Broad Agency Announcement Topics of Interest Amendment 13

BAA FAA Aviation Research 2025
Solicitation Number: 692M15-25-R-00004

Federal Aviation Administration
William J. Hughes Technical Center
for Advanced Aerospace
Atlantic City International Airport
Atlantic City, NJ

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

AVIATION RESEARCH 2025

TOPICS OF INTEREST

Solicitation Number: 692M15-25-R-00004
Amendment 013
October 19, 2026
The following is a list of BAA Topics of Interest of Aviation Research required by the FAA Technical Center. This BAA is an open request for white paper submittals at any time until the expiration of the BAA or until the Topic is removed. White papers and proposals will be assessed according to the instructions and criteria contained in the BAA. Offerors are invited to submit brief descriptive white papers relevant to a Topic or Topics described within the BAA. Each Topic identifies a Technical POC to whom questions relating to a particular Topic must be directed.

BAA FAA Aviation Research 2025
Solicitation Number: 692M15-25-R-00004

AVIATION RESEARCH AIRPORT PAVEMENTS (ARAP)

Topic Number: ARAP0010:

Rational Overload Criteria for Airport Pavements in the ACR/PCR Method Technical POC: Daniel Offenbacker; [email protected] Copy: [email protected]
Background:
The Aircraft Classification Rating/Pavement Classification Rating (ACR/PCR) method is used throughout the world as a standard method of reporting airport pavement strength (see International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Annex 14 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Volume I – Aerodrome Design and Operations). ICAO Doc 9157, Aerodrome Design Manual, Part 3 – Pavements, Third Edition, 2022, gives details of the method. The Pavement Classification Rating (PCR) is a number expressing the bearing strength of a pavement for “unrestricted” operations. In general, aircraft with an Aircraft Classification Rating (ACR) less than or equal to the PCR can operate on the pavement without weight restrictions, while aircraft with higher ACR are either excluded or subject to operating weight restrictions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) adopted the ACR/PCR method in Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5335-5D and requires Part 139 airports to report runway PCR on Airport Master Records.
Annex 14 allows for occasional overload operations based on the published PCR. The general guidance is that occasional overload operations up to ACR 10 percent higher than PCR are allowed for both flexible and rigid pavements if they do not exceed approximately 5