FAA FAR 77 (Aeronautical)

Summary

Creates obstruction identification surfaces based on the FAA FAR 77 specification. These surfaces describe airspace segments that are clear of obstructions. The type, function, and dimension of a surface differs by runway classification. This tool creates surfaces as polygon or multipatch features, or triangulated irregular networks (TINs).

Usage

• The Input Runway Features must be Z enabled.

• The selection you make in High Runway End Classification and Low Runway End Classification will automatically populate most of the surface parameters. You can modify these preset values, but the generated geometry may not be valid. Default and preset values are defined from obstruction standards for civil airport imaginary surfaces.

• Changing Distance Unit and Angular Unit will recompute surface parameter values.

• This tool does not create the Output Feature Class. You can specify the ObstacleArea feature class in the AIS data model or the ObstructionIdSurface feature class from the Airports data model as the Output Feature Class. If you have set a production database, you can find ObstacleArea or ObstructionIdSurface in it. The Output Feature Class must exist, be Z enabled, and have the same geometry type and fields as the ObstacleArea or ObstructionIdSurface feature classes.

• The Output Feature Class must have a vertical spatial reference.

Syntax

FAAFAR77_aeronautical (in_features, out_featureclass, clear_way_length, specially_prepared_hard_surface_runway, high_runway_end_type, low_runway_end_type, airport_elevation, use_predefined_database_specification, ois_unit, ois_slope, create_surface, {primary_surface_length}, {primary_surface_width}, {highend_approach_surface_extendedwidth}, {highend_first_section_length}, {highend_first_section_slope}, {highend_second_section_length}, {highend_second_section_slope}, {lowend_approach_surface_extendedwidth}, {lowend_first_section_length}, {lowend_first_section_slope}, {lowend_second_section_length}, {lowend_second_section_slope}, {horizontal_surface_height}, {horizontal_surface_radius}, {conical_surface_slope}, {conical_surface_offset}, {transition_surface_slope})

