1371995 - PCN – PCR Comparisons for Large- and Medium-Hub Airport Runways

The Airport Classification Rating/Pavement Classification Rating (ACR/PCR) system was introduced in 2020 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as the new standard method for reporting airport pavement bearing strength, replacing the previous Airport Classification Number/Pavement Classification Number (ACN/PCN) system. FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5335-5D (released April 29, 2022) requires PCR reporting for public use paved runways at all U.S. Part 139 certificated airports by 2024. The FAA compared Pavement Classification Numbers (PCN) and Pavement Classification Ratings (PCR) for a selection of real-world runways at large- and medium-hub airports for which as-built structural data and design traffic are available. Both flexible (asphalt-surfaced) and rigid (concrete-surfaced) were included. In these comparisons, PCN was determined by the method of (cancelled) AC 150/5335-6C and the COMFAA 3.0 computer program, while PCR applied the method of AC 150/5335-6D and FAARFIELD 2.0. In contrast to the earlier COMFAA-based method, FAARFIELD 2.0 implements an algorithm that produces a single PCR number based on a well-defined critical aircraft from the input traffic mixture. The comparisons demonstrate that the two systems (ACR/PCR and ACN/PCN), if used correctly, result in similar restrictions on using aircraft traffic. This presentation will include a brief summary of ACR/PCR concepts and a description of the PCR computation method as implemented in FAARFIELD 2.0.