(U3
Advisory ,
US. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation                                  Circular
'
Administration
l


Subject: GROUND VEHICLE OPERATIONS ON      Date: March 31, 2008      AC N0: 150/5210-20
AIRPORTS                                Initiated by: AAS-300     Change: 1


1.   PURPOSE. This Advisory Circular (AC) and                a.   All airport operators should establish
the attached appendices provide guidance to airpmt .          procedures and policies concerning vehicle access
operators in developing training programs for safe _f'          and vehicle operations on the airside ofthe airport,
ground vehicle operations and pedestrian control on           includinamp and apron areas. These procedures
' and policies should address such
the airside ofan airport. This includes both                                                  matters as access,
movement and non-movement areas, ramps, and             vehicle operator requirements, vehicle requirements,
aprons. Not all the items addressed in this document          operations, and enforcement and should be
will be applicable at every airport. The Federal               incorporated into tenant leases and agreements.
Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends that
b.  Establishment ofprocedures for the safe and
each item be evaluated in terms of how'it may apply
orderly access to the movement area and operation in
to the size, complexity, and scope of operation ofthe
that area is required at certicated airports, under 14
airport. This AC contains recommended operating            C.F.R.  1393290)). Initial and recurrent training in
procedures, a sample training curriculum (Appendix
procedures for access to the movement area is
A), and a sample training manual (Appendix B).
required for airport personnel under  139.303(c). ,
2.   BACKGROUND. Every year there are                  Only initial training is required for tenant and
accidents and incidents involving aircraft,                    contractor employees, under  139.329(e). However,
pedestrians, and ground vehicles at airports that lead          regular recurrent training is strongly recommended
to property damage and injury, which may be fatal.            for all persons with access to the movement area.
Many ofthese events result from inadequate security
c.   Each bidding document (construction plans
measures, a failure to maintain visual aids, a lack of          and/or specications) for development work on an
such aids, and inadequate vehicle operator training.
airport or for installation of an air navigation
Ground vehicle operation plans promote the safety of '
facility (NAVAID) should incorporate a section on
airport users by helping identify authorized areas of
ground vehicle operations on airports during
vehicle operation, outlining vehicle identication
construction activity. The airport'operator should
systems, addressing vehicle and operator                     provide a copy of this plan to the local FAA
requirements, and coordinating construction,
V                Airways Facilities ofce for review. The
maintenance, and emergency activities.                       construction plans and/or specications should
3.   APPLICABILITY. The overall responsibility           contain the appropriate provisions, as specied in
for the operation of vehicles on an airport rests with           Appendix 1 ofAC 150/5370-2, Operational Safety
the airport operator. The airport operator is also               on Airports During Construction.
responsible for compliance with the requirements of
part 139 at certicated airports and with the
provisions of any applicable Federal grant
agreements. Adherence to the provisions contained in
this AC may materially assist the airport operator in
complying with these requirements.

AC 150/5210-20 Change 1                                                                      3/31/2008


