5.1 Maintaining Existing Assets

A sound preventive maintenance program is critical for extending the life of airport facilities and to keep the airport operating as safely and efficiently as possible.

ACRP Report 69: Asset and Infrastructure Management for Airports—Primer and Guidebook
Addresses asset and infrastructure management applicable to all areas of the operation of an airport.

ACRP Report 138: Preventive Maintenance at General Aviation Airports, Volume 1: Primer
For airport governing-board and policy-board members, provides information on the importance and value of a preventive maintenance program. It also reviews the various infrastructure assets at airports and outlines the value of planning and prioritizing preventive maintenance into the budgeting process and the impacts to operations if an airport fails to conduct preventive maintenance. In addition, it identifies basic principles for establishing and implementing a preventive maintenance program.

ACRP Report 138: Preventive Maintenance at General Aviation Airports, Volume 2: Guidebook
Provides guidance for airport managers, maintenance managers, and all line personnel on how to plan, prioritize, and conduct preventive maintenance for physical infrastructure assets.

ACRP Report 159: Pavement Maintenance Guidelines for General Aviation Airport Management
Provides guidance to general aviation airport managers in determining the most cost-efficient and appropriate preventative maintenance solution to common pavement issues. In addition to the guidebook, two additional products were developed.

Airport Pavement Maintenance Recommendation Tool
A tool to help evaluate potential treatments for airport pavement distresses.

Pavement Maintenance Field Guide
A field guide to assist airports in identifying pavement distresses. Contains photos of the various types of distresses.

FAA Order 5100.38: Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Handbook
Referred to as the AIP Handbook. Provides the policies and procedures on the implementation of the AIP based on the enabling legislation. It covers who is eligible for an AIP grant; what projects can be funded and the required project justification; project procurement requirements; allowable costs; the grant process, oversight and payments; letters of intent; State Block Grant Program, Military Airport Program; Innovative Finance Demonstration Program, Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE), and other programs. The appendices of this document detail the requirements for specific types of projects.