Preventive Maintenance at General Aviation Airports Volume 1: Primer (2015)

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1 1.1 Background General aviation (GA) airports play an important role in the nation’s aviation system. They provide access by air and serve the aviation needs of local communities. They have a signifi- cant economic impact on their community, region, and state. However, it is costly to properly operate, maintain, and develop an airport. Also, many airports have aging facilities, chang- ing demands, and few revenue sources. Unfortunately, airport preventive maintenance (PM) is often neglected and given little to no priority when establishing local budgets and schedules. A sound maintenance program is critical for extending the life of airport facilities and to keep the airport as safe and efficient as possible. A lack of PM can result in premature failure of infrastruc- ture and additional costs that would not otherwise have existed. This primer provides basic information about airport PM programs. The companion guide- book (Volume 2 of this report) provides hands-on information to help with implementation of a PM program. These documents were developed using the knowledge and experience of the authoring team along with a review of literature, industry outreach, and on-site visits and inter- views involving a diverse group of airports and state aviation agencies from around the country. Chapter 6 of this primer provides an overall summary of key points. Appendix A contains a list of the airports and state aviation organizations that provided information to help with develop- ment of the primer and guidebook. 1.2 Purpose of the Primer The purpose of this primer is to help airport governing officials, policy makers, airport man- agement and staff, and state aviation officials understand the importance of a PM program for airports and gain an understanding of what a good program includes. This primer provides: • Basic information about the value of a general aviation airport; • Information about the complexities of an airport and the many types of infrastructure systems needed to meet the needs of airport users; • An overview of PM, its importance, the entities involved, and the basic principles that airports should follow; • Information about the key aspects of a PM program, such as its elements, staffing, budget, and how it relates to other strategic plans for the airport. 1.3 How to Use the Primer The primer is primarily directed toward airport governing officials and policy makers who are responsible for approving airport budgets, staffing levels, and strategic plans for their airport. Readers are encouraged to use the primer to consider the importance and value of their airport C H A P T E R 1 Introduction

2 Preventive Maintenance at General Aviation Airports in relation to the who, what, why, and value of PM. The companion guidebook primarily targets airport management and staff and, in addition to further enforcing the purpose of the primer, provides guidance on the where, when, and how of PM programs. The primer’s organization flows from a general discussion of the value of general aviation air- ports and types of infrastructure systems to a discussion about preventive maintenance programs. Key questions that airport officials and policy makers might ask and where answers may be found in the primer are shown in Figure 1.1. In addition, the bibliography in Appendix B provides a list of useful references. Each airport is unique. Therefore, this primer and companion guidebook provide consider- ations for preventive maintenance programs. The actual program and activities that occur at an airport differ significantly based on the complexity and age of an airport’s infrastructure and the available resources. Although the primer and guidebook cannot specifically address the unique needs of each airport, they will help the reader better understand the important elements of a PM program. The intended audiences and how they may use this primer are: • Airport owners and policy makers such as board members, elected officials, economic devel- opment staff, and community leaders need a good understanding of general aviation, general • What is the purpose of the primer? • How is it organized and how is it used? • What is the value and importance of an airport? • Who uses the airport and why is PM important? • What are the various infrastructure systems at an airport that need to be maintained? • What is PM and who is involved? • What are the basic principles of a PM program? • How does an airport develop, budget, and execute a PM program? • What are the key points presented in this primer? • Where does one go for more help? Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Value of an Airport Chapter 3 Infrastructure Chapter 4 PM – An Overview Chapter 5 A PM Program Chapter 6 Summary Figure 1.1. Organization of the primer.

Introduction 3 aviation airport services, and facilities that provide those services. This knowledge will in turn help them plan budgets, adopt community visions, recognize funding opportunities, and understand the importance of preventive maintenance. This audience will primarily benefit from Chapters 2 through 5. • Airport management and staff are generally interested in development of the overall PM pro- gram. Their focus is typically on identifying requirements, establishing a good program, and implementing it on a daily basis. This audience will primarily benefit from Chapters 4 and 5 as well as the companion guidebook. • Airport tenants such as fixed-base operators (FBOs) lease areas or facilities provided by the airport, but some develop their own facilities or participate in the airport owner’s PM pro- gram. This audience will benefit from Chapters 4 and 5 of the primer as well as the companion guidebook. • Local/state/federal agencies may benefit from all chapters depending on the staff’s role with airports and PM. • Airport consultants are normally familiar with general aviation airports and the principles that make up a good PM program. This audience will primarily benefit from Chapters 4 and 5. This primer and the companion guidebook supplement other guidance that is available, such as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circulars (ACs) and orders, state aviation agency guidelines, and maintenance manuals for specific equipment or vehicles. Many of these publications are listed in Appendix B: Bibliography at the end of this primer.