Narrative:

The aircraft operator under far part 121 (121.97, 121.117) and part 135 (135.229) is required to collect data required for the safe operation from the airport of proposed use. Most operators line develop an approved system that collects data from various sources such as alaska supplement, FAA forms 5010, obstruction clearance charts, and various other standard industry publications. If such data is not available, we assign such functions to our engineering operations group. The basic assumption is that government issued data is both accurate and current. This simply is not the case in the state of alaska. From discussions with other operators, we feel this may be a nationwide problem. Several representative examples: 1) amchitka airport, form 5010, indicates the last inspection was performed in sept 1981. 2) middleton island airport, form 5010, indicates the last inspection was performed in may 1985. Note form 5010 indicates limited certification. The alaska supplement makes no mention of certification. The airport manager is listed as FAA. 3) unalaska, dutch harbor, the supplement and form 5010 indicate the airport is unlighted with a gravel base. The airport was lengthened in 1987 adding additional safety area with lights, and asphalt was added in july 1988. This additional safety protection should be made available to all operators operating at this airport. 4) minto-the last airport inspection was conducted in july 1982, however, this was not published until april 1988. This report could extend indefinitely, however, it points out the FAA's serious lack of concern for complying with its own regulations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA FORMS 5010 NOT KEPT UP TO DATE BY ALASKAN ARPT MANAGERS.

Narrative: THE ACFT OPERATOR UNDER FAR PART 121 (121.97, 121.117) AND PART 135 (135.229) IS REQUIRED TO COLLECT DATA REQUIRED FOR THE SAFE OPERATION FROM THE ARPT OF PROPOSED USE. MOST OPERATORS LINE DEVELOP AN APPROVED SYS THAT COLLECTS DATA FROM VARIOUS SOURCES SUCH AS ALASKA SUPPLEMENT, FAA FORMS 5010, OBSTRUCTION CLRNC CHARTS, AND VARIOUS OTHER STANDARD INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS. IF SUCH DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE, WE ASSIGN SUCH FUNCTIONS TO OUR ENGINEERING OPERATIONS GROUP. THE BASIC ASSUMPTION IS THAT GOVERNMENT ISSUED DATA IS BOTH ACCURATE AND CURRENT. THIS SIMPLY IS NOT THE CASE IN THE STATE OF ALASKA. FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER OPERATORS, WE FEEL THIS MAY BE A NATIONWIDE PROB. SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLES: 1) AMCHITKA ARPT, FORM 5010, INDICATES THE LAST INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED IN SEPT 1981. 2) MIDDLETON ISLAND ARPT, FORM 5010, INDICATES THE LAST INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED IN MAY 1985. NOTE FORM 5010 INDICATES LIMITED CERTIFICATION. THE ALASKA SUPPLEMENT MAKES NO MENTION OF CERTIFICATION. THE ARPT MGR IS LISTED AS FAA. 3) UNALASKA, DUTCH HARBOR, THE SUPPLEMENT AND FORM 5010 INDICATE THE ARPT IS UNLIGHTED WITH A GRAVEL BASE. THE ARPT WAS LENGTHENED IN 1987 ADDING ADDITIONAL SAFETY AREA WITH LIGHTS, AND ASPHALT WAS ADDED IN JULY 1988. THIS ADDITIONAL SAFETY PROTECTION SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL OPERATORS OPERATING AT THIS ARPT. 4) MINTO-THE LAST ARPT INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED IN JULY 1982, HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT PUBLISHED UNTIL APRIL 1988. THIS RPT COULD EXTEND INDEFINITELY, HOWEVER, IT POINTS OUT THE FAA'S SERIOUS LACK OF CONCERN FOR COMPLYING WITH ITS OWN REGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.