Which organization is authorized to close a runway when there is a disabled aircraft on the runway?

Which organization is authorized to close a runway when there is a disabled aircraft on the runway?

• A. Operations Supervisor on duty in the tower
• B. Local FAA Manager
• C. Airport management
• D. Operations Manager

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is who has the authority to permanently or formally close a runway when a disabled aircraft is on it. That responsibility sits with the airport management—the organization that operates and administers the airport. They own the runway, set operating conditions, and issue formal closures and NOTAMs as needed to ensure safety and regulatory compliance. In an incident with a disabled aircraft, they coordinate with ATC to control traffic and then implement the official closure, if required, through the appropriate channels. The tower crew can work with the airport to manage traffic and may implement temporary, short-term restrictions for safety, but the formal decision to close rests with airport management. The local FAA manager oversees regulation and oversight, not the day-to-day authority to close a specific runway at a given airport. The Operations Manager is a role that may handle various operational duties, but the formal closure authority is held by the airport management.

The main idea here is who has the authority to permanently or formally close a runway when a disabled aircraft is on it. That responsibility sits with the airport management—the organization that operates and administers the airport. They own the runway, set operating conditions, and issue formal closures and NOTAMs as needed to ensure safety and regulatory compliance. In an incident with a disabled aircraft, they coordinate with ATC to control traffic and then implement the official closure, if required, through the appropriate channels.

The tower crew can work with the airport to manage traffic and may implement temporary, short-term restrictions for safety, but the formal decision to close rests with airport management. The local FAA manager oversees regulation and oversight, not the day-to-day authority to close a specific runway at a given airport. The Operations Manager is a role that may handle various operational duties, but the formal closure authority is held by the airport management.