4.   RELATED READING MATERIAL You will         does not normally require training. Airport operators
nd additional informationin the following                  may modify these documents to meet their individual
publications:                                                needs. It may also be advantageous to develop
customized program'sfer vehicles operators who only
a.   14 CFR part 139, Certication ofAirports
>                                                          access ramp areas and those who operate on the
b.   Current editions ofthe following advisory          movement area.
circulars:
Initial training is the training provided to a new
(1) AC 9067, Light Signals from the .  employee or airport user that would enable that person
.
Control Tower for Ground Vehicles, Equipment, and         to demonstrate the ability to operate a vehicle safely
Personnel                                                and in accordance with established procedures while
functioning independently on the airside. Recurrent
(2) AC 12057, Surface Movement 'training is the training provided to an employee or
Guidance and Control System
airport user as oen as necessary to enable that person
(3) AC ISO/52106, Painting, Marking, and        to maintain a satisfactory level ofprociency.
Lighting ofVehicles Used on an Airport                     Appropriate schedules for recurrent training will vary
widely from airport to airport and from one employee
(4) AC 150/5340-1, Standards for Airport          to another, however, under no circumstances should
Markings                                           recurrent training intervals forpersonnel authorized to
(5) AC 150/534018, Standards for Airport         drive on the movement area extend beyond one year.
Sign Systems                                            Airport operators might consider requiring annual
recurrent training when a vehicle operator renews an
(6) AC 150/5370-2, Operational Safety on          expired airport 1]) badge or whena tenantrenews a
Airports During Construction                               lease agreement. A sample Ground Vehicle Operating
(7) AC 150/5210~18, Systems for                 Familiarization Program Training Record is included in
Interactive Training ofAirport Personnel                     Appendix B.
(8) AC 150/5200-30, Airport Winter Safety         Airports use a variety ofmethods for training ground
and Operations                                            vehicle operators. In some cases, airport operators
delegate the requirement of employee training to .
c.   To View or. download an electronic copy of          airport tenants or a contractor. Some airport operators
this AC, visit the FAA website at http://www.faa.gov.         choose to include training manuals or vehicle-
operating requirements as part oftenant lease or use
5.   VEHICLEIOPERATOR REQUIREMENTS.          agreements. An airport operator maychoose to
Vehicle operators on airports face conditions that are          distribute training manual information via a Web
not normally encountered during highway driving.
page, videos, or booklets. Formal classroom
Therefore, those persons who have vehicular.access           instruction provided by the airport operator or tenant
to the movement area ofthe airport must have an             can include either personal instruction or a computer
appropriate level ofknowledge of airport rules and           based interactive training system. (See AC 150/5210-
regulations. Airport operators should requirervehicle          l 8 .)
operators to maintain a current driver's license and
should establish a means of identication that would          Airport operators should provide a means oftesting
*  permit the operation of a vehicle on the airside of an          trainees on the information presented. In addition to
standard question and answer classroom testing
airport. Any person expected to operate on the
movement area should demonstrate a functional              methods, the airport operators should have potential
knowledge ofthe Englishlanguage.                        ground vehicle operators demonstrate their
prociency in operating a vehicle on the airside
before authorizing driving privileges. The FAA also
6.   TRAINING. Appendix A includes a sample
recommends on-the-job training before personnel
training curriculum. This curriculum should include
have unescorted access to the airside ofthe airport.
initial and/or remedial instruction of all personnel
who have access to the airside ofthe airport. The             7.   VEHICLES 0N AIRPORTS. Airport operators
'
: curriculum should also include annual recurrent               should keep vehicular and pedestrian activity on the
instruction for all persannel who have access to the           airside ofthe airport to a minimum. Vehicles on the
I movement area. The airport operator should retain            airside ofthe airport should be limited to those
records of this training as long as this person is               vehicles necessary to support the operation of aircraft
authorized to operate on the airport. Escorted access          services, cargo and passenger services, emergency

3/31/2008                                                                        AC 150/5210-20 Change 1

