Runway and taxiway markings must be maintained in order to keep compliance with FAA regulations. Every year airports go through recertification by an FAA inspector who will evaluate the condition of the airfield, including signage, markings, and perimeter fencing.  The knowledge of airport operations and airfield maintenance employees will also be tested, as the FAA requires personnel to be adequately trained. Airports abide by regulations found in the ACs (Advisory Circulars), which change over time. When the ACs change, airports are required to adjust. The inspector may write up several instances of the airport not in regulation, then will be given a deadline to fix the issues. Many airports take pride in the condition of their airfield and spend millions of dollars to keep the condition beyond what is required.

In preparation for my airport’s recertification in July we contracted the project out to a widely known company that travels around the nation painting airfields using highly technological equipment. The project for our airport to remove and repaint 70% of the total markings cost just over $500,000. After weeks of planning and mapping to determine which markings need to be removed and repainted, a team showed up with several pieces of equipment to do the job.

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