U.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal Aviation

Administration

Advisory

Circular

Subject: Change 1 to Design of Aircraft Deicing Facilities Date: 8/13/99

Initiated by: AAS-100

AC No: 150/5300-14

Change: 1

1. PURPOSE. The change updates the

definitions of aircraft deicing facilities and holdover

times of fluids, design criteria for aircraft de/anti-icing

fluid storage and transfer systems, information

concerning recycling of glycols, and references.

The change number and date of changed text are located

in the top header of the page. A vertical bar located on

the left margin identifies revised text. Pages not revised

by the change retain the former page header.

2. PRINCIPAL CHANGES.

a. Includes the reference SAE ARP 4902,

Design and Operation of Aircraft Deicing Facilities, to

provide operational guidance for facility users.

b. Expands the definition of aircraft

deicing facilities to include the removal of and

allow protection against the formation of slush.

c. Revises the definition of holdover time

of fluids to agree with current industry practices.

d. Updates design criteria and reference for

storage tank and fluid transfer systems.

e. Includes the reference AC 150/5320-15,

Management of Airport Industrial Waste, to

provide best management practices guidance to

mitigate various types of potential pollutants from

entering storm water runoff conveyances.

f. Updates information concerning the

recycling of glycols.

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David L. Bennett, Director

Office of Airport Safety and Standards
AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1 8/13/99

iii

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

Paragraph Page

1. Overview........................................................................................................................................................... 1

2. Definitions........................................................................................................................................................ 1

3. Project Input ..................................................................................................................................................... 2

4. Related Reading Material.................................................................................................................................. 2

CHAPTER 2. SIZING AND SITING DEICING FACILITIES

4. General ............................................................................................................................................................. 5

5. FAA Clearance and Separation Standards Affecting Deicing Facilities ............................................................. 5

6. Capacity of Deicing Facilities............................................................................................................................ 6

7. Factors Affecting Number of Aircraft Deicing Pads and Deicing Facilities........................................................ 6

8. Factors Affecting Facility Location and Size ..................................................................................................... 7

9. Fluid Handling Requirements at Deicing Facilities............................................................................................ 8

10. Nighttime Lighting ........................................................................................................................................... 8

11. Bypass Taxiing Capability................................................................................................................................. 8

12. Multiple Deicing Queues .................................................................................................................................. 9

13. Topography ...................................................................................................................................................... 9

14. Utilities............................................................................................................................................................. 9

15. The Airport Layout Plan (ALP) and Sizing and Siting Facilities ....................................................................... 9

CHAPTER 3. DESIGN OF AIRCRAFT DEICING PADS

16. Aircraft Deicing Pads........................................................................................................................................ 11

17. Separation Standards for Aircraft Deicing Pads................................................................................................. 11

18. Fixed Fluid Applicators..................................................................................................................................... 11

19. Pavement Markings for Off-gate Deicing Facilities........................................................................................... 11

20. Deicing Pad Layouts ......................................................................................................................................... 13

21. Apron Designs for Deicing Facilities ................................................................................................................ 15

CHAPTER 4. AIRCRAFT ACCESS AND VEHICLE SERVICE ROADS

22. Aircraft Access Routes ..................................................................................................................................... 17

23. Vehicle Service Roads....................................................................................................................................... 17
8/13/99 AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1

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CONTENTS (CONTINUED)

Paragraph Page

CHAPTER 5. WATER QUALITY MITIGATION

24. Runoff Mitigating Structures............................................................................................................................. 19

25. Mitigation Alternatives..................................................................................................................................... 19

26. Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW)....................................................................................................... 19

27. Detention Basins............................................................................................................................................... 20

28. Underground Storage Tanks (UST)................................................................................................................... 20

29. Recycling Glycol Fluids .................................................................................................................................... 20

FIGURES

Figure Page

Figure 1-1. Aircraft deicing pad............................................................................................................................... 3

Figure 2-1. Separate taxiing entrance to an aircraft deicing facility.......................................................................... 9

Figure 3-1. Facility taxiway/taxiway holding position marking ................................................................................ 12

Figure 3-2. Example of a common deicing pad ........................................................................................................ 13

Figure 3-3. Example of a composite deicing pad ...................................................................................................... 13

Figure 3-4. Deicing pad centerlines oriented 45 degrees with the connecting taxiway .............................................. 14
AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1 8/13/99

1

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

1. OVERVIEW. Safe and efficient aircraft operations

are of primary importance in the development of any

aircraft deicing facility. This AC discusses sizing, siting,

environmental runoff mitigation, and operational needs of

a deicing facility in an effort to maximize its deicing

capacity while maintaining maximum safety and

efficiency. Airport managers can construct, within FAA

standards, deicing facilities at terminals, on apron areas,

taxiways, or near departure runways. The Society of

Automotive Engineers (SAE) publication, Aerospace

Recommended Practice (ARP) 4902, Design and

Operation of Aircraft Deicing Facilities, current edition,

provides a number of operational issues associated with

off-gate deicing facilities. The operational issues should

be addressed prior to the design of the facility to ensure

that the safety benefits offered by the facility can be

achieved in an operationally efficient and cost-effective

manner.

a. Role of Deicing Facility. The design of

deicing facilities should, to the extent practicable, meet

the needs of air carriers as outlined in aircraft ground

deicing/anti-icing programs as well as all other elements

of the aviation community. A key element in this effort is

designing a facility that is efficient and offers users

operational flexibility. By coordinating an airport

manager's Snow and Ice Control Plan and user's ground

deicing/anti-icing programs with input from the FAA,

icing conditions can be better met.

b. Design Flexibility. This AC identifies aircraft

deicing facilities as being either centralized or remote (see

subparagraphs 2(b) and 2(c)).

