Definition
An FAA headquarters office responsible for overseeing compliance with federal grant assurances, surplus property agreements, and other obligations accepted by airport sponsors that receive federal funding or land. It also coordinates field operations across FAA regional Airports Divisions to ensure airports meet their ongoing federal commitments.
Plain English
The FAA office that makes sure airports which received federal money or federal land are following the rules they agreed to when they accepted that help.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronym lists, airport administration material, and documents dealing with airport compliance or airport program oversight.
Why Pilots Care
Most pilots will never deal with this office directly, but its work is the reason public-use airports must remain reasonably available to general aviation. Grant assurance compliance is what keeps many local airports open and accessible.
Intuition Check
Do not assume ACO always means the same thing in every FAA document. In this PHAK acronym context, ACO means Office of Airports Compliance and Field Operations.
Example Sentence 1
Questions about whether an airport sponsor is meeting its federal grant assurances are handled through the ACO.
Example Sentence 2
Airport operators coordinate with the ACO on development projects that affect runway safety areas.