105 IAC 3-3-11 Annual operating certificates of approval

Sec. 11. (a) It shall be unlawful for a municipality or person to initiate operations at a public-use airport without first being issued an operating certificate of approval by the department; however, the department will issue a certificate to an airport which already holds a valid Air Carrier Operating Certificate issued under Federal Aviation Regulations, 14 CFR 139. (b) It shall be unlawful for a municipality or person to continue to operate a public-use airport for which an annual operating certificate of approval has not been issued by the department, except as otherwise provided in this section. (c) All public-use airports must be inspected at least once a year by the department and must conform to the minimum safety standards established in this subsection prior to receiving an operating certificate of approval unless the airport already holds a valid Air Carrier Operating Certificate issued under 14 CFR 139. Compliance with these minimum safety standards is required at all times in order to maintain a valid operating certificate of approval. These standards do not apply to public-use heliports, seaplane bases, or ultralight flightparks. Minimum safety standards shall be as follows: (1) Physical standards as follows: *Minimum usable runway length 2,000 feet Minimum width for: **Runway safety area 150 feet Paved runway 40 feet Turf runway 100 feet Minimum distance between runway centerline and: Building restriction line 150 feet Edge of tie-down area 125 feet Taxiway centerline 100 feet Approach and departure surface width at: ***Threshold of runway 150 feet 4,000 feet from threshold 350 feet *If there is more than one (1) runway at the airport, only one (1) runway must meet the two thousand (2,000) feet minimum usable length requirement; however, all other runways must have at least one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet minimum usable length. **Although the minimum standard width for a runway safety area is one hundred fifty (150) feet, low crops, such as soybeans, alfalfa, and wheat, may be grown within the runway safety area beginning no closer than fifty (50) feet from the runway centerline. High crops, such as corn and sorghum, must not be grown in the one hundred fifty (150) feet runway safety area. ***All crops are considered a ten (10) foot obstruction because of transient farm machinery used in farming the crops. Therefore, no crops may be grown in the area crosshatched in the following illustration: (2) A public-use airport which has two (2) or more intersecting runways where aircraft must operate out of the sight of each other must have warning signs posted at the departure end of each runway or at the taxiway entrance to the runway. The warning signs must be clearly visible and distinguishable from at least one hundred (100) feet away and shall include language which clearly indicates the inherent danger. The language recommended by the department is "Warning: Aircraft Using Runway 4/22 Cannot Be Seen.". (3) Airport and runway markings as follows: (A) All paved runways must be marked in accordance with a marking diagram provided by the department, which will include, at a minimum, runway numbers and centerline. (B) Boundary markers for turf runways will be required if the usable landing area is not clearly defined as observed from an altitude of one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet above ground level. Markers must consist of orange traffic cones or such other material approved by the department. (C) Turf runway thresholds must be marked with orange traffic cones or such other material approved by the department and must consist of three (3) cones placed perpendicular to the runway centerline on both sides of the runway, located no further than ten (10) feet from the longitudinal edges of the runway. (D) Threshold markers for all runways, whether paved or turf, must be located such that they will provide, at a minimum, the following: (i) Fifteen (15) feet vertical clearance over all public-use roads at a twenty (20) to one (1) glide angle taken from such thresholds. (ii) Twenty-three (23) feet vertical clearance over all railroads at a twenty (20) to one (1) glide angle taken from such thresholds. (iii) At a twenty (20) to one (1) glide angle commencing at such thresholds, clearance over all objects within the approach and departure surface symmetrical about the extended centerline of the runway for a distance of four thousand (4,000) feet from such thresholds. (See also subdivision (1).) (4) Airport and runway lighting as follows: (A) A public-use airport which is open for nighttime operations must have an operating lighting system which complies with this subdivision and a lighted wind indicator. (B) The lighting system may be operated: (i) on a photo cell; (ii) by radio control; or (iii) manually based on a prior request. Operating information must be submitted for publication in the airport facility directory. (C) Runway lights must meet or exceed the following minimum standards: (i) Have clear lenses. (ii) Be located no more than ten (10) feet off of the edge of a paved runway. (iii) Be located on the edge of a turf runway. (iv) Be uniformly placed and not exceed two hundred (200) feet between lights except where a taxiway intersects the runway. (v) Not exceed thirty (30) inches above ground level in height. (D) Taxiway lights must meet or exceed the following minimum standards: (i) Be blue in color. (ii) Be located no more than ten (10) feet off of the edge of a paved taxiway. (iii) Be located on the edge of a turf taxiway. (iv) Be uniformly placed and not exceed two hundred (200) feet between lights except where the taxiway intersects another taxiway. (v) Not exceed thirty (30) inches above ground level in height. (E) Threshold lights must meet or exceed the following minimum standards: (i) Be green in color. (ii) Be located to provide minimum obstruction clearance. (iii) Consist of a minimum of three (3) lights on each side of the runway perpendicular to the runway centerline. (F) Lights between the end of a runway and relocated or displaced runway threshold must meet or exceed the following minimum standards: (i) Be red in color. (ii) Be located no more than ten (10) feet off of the edge of a paved runway. (iii) Be located on the edge of a turf runway. (iv) Not exceed thirty (30) inches above ground level in height. The minimum standards in clauses (C) through (F) shall not apply to an airport which has an operational lighting system that was funded in whole or in part by federal or state funds. (5) In addition to complying with the minimum safety standards in subdivision (4), all public-use airport owners and operators shall continuously maintain aircraft operational areas on the airport. All aircraft operational areas on the airport should be inspected at least once a day. In addition, it is the responsibility of the airport owner or operator to identify, assess, and disseminate information by notices to airmen through the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration Flight Service Station concerning conditions on or in the vicinity of the airport that affect, or may affect, the safe operation of aircraft. (6) All public-use airports must have and maintain the following: (A) At least one (1) wind direction indicator, so located to show a true indication of the wind on the landing area and readily visible to aircraft. A wind indicator must be lighted if the airport is open for night operations. (B) A telephone available continuously for emergency use and flight plan closing. (C) An approved segmented circle with runway turn indicators when a nonstandard traffic pattern is used. (D) A suitable area for parking automobiles, adequately marked off or fenced to prevent dangerous overrunning on to the landing area and aircraft parking area. (E) A copy of current airport safety rules and regulations posted conspicuously at the airport and filed with the department. The airport rules and regulations should address the following: (i) Air traffic patterns. (ii) Taxi instructions. (iii) Calm wind runway usage. (iv) Any emergency readiness programs.