A Case Study in Airfield Design Criteria Compliance

With respect to the new FAA Airfield Design Criteria, the Milwaukee County’s General Mitchell International Airport (GMIA) has one of the more challenging airfields in the nation. A portion of the airfield is used as an example in FAA’s advisory circular to highlight issues that the agency is attempting to address through its new priority airfield geometry. The airport has an extensive and credible record of actions to reduce runway incursions and enhance airfield operational safety. Continuing this commitment, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly (CMT) was selected to assist GMIA on a multi-phase program to ensure future airfield development shown in the Airport Layout Plan Update conforms to the geometric criteria contained in FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5300-13A, Airport Design and to facilitate a coordinated Development Program with the airport and the FAA. This effort is one of the first airfield-wide assessments in the nation addressing 13A compliance on a comprehensive level.

The unique airfield geometry at GMIA presents several challenges to the application of -13A criteria. Our investigation revealed a total of 74 individual non-compliant locations identified throughout the airfield in 8 specific FAA criteria. Our approach utilized principles of FAA’s Safety Risk Management Documentation, including development of a Safety Baseline, Hazard Identification, Risk Analysis and Safety Risk Determination, as the structure for project progression. The Airport Development Program also presents a framework for implementation of the proposed improvements that ensures constructability, and can be logically phased and funded as a part of the overall GMIA Capital Improvement Program. Coordination with multiple lines of business within the FAA, as well as with GMIA users, was a critical project component.