(1) Centralized Deicing Facilities. 

Centralized deicing facilities, where aircraft receive initial

deicing/anti-icing treatment, can be constructed at

numerous sites with increasing constraints towards

departure runways. A terminal, for example, is a

centralized deicing facility whose gates are the aircraft

deicing pads used for deicing/anti-icing operations. Gate

areas that cannot meet storm water permitting regulations

but can adequately handle deicing/anti-icing demands of

users and allow acceptable taxiing times to the departure

runway under varying weather conditions, should, if

practicable, be upgraded environmentally.

(2) Remote Deicing Facilities. Remote

deicing facilities allow aircraft to receive initial and

additional deicing/anti-icing treatment. Siting remote

facilities near departure runways minimizes the taxiing

time between treatment and takeoff. Such facilities also

compensate for changing weather conditions when icing

conditions or blowing snow are expected to occur along

the taxi route taken by aircraft to the departure runway.

2. DEFINITIONS.

a. Aircraft Deicing Facility. An aircraft

deicing facility is a facility where:

(1) frost, ice, slush, or snow is removed

(deicing) from the aircraft in order to provide clean

surfaces, and/or

(2) clean surfaces of the aircraft receive

protection (anti-icing) against the formation of frost or ice

and accumulation of snow or slush on clean surfaces of

the aircraft for a limited period of time (holdover time).

b. Centralized Deicing Facility. A centralized

deicing facility is an aircraft deicing facility located at the

terminal gates/aprons or along taxiways serving departure

runways.

c. Remote Deicing Facility. A remote deicing

facility is an aircraft deicing facility located along

taxiways serving departure runways or near the departure

end of runways.

d. Aircraft Deicing Pad. An aircraft deicing

pad consists of two areas (see figure 1-1):

(1) inner area for the parking of aircraft to

receive deicing/anti-icing treatment, and

(2) outer area for maneuvering two or more

mobile deicing vehicles.

e. Holdover Time. Holdover time is the

estimated time the application of anti-icing fluid will

prevent the formation of frozen contamination on the

protected surfaces of an aircraft. With a one step

deicing/anti-icing operation the holdover begins at the

start of the operation and with a two step operation at the

start of the final anti-icing application. Holdover time
8/13/99 AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1

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will have effectively run out when frozen deposits start to

form/accumulate on the treated aircraft surfaces. For

departure planning purposes, SAE publishes holdover

time guidelines for various anti-icers, such as, Type I, IV.

 Guidelines can be found in SAE ARP 4737, Aircraft

Deicing/Anti-icing Methods with Fluids current edition.

The Association of European Airlines (AEA) notes: "Due

to the many variables that can influence holdover times,

these times should not be considered minimum or

maximum as the actual time of protection may be reduced

or extended, depending upon particular conditions

existing at the time."

3. PROJECT INPUT. Because each airport is unique,

deicing/anti-icing needs of users are better addressed

when affected parties provide input in identifying the

requirements for deicing facilities.

a. Affected Parties. Airport management should

solicit input from the following parties:

(1) FAA Air Traffic Control, Airports,

Airways Facilities, and Flight Standards Offices,

(2) airport operations chief, environmental

manager, and the aircraft rescue and firefighting chief,

(3) station/operations managers of tenant air

carrier and regional or commuter air carriers,

(4) pilot organization or representatives, air

taxi, and general aviation users,

(5) ground deicing managers of air carrier,

regional or commuter air carriers, and/or the FBO

contracted with the responsibility,

(6) engineering contractor, and

(7) other parties at the discretion of airport

management.

 b. Other. It is recommended that the Federal,

state, and local environmental authorities having

jurisdiction be involved or kept informed at an early stage

of facility development to ensure compliance with storm

water permitting requirements. Review of deicing facility

plans by environmental authorities is a significant step

towards compliance with National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) storm water permitting

requirements.

4. RELATED READING MATERIAL. 

Publications referenced within this AC are available by

writing to:

a. FAA Advisory Circulars, U.S. Department of

Transportation, Subsequent Distribution Office, Ardmore

East Business Center, 3341 Q 75th Avenue, Landover, MD

20785.

b. Society of Automotive Engineers, 400

Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001.

c. The International Organization for

Standardization, Case Postal 56, Rue de Varembe,

CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland.
AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1 8/13/99

5

CHAPTER 2. SIZING AND SITING DEICING FACILITIES

4. GENERAL. Aircraft deicing facilities are

recommended at airports where icing conditions are

expected. This includes airports that serve aircraft that

can develop frost or ice on critical surfaces even though

the airport itself does not experience ground icing

conditions.

a. Centralized Deicing Facilities at Terminals. 

