This document discusses geometric design standards for airport runway exits and taxiways according to FAA guidelines. It provides examples of right-angle, 45-degree, and 30-degree runway exits. Issues with design such as limited visibility and separation distances are also examined. Dimension standards for taxiway junctions are presented from FAA design tables. Examples of implementations at airports are shown through diagrams and aerial images.

1. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)! 1
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Dr. Antonio A. Trani
Professor of Civil Engineering
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
February 25, 2009
Blacksburg, Virginia
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CEE 4674 Airport Planning and Design
Geometric Design I
Addendum 1

2. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Organization of this Presentation
• Geometric design standards for runway exits
• Examples
• Design rationale for taxiways and taxilanes
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3. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Geometric design Standards for Runway Exits
• Sources:
• FAA AC 5300-13 (Chapter 3)
• ICAO Aerodrome Manual Volumes 1 and 2
• Design principle:
• Provide ample space for aircraft to maneuver out of the
runway
• Make the runway exits easily identifyable
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4. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Right-Angle Exits
• Baseline centerline radius is 250 feet
• Pavement edge radius varies according to runway width
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5. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Sample Implementation (ATL)
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R = 250 feet!
Runway!
(150 feet wide)!
Parallel Taxiway!
90 degree!
Runway Exit!
Source: Google Earth!

6. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
45 Degree Angle Runway Exit
• Nominal 800 feet centerline radius
• 600 feet pavement edge radius
• Old design – FAA has dropped diagram from AC 5300-13
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7. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Issues with 45 Degree Runway Exits
• Narrow width at tangency point (only 40 feet)
• Only useful for busy general aviation airports
• Since the FAA has dropped discussion of this design in
the latest releases of the AC 5300-13 the geometry should
be use with caution
• The 30 degree standard design seems to be favored in case
peak operations exceed 30 per hour
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8. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Acute Angle or High-Speed Runway Exit
30 Degree (Old Standard)
• Nominal 1800 feet centerline radius
• 1600 feet pavement edge radius
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9. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Acute Angle or High-Speed Runway Exit
30 Degree (New Design)
• Nominal 1400 feet centerline spiral
• Can use the FAA computer program AD42.exe
application for design (companion computer program to
AC 5300-13)
• See example on page 48-1 in Chapter 4 of AC 5300-13
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10. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Specification of a High-Speed Runway Exit
• x-y coordinates of centerline
• Left and right offset distances from the centerline
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11. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Specification of High-Speed Runway Exit
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12. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Example in AC 5300-13
(see page 48-1 in FAA AC 5300-13)
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13. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Example Problem in AC 5300-13
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14. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Example Problem in AC 5300-13
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15. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Explanation
• The intersection angle is negative (-30 degrees) so this
turn is to the left
• The offsets (both right and left) decrease as a function of
station length to make the transition the runway exit width
from 150 to 75 feet
• The centerline angle increases from zero at the start of the
runway exit point to 30 degrees as required by the
geometry
• The steering angle provides a measure of how much effort
is required by the nose gear to keep with the centerline
geometry
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16. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Example Implementation (ATL)
30 Degree Angle Runway Exit
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Source: Google Earth!
1400 foot spiral!
Runway!
(150 feet wide)!
Parallel Taxiway!
250 feet radius !
reverse geometry!
800 feet radius!

17. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Issues with 30 Degree Runway Exits
• The FAA recommends a minimum runway-taxiway
separation of 600 feet for High-Speed runway exits
• Some airport have used 30 degree runway exits with down
to 400 feet (avoid!)
• The result is low exits speeds and possible issues with
busting hold lines
• Be careful and try to provide the minimum 600 foot
recommended distance
• Limited pilot visibility while crossing active runways
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18. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Sample Limited Visibility on High-Speed
Runway Exit
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Final turning angle at hold line = 30 degrees!

19. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Example of Limited Visibility due to
Short Runway-Taxiway Distance
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20. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Airbus A340-600 Visibility from Cockpit
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Source: Airbus!

21. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Example of Limited Visibility Driven by Hold
Line Location
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• Before the aircraft nose reaches the hold line, the
aircraft wingtip violates the hold line distance!

22. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Taxiway-Taxiway Junctions
• For dimensions consult FAA 150/5300-13 Table 4-2
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23. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Table 4-2 in AC 5300-13
Taxiway Fillet Dimensions
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24. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Taxiway-Taxiway Junctions
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• Sample solution shown for ADG VI
• For other groups consult FAA 150/5300-13 Table 4-2

25. CEE 4674 – Airport Planning and Design (copyright A. Trani)!
Sample Junction
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