Answers to the most common questions from field contractors.
FAA Advisory Circular 150/5370-10 (Standards for Specifying Construction of Airports) requires that grade verification be documented for all earthwork and pavement layers. For runway and taxiway subgrade, documentation must be taken at stations not exceeding 50 feet, across the full cross-section width. Each lift must be documented and accepted before the next lift is placed. Documentation must be submitted to the resident engineer for review; work cannot proceed past the documented section until acceptance is given.
For runway subgrade, AC 150/5370-10 specifies a tolerance of plus or minus 0.04 ft per station from the approved design grade. For taxiways, the tolerance is typically plus or minus 0.03 ft. For ramp areas and aprons, tolerances may be tighter if specified in the project-specific Bid Documents. These tolerances apply to the subgrade surface; finished pavement grade tolerances are tighter and specified separately in the pavement specification sections.
Grade shots must be taken at stations not exceeding 50 feet along the project alignment, at both edges and centerline of the runway or taxiway, for each lift. On a typical runway rehab project with 100-foot station intervals, this means a minimum of 3 shots per station (edge, center, edge) for every 50-foot interval. For a 3,000-foot runway section, that is approximately 180 individual grade shots per lift. Compaction test frequency is typically one test per 1,000 square feet per lift, and must be documented in the same QC record.
A failed FAA grade inspection triggers a stop-work order on the affected section. The contractor must: notify the resident engineer in writing within 24 hours, identify the extent of the non-conforming area, submit a corrective action plan, implement the correction, and request re-inspection. The re-inspection must be witnessed by the resident engineer and sometimes the FAA Airport District Office representative. AIP funding is reviewed if there is a pattern of failures - repeated failures can trigger enhanced oversight or funding holds.
Most AIP specifications require that final as-built surveys be performed by or under the direct supervision of a licensed land surveyor or civil engineer. Day-to-day QC grade shots during construction can typically be performed by a qualified QC inspector, but the inspector must be trained and the equipment must be calibrated. Check the specific project contract documents - some airports require a licensed surveyor for all grade documentation, others allow QC inspectors with documented training.
QC daily reports must be submitted in the format specified in the project QC plan, which is approved by the contracting officer before construction begins. Most AIP projects require a daily summary report (date, weather, work performed, crew count, equipment, tests conducted, results, deficiencies) plus specific test logs (compaction log, grade shot log) for each activity. The format must be legible, organized by date and station, and signed by the QC manager.
For AIP projects, the FAA requires a minimum 3-year retention period for all QC records from the date of project final acceptance. Many airports and state DOT aviation offices require longer retention - check the contract. Records must be available for FAA review or audit on request. If a project has a warranty dispute or litigation, records must be preserved until the matter is resolved regardless of the retention period.
Yes. The FAA has accepted digital QC records on AIP projects since advisory guidance was updated in 2019. Digital records must meet specific requirements: tamper-evident storage (no edits without audit trail), accessible within a reasonable timeframe (24-48 hours for audit), backed up with documented backup procedure, and exportable to PDF or other standard format for submission. A contractor using digital QC documentation should confirm with the resident engineer that the system meets the project requirements before relying on it exclusively.
The FAA Airport District Office may conduct oversight visits on AIP-funded projects based on random selection, project size (larger projects get more oversight), prior project performance (contractors with compliance issues get more visits), or specific triggers such as a stop-work order or a complaint from the airport sponsor. During an oversight visit, the FAA inspector will review QC daily reports, compaction test logs, grade documentation, and material certifications. Having organized, complete, accessible records is the best preparation.
Document a grade correction with three records: (1) the original failing grade shot with station, elevation, design elevation, deviation, and the date it was identified; (2) the corrective action taken (re-grading, fill placement, cut, with who authorized and what equipment was used); (3) the re-shot verification showing the corrected elevation, deviation, and pass/fail. Attach all three to the QC daily report for the correction date. Never discard the original failing record - it must be kept as part of the QC record package.
Sitemark produces FAA-formatted grade verification reports with pass/fail determination at every station — ready for resident engineer submission.
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