For some airports, centralized deicing facilities at or

adjacent to terminals can adequately meet the

deicing/anti-icing demands of users and still allow

acceptable taxiing times to the departure runways under

varying weather conditions. Improvements to or

expansion of these facilities at terminal gates should, if

practicable, include apron drainage areas that collect

glycol runoff for proper disposal or recycling.

b. Centralized Deicing Facilities off the

Terminal. Centralized deicing facilities off the terminal

are recommended when terminal deicing facilities

(including apron facilities) experience excessive gate

delays, taxiing times, or suffer from severe weather

conditions conducive to aircraft ground icing conditions. 

When the construction cost for runoff mitigation is not

cost-effective, terminals whose deicing gates lack

permanent environmental runoff structures are candidates

for off-terminal deicing facilities. Centralized deicing

facilities have the following components:

(1) an aircraft deicing pad(s) for the

maneuvering of aircraft and mobile deicing vehicles,

(2) bypass taxiing capability,

(3) environmental runoff mitigation measure,

(4) permanent or portable nighttime lighting

system, and, but not necessarily

(5) support facilities that may include one or

more of the following:

(i) storage tank(s), transfer system(s) for

aircraft deicing/anti-icing fluid(s),

(ii) deicing crew shelter, and

(iii) fixed fluid applicator.

c. Remote Deicing Facilities. Remote deicing

facilities located near departure runway ends or along

taxiways are recommended when taxiing times from

terminals or other centralized deicing facilities frequently

exceed holdover times. Under changing weather

conditions, they can compensate for icing conditions or

blowing snow expected to occur along the taxi route taken

by aircraft to the departure runway. These facilities can

improve flow control by permitting retreatment of aircraft

without having the aircraft return to a more distant

treatment site. Remote deicing facilities have the

following components:

(1) an aircraft deicing pad(s) for the

maneuvering of aircraft and mobile deicing vehicles,

(2) bypass taxiing capability,

(3) environmental runoff mitigation measure,

and

(4) portable nighttime lighting system.

5. FAA CLEARANCE AND SEPARATION

STANDARDS AFFECTING DEICING FACILITIES. 

To assure aircraft safety, the location and operation of

deicing facilities need to be within the framework of

FAA's clearance and separation standards in

AC 150/5300-13, Airport Design. These standards

involve air space, aircraft separations, FAA airway

facilities critical areas, and Airport Traffic Control Tower

(ATCT) line-of-sight criteria.

a. Object Clearance Criteria. Deicing facilities

shall be sited in accordance with object clearing criteria

described in paragraph 211, Object Clearing Criteria, in

AC 150/5300-13. One alternative airports have for

constructing deicing facilities with limited physical space

is to site the facility in a non-movement area. Such siting

reduces wing tip clearance criteria, thereby allowing

closer aircraft separations, i.e., taxilane criteria versus

taxiway criteria. In such cases, the airport operator

should contact ATCT to redefine a portion of a movement

area as non-movement.

b. FAA Airway Facilities. Deicing facilities shall

be located so as not to cause signal interference or signal

degradation to existing FAA radar, NAVAIDs, airport

lighting, weather facilities, and communications. This
8/13/99 AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1

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includes interference or degradation caused by deicing

facilities with fluid storage tanks, crew shelters, and

permanent nighttime lighting structures. If any FAA

airway facilities improvements are planned, sufficient

obstacle clearances, as required by new airway facilities,

must be protected. Some airports may have further

requirements for the installation of additional FAA

communications equipment because of the assignment of

operating frequencies to meet the operating needs of the

deicing facility. Additional communications equipment

installations may result from increased ground control

frequencies necessary for ATCT to provide safe flow of

airport ground traffic and to enable ground deicing

personnel to conduct safe deicing operations. In all cases,

the installation of communications equipment and

assignment of frequencies need to be coordinated with

FAA Airway Facilities prior to the construction of deicing

facilities. To further protect FAA airway facilities, sites

should also be evaluated with respect to the impact of jet

blast velocities and exhaust deposits on facilities.

c. ATCT Line-of-Sight. The deicing facility and

its supporting structures shall minimize reductions to

ATCT's visual contact with the movement area. To

maintain ATCT's visual contact, aircraft being

deiced/anti-iced should not cast shadows onto active

runway ends and their entrance taxiways. To minimize

shadows, aircraft with the largest surfaces to be treated are

recommended for evaluation. Furthermore, visual contact

of movement areas from planned ATCT cab positions

should also be evaluated.

