FAA 18B (Aeronautical)

Summary

Creates obstruction identification surfaces based on the FAA 18B specification. These surfaces describe airspaces that should be free of obstructions. Surfaces are used to support planning and design activities. 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 Runway 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.

• When Runway Classification is set to Vertical Guidance, the output transitional surface will be split into four sections by a line perpendicular to the runway centerline. This does not apply when Output Feature Class is set to TIN.

• When Runway Classification is set to Vertical Guidance, the output conical and horizontal surfaces will be split into sections by a meridian and a parallel. The meridian intersects the Airport Elevation Point and the center point of the runway centerline. The parallel runs perpendicular to the meridian through the center point of the runway centerline. This does not apply when Output Feature Class is set to TIN.

• 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

FAA18B_aeronautical (in_features, out_featureclass, clear_way_length, runway_type, airport_elevation, use_predefined_database_specification, ois_unit, ois_slope, create_surface, {primary_surface_length}, {primary_surface_width}, {first_section_length}, {second_section_length}, {first_section_slope}, {approach_surface_extendedwidth}, {horizontal_surface_height}, {horizontal_surface_radius}, {conical_surface_slope}, {conical_surface_offset}, {transition_surface_slope}, {primary_connection_surface_length}, {primary_connection_surface_width}, {protection_surface_length}, {protection_surface_slope}, {protection_surface_start_width}, {protection_surface_end_width})

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
runway_type	The runway classification of runway_type. Non Vertical Guidance Type 1 —A runway designed for visual maneuvers, nonvertically guided operations, and instrument departure procedures. Non Vertical Guidance Type 2 —A specially prepared hard surface (SPHS) runway designed for visual maneuvers, nonvertically guided operations, and instrument departure procedures. SPHS runways have a primary surface that extends 200 feet beyond each end of the runway. Vertical Guidance —A runway that uses precision guidance systems to support aircraft approach and landing.	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 type or types of surface to create. Only used if use_predefined_database_specification is set to CUSTOM_SPECIFICATION. PRIMARY_SURFACE —An imaginary surface longitudinally centered on a runway. PRIMARY_CONNECTION_SURFACE —A set of 500-foot-wide lateral extensions of the primary surface (one on each side of the runway). It connects the primary surface to the transitional surface. This surface also extends 200 feet beyond each runway end. APPROACH_SURFACE —A surface that extends outward and upward from each end of the primary surface. PROTECTION_SURFACE —A sloping surface that begins at the runway end and extends outward 6,000 feet towards the final approach course. This surface is 400 feet wide at the runway end (200 feet to either side of the centerline) and expands to a final width of 1217.6 feet. HORIZONTAL_SURFACE —A surface located above the established airport elevation. The surface is defined by lines tangent to arcs at 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
first_section_length (Optional)	The length of the first section of the approach surface.	Double
second_section_length (Optional)	The length of the second section of the approach surface.	Double
first_section_slope (Optional)	The slope of the first section of the approach surface.	Double
approach_surface_extendedwidth (Optional)	The width of the approach surface outer edge.	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 value of the conical surface. The default value is 1.2 percent.	Double
conical_surface_offset (Optional)	The length of the conical surface. Length measurement units are specified in the 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
primary_connection_surface_length (Optional)	The length of the primary connection surface.	Double
primary_connection_surface_width (Optional)	Width of the primary connection surface. This surface is a set of 500-foot-wide lateral extensions of the primary surface (one on each side of the runway).	Double
protection_surface_length (Optional)	Length of the protection surface. FAA 18B protection surfaces are 6,000 feet long.	Double
protection_surface_slope (Optional)	Slope of the protection surface. The slope of the surface is 62.5:1.	Double
protection_surface_start_width (Optional)	The initial width of the protection surface. This surface starts at the end of the runway and extends outward. The default start width is 400 feet which is 200 feet on either side of the runway centerline.	Double
protection_surface_end_width (Optional)	The width at the end of the protection surface. The ending width is 1217.6 feet.	Double

Code Sample

FAA18B example (Python window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the FAA18B tool.

# Input Runway Feature Class
inFeatures = r'C:\data\OIS.gdb\ADHPSurfaceLine'

# production workspace
inWork = r'C:\data\OIS.gdb'

# feature class that will contain the OIS surface
outFeatureClass = r'C:\data\OIS.gdb\ObstacleArea'

# airport variables
clearwayLen = 1000
runway = "Vertical Guidance"
airportElev = 100
oisUnit = "FEET"
oisSlope = "DEGREE"

# Exec FAA1B
arcpy.FAA18B_aeronautical(inFeatures,inWork,outFeatureClass,clearwayLen,runway,airportElev,"PREDEFINED_SPECIFICATION",oisUnit,oisSlope)

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