Appendix 3 APPENDIX 3 -- GUIDELINES FOR SMGCS OPERATIONS BELOW 1,200 FEET RVR DOWN TO AND INCLUDING 600 FEET RVR General Note -- For quick reference only, the following list includes the visual aids for less than 1,200 feet RVR, down to and including 600 feet RVR visibility operations:
MOVEMENT AREA Runway guard lights Taxiway edge or centerline lights Taxiway signs Taxiway hold markings Surface painted direction or location signs
1. Review Purpose of SMGCS Advisory Circular 120-57.
2. Determine Applicability of SMGCS AC 120-57 to The Airport.
3. Review Pertinent FAA Regulations and Resources.
4. Review Definitions Pertinent to SMGCS.
5. Take Actions to Establish SMGCS.
a. Appoint chairperson of SMGCS working group.
b. Establish SMGCS working group.
c. Perform airport evaluation.
d. Identify SMGCS low visibility taxi routes.
e. Identify and establish needed facilities.
f. Identify and establish needed procedures.
g. Identify responsibilities of participants.
(1) FAA: Flight Standards Airports Air Traffic Control
(2) Airport Operator
(3) Airport Users
Appendix 3
(4) Airport Tenants
h. Formulate SMGCS Plan.
6. Considerations in Establishing and Maintaining a SMGCS plan.
a. Runways.
* Minimum length and width.
* Paved overruns or blast pads.
* Gradients within standards.
* High intensity runway lights.
* Centerline lighting and marking.
* Lead-on lighting and marking.
* Lead-off lighting and marking.
* Number of runway exits (2 or 3; plus runway end).
* Touchdown zone lights.
* Precision runway markings.
* CAT IIIb ILS rated III/E/3 or III/E/4.
* Proper RVR configurations for landing.
* Proper RVR configurations for takeoff.
b. Taxiways.
* Minimum width.
* High speed exits, if appropriate.
* Connectors meet gradients standards.
* Edge lighting, reflectors.
* Determine if elevated lights are required due to snow or other factors.
* Lighted connector taxiways must have the proper configuration of runway guard lights at the runway hold line (elevated or inpavement).
* Taxiway centerline marking enhancements: 12 inch yellow reflective stripe with 6 inch black borders. Glass beads may be used to increase the conspicuity of markings (1.5 or 1.9 index of refraction).
* Taxiway designator markings.
* Taxiway hold line markings and guidance signs.
* Signs and marking denoting boundary of ILS critical area.
* Surface Painted Holding Position Sign.
* Vehicle roadway markings.
* Movement area boundary markings.
* Taxi guidance signs.
* Taxi guidance markings.
Appendix 3
c. Aprons/non-movement areas.
* Appropriate lighting.
* Taxi lanes, properly marked (reflective) and identified.
* Vehicle roadway markings.
d. Inspection and monitoring of lights and visual aids.
* Maintenance program within standards.
* Monitoring within standards.
* Inspection before entering low visibility conditions.
* Re-inspection every 2 to 4 hours.
e. Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF).
* Review existing procedures and determine if enhancements are required.
f. Low Visibility Taxi Routes.
* Determine primary and alternate exits from runway(s) and taxi route(s) in support of landing operations below 1,200 feet RVR down to and including 600 feet RVR.
* Determine taxi route(s) and entrance(s) to runway(s) for takeoff operations below 1,200 feet RVR down to and including 600 feet RVR. Consider exits and routes for runway abort.
* Assure that the SMGCS low visibility taxi routes chart(s) is developed by ATC Tower, coordinated, and submitted to ATP-120 for publication.
g. Snow Removal Equipment.
* Routing.
* Priorities.
h. Re-Positioning of Aircraft.
* Determine routes to be used.
* Determine visibility limitations.
* Determine taxi/tow/follow-me procedures for air carrier operators.
* Determine follow-me procedures for part 91 operators.
* Determine specific operational limitations; i.e., no passengers on board.
* Require personnel to have documented SMGCS training and use SMGCS low visibility taxi chart(s).
* Determine whether additional lighting; including stop bars, markings, signs, or restrictions are necessary.
Appendix 3
i. Air Traffic Control Procedures.
* Internal coordination procedures for monitoring visibility trends, and making decisions to initiate and terminate SMGCS operations down to and including 600 feet RVR.
* Procedures for notification of the airport operations and pilots of initiation or termination of specific SMGCS plan operations, by land line, ATIS, NOTAM, or voice communication.
* Procedures for surface movement surveillance.
* Procedures for informing pilots of outages of required equipment by voice communications, ATIS, NOTAM, or TMS, as appropriate.
* Review of procedures for coordinating ARFF response in low visibility conditions.
* Procedures for coordinating airfield lighting inspections.
j. Detailed Airfield Lighting/Marking/Signs Diagrams .
* Submit as an attachment to the SMGCS plan.
k. SMGCS Low Visibility Taxi Routes Chart(s).
* Submit as an appendix to the SMGCS plan.
l. Assure NOTAM System Procedures Are Established and Understood.
