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    There have been several changes over the past year to Advisory Circulars published by the FAA. Here's a brief rundown of some of the new stuff in the world of paint and beads:

1. Non-Movement Area Boundary Marking - The old standard called for a 36" gap between taxiway centerline and holdbar on the movement side of the holdbar. The new standard allows for a 6-12" separation on both sides of the holdbar.
2. Runway Holding Position Markings - Pattern A holdbars must take priority over taxiway edgeline; much of the industry currently meets this change to language.
3. Surface Painted Holding Position Signs (SPHPS)
   • Narrow taxiways - For taxiways narrower than 35' wide, the new standard is to center the SPHPS on the taxiway over the enhanced taxiway centerline with 6' tall character inscriptions.
   • Non-perpendicular taxiway centerlines - Multiple signs must be added if necessary when a taxiway centerline is not perpendicular about the holding position marking. 2 SPHPS are required where the design airplane for the runway is unable to line up perpendicular to the holding position marking.
   • 12' character inscriptions - Scaling down characters and surface painted signs is only permitted when space is not sufficient for a full-sized sign. If spacing permits, signs must contain 12' characters. We see signs failing this dimension criterion often during our Airfield Marking Audits.
4. Threshold Markings - Now required on runways serving approach categories C and D airplanes and for runways used, or intended to be used, by international commercial air transport.
5. Aiming Point Markings - The change is for runways 4,200' or longer serving category C or D airplanes and instrumented runways; it used to be 4,000'.
6. Threshold Bar/Threshold Markings - The FAA has adopted the ICAO configuration of 20' from the actual runway threshold to the base of the threshold markings. Assuming you have more than 5' of pavement preceeding the actual runway threshold, you'll have a 10' threshold bar followed by a 10' space followed by the start of the threshold markings.

    Most of these changes will not be enforced until September 3rd, 2012. To view a more comprehensive update, download a summary complements of the Safety & Standards branch in the Eastern Region. We continuously update the Airfield Marking Symposium content to reflect the most recent changes per governing standards. There's no better way to keep your personnel up to speed with latest and greatest than by sending them to the AMS!

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