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12/5/78 AC 150/5300-43 CHG 3 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1. GENERAL. General Aviation, defined as all civil flying not classified as air carrier, contains many different use categories and types of aircraft. General aviation includes such diverse activities as personal flying, transportation of personnel and cargo by corporate -owned aircraft, air taxi operations, crop dusting, powerline and pipeline patrol, and aerial advertising. Active general aviation aircraft in the United States are forecast to reach 220,000 by 1985, about 50 percent greater than the 1974 fleet. These aircraft will fly an estimated 44.47 - 54.6 million hours in 1985, compared to 30.6 million hours in 1974. These statistics reveal the increasing importance of general aviation in the Nation's economy and its overall transportation system. *2. AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT. This forecast need for airports can only be satisfied by a concerted effort of industry, government, and private individuals. Accordingly, the contents of this circular have been assembled to encourage and guide those persons interested in the devel- opment of general aviation facilities. These facilities may be designed in the metric system of units or in the customary system of units. In general, where additions or expansions are planned to an existing facility, such as a runway, taxiway, or apron, the units used in the original design can be used to extend the work. Where a new facility is to be built,!use of metric units is encouraged. Under certain circumstances combinations of units may be used, but such should be the subject of sound engineering judgement. 3. DEFINITIONS. The following definitions apply to terms used in this publication. a. Airport Hazard. Any structure or object of natural growth located on or in the vicinity of a public airport, or any use of land near such airport, which obstructs the airspace required for the flight of aircraft in landing or taking off at such airport or is otherwise hazardous to such landing or taking off of aircraft. (See paragraph 16f for further discussion.) b. Airport Reference Point (ARP). A point having equal relationship to all existing and proposed landing and takeoff areas. (See Appendix 7.) c. Clearway. An area beyond the runway not less than 500 feet (150 m) wide, centrally located about the extended centerline of the runway, and under the control of the airport authorities. The clearway is expressed in terms of a clearway plane, extending from the end of the runway with an upward slope not exceeding 1.25 percent, above which no object nor any terrain protrudes. However, threshold lights may protrude above the plane if their height above the end of the runway is 26 inches (66 cm) or less and if they are located to each side of the runway. A clearway may be used to increase allowable operating takeoff weights of turbine engine powered airplanes without increasing runway length. For most airplanes, the maximum usable length of clearway is less than 1,000 feet (300 m). Chap 1 Par 1 Page 1