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Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF), Snow Removal Equipment (SRE) and/or Maintenance Buildings

Airport support facilities can vary greatly depending on the level of airport activities, airport operational expectations (particularly with respect to weather in Massachusetts) and regulatory requirements.

Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF)

Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting facilities are not required at all GA airports;

however, GA airports that also provide commercial aircraft operations and operate under a Part 139 certificate, must provide ARFF services. Six of the 37 MSASP system airports are currently Part 139 certificated due to commercial air services, and as such are required to provide ARFF services. Additionally, both Provincetown and New Bedford

Regional Airport’s, which both offer scheduled commercial passenger service using the Cessna 402 aircraft, also provide limited ARFF capabilities. The system airports that provide Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting services and have a dedicated ARFF building include:

• Barnstable Municipal Airport

• Nantucket Memorial Airport

• Westover Air Reserve Base/Metropolitan Airport

• Martha’s Vineyard Airport

Fuel Farm (Chatham Municipal Airport)

ARFF Facility (Barnes Municipal Airport)

2010 MASSACHUSETTS STATEWIDE AIRPORT SYSTEM PLAN

• Barnes Municipal Airport

• Worcester Regional Airport

• Provincetown Municipal

The level of ARFF services provided at these airports are based on the types of commercial aviation activities that take place at the airport (scheduled or unscheduled passenger service) and the size of the aircraft providing such services (determined by the seat capacity of the aircraft). These variables place an airport in a specific class (I-IV), which determines the level of ARFF services the airport is required to provide as per FAA regulations. Additionally, all system airports that provide ARFF services also have mutual aid agreements with their local town/city fire departments whereby, during an aircraft incident or accident requiring an ARFF response, the services of the town/city may be used to supplement the capabilities of the airport’s ARFF services.

Snow Removal Equipment (SRE) and/or Maintenance buildings Snow removal and maintenance

equipment are expensive investments for GA airports, particularly those which are publically-owned and have received federal or state funding to purchase such equipment for airport use. Consequently, in order to avoid storing this equipment outside, with prolonged exposure to the elements, it is highly desirable for airport operators to have the ability to store SRE and maintenance equipment in a

dedicated building designed for such a purpose. Of the 37 system airports, 18 have a SRE building, and 18 of the 37 system airports have a maintenance building. Provincetown Municipal’s ARFF building is a joint use facility that is also used to store SRE.

Data related to the availability of these buildings at all system airports can be found in Figure 2.9 on page 2-28.

Airport Security

Historically, the FAA has not held general aviation airports to the same security standards required of commercial service airports. Prior to the events of September 11, 2001 (9/11), the FAA had no real need to hold GA airports to such strict security standards. However, the rising concern for airport security following 9/11 brought about the identification of vulnerabilities that exist in airports that primarily serve general

Snow Removal Equipment Building (Barnstable Municipal Airport)

Security Fencing (Martha's Vineyard Airport)

2010 MASSACHUSETTS STATEWIDE AIRPORT SYSTEM PLAN aviation. As a result, airport security enhancements at GA airports such as, GA Security Plans, access control systems, ID badging systems, card readers, and CCTV became a priority for some general aviation airports. Consequently, the inventory effort for this MSASP sought to identify the existing security posture of the GA system.

All of the 37 system airports have some form of a General Aviation Security Plan. Five of the system airports hold operating certificates issued under Part 139 of the code of federal regulations (CFR) and agree to certain operational, safety, and security standards and are subject to stricter TSA 1542 requirements (security requirements at airports serving scheduled commercial operations).

Although not Part 139 certificated, also subject to TSA security requirements is Provincetown Municipal Airport due to its passenger service to Logan International Airport. Additionally, 23 of the 37 system airports have control measures in place for accessing the Air Operations Area, which is defined as “any area of an airport used or intended to be used for landing, takeoff, or surface maneuvering of aircraft”.

Detailed information relating to airport security at system airports can be found in Figure 2-10 on page 2-29.

Miscellaneous Airport Services and Accommodations The types and the level of services that a general aviation airport offers is dependent upon market demand forces that translate to the types of aircraft and customers the airport serves. Thus, the services offered at GA facilities throughout the nation vary greatly.

From the smallest GA airport serving single engine aircraft, offering fuel services and perhaps a freelance flight instructor, to large scale GA facilities that serve multimillion dollar corporate aircraft, offering aircraft oxygen and

catering services, the range of services offered for general aviation is very broad. Additionally, airports with a dedicated terminal building or FBO generally offer more services than those without.

With regard to airport services and accommodations, the inventory effort sought to capture the number of FBOs at the system airports, as well as to identify the entire range of airport services offered in the GA system. These services included the following:

TSA Security Checkpoint (Provincetown Municipal Airport))

Nantucket Memorial Airport

2010 MASSACHUSETTS STATEWIDE AIRPORT SYSTEM PLAN

• On-Site Car Rental

• Courtesy Car

• Crew Car

• On-Airport Transportation Services

• Flight Instruction

• Full Time Flight School

• Aircraft Maintenance Services

• Airframe and Power Plant Repairs

• Avionics Repairs

• FAA Part 145 Repair Station

• Aircraft Sales

• Snow Removal Operations

• Aircraft Deicing

• Aircraft Oxygen

• Catering Services

• Aircraft Lavatory Disposal Services

The inventory revealed that 32 of the 37 system airports have at least one FBO, and 27 of the 37 system airports offer flight instruction with 22 of those having a full time flight school on the airport. Figure 2-11 on page 2-31 identifies the range of services at each of the system airports.