SUBPART A

Certification and Operations of International and National Land Aerodromes

 

139.1 Applicability

This Part prescribes rules governing the certification and operation of land aerodromes intended to be either wholly or in part used for the arrival, departure and surface movement of aircraft operations. Coordination between the aerodromes, ECAA and Air Traffic Services Sectors is required for the implementation of this Part.

 

139.2 Introductory Note:

This Part contains Standards and Recommended Practices (requirements) that prescribe the physical characteristics and obstacle limitation surfaces to be provided for at aerodromes, and certain facilities and technical services normally provided at an aerodrome, It also contains specifications dealing with obstacles outside those limitations surfaces. It is not intended that these requirements limit or regulate the operation of an aircraft. To a great extent, the requirements for individual facilities detailed in ECAR Part 139, have been interrelated by a reference code system, described in Subpart D, and by the designation of the type of runway for which they are to be provided, as specified in the definitions. This not only simplifies the reading of ECAR Part 139, but in most cases, provides for efficiently proportioned aerodromes when the requirements are followed. This Part sets forth the minimum aerodrome requirements for aircraft which have the characteristics of those which are currently operating or for similar aircraft that are planned for introduction. Accordingly, any additional safeguards that might be considered appropriate to provide for more demanding aircraft are not taken into account. Such matters are left to ECAA to evaluate and take into account as necessary for each particular aerodrome. Guidance on some possible effects of future aircraft on these requirements is given in the EAC139-10. It is to be noted that the requirements for precision approach runways categories II and III are only applicable to runways intended to be used by aeroplanes in code numbers 3 and 4. ECAR Part 139, does not include requirements relating to the overall planning of aerodromes (such as separation between adjacent aerodromes or capacity of individual aerodromes), impact on the environment, or to economic and other non-technical factors that need to be considered in the development of an aerodrome. Information on these subjects is included in the EAC139-15. Guidance material on the environmental aspects of the development and operation of an aerodrome is included in the EAC139-16. Aviation security is an integral part of aerodrome planning and operations. ECAR Part 139, contains several requirements aimed at enhancing the level of security at aerodromes. Requirements on other facilities related to security are given in ECAR Part 107 and detailed guidance on the subject is contained in the ECAA Security Manual.

 

139.3 Definitions

The following are definitions of terms as used in this Part:

·    Accuracy: A degree of conformance between the estimated or measured value and the true value.

Note:    For measured positional data, the accuracy is normally expressed in terms of a distance from a stated position within which there is a defined confidence of the true position falling.

·    Aerodrome: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Aerodrome beacon: An aeronautical beacon used to indicate the location of an aerodrome from the air.

·    Aerodrome category: A ranking according to the type and quantity of rescue and firefighting equipment and agent required, determined by the longest aircraft normally using the aerodrome and their fuselage width

·    Aerodrome certificate: A certificate issued by the ECAA under applicable regulations for the operation of an aerodrome.

·    Aerodrome elevation: The elevation of the highest point of the landing area.

·    Aerodrome identification sign: A sign placed on an aerodrome to aid in identifying the aerodrome from the air.

·    Aerodrome reference point: See ECAR Part 1.

·   Aerodrome traffic density:

(1)    Light: Where the number of movements in the mean busy hour is not greater than 15 per runway or typically less than 20 total aerodrome movements.

(2)    Medium: Where the number of movements in the mean busy hour is of the order of 16 to 25 per runway or typically between 20 to 35 total aerodrome movements.

(3)    Heavy: Where the number of movements in the mean busy hour is of the order of 26 or more per runway or typically more than 35 total aerodrome movements.

Note 1: The number of movements in the mean busy hour is the arithmetic mean over the year of the number of movements in the daily busiest hour.

Note 2: Either a take-off or a landing constitutes a movement

·    Aeronautical beacon: An aeronautical ground light visible at all azimuths, either continuously or intermittently, to designate a particular point on the surface of the earth.

·    Aeronautical ground light: Any light specially provided as an aid to air navigation, other than a light displayed on a aircraft.

·    Aeroplane reference field length: The minimum field length required for take-off at maximum certificated take-off mass, sea level, standard atmospheric conditions, still air and zero runway slope, as shown in the appropriate aircraft flight manual prescribed by the ECAA or equivalent data from the aircraft manufacturer. Field length means balanced field length for aircraft, if applicable, or take-off distance in other cases.