services, and maintenance of the airport. Vehicles on          At airports without an operating ATCT, two-way
the movement area should be limited to those                 radio control between vehicles and xed-based
necessary for the inspection and maintenance of the           operators or other airport users should avoid
movement areas and emergency vehicles responding         frequencies used by aircraft. Even with the most
to an aircraft emergency on the movement area.               sophisticated procedures and equipment, vehicle
Vehicles should use service roads or public roads in           operators need training to achieve the prociency to
lieu of crossing movement areas whenever possible.           operate safely. The airport operator should give
Where vehicular trafc on airport operation areas             special consideration to training temporary operators,
cannot be avoided, it should be carefully controlled.           such as construction workers, even if escort service is
being provided.
When necessary, runway crossing should occur at the
departure runway end rather than the midpoint. In the         Inadvertent entry by vehicles onto movement and
non-movement areas of an airport poses a danger to
event of a runway incursion, an aircraft would have
both the vehicle operator and aircraft that are
more time and runway length to react ifthe vehicle
incursion is at the end ofthe runway.                         attempting to land or take off or that are maneuvering
on the airport. Methods for controlling access to the
Some aspects ofvehicle control and identication are         airside will vary depending on the type and location
discussed belOw; however, every airport presents             ofthe airport. The Airport Layout Plan is a useful
different vehicle requirements and problems. Every           tool for accomplishing this. Airports may erect a
'
airport will require individualized solutions to                fence or provide for other natural or physical barriers
'
prevent vehicle or pedestrian trafc from                     around the entire airport in addition to providing
endangering aircraft operations. It should be stressed          control measures at each access gate, such as guards,
that aircraft ALWAYS have the right-of-way over            magnetic card activated looks, or remotely controlled
vehicles when maneuvering on non-movement areas.         locks. Gates may either be opened/closed
Aircraft also have. the right-of-way on the movement          electronically or secured by lock and chain. Physical
areas, except when the Airport Trafc Control Tower         barriers might include natural objects, such as earthen
(ATCT) has specically instructed an aircra to hold         berms, large boulders, tree trunks, and manmade
or give way to vehicle(s) on a runway or taxiway.             culverts that could help control remote vehicle access
Vehicles that routinely operate on the airside should          points.
be marked/agged for high daytime visibility and, if
VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS. Requirements
appropriate, lighted for nighttime operations.                 9.
for vehicles will vary depending on the airport, the
Vehicles that are equipped withmarking and lighting
devices should escort vehicles that are not marked            type of vehicle, and where the vehicle will be
and lighted. (See AC 150/5210-5.) Vehicles needing          operated on the airport. An airport operator should
limit vehicle operations on the movement areas of the
intermittent identication should be marked with
magnetically attached markers, which are                     airport to only those vehicles necessary to support the
commercially available.                                      operational activity ofthe airport. Airport operators
might nd it benecial to have separate requirements
for vehicles operated solely on a ramp area as
8.   VEHICULAR ACCESS CONTROL. The
control of vehicular activity on the airside of an               opposed to those vehicles that operate on movement
airport is of the higheSt importance. The airport               areas.
operator is responsible for developing procedures,            Some airports have beneted from establishing their
procuring equipment, and providing training                  own vehicle inspection program to assure that all
regarding vehicle operations to ensure aircraft and            vehicles are maintained in a safe operating condition.
personnel safety. At airports with an operating                In establishing vehicle requirements, some items to
ATCT, controllers and vehicle operators should use           consider include
twoway radios to control vehicles when on the
movement area. To accomplish this task, the airport               a.   Marking and identication of vehicles
operator and the ATCT should develop a letter of                 b.  Minimum equipment requirements
agreement outlining standard operating procedures.
When there is construction on an airport, whether                 c.   Inclusion in all vehicles of a placard
federally funded or not, the airport operator should            diagram depicting the airport's movement area. The
follow the ground vehicle practices contained in AC          diagram should display prominent landmarks and/or
150/5370-2.                                               perimeter roads. Vehicles intended to operate within
the movement area should also include a placard

AC 150/5210-20 Change 1                                                                      3/31/2008

showing the meaning ofATCT light gun signals and         11. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AND OTHER
aireld sign and marking information;                        NON-ROUTINE OPERATIONS. Airport operators
allow a number ofnonvroutine operations to occur on
(1.   Vehicle condition requirements and                 the airside'ofthe airport: Such non-routine activities
inspection                                                  include air'eld construction, airshows, aircraft static
e.   Insurance coverage                                 displays, VIP arrivals/departures, commercial photo
shoots, or a host of other activities. In addition to
security requirements, airport operators should '                                                                                                           10. VEHICLE OPERATIONS. The rules and
regulations pertaining to vehicle operations should            recognize and prepare for the unique challenges that
provide adequate procedures for the safe and orderly          arise during nonroutine operations as they relate to
'
operation ofvehicles on the airside ofthe airport. In          vehicle operations.
developing such procedures, airport operators should          Airport operators should review non-routine
consider                                          operations that involve ground vehicles and develop
Requirements that vehicles operating on             vehicle operation procedures to accommodate these
a.
movement areas be radio equipped or escorted by a           special operations. Planning meetings associated with
radio-equipped vehicle                                      such activities offer an opportunity to review driving
rules and regulations, communications and
b.   Specic procedural requirements for vehicle         procedures, and air trafc control procedures as well
operations on airports without an operating ATCT            as other important operational issues.
c.   Advance notice/approval for operating a             These meetings should pay special attention to the
nonairport owned vehicle on the movement area             following activities:
d.   Speed limits                                            a.   Airside Construction. The airport operator

e.   Prohibitions on                                   should develop procedures, procure equipment, and
provide training on vehicle operations to ensure
(1)- Passing other vehicles and taxing                aircra safety during construction as specified in AC
_
aircraft '150/53402.
(2)  Leaving a vehicle unattended and                    b.  Emergency Response/Mutual Aid. Many
mnning '               .,         airports rely on local emergency services to provide
aircraft rescue and reghting or emergency medical
(3) Driving under an aircraft except when
servicing the aircraft ' '
services. Airport operators should ensure that such
emergency service providers receive initial and
(4) Driving under passenger bridges                recurrent training in the subject areas identied in
f.   Requirements stipulating when vehicle              paragraph 10, Vehicle Operations, and maintain
records ofsuch training. In addition, any mutual aid
lights must be operated
agreement between the local emergency service
g.   Requirements for the use of dedicated               providers and the airport operator should specify
vehicle lanes and perimeter roads whenever possible          vehicle operations training requirements.

