Definition
An FAA reference document, or set of criteria, that establishes the design and planning requirements for airport facilities — including runway dimensions, taxiway layouts, separation distances, lighting, and other infrastructure — based on the size and type of aircraft expected to use the airport.
Plain English
A set of FAA rules that tell airport designers how an airport should be laid out and built, depending on the kinds of aircraft that will use it.
Context Anchor
Seen in airport planning, airport design, and airport improvement discussions, especially when FAA standards are being applied to runways, taxiways, ramps, and safety areas.
Derivation
Standard originally meant something used as a fixed reference. That helps here because an airport planning standard is not just a suggestion; it is a reference point used to decide how airport parts should be arranged.
Why Pilots Care
Airport planning standards shape the runways, taxiways, and approach surfaces a pilot uses every day. Knowing they exist helps explain why airports of different sizes have different layouts and capabilities.
Intuition Check
Do not read standard here as meaning ordinary or average. In this context, it means an FAA reference or requirement used when planning airport facilities.
Example Sentence 1
The new runway extension was designed to meet the FAA airport planning standard for the larger jets expected to operate there.
Example Sentence 2
Airport planners use the APS to decide runway spacing and taxiway locations.