Note: EAC 139-42 provides information on the concept of balanced field length and contains detailed guidance on matters related to take-off distance.

·      Advisory circulars comprising material supplementary to the requirement of this part , or included as a guide to their application.

·    Aircraft Classification Number (ACN): A number expressing the relative effect of an aircraft on a pavement for a specified standard subgrade category.

Note : The aircraft classification number is calculated with respect to the center of gravity (CG) position which yields the critical loading on the critical gear. Normally the aftmost CG position appropriate to the maximum gross apron (ramp) mass is used to calculate the ACN. In exceptional cases the forwardmost CG position may result in the nose gear loading being more critical.

·    Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF): A service provided at an aerodrome consisting of organized, equipped, staffed and trained personnel having the objective to save lives in the event of an aircraft accident or incident, structural fire or medical emergency.

·    Aircraft stand: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Apron:ECAR Part 1.

·    Apron management service: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Barrette: Three or more aeronautical ground lights closely spaced in a transverse line so that from a distance they appear as a short bar of light.

·      Balked Landing: A landing manoeuvre that is unexpectedly discontinued at any point below the obstacle clearance altitude/height (OCA/H)

·       Calendar: See ECAR Part 1.

·      Capacitor discharge light: A lamp in which high-intensity flashes of extremely short duration are produced by the discharge of electricity at high voltage through a gas enclosed in a tube.

·      Certalerts : provides timely information to aerodrome operatore and ACSIs on a broad range of safety and Aerodrome certification related subjects. It has a regulatory authority.

 

·    Certificate holder: The holder of an aerodrome certificate as designated by the applicant.

·    Certified aerodrome: An aerodrome whose operator has been granted an aerodrome certificate

·      Clearway: A defined rectangular area on the ground or water under the control of the aerodrome operator, selected or prepared as a suitable area over which an aircraft may make a portion of its initial climb to a specified height.

·    Compelling force: Any occurrence, circumstance or event, either wholly or in part, out of the investors control, which may cause or lead to his incapacity to fulfill his obligations designated in a contract and which may result in any other harm that afflict additional costs on the investor. These events include:

(1)    War (declared or not).

(2)    Civilian war, disobedience or violence.

(3)    Nuclear or explosive radiation, poisonous fuel contamination, etc.

(4)    Earthquakes or any natural phenomena.

·    Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC): See ECAR Part 1.

·    Data quality: See ECAR Part 1.

Datum: See ECAR Part 1.

·   Declared distances:

(1)  Take-Off Run Available (TORA): The length of runway declared available and suitable for the ground run of an airplane taking off.

(2)  Take-Off Distance Available (TODA): The length of the take-off run available plus the length of the clearway, if provided.

(3)  Accelerate-Stop Distance Available (ASDA): The length of the take-off run available plus the length of the stopway, if provided.

(4)  Landing Distance Available (LDA): The length of runway which is declared available and suitable for the ground run of an airplane landing.

·    Dependent parallel approaches: Simultaneous approaches to parallel or near-parallel instrument runways where radar separation minima between aircraft on adjacent extended runway centerlines are prescribed.

·    Displaced threshold: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Effective intensity: The effective intensity of a flashing light is equal to the intensity of a fixed light of the same color which will produce the same visual range under identical conditions of observation.

·    Ellipsoid height (Geodetic height) : See ECAR Part 1.

·    Fixed light: A light having constant luminous intensity when observed from a fixed point.

·    Frangible object: See An object of low mass designed to break, distort or yield on impact so as to present the minimum hazard to aircraft.

Note : guidance on design for frangibility is contained in the EAC 139-14( in preparation ) 

·    Geodetic datum: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Geoid: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Geoid undulation: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Gregorian calendar: See  ECAR Part 1.

·    Hazard beacon: An aeronautical beacon used to designate a danger to air navigation.

·    Heliport: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Holding bay: A defined area where aircraft can be held, or bypassed, to facilitate efficient surface movement of aircraft.

·    Human Factors principles:ECAR Part 1.

·    Human performance: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Identification beacon: An aeronautical beacon emitting a coded signal by means of which a particular point of reference can be identified.