Parameter	Explanation	Data Type
in_features	The input runway dataset. The feature class must be Z enabled and contain polylines.	Feature Layer
out_featureclass	The output feature class or TIN that will contain the generated obstacle identification surfaces.	Feature Layer; TIN
clear_way_length	The length of the area at the end of the take-off run. An aircraft can make a portion of its initial climb over this area.	Double
specially_prepared_hard_surface_runway	A specially prepared hard surface indicates that the primary surface extends 200 feet beyond each end of the runway. SPECIALLY_PREPARED_HARD_SURFACE_RUNWAY —The runway has a specially prepared hard surface. This is the default. NON_SPECIALLY_PREPARED_HARD_SURFACE_RUNWAY —The runway does not have a specially prepared hard surface.	Boolean
high_runway_end_type	The classification of the high end of the runway. Construction or Alteration on a Heliport —Construction on or alteration to a heliport landing and takeoff area with an imaginary surface that extends outward 5,000 feet and has a slope that does not exceed 25 to 1. Construction or Alteration on an Airport with Longest Runway Less than 3200 Feet —Construction on or alteration to a runway less than 3,200 feet long with an imaginary surface that extends outward 10,000 feet and has a slope that does not exceed 50 to 1. Construction or Alteration on an Airport with Longest Runway More than 3200 Feet —Construction on or alteration to a runway longer than 3,200 feet with an imaginary surface that extends outward 20,000 feet and has a slope that does not exceed 100 to 1. Non Precision Instrument Runway Approach Low Visibility —A runway with a nonprecision instrument approach procedure that allows for landing in low visibility conditions. Low visibility conditions include decision heights less than 200 ft. Non Precision Instrument Runway Approach High Visibility —A runway with a nonprecision instrument approach procedure that allows for landing in visibility conditions greater than 200 ft. decision height. Precision instrument —A runway that uses Instrument Landing System (ILS) or Precision Approach Radar (PAR) for approach procedures. Utility Runway Non Precision Instrument Approach —A runway built for propeller aircraft not exceeding 12,500 pounds gross weight. The runway has an instrument approach procedure that uses air navigation facilities with horizontal guidance. It can also have area type navigation equipment with approved nonprecision instrument approach procedures. Utility Runway Visual Approach —A runway built for propeller aircraft not exceeding 12,500 pounds gross weight. Aircraft using the runway employ visual approach procedures. Visual Runway Visual Approach —A runway that supports only visual approach procedures.	String
low_runway_end_type	The classification of the low end of the runway. NONE —No low runway end type. Non Precision Instrument Runway Approach Low Visibility —A runway with a nonprecision instrument approach procedure that allows for landing in low visibility conditions. Low visibility conditions include decision heights less than 200 ft. Non Precision Instrument Runway Approach High Visibility —A runway with a nonprecision instrument approach procedure that allows for landing in visibility conditions greater than 200 ft. decision height. Precision instrument —A runway that uses Instrument Landing System (ILS) or Precision Approach Radar (PAR) for approach procedures. Utility Runway Non Precision Instrument Approach —A runway built for propeller aircraft not exceeding 12,500 pounds gross weight. The runway has an instrument approach procedure that uses air navigation facilities with horizontal guidance. It can also have area type navigation equipment with approved nonprecision instrument approach procedures. Utility Runway Visual Approach —A runway built for propeller aircraft not exceeding 12,500 pounds gross weight. Aircraft using the runway employ visual approach procedures. Visual Runway Visual Approach —A runway that supports only visual approach procedures.	String
airport_elevation	The highest point on any runway in an airport. The Linear Unit parameter sets the units for elevation. The tool will automatically populate this value from a z value in your aeronautical database if you are using the AIS or Airport data model. Airport elevation is stored in the Z value of the ADHP point feature class in the AIS data model. In the Airports data model, elevation is stored in the Z value of the Airport Control Point feature class for records with the Point_Type field populated with AIRPORT_ELEVATION.	Double
use_predefined_database_specification	Indicates if the tool will use default parameter values. If in_features or out_featureclass are stored in a production database, default parameter values are read from that database. If neither are stored in a production database, the tool supplies default parameter values. Parameter values differ by specific runway type. PREDEFINED_SPECIFICATION —Use default values for all subsequent parameter values. Ignore any input values for all subsequent parameters. CUSTOM_SPECIFICATION —Use input parameter values from the tool user interface.	Boolean
ois_unit	The runway length linear unit of measurement. METERS —Runway length is in meters. FEET —Runway length is in feet. This is the default.	String
ois_slope	Angular unit of measurement for slope values. PERCENT_RISE —Slope angle is expressed as a grade (inclination) in percent. DEGREE —Slope angle is expressed in degrees. SLOPE —Slope angle is expressed as X units of run per 1 vertical unit. This is the default.	String
create_surface [create_surface,...]	Indicates types of surfaces to create. Only used if use_predefined_database_specification is set to CUSTOM_SPECIFICATION. PRIMARY_SURFACE —An imaginary surface longitudinally centered on a runway. APPROACH_SURFACE —A surface that extends outward and upward from each end of the primary surface. HORIZONTAL_SURFACE —A surface located above the established airport elevation. The surface is defined by lines tangent to arcs at the horizontal_surface_radius distance from the center of each end of the primary surface. CONICAL_SURFACE —A conical surface that extends outward and upward from the periphery of the horizontal surface. TRANSITIONAL_SURFACE —A surface that extends upward and outward from the primary and approach surfaces. This surface ends where it intersects the horizontal surface.	String
primary_surface_length (Optional)	Primary surface length excluding the length of the runway.	Double
primary_surface_width (Optional)	Primary surface width excluding the width of the runway.	Double
highend_approach_surface_extendedwidth (Optional)	The width of the approach surface outer edge of the high end of the runway.	Double
highend_first_section_length (Optional)	The length of the first section of the approach surface of the high end of the runway.	Double
highend_first_section_slope (Optional)	The slope of the first section of the approach surface of the high end of the runway. Slope measurement units are specified in the ois_slope parameter.	Double
highend_second_section_length (Optional)	The length of the second section of the approach surface of the high end of the runway.	Double
highend_second_section_slope (Optional)	The slope of the second section of the approach surface of the high end of the runway. Slope measurement units are specified in the ois_slope parameter.	Double
lowend_approach_surface_extendedwidth (Optional)	The width of the approach surface outer edge of the low end of the runway.	Double
lowend_first_section_length (Optional)	The length of the first section of the approach surface of the low end of the runway.	Double
lowend_first_section_slope (Optional)	The slope of the first section of the approach surface of the low end of the runway. Slope measurement units are specified in the ois_slope parameter.	Double
lowend_second_section_length (Optional)	The length of the second section of the approach surface of the low end of the runway.	Double
lowend_second_section_slope (Optional)	The slope of the second section of the approach surface of the low end of the runway. Slope measurement units are specified in the ois_slope parameter.	Double
horizontal_surface_height (Optional)	The height of the horizontal surface above the established airport elevation. The default is 150 feet.	Double
horizontal_surface_radius (Optional)	The length of the radius of an arc swung from the center of each end of the primary surface of each runway.	Double
conical_surface_slope (Optional)	The slope of the conical surface. Slope measurement units are specified in the conical_surface_slope parameter. The default value is 20 (20:1).	Double
conical_surface_offset (Optional)	The length of the conical surface. Length measurement units are specified in the input_ois_unit parameter. The default value is 4,000 feet.	Double
transition_surface_slope (Optional)	The slope of the transitional surface. The default is 7 (7:1).	Double

Code Sample

FAAFAR77 example (Python window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the FAAFAR77 function.

# Input Runway Feature Class
in_features = 'C:/data/OIS.gdb/ADHPSurfaceLine'

# feature class that will contain the OIS surface
out_features = 'C:/data/OIS.gdb/ObstacleArea'

# runway variables
clear_way_length = 0
hi_end_runway = "Precision Instrument Runway"
low_end_runway = "Precision Instrument Runway"
use_spec = "PREDEFINED_SPECIFICATION"
airport_elev = 0
hard_surface_runway="SPECIALLY_PREPARED_HARD_SURFACE_RUNWAY"

# execute the tool
arcpy.FAAFAR77_aeronautical(in_features,out_features,clear_way_length,hard_surface_runway,hi_end_runway,low_end_runway,airport_elev,use_spec)

Environments

Current Workspace

Licensing Information

ArcGIS for Desktop Basic: No

ArcGIS for Desktop Standard: Requires Airports or Aeronautical

ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced: Requires Airports or Aeronautical