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<br />Airport Certification <br />Manual Requirements <br /> <br />Under FAR Part 139, a certificated <br />airport must complete (and maintain) <br />an airport certification manual (ACM) <br />which outlines their compliance under <br />each provision of the regulation. The <br />compliance level required is dependent <br />on the airport's design standards and <br />the size and frequency of the scheduled <br />aircraft service. These standards are <br />based upon the latest airport design <br />standards as published by the FAA. <br /> <br />Runway 12-30 and associated taxiways <br />would be anticipated to be available for <br />charter operation use; therefore, all of <br />the paved surfaces associated with the <br />runway/taxiway system would require <br />compliance under Part 139. Runways <br />and taxiways identified for air carrier <br />(scheduled or unscheduled aircraft with <br />greater than 30 passenger seats) usage <br />would be required to maintain safety <br />areas in compliance with Part 139. It is <br />anticipated that minimal additional <br />costs would be incurred to upgrade <br />signage and lighting. However, a <br />significant cost would be expected to <br />comply with airport rescue and <br />firefighting, as outlined in the following <br />paragraphs. <br /> <br />Airport Rescue And Firefighting <br /> <br />Airport rescue and firefighting (ARFF) <br />standards are based upon the size of <br />aircraft and their respective frequency <br />of service (a minimum of five daily <br />departures by the largest category of <br />aircraft). Under the proposed <br />rulemaking, however, all airports <br />certificated under Part 139 would be <br />required to provide appropriate ARFF <br /> <br />3-16 <br /> <br />coverage meeting at least mInImUm <br />ARFF requirements designated under <br />Index A. ARFF Index A requirements <br />are as follows: <br /> <br />One vehicle carrying at least 500 <br />pounds of sodium-based dry chemical or <br />halon 1211 or 450 pounds of potassium- <br />based dry chemical and water with a <br />commensurate quantity of aqueous film <br />forming foam (AFFF) to total 100 <br />gallons, for simultaneous dry chemical <br />and AFFF foam application. <br /> <br />ARFF facilities must be in a location <br />that allows a response within three (3) <br />minutes from the time of the alarm, and <br />at least one required ARFF vehicle shall <br />reach the midpoint of the farthest <br />runway serving air carrier aircraft and <br />begin application offoam, dry chemical, <br />or halon 1211. <br /> <br />Since San Marcos Municipal Airport <br />does not have any dedicated ARFF <br />facilities or equipment, a facility would <br />need to be constructed, a vehicle <br />purchased, and provisions made for <br />manning the facility. It is estimated <br />that the associated cost of constructing <br />a new facility and acquiring appropriate <br />equipment would range between <br />$500,000 - $1,000,000, plus annual <br />costs of $200,000 to $350,000 to <br />maintain adequate personnel and <br />required training. <br /> <br />Understanding that the new ARFF <br />Index A requirements at a small airport <br />could be prohibitive, the FAA has <br />indicated that they will analyze the <br />requirements of each airport on a case- <br />by-case basis. It is possible that the <br />FAA would allow a compromise for San <br />Marcos if, for example, ARFF services <br />could be provided on a "on-call" basis by <br />