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    In our first day of our Airfield Marking Symposiums, I take the time to address some common misconceptions prevalent in our industry - marking myths, if you will. These myths are in large part responsible for why airport markings are not as good as they should and could be. Today, I'm busting the myth, "A 'Typical' Installation Is Good Enough":

In 2010, the FAA Technical Center published a reflective pavement marking study entitled "Airborne Evaluation of Retro-Reflective Beads". In a nutshell, the evaluation was designed to determine whether participants could visually acquire markings from the air more easily dependent upon the type of glass bead applied, Type I or Type III.

    Within the report of findings, the methods for test marking application were summed up as being a "typical" installation. It identified paint coverage rate and wet film thickness; however, there was no mention of surface preparation, equipment type, or quality control measures such as glass bead dispenser calibration, etc. What we speculated was the "typical" application used in the FAA study could be perceived as an unintended endorsement of the same poor installation practices Sightline observed while researching the Airfield Marking Handbook a couple years before the FAA's glass bead evaluation.

    To be clear, a "typical" installation is not good enough. It typically excludes surface preparation, proper equipment, equipment calibration, quality control, and/or inspection. Omitting any one of the components necessary for proper application can undermine the entire effort. When I consult with clients about markings failing I start asking specific questions about each of those components. 99 percent of those failures can be attributed to application procedures, and in most cases the lack thereof.

    So it is a myth. The "typical" installation, or industry standard, has generally resulted in poor performance and lack of durability. The proper step-by-step procedure is well documented in the Airfield Marking Handbook and there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. Coincidentally, the Handbook is the focus of our training, both on-site and symposium. Check out the Handbook by downloading a FREE copy from our website, or take home a bound copy when you attend a symposium.

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