6. CAPACITY OF DEICING FACILITIES. 

Airports are recommended to have deicing facilities with

a deicing/anti-icing capacity that approximates the

airport's peak hour departure rate that ATCT can manage

during icing conditions. This departure rate in turn

estimates a number of aircraft deicing pads at a facility or

facilities necessary to balance the departure rate and the

holdover times of applied deicing/anti-icing fluids so that,

to the extent practicable, holdover times are in effect when

the pilot receives takeoff clearance. To meet the needs of

future aircraft, an evaluation is recommended of aircraft

development for a planning period of at least 10 years.

This information is available from air carriers (anticipated

airline service, aircraft on order) and airframe

manufacturers.

7. FACTORS AFFECTING NUMBER OF

AIRCRAFT DEICING PADS AND DEICING

FACILITIES.

a. Number of Deicing Pads. Evaluating the

impact of the following factors provides a better estimate

of the number of deicing pads needed at a facility.

(1) Procedures and Methods of Users. 

Facility users will perform either one-step or two-step

deicing/anti-icing procedures. The latter procedure,

routinely used during periods of precipitation, results in

longer occupancy times of deicing pads. To provide users

with procedural flexibility, the number of deicing pads

should be based on the two-step approach. Furthermore,

increases to this occupancy time may be needed to reflect

user differences in the methods used to treat their aircraft

and perform preflight inspections. It is not unusual for

users to supplement preflight inspection items

recommended by aircraft manufacturers with additional

items for aircraft having special operational

considerations.

(2) Variations in Meteorological

Conditions. Variations in meteorological conditions, e.g.,

type of precipitation, increases the extent (and frequency)

of the deicing/anti-icing treatment. Airports that

commonly experience heavy wet snows or freezing rain

should accordingly increase the number of deicing pads to

maintain departure flow rates at levels that avoid

unacceptable delays for subsequent aircraft awaiting

treatment. If revised flow control procedures to reduce

taxiing times fail to prevent the impact of such

meteorological conditions from frequently degrading the

holdover time used for the initial treatment, a facility

closer to the active runway is recommended. To the

extent practicable, there should be a balance between the

number of deicing facilities and their location to offset

severe meteorological conditions so that holdover times

are in effect at takeoff.

(3) Type of Aircraft Receiving Treatment.

 The processing time to deice/anti-ice aircraft for the same

weather conditions and fluids varies by aircraft types. In

terms of design, narrow-body aircraft are processed

quicker than wide-body aircraft, and aircraft with center

fuselage mounted engines, such as DC 10s and

Boeing 727s, require additional processing time. In terms

of fleet mix, airports with a high percentage of narrowbody aircraft and a low percentage of wide-body aircraft

may need additional deicing pads to adequately maintain

this particular fleet's departure demand. A balanced fleet

mix may provide a means to increase a facility's deicing

capacity by relating flow rates of common sized aircraft to

specific deicing pads.
AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1 8/13/99

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(4) Heating Performance and Volume

Capacity of Mobile Deicing Vehicles. Additional

deicing pads may result from users that operate mobile

deicing vehicles with small tank capacities or vehicles that

require extended periods of time to heat fluids after

refilling (for example, times approaching 20 minutes).

One option that may offset such increases is the

availability of closeby refilling points.

(5) Remote Deicing Facilities. Depending

on the airport, construction of a remote deicing facility

may counter some of the above factors.

b. Number of Deicing Facilities. The estimated

number of deicing pads plus other structural and

operational needs of a deicing facility provide an

approximate physical space requirement for siting the

facility. Once the facility's overall physical size

requirement is known, the search for suitable sites follows

within the framework of safety and operational siting

factors cited in this AC.

(1) Multiple Deicing Facilities. When the

estimated number of deicing pads cannot be physically

sited or operationally managed (such as under traditional

poor weather conditions) at a single site, additional

facilities are recommended.

(2) Type of Facility User. Airports serving a

wide variety of scheduled service by regional or commuter

air carriers and nonscheduled service by air taxi, general

aviation aircraft, and airline charters may better meet

their deicing/anti-icing needs by constructing a separate

deicing facility for the group. If a single facility is

identified for all airport users, additional physical space

may be necessary to meet any specific needs for one of the

groups, e.g., for facilities that store fluids; adequate space

for storing appropriate deicing/anti-icing fluids for

smaller aircraft.

8. FACTORS AFFECTING FACILITY

LOCATION AND SIZE. The primary factor for siting

deicing facilities is a taxiing time that begins with the

start of the last step of the deicing/anti-icing treatment

and ends with takeoff clearance, such that the holdover

times of fluids are still in effect. The analysis should use

slower taxiing speeds experienced under wintercontaminated conditions as well as other timecontributing factors specific to the airport. To assist in

balancing holdover times and winter taxiing times from

the facility to takeoff, SAE ARP 4737 and ISO 11076,

current editions, provide for departure planning holdover

time charts for various anti-icers, such as, type I, type IV.

 Other factors involved in locating facilities follow.

a. Restrictions on Deicing/Anti-icing Fluids. 

