By Bill Fuller
With the issuance of Order 5200.8, the FAA reaffirmed the importance of maintaining or establishing runway safety areas (RSAs) at federally-obligated airports. TxDOT is supporting this effort wherever feasible.
As explained in the FAA design manual, the RSA ” … enhances the safety of airplanes which undershoot, overrun, or veer off the runway, and it provides greater accessibility for firefighting and rescue equipment during such incidents.” The RSA evolved from the original landing strip, which was simply a defined, well maintained and graded surface. As aviation developed with more advanced aircraft, an improved landing surface, or runway, became necessary. The RSA is now that “safe” environment immediately surrounding the runway.
As can be expected, the size of an RSA depends on the predominant types of aircraft and the approach visibility minimums at the airport. Dimensions range from a width of 60 feet on each side of the runway centerline to 250 feet. The RSA lengths beyond the runway end extend from 240 feet at smaller facilities up to 1,000 feet at larger airports.
To fulfill its purpose, the RSA needs to be cleared and graded with no significant surface variations. It should be free of objects, except those fixed by function, such as runway lighting. All objects that functionally remain within the RSA must have frangible couplings if they are over three inches in height.
Because Texas has so many public, general aviation airports, TxDOT will first evaluate the RSAs for those projects that are scheduled for runway improvements. If it is determined that a RSA is deficient, the FAA order describes three options for addressing the situation, in descending order of desirability:
(1) make changes, where physically and economically feasible, to bring the RSA into full compliance with the design standard, (2) improve the RSA, but not to full compliance with the standard, or (3) determine that it is not practicable to improve the RSA.
For situations in which it is determined that a RSA does not meet standards, a relatively detailed process of analysis is prescribed to determine which of the three options will be chosen. Airport sponsors will of course be consulted during the process, but ultimately the decision and approval will rest with the director of the Aviation Division.
As time permits, the Aviation Division hopes to evaluate all RSAs within our system. In the meantime, airport sponsors can assist by assessing their own RSAs. Also be advised that changes made to improve deficient RSAs are also eligible for financial assistance through TxDOT’s Routine Airport Maintenance Program.
If you have questions pertaining to the appropriate RSA size or specific surface conditions at your airport, please feel free to call either John Greer, P.E. or Ed Oshinski, P.E., at 1/800/68-PILOT, within the Aviation Division’s Engineering Section.