·    Independent parallel approaches: Simultaneous approaches to parallel or near-parallel instrument runways where radar separation minima between aircraft on adjacent extended runway centerlines are not prescribed.

·    Independent parallel departures: Simultaneous departures from parallel or near-parallel instrument runways.

·    Instrument runway: One of the following types of runways intended for the operation of aircraft using instrument approach procedures:

(1)  Non-precision approach runway: An instrument runway served by visual aids and a non-visual aid providing at least directional guidance adequate for a straight-in approach.

(2)  Precision approach runway, category I: An instrument runway served by ILS and/or MLS and visual aids intended for operations with a decision height not lower than 60m (200ft) and either a visibility of not less than 800m or a runway visual range not less than 550m.

(3)  Precision approach runway, category II: An instrument runway served by ILS and/or MLS and visual aids intended for operations with a decision height lower than 60m (200ft) but not lower than 30m (100ft) and a runway visual range not less than 300m.

(4)  Precision approach runway, category III: An instrument runway served by ILS and/or MLS to and along the surface of the runway and:

(i)    Intended for operations with a decision height lower than 30m (100ft), or no decision height and a runway visual range not less than 175m.

(ii)   Intended for operations with a decision height lower than 15m (50ft), or no decision height and a runway visual range less than 175m but not less than 50m.

(iii)  Intended for operations with no decision height and no runway visual range limitations.

Note: Visual aids need not necessarily be matched to the scale of non-visual aids provided. The criterion for the selection of visual aids is the conditions in which operations are intended to be conducted.

·    Integrity (aeronautical data) : See ECAR Part 1.

·    Intermediate holding position: A designated position intended for traffic control at which taxiing aircraft and vehicles shall stop and hold until further cleared to proceed, when so instructed by the aerodrome control tower.

·    Landing area: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Landing direction indicator: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Laser-beam critical flight zone (LCFZ): Airspace in the proximity of an aerodrome but beyond the LFFZ where the irradiance is restricted to a level unlikely to cause glare effects.

·    Laser-beam free flight zone (LFFZ): Airspace in the immediate proximity to the aerodrome where the irradiance is restricted to a level unlikely to cause any visual disruption.

·    Laser-beam sensitive flight zone (LSFZ): Airspace outside, and not necessarily contiguous with, the LFFZ and LCFZ where the irradiance is restricted to a level unlikely to cause flash-blindness or after-image effects.

·    Light failure: A light shall be considered to have failed when for any reason the average intensity determined using the specified angles of beam elevation, toe-in and spread falls below 50% of the specified average intensity of a new light.

·    Lighting system reliability: The probability that the complete installation operates within the specified tolerances and that the system is operationally usable.

·    Maneuvering area: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Marker: An object displayed above ground level in order to indicate an obstacle or delineate a boundary.

·    Marking: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Movement area: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Near-parallel runways: Non-intersecting runways whose extended centerlines have an angle of convergence/divergence of 15 degrees or less.

·    Non-instrument runway: A runway intended for the operation of aircraft using visual approach procedures.

·    Normal flight zone (NFZ): Airspace not defined as LFFZ, LCFZ or LSFZ but which must be protected from laser radiation capable of causing biological damage to the eye.

Obstacle: All fixed (whether temporary or permanent) and mobile objects, or parts thereof, that:

    (a) are located on an area intended for the surface movement of aircraft; or that

         (b) extend above a defined surface intended to protect aircraft in flight; or

    (c) stand outside those defined surfaces and that have been assessed as being a  hazard to air navigation.

·    Obstacle Free Zone (OFZ) : See ECAR Part 1.

·    Orthometric height: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Pavement Classification Number (PCN): A number expressing the bearing strength of a pavement for unrestricted operations.

·    Precision approach runway, see Instrument runway.

·    Primary aerodrome (s): Aerodromes of entry and departure for international air traffic, where all formalities concerning customs, immegration, health, animal and plant quanrantine ad similar procedures are carried out and where air traffic services are available on a regular basis.

·    Primary runway(s): Runway(s) used in preference to others whenever conditions permit.

·    Protected flight zones: Airspace specifically designated to mitigate the hazardous effects of laser radiation.

·    Road: An established surface route, on the movement area meant for the exclusive use of vehicles.

·    Road-holding position: A designated position at which vehicles may be required to hold.