Restrictions on deicing fluid usage can impact the siting

of facilities. Though for the same weather conditions

non-newtonian fluids, such as, type II, type IV, provide

longer holdover times as compared to type I, a newtonian

fluids, they are restricted to aircraft with higher takeoff

rotational speeds (e.g., 100 knots or as approved by

airframe manufacturers). This restriction may necessitate

siting a facility closer to the departure runway in order to

serve restricted aircraft or to have separate facilities for

the two groups. Also, facility siting may have to take into

account airports that are located in very cold climates

since type II fluids have a lower temperature application

limit, e.g., -13° F (-25° C).

b. Effects of Fluid Applicators.

(1) Mobile Deicing Vehicles. Normally, the

use of mobile deicing vehicles as compared to fixed fluid

applicators increases the number of suitable sites for

facilities by permitting closer construction to active

runways. However, for certain airports, a close site may

require considerable construction of new service roads

and/or staging areas for such vehicles to serve the facility.

(2) Fixed Fluid Applicators. Use of fixed

fluid applicators, such as a gantry, telescopic booms, etc.,

will limit the number of suitable sites due to height

restrictions (for example, AC 150/5300-13, object clearing

criteria). However, this type of applicator may be a means

for airports to reduce vehicle traffic, escorting demands,

or compensate for the lack of service roads and staging

areas. If fixed fluid applicators are installed, each deicing

pad is still required to have the outer maneuvering area

for two mobile deicing vehicles.

c. Fleet Mix. The physical space required by

deicing facilities depends to some degree on the fleet mix

being served. For instance, airports serving a large

variety of aircraft types and sizes may require facilities

more flexible and complex than those airports serving

predominantly one class of aircraft. The latter case is

more conducive to standardizing the design requirements

of a facility.

d. Existing Taxiing Routes. Before siting deicing

facilities away from the terminal areas, the use of existing
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taxiways that minimize the taxiing time to the facility

should first be evaluated, and more importantly, the

subsequent taxiing time remaining between treatment and

takeoff.

e. Environmental Runoff Alternative. The costeffective environmental alternatives to control deicer

runoff available to the airport may subsequently reduce

the number of adequate sites for a deicing facility. For

example, land-locked airports near large bodies of water

may have to site a facility closer to existing sanitary

sewers than departure runways.

f. Integrating Airport Safety Programs. It is

recommended, when identifying deicing/anti-icing needs,

that means to integrate airport safety programs with the

operation of a deicing facility be found to maintain safety

initiatives. For instance, the runway incursion program at

busy airports may be maintained by widening service

roads for bi-directional traffic or by designating additional

staging areas instead of constructing separate roads. 

Other potentially affected safety programs include the

airport's Emergency Plan and the Snow and Ice Control

Plan. More than likely, there will be changes to the latter.

 For instance, previously non-cleared service roads to

departure runways that are now required by deicing

vehicles or authorized personnel in order to conduct posttreatment exterior checks may need reclassification to

priority 1 snow clearing status.

9. FLUID HANDLING REQUIREMENTS AT

DEICING FACILITIES.

a. Storage Tank and Fluid Transfer System

Designs. Overheating, excessive mechanical shearing or

contamination such as by corroded tanks may degrade the

holdover characteristics of non-newtonian fluids. Nonnewtonian fluids are type IIs, type IIIs, and types IVs. 

Newtonian fluids are type Is (see SAE ARP 4737, current

edition, for fluid classifications). To protect the

performance characteristics of these fluids from such

degradation, storage tanks and fluid transfer systems

installed at deicing facilities should be designed in

accordance with the fluid manufacturer's

recommendations. Fluid transfer systems shall be

dedicated to the specific fluid being handled to prevent

inadvertently mixing fluids of different types or different

manufactures. Fluid manufacturers should provide the

airport manager recommendations regarding compatible

pumps, control valves, piping, and compatible storage

tanks. Additionally, SAE ARP 4737, current edition,

provides industry recommended practices for storage tank

and transfer systems.

b. Separate Storage Tank Capacity. Deicing

facilities using various types of deicing/anti-icing fluids

will require more physical space to permit separate

storage of fluids. Fluid manufacturers should always be

consulted for storage tank requirements, maintenance, and

precautions for currently used fluids and new products

entering the market.

c. Tanks, Fill Ports, and Discharge Points

Labeling. To avoid cross contamination of deicing fluids

at a deicing facility, all tanks, fill ports, and discharge

points shall be conspicuously labeled for the type of fluid

handled, e.g., SAE TYPE I AIRCRAFT DEICING FLUID,

ISO TYPE II AIRCRAFT DEICING FLUID.

10. NIGHTTIME LIGHTING. All facilities shall

provide permanent nighttime lighting structures or have

portable nighttime lighting systems available so that

ground crews have the necessary illumination for

deicing/anti-icing operations and pretakeoff inspections

during night or low visibility conditions. One portable

alternative is mobile deicing vehicles with modified lights

that provide sufficient illumination for deicing/anti-icing

treatments and pretakeoff inspections during night or low

visibility. AC 150/5360-13, Planning and Design

Guidelines for Airport Terminal Facilities, provides

general lighting recommendations common to apron

related functions. As a precaution, height of lighting

poles should be in accordance with AC 150/5300-13

object clearing criteria. Permanent nighttime lights

should be aimed and shielded to avoid glare to pilots and

ATCT's line-of-sight without reducing the illumination in

critical areas.