* It can be critical to aircraft operational safety and capacity that pilots and dispatchers are timely made aware of outages in the SMGCS system which might adversely affect the usability of the lowest published landing and/or takeoff minima for a runway or airport. NFDC NOTAM issuance is critical to enable wide area distribution.
7. Submit SMGCS Plan to FAA For Review and Approval.
* Through Region Flight Standards Division.
* Host on-site inspection of SMGCS (day/night).
* Correct discrepancies in plan/system.
* Receive SMGCS plan "approval" notification.
* Correct specified conditions.
Appendix 3
8. Determine Readiness of SMGCS and Participants.
* Training reported as complete and documented by participating responsible entities.
* Operations Specifications reported from users as approved by Flight Standards.
* SMGCS taxi route(s) chart(s) distributed and available for pilots and vehicle operators.
* Appropriate landing and/or takeoff minima coordinated for a specific publication date.
9. Accomplish Regular Reviews of the SMGCS Plan.
* Maintain documentation of training for inspection under part 139.
* Correct discrepancies which are discovered or brought to the attention of the SMGCS working group chairman.
* Carry out planning for future SMGCS operational capabilities as listed in the plan or as agreed upon by the SMGCS working group.
Appendix 4 APPENDIX 4 -- GUIDELINES FOR SMGCS OPERATIONS BELOW 600 FEET RVR General Note -- For quick reference only, the following list includes the visual aids for less than 600 feet RVR visibility operations:
MOVEMENT AREA Stop bar lights Runway guard lights Taxiway centerline lights Clearance bar lights Taxiway hold markings Surface painted direction or location signs Geographic position markings
NON-MOVEMENT AREA Taxiway centerline lights or taxiing assistance The following items are in addition to those contained in Appendix 3
a. Runways.
* Grooved (saw cut) surface or porous friction course (PFC) surface.
* Number of runway exits (1 or 2; plus runway end).
* CAT IIIb ILS rated III/E/4.
b. Taxiways.
* Pavement fillets enable cockpit over centerline taxi.
* Centerline lighting required, and must be continuous even when crossing a runway.
* Centerline lighted taxiways must be used unidirectional or be physically separated.
* Stop bar lights installed on all lighted taxiways at runway hold lines.
* Determine stop bars which are to be controllable or non controllable by ATC Tower.
* Determine where lead-on lighting to the runway will be associated with a controllable stop bar.
* At intersections offering a choice of routes, the angle of divergence must be clearly apparent, and distinct identification markings for each choice must be visible on the pavement, or the centerline lights must be controllable by the ATC Tower for channeling the aircraft in the cleared route direction.
* Alternating yellow/green centerline lights within the ILS critical
Appendix 4 area.
* Clearance bar lights and markings.
* Geographic position "spot" markings.
* Taxi assistance available by follow-me or tow.
* Use of glass beads (1.5 or 1.9 index of refraction) or retroreflective paint markings for at least geographic position markings.
c. Aprons/non-movement areas.
* Gate designators and lead in gate lead-in markings.
* Publish Apron Traffic Management Plan specifying restrictions, controls, ground support vehicle operations, training and its documentation.
* Taxi assistance available by follow-me, tow and/or ground marshalling.
d. Inspection and monitoring of lights and visual aids.
* Maintenance program within standards.
* Monitoring within standards.
* Inspection before entering low visibility conditions.
* Re-inspection every 2 hours.
e. Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF).
* Review existing procedures and determine if enhancements are required.
* Consider pre-positioning of ARFF vehicle(s) as an option.
f. Surface Movement Surveillance System (SMSS) .
* ASDE-3 or equivalent or new technology installed in ATC Tower and functioning.
* Back up system of geographical position "spot" markings, clearance bars, and hold markings associated with ATC Tower geographic positioning procedures.
g. Low Visibility Taxi Routes.
* Determine the exit from the runway(s) and the taxi route(s) in support of landing operations below 600 feet RVR.
* Determine taxi route(s) and entrance(s) to runway(s) for takeoff operations below 600 feet RVR.
* Determine taxi route(s) in support of re-positioning of aircraft from maintenance areas to aprons.
* Taxi routes should be physically separated or used unidirectional.
Appendix 4
h. Snow Removal Equipment.
* Routing.
* Priorities.
i. Air Traffic Control Procedures.
* Internal coordination procedures for monitoring visibility trends, and making decisions to initiate and terminate SMGCS operations below 600 feet RVR.
* Procedures for geographic positioning of aircraft, using the system of geographic position "spot" markings, clearance bars, hold lines, and voice communications.
j. Detailed Airfield Lighting/Marking/Signs Diagrams .
* Update SMGCS plan/chart.
k. SMGCS Low Visibility Taxi routes Chart(s).
* Update SMGCS plan/chart.
l. Apron Management Plan.
* Add to SMGCS plan.
m. Assure NOTAM System Procedures Are Established and Understood.
* Critical for below 600 feet RVR operations.
160 ft ILS Critical Area Elevated Runway Guard Light In-Pavement Runway Guard Lights 75 ft AC 120-57A Appendix 5
SAMPLE LIGHTING CONFIGURATION FOR OPERATIONS BELOW 1,200 FT RVR TO 600 FT RVR NOTE: Diagram Not To Scale 1 DATE