Certification of Airports, 14 CFR part 139

Information collection requirements contained in the final rule are used by the FAA to determine an airport operator’s compliance with part 139 safety and operational requirements, and to assist airport personnel to perform duties required under the regulation. These record keeping and reporting collection requirements are mandatory for all part 139 certificated airports, or those airports applying for a part 139 certificate. Under part 139, the FAA requires airports to comply with safety requirements prior to serving operations of certain air carrier aircraft. When an airport satisfactorily complies with such requirements, the FAA issues to that facility an airport operating certificate (AOC) that permits an airport to serve air carriers. The FAA periodically inspects these airports to ensure continued compliance with part 139 safety requirements, including the maintenance of specified records. Both the application for an AOC and annual compliance inspections require operators of certificated airports to collect and report certain operational information. Specifically, operators of certificated airports are required to develop, and comply with, a written document, an Airport Certification Manual (ACM), that details how an airport will comply with the requirements of part 139. The ACM shows the means and procedures whereby the airport will be operated in compliance with part 139, plus other instructions and procedures to help personnel concerned with operation of the airport to perform their duties and responsibilities. The AOC remains in effect as long as the need exists and the operator complies with the terms of the AOC and the ACM. The certificated airport is also required to record and report to the FAA upon request certain activities, such as training and self-inspections. The frequency of gathering this data varies from daily to annually, depending on the requirement of part 139. Maintaining the ACM and the data from inspections and training is required to ensure that the airport complies with the standards of part 139’s safety and operational requirements, and to help airport personnel to perform duties required under the regulation. Additionally, certain changes in the operation of the airport must be reported to the FAA for information or approval. If an exemption is needed to commence airport operations, justification for, and FAA approval of, the exemption is required for issuance of the AOC. The operator may request FAA approval of changes to the AOC or ACM, or an exemption from part 139 requirements, by submitting justification and documentation. Also, the FAA Administrator may propose changes to the AOC or ACM and the airport operator may submit contrary evidence of argument concerning the proposed changes. The likely respondents to new information requests are those civilian U.S. airport certificate holders who operate airports that serve scheduled and unscheduled operations of air carrier aircraft with more than 30 passenger seats (approximately 539 airports). These airport operators already hold an AOC and comply with all current information collection requirements. Certain airport operators not currently certificated by the FAA also will be required to apply for a certificate under part 139 if they want to serve certain air carriers. Such airport operators would be required to complete FAA Form 5280-1, Airport Operating Certification Application, develop an ACM and provide written documentation as to when air carrier service will begin. After the FAA reviews these documents, an airport operator may be required to revise its proposed certification manual prior to being issued an AOC. Once an airport operator is issued an AOC, the operator will be required to comply with information collection requirements (similar to other certificated airports) to show compliance with part 139.

The latest form for Certification of Airports, 14 CFR part 139 expires 2029-04-30 and is listed under ICR 202512-2120-001.

Initial Certification of Airports, Reporting

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Transportation - Air Transportation

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