11. BYPASS TAXIING CAPABILITY. To further

maximize departure flows for all departing aircraft,

potential sites should have the physical space so that

deicing facilities have bypass taxiing capability. This

feature permits the facility to receive aircraft that require

treatment, while allowing other aircraft to continue

unimpeded for departure. Figure 2-1 provides an

example.

12. MULTIPLE DEICING QUEUES. Gains in

deicing capacity at off-gate facilities are possible when

deicing pads have individual entrance and exit queuing

capabilities (for example, see figure 3-3). These features

give ATCT greater flexibility to issue departure clearances
AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1 8/13/99

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without subjecting aircraft to a "first in/first-out" queuing

situation. Such design features are recommended, if

practicable, for off-gate facilities that experience extended

periods of operations under continuous poor weather

conditions.

13. TOPOGRAPHY. Topography is a key cost factor

in constructing a deicing facility.

a. Final Grades. To reduce construction costs,

facilities should be sited on relatively flat land where the

natural terrain features conform to the final grades for the

ultimate design of the deicing facility.

b. Drainage Areas. Sites with high water tables

that require costly subdrainage and a runoff mitigation

alternative should be avoided. The final site should

readily lend itself to facility runoff mitigation at

reasonable cost. AC 150/5320-5, Airport Drainage,

provides design of airfield drainage system.

14. UTILITIES. Although subordinate to other siting

factors, the airport manager should evaluate whether or

not to extend electric power, telephone service, and

sanitary or storm sewers to support an off-gate facility. 

For some situations, independent service installations or a

separate runoff mitigation alternative at the site may be

more cost-effective.

15. THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN (ALP) AND

SITING AND SIZING FACILITIES. Review of the

airport's ALP provides information that simplifies the

siting and sizing process. Some ALPs delineate planned

land acquisition areas adjacent to airport property for

airport development. Consequently, a revision can show

such identified areas for a deicing facility. However,

every effort should be made to avoid precluding the

development of other types of airfield facilities approved

to enhance future airport capacity. Any changes to the

ALP should be considered carefully and all changes

documented and submitted to the FAA for approval.

Figure 2-1. Separate taxiing entrance to an aircraft deicing facility
8/13/99 AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1

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AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1 8/13/99

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CHAPTER 4. AIRCRAFT ACCESS AND VEHICLE SERVICE ROADS

22. AIRCRAFT ACCESS ROUTES. Deicing facilities

shall have some form of bypass taxiing capability to

accept aircraft requiring treatment without restricting

other aircraft access to active runways. Besides

supporting departure demand for the anticipated weather

conditions, this feature may offer an aircraft a return route

for redeicing when it exceeds its holdover time. The

merging of taxiing routes serving the facility with other

taxiing routes should allow ATCT easy directional control

to direct aircraft for deicing or clear the aircraft for

departure.

a. Holding Bays. Some airports will not have the

physical space for facilities to have a separate taxiway for

bypass taxiing capability. One alternative to reducing

potential bottlenecks is the expansion or construction of a

holding bay. The size of the holding bay should allow

aircraft the maneuverability to be deiced/anti-iced while

permitting subsequent aircraft bypass taxiing capability.

b. Design of Taxiing Access Routes for

Facilities. Access taxiing routes for facilities shall be

designed in accordance with AC 150/5300-13,

AC 150/5320-6, and AC 150/5320-12. Additionally,

taxiing routes should:

(1) have a minimum of turns, taxiway

intersections, and runway crossings.

(2) avoid areas that require repeated ATCT

clearances.

(3) not create potential bottlenecks nor

operational problems for landing aircraft.

23. VEHICLE SERVICE ROADS. Deicing facilities

may require vehicle service roads or staging areas to

operate more efficiently, to reduce the likelihood of

runway incursions by deicing vehicles and ground service

vehicles, or to operate the environmental alternative for

managing deicing fluid runoff. In order not to

compromise the emergency response times of aircraft

rescue and firefighting vehicles when deicing vehicle

traffic is heavy on a service road, pullover shoulders or

similar provisions should be made.

a. Operational Dependency. Usually,

centralized facilities depend less on service roads than

remote facilities because of their closer proximity to the

terminal apron areas. One possible means to further lessen

the need for service roads at a centralized facility is the

installation of deicing fluid storage tanks and transfer

systems or fixed fluid applicators. Remote deicing

facilities are recommended to have a service road when no

other means, such as a nonactive taxiway, is available for

mobile deicing vehicles and service vehicles to reach the

site. This service road provides authorized personnel the

access necessary to conduct outside the aircraft checks,

pretakeoff contamination checks, and perform

deicing/anti-icing treatment.

b. Safety Dependency. Reducing potential

runway/taxiway incursions by deicing vehicles and ground

service equipment is a safety objective. A service road is

recommended when no other means is available to

separate deicing vehicles and aircraft traffic from sharing

a common taxiway route. For some airports, an extension

to an existing service road or perimeter road is sufficient. 