11.  Locations where vehicles may and may not               e.   Snow and Ice Removal. Airport Operators
.
park                                                  who use contractors for snow and ice control
i.   Rules ofrightofway (e.g. for aircraft,               operations should ensure agreements with such
contractors include vehicle operations procedures,
emergency vehicles, other vehicles)
including training requirements, consequences of
j.   Areas where vehicles may be serviced               noncompliance, and vehicle communications
k.   Procedures for inoperative radios while on a         requirements. The FAA recommends that, when
possible, airport operators limit contractors to non
movement area
movement areas. When an ATCT is not in operation,
1.   Requirements to report all accidents                 or there is no ATCT, procedures should be developed
involving ground vehicles on the airside                      to advise air trafc on the Common Trafc Advisory
Frequency (CTAF) of any intentions to remove snow
111.  Requirements making the vehicle operator           and ice in the movement area.
responsible for passengers in the vehicle
d.  Low-Visibility Operations. Additional
consideration should be given to vehicle operations

3/31/2008                                                                        AC 150/5210-20 Change 1'

during low visibility. Poor weather conditions (snow,         Airport operators may also be able to increase
fog, rain, etc.) may obscure visual cues, roadway              situational awareness for vehicle operators with
markings, and airport signs.                                  enhancements on the airside. Such enhancements
may include establishing dedicated marked routes for
Some airports have a Surface Movement Guidance
vehicles that avoid high activity, congested areas, or
and Control System (SMGCS), which provides '
blind spots. The elimination or relocation of xed
guidance to, and control or regulation of, all aircraft           objects that hinder a vehicle operator's line of sight
and ground vehicles on the movement area of an
or block radio transmissions may also enhance safety.
airport. Guidance relates to facilities, information,
and advice necessary to enable pilots of aircraft, or
13. ENFORCEMENT AND CONTROL. Airport
drivers of ground vehicles, to nd their way on the
operators should establish procedures for enforcing
airport and keep the aircraft or vehicles on the     p            the consequences ofnon-compliance, including
surfaces and areas intended for their use. Control or
penalties for violations. Tenant lease or use
regulation means the measures necessary to prevent
agreements may include these enforcement
collisions and to ensure that the trafc ows safely.
provisions. Listed below are control issues that
For additional information on the SMGCS and the
airport operators should address as part of a ground
SMGCS Plan, refer to AC 120-57.
vehicle control program:

12. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. There are a            a.  Implementation of a tiered identication
number of factors that hamper vehicle operator               badging system that permits easy recognition of a
situational awareness. Situational awareness declines          vehicle operator's permitted driving area privileges
as a driver's attention is drawn into the vehicle or is
b.  Prohibition against transfer of registration
focused on any one thing to the exclusion of
media to a vehicle other than the one for which
everything else. Other such factors include vague or
originally issued
incomplete communications or a vehicle operator's
personal conicts, which may involve fatigue and                 0.   Policies for surrendering permits to airport
stress. Running behind schedule or being over-tasked         management when a vehicle is no longer authorized
also contributes to a reduction in situational                  entry into a facility
awareness. Certainly, degraded operating conditions,
d.   Periodic checks to ensure that only properly
such as equipment malfunctions, rain, fog, or snow,
authorized persons operate vehicles on the airside.
may also diminish a vehicle operator's situational
awareness.                                                    e.   System to control the movement of
commercial trucks and other goods conveyances onto
There are ways to enhance situational awareness. As
and out of the airside of an airport
part of a ground vehicle operator's training program,
airport operators may concentrate on having vehicle               f.   Brieng or training for delivery drivers if
operators visually scan xed and moving objects that         they are peimitted direct access to the airside
may be converging into the vehicle's path. Airport
g. . Implementation of a progressive penalty
operators should also promote the use of clear and
concise communications by vehicle operators. Most          policy
important, airport operators should alert vehicle
operators to distractions caused by social interactions
while operating a vehicle on the airside.



Kelvin L. Solco
Acting Director of Airport Safety and Standards