·    Runway: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Runway end safety area (RESA): An area symmetrical about the extended runway centerline and adjacent to the end of the strip primarily intended to reduce the risk of damage to an airplane undershooting or overrunning the runway.

·    Runway guard lights: A light system intended to caution pilots or vehicle drivers that they are about to enter an active runway.

·    Runway-holding position: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Runway strip: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Runway turn pad: A defined area on a land aerodrome adjacent to a runway for the purpose of completing a 180-degree turn on a runway.

·    Runway visual range (RVR) : See ECAR Part 1.

·      ECAA safety programme : See ECAR Part 1

·      Safety Management system A systematic approach to managing  safety including the necessary organizational structure, accountabilities, policies and procedures.

·    Secondary aerodrome (s): Aerodromes available for the entry or departure of internaional air traffic where the formalities concering customs, immigration, health and similar procedures are made available, on a restricted basis, to flights with prior approval only.

·    Segregated parallel operations: Simultaneous operations on parallel or near-parallel instrument runways in which one runway is used exclusively for approaches and the other runway is used exclusively for departures.

·    Shoulder: See ECAR Part 1.

·   Sign:

(1)  Fixed message sign: A sign presenting only one message.

(2)  Variable message sign: A sign capable of presenting several pre-determined messages or no message, as applicable.

·    Signal area: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Station declination: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Stopway: See ECAR Part 1.

·    Switch-over time (light): The time required for the actual intensity of a light measured in a given direction to fall from 50 per cent and recover to 50 per cent during a power supply changeover, when the light is being operated at intensities of 25 per cent or above.

·    Take-off runway: A runway intended for take-off only.

·    Taxiway: A defined path on a land aerodrome established for the taxiing of aircraft and intended to provide a link between one part of the aerodrome and another, including:

(1)    Aircraft stand taxilane: A portion of an apron designated as a taxiway and intended to provide access to aircraft stands only.

(2)    Apron taxiway: A portion of a taxiway system located on an apron and intended to provide a through taxi route across the apron.

(3)    Rapid exit taxiway: A taxiway connected to a runway at an acute angle and designated to allow landing airplane to turn off at higher speeds than are achieved on other exit taxiways thereby minimizing runway occupancy times.

·    Taxiway intersection: A junction of two or more taxiways.

·    Taxiway strip: An area including a taxiway intended to protect an aircraft operating on the taxiway and to reduce the risk of damage to an aircraft accidentally running off the taxiway.

·    Threshold: The beginning of that portion of the runway usable for landing.

·    Touchdown zone: The portion of a runway, beyond the threshold, where it is intended landing airplane first contact the runway.

·    Usability factor: The percentage of time during which the use of a runway or system of runways is not restricted because of the cross-wind component.

Note: Cross-wind component means the surface wind component at right angles to the runway centre line.

·    Wildlife hazard: A potential for a damaging aircraft collision with wildlife on or near an aerodrome. As used in this Part, "wildlife" includes domestic animals while out of the control of their owners.

 

139.5   Standards and procedures for compliance with the certification and operations requirements of this Part

(a)  The requirements prescribed in this Part shall apply to all land aerodromes and must be complied with in a manner acceptable to the ECAA. Egyptian Civil Aviation Advisory Circulars contain standards and procedures that are acceptable to the ECAA for compliance with this Part. Some of these advisory circulars are referenced in specific sections of this Part. The standards and procedures in them, or other standards and procedures approved by the ECAA, may be used to comply with those sections. Aerodromes used for military operations only are excluded from complying with the provisions contained in Part 139. Heliports must comply with the provisions contained in ECAR Part 138 and specification requirements in this Part, and other related documents where appropriate. The provisions must be contained in the heliport certification manual.

(b) Wherever a colour is referred to in this Part, the specifications for that colour given in Appendix 1 shall apply.

(c)  The specification requirements of this revised Part that include the operative verb “shall” are considered mandatory as of the date of effectiveness of this revised Part.

(d) In the event of non compliance with a requirement of this revised Part that include the operative verb "should”, the aerodrome operator shall submit a relevant compliance plan with all those requirements, at the date of effectiveness of this revised Part to be reviewed and approved by ECAA prior to certification.

 

139.7 through 139.99 Reserved