Depending on the airport's safety programs, physical

constraints, etc., service vehicles without the benefit of a

vehicle service road may still need to be escorted on

taxiway/runways.

c. Environmental Dependency. The

environmental mitigation alternative needed to manage

deicing fluid runoff may require a service road. For

instance, a deicing facility with a detention basin may

require an extension of a perimeter road for airport

vehicles to reach the basin for monitoring and metering

out permitted discharges. Another example where a

deicing facility may need a service road is one whose

underground storage tank or a concrete vault requires a

hauling truck to siphon contaminants for proper disposal.

d. Service Road Design. Service roads should

accommodate deicing vehicle widths and turning radii

requirements. Vehicle dimensions and other

characteristics related to service road design are found in

current editions of SAE ARP 1447, Aircraft Deicing/Antiicing Self Propelled Vehicle, Functional Requirements,

SAE ARP 1971, Large Deicing Equipment, SAE

ARP 4047, Small Deicing Equipment, and ISO 11077,

Aerospace - De-icing/anti-icing self propelled vehicles -

Functional requirements. If vehicles use remote staging

areas, they should be located, to the extent practicable,

such that service roads minimize runway crossings,
8/13/99 AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1

18

repeated ATCT clearances, or airport escorting. 

Additionally, service roads should:

(1) have the handling capacity to permit the

necessary number of deicing vehicles to transport a

quantity of fluid that equals the facility's peak deicing

fluid demand.

(2) have clearly defined circulation routes

with the minimum of taxiway and runway crossings to

reduce potential incursions. Service roads for airports

operating under a SMGCS Plan may require vehicle stop

signs, stop bars, etc., to be installed where they intersect

an aircraft movement area operating under the Plan.

(3) be located so as not to create an aircraft

hazard or impede emergency response times of aircraft

rescue and firefighting vehicles.

(4) be bi-directional where vehicle traffic is

heavy.

(5) avoid conflicts with future airport

development.

(6) not create additional congestion and

inconveniences to other users.
AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1 8/13/99

19

CHAPTER 5. WATER QUALITY MITIGATION

24. RUNOFF MITIGATING STRUCTURES. Since

deicing/anti-icing fluids are chemical products with

environmental consequences, deicing facilities shall have

runoff mitigating structures. The recommended structures

are those that comprise a mitigating alternative that

collects and retains runoff for proper disposal or recycling.

 In terms of structural best management practices (BMPs),

this approach to "control the source" offers airport

managers an effective and economical means to comply

with storm water permitting requirements. Change 1 to

AC 150/5320-15, Management of Airport Industrial

Waste, provides additional BMPs to mitigate various types

of pollutants from entering storm water runoff

conveyances.

a. Treatment Advantages. The approach to

"control the source" offers two treatment advantages. 

First, it lessens the difficulty of dealing with the facility's

deicer runoff by isolating it from airfield storm sewers or

from terminal areas that do not divert seasonal flows of

glycols. Second, deicing facilities enhance the feasibility

of recycling glycols by collecting higher glycol

concentrations, as compared to drainage systems where

glycols are further diluted with other runoff and

precipitation.

b. Treatment Parameters. Of the discharge

parameters the alternative needs to mitigate, biochemical

oxygen demand (BOD) and toxicity are the primary runoff

effects requiring control. The additives in fluids may have

an effect on the overall biodegradability. Depending on

the type of discharge permit, the alternative would need to

monitor specific items, generally based on BOD5,

chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon

(TOC), total suspended solids (TSS), oil/grease, pH, and

flow rate limits.

25. MITIGATION ALTERNATIVES. The

mitigation alternative should allow users of the deicing

facility continued use of deicing fluids within the

framework of Federal, state, and local storm water runoff

regulations (discharge permits). It is strongly

recommended that the proposed alternative be reviewed by

the Federal, state, or local environmental authority having

jurisdiction to verify its effectiveness to place the deicing

facility in regulatory compliance. Prior to final selection,

all alternatives should be evaluated on a life cycle cost

basis to avoid an accepted long term alternative with a

short useful life, for an example see paragraph 26,

PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS (POTW). 

Additionally, it should reflect the best alternative afforded

by the facility's site and integration with the airport master

drainage plan. A few alternatives are:

a. off-airport biological treatment of facility

runoff at POTWs by way of a sanitary sewer. See

paragraph 26, Publicly Owned Treatment Works, for

additional guidance.

b. on-airport detention basin with pump station

for discharging metered runoff to receiving waters by an

airport storm sewer. See paragraph 27, Detention Basins,

for additional guidance.

c. on-airport underground storage tanks (UST)

or concrete vaults for detention of runoff for hauling

tankers to siphon for proper disposal. For airports lacking

the physical space for detention ponds, USTs near the

facility is an alternative. See paragraph 28, Underground

Storage Tanks, for additional guidance.

d. on-airport recycling system. See

paragraph 29, Recycling Glycol Fluids, for additional

guidance.

e. diversion boxes for diverting seasonal glycol

runoff to a specific location, such as a detention basin.

