Runway Protection Zones: Land Use Compatibility and Dimensions

What the RPZ is for

The RPZ is a trapezoidal area on the ground centered on the extended runway centerline, off the runway end. Its function under §3.13 is to enhance the protection of people and property on the ground by controlling the land uses within it. That framing matters: the RPZ is fundamentally a land-use control mechanism, not merely an airspace surface or an obstacle-free patch of pavement. The FAA’s strong preference is that the RPZ be free of incompatible land uses, and ideally that the airport own the underlying land in fee simple or hold avigation easements that let it control development there.

The geometry: a trapezoid in three numbers

Every RPZ is fully defined by three dimensions:

• Length — the dimension measured along the extended runway centerline.
• Inner width — the width at the end nearest the runway (the “start” width).
• Outer width — the wider far end of the trapezoid.

The RPZ does not begin at the runway end itself; it starts a set distance away, and that distance — along with which set of dimensions applies — depends on whether it is an approach or a departure RPZ.

Approach RPZ vs. departure RPZ

There are two kinds of RPZ, and a single runway end can have both:

• Approach RPZ — protects arriving aircraft. It begins 200 ft before the landing threshold and uses the approach dimensions.
• Departure RPZ — protects departing aircraft. It anchors to the departure (takeoff-run / TORA) end and uses the departure dimensions, which can differ from the approach RPZ for the same runway end.

Because the two are anchored to different points and can carry different dimensions, they are evaluated separately. AvPlot renders approach RPZs in cyan and departure RPZs in amber precisely so the two are never confused on a drawing.

Two functional sub