three or four character ICAO identifier such as ATL or KATL for Atlanta.

Airport Master Records

-Airport Master Records contain information on runway length, runway condition, runway strength, navigational facilities, and controlling obstructions as well as other important data.

-The FAA publishes Airport Master Records at

-Example Airport Master Record:

--Melbourne International Airport (IAP) (ICAO identifier KMLB) at MLB Master Record.

*-Two important elements of airport information included in the Airport Master Records and other sources are:

--Airport Elevation. The highest point on an airport’s usable runways expressed in feet above mean sea level (MSL).

--Airport Reference Point (ARP). The approximate geometric center of all usable runways at the airport.

---Identified by latitude and longitude, degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds.

---The ARP is listed on the General Information page of the Airport Master Record, e.g.,

--AC 150/5300-13 is the definition source for the above and many others to be used throughout this course.

Airport Layout Plans(ALPs)

-Airport layout plans for some airports are published online.

--Example: Palm Beach IAP, FL Existing Airport Layout Plan in the course library.(I) Please download and view this ALP file from the course library in a PDF reader, but don’t be frightened! We will be covering most of the features in this ALP in this course.

-Airport Layout Plan (ALP).ALPs provide a graphic representation of the existing and long-term development plan for the airport.

--All airport development at federally obligated airports must conform to an FAA-approved ALP.

Airport Facility Directories (A/FD) Recent Name Change to Chart Supplement

-See After searching for a specific airport, select the“Airport/NAVAID Listing” column for the A/FD Chart Supplement itself.

-A/FDs (Chart Supplements) are the pilot’s direct source for current airport information.

*-A/FD (Chart Supplements)information is derived from the Airport Master record discussed above.

-The coordinates listed in the A/FD for a given airport should be considered as the ARP. Note that in the A/FD (Chart Supplements), the ARP coordinates are given in degrees and decimal minutes, whereas in the Airport Master Record, the ARP coordinates are given in degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds. One must be careful to note the coordinate format since errors are common and can be costly.

-The Runway Declared Distance Information is particularly important for airport managers and pilots. More on this topic in follow-on modules.

-See After searching for a specific airport, select the “Airport/NAVAID Listing” column for the A/FD. Example: Melbourne IAP, FL (MLB)


Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) Charts

-IAPs provide important airport information such as approach types and runway visibility minimums.

-Example: Memphis IAP, TN (MEM), Instrument Landing System (ILS)or Localizer (LOC) 9

--*Visibility minimums for precision approaches such as the straight-in ILS to runway 9 (S-ILS 9) are given in the runway visual range (RVR) number in hundreds of feet. In this example, the visibility minimum for the S-ILS 9 is 24 or 2,400 feet RVR.

--Here is an excerpt from the IAP legend:

-Three approach types may be shown on the IAP charts

-Straight-in precision (S-ILS 27)

-Horizontal and vertical guidance is provided electronically to the pilot.

-An ILS or Instrument Landing System approach provides the pilot both left/right localizerguidance and up/down glide slopeguidance

-Straight-in non-precision (S-LOC 27)

-Only horizontal (left/right) guidance is provided to the pilot.

-Circling Approach. A maneuver initiated by the pilot to align the aircraft with a runway for landing when a straight-in landing from an instrument approach is not possible or is not desirable.

Instrument Flying Handbook

-See digital— Terminal Procedures Publications.

Airport Diagrams

--Airport diagrams are also included in the digital terminal procedures publications.

--See digital— Airport Diagrams.

--Example: Boise Air Terminal, ID (BOI)

Google Earth

-While not an official source of airport information, Google Earth and Google Maps provides very useful satellite photo information and fairly accurate geographic references for airports.

-Google Maps can be viewed online at

--Select the satellite view (bottom left hand corner) for best results.

-Google Earth can be downloaded from

-Find airports in Google Earth by entering their three or four letter ICAO identifier, e.g., DFW or KDFW for Dallas Fort Worth IAP or just search on the airport name.

------

Summary

------

-Airport managers must insure all FAA data sources concerning their airport are up to date and accurate.

-Important official airport data sources available online:

--Airport Master Records

--Airport Layout Plans (some)

--Airport/Facility Directories (A/FD) (Chart Supplements)

---A/FD (Chart Supplements) official information (source) is derived from the Airport Master Records

--Instrument Approach Procedures (IAP)

--Runway visibility minimums

--Airport Diagrams

--Google Earth and Google Maps (unofficial)

-Two important definitions used in airport official documents are:

---Airport Elevation. The highest point on an airport’s usable runways expressed in feet above mean sea level (MSL).

--Airport Reference Point (ARP). The approximate geometric center of all usable runways at the airport.

--Many important definitions are found in AC 150/5300-13.

-Find airport information in search engines/filters by entering the airport’s three or four letter FAA or ICAO identifier.

------

Review Questions- 3 Airport Data Sources

------

Name ______

Scoring rubric for 3 Airport data sources
Question / Value / Points lost
1 / 10
2 / 10
3 / 10
4 / 10
5 / 10
6 / 10
7 / 10
8 / 10
9 / 20
Total points lost
Final score
  1. Name the responsible agent for insuring all FAA airport data concerning aparticular airport are up to date and accurate.
  2. Define:

a. Airport elevation

b. Airport Reference Point (ARP)

  1. From the FAA Airport Master Recordonline database,

access the Orlando International Airport (KMCO) record and determine the:

Airport Reference Point

Latitude______

Longitude______

Note: This is degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds format.

Airport Elevation______feet

  1. Name the information source for the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD)(Chart Supplements). (Hint: Not the A/FD location, but the info source.)
  2. From the FAA Airport/Facility Directory (Chart Supplements) for San Francisco International Airport (KSFO), determine the RUNWAY DECLARED DISTANCES for runway 28R.

TORA Take-Off Roll Available______feet

TODA Take-Off Distance Available______feet

ASDA Accelerate-Stop Distance Available______feet

LDA Landing Distance Available______feet

  1. From the FAA Instrument Approach Procedure charts for Montgomery Regional Airport (Dannelly Field), AL (KMGM), determine the ILS OR LOC RWY 10 visibility minimums in feet for a straight-in S-ILS 10. (Hint: RVR only.)
  2. From the FAA Jackson Hole, WY (JAC) airport diagram, determine the runway length and width.
  3. Using Google Earth or Google Maps (satellite view), determine the number of bi-directional runway surfaces and the runway numbers for the Aspen-Pitkin County, CO airport (KASE).
  4. Case Study: Select a public airport of interest to you and determine the following from various official FAA airport data sources. (Warning! AirNav, Sky Vector and other commercial flight planning web sites may not use official FAA data.)

Item / Data / Source
Airport name and city
ICAO or FAA 4-letter identifier
Airport reference point coordinates
Airport elevation
Longest runway length, width, and number (if multiple long runways with equal lengths, pick one runway only) / Length ______
Width ______
Number ______
Approach name with the lowest-visibility minimums, e.g., S-ILS 12
Visibility minimums for the above approach

Airport data sources.docx

Spr 1 181