Depending on the site and storm water permitting

requirements, one of the above alternatives and/or other

technologies working in tandem should provide the

airport manager with an effective alternative acceptable to

Federal, state, and local environmental authorities.

26. PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS

(POTW). Off-airport biological treatment of facility

runoff at POTWs is a proven mitigation alternative. This

alternative normally requires the airport manager to

monitor flow volumes and pretreat glycol contaminated

storm water to protect the receiving POTW facility. Areas

of probable pretreatment are high BOD5, COD, TOC,

TSS, pH, and oil/grease. Of these, treatment of glycol

BOD loads is of primary concern since some data measure

an impact load of approximately 3,000 times that of raw

human sewage. To protect POTW, the United States

Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) developed a
8/13/99 AC 150/5300-14 CHG 1

20

national pretreatment strategy (1977) under the Clean

Water Act. The regulations were published as 40 CFR

Part 403. Airports in smaller communities considering

this alternative should not only evaluate the POTW's

current capacity but whether it can accept both future load

demands from the airport and a growing community.

27. DETENTION BASINS. For airports with available

physical space, an economical alternative to treating "first

flush" runoff from deicing facilities is by a single or series

of detention basins. The state or local authority having

jurisdiction generally sets construction and design

standards. Impermeable liners to protect the groundwater

and/or monitoring wells to detect breached liners are

likely to be required.

a. Sizing. Biodegradability rate, which varies by

glycol types, is a primary factor for determining basin

capacity. Basin capacity can be reduced by taking into

account the slower microbial activity during the winter

season and the greater quantity of available oxygen in

colder water. Detention of ethylene glycol, which

degrades quicker than propylene glycol, permits earlier

metered discharges and, thus, reduced basin capacity.

b. Mechanical Aeration. The quick consumption

of available oxygen levels within basins by glycols can

lead to anaerobic conditions (lack of oxygen). This

condition leads to potential septic conditions (undesirable

odors) due to the adverse impacts to bacterial generation

necessary for glycol degradation. A recommended

corrective action is to install a mechanically aerated

system to replenish oxygen levels. This supplemental

acceleration of biodegradation and thus, earlier

discharging of glycols, further reduces a basin's capacity. 

The installed system should maintain dissolved oxygen

levels at the level that places the alternative in

environmental compliance. For some basins, pump

stations and force mains may be required if the discharge

cannot reach the desired outfall locations.

c. Wildlife Management. AC 150/5320-15

provides recommended configurations from a wildlife

standpoint.

d. Other Features. Additional design features

may be necessary if runway deicers containing urea or

other effluents are collected within a basin that contains

nutrients for plant growth. For instance, the growth of

algae blooms under the right conditions may be for some

environmental authorities regarded as suspended solids. 

Their inclusion to the TSS discharge limit may cause this

alternative to exceed permitted levels.

28. UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS (UST). 

UST systems that collect ethylene glycol deicing fluids are

regulated under the USEPA UST regulations, i.e.,

40 CFR, Parts 280 and 281. Though other types of

glycols are available which may not be regulated, this

alternative has the potential to collect a regulated

substance such as aviation fuel. Because of this potential

and future use of ethylene glycol based fluids by tenants, it

is recommended that this alternative be designed in

accordance with applicable USEPA and state UST

regulations. For facilities used on a yearly basis, this

alternative may collect regulated substances when the

deicing pads are used for washing the exterior of aircraft. 

If a UST is the final collection point, a rigid pad with

catch basin may be required for hauling tankers.

29. RECYCLING GLYCOL FLUIDS. Depending on

the content nature of the runoff and economics, improved

technologies are available for recycling spent glycol fluids

collected at concentrations of 5 percent and, under certain

conditions, even lower percentages. In terms of recycling

fluid types that offer longer holdover times as compared to

type I fluids, the fluid types are normally more demanding

to recycle because of special polymers. This however, is

resolved simply by the addition of an extra processing

step, thus making recycling an economical consideration.

 Recycling provides airport management with two valued

resources. The first resource is recycled glycol and the

second resource is water. Besides recouping some of the

chemical cost for glycol and the utility cost for water,

other recycling benefits may be reduced sludge disposal

costs incurred by other mitigation alternatives and less

physical space for equipment.

a. Recycled Glycol Fluids. Recycling glycol may

offer airport management lower disposal cost of effluent

through the resale of recovered product to fluid

manufacturers or to other secondary markets. Prior to

using recycled glycols as the primary aircraft deicer/antiicer fluid, recertification in accordance with established

industry standards is necessary, for example SAE, ISO. 

In regard to pavements, recycled glycol fluids may be

reused on the airfield pavements if they meet the

appropriate glycol-based runway fluid specifications in

AC 150/5200-30A, Airport Winter Safety and Operations.

b. Recycled Water. The limited availability and

high costs of water for some airports may make recycling

a cost-effective runoff mitigation alternative. Airport

management can commit recovered water, if permitted, to

irrigate airport landscapes, wash airport/aircraft

equipment, or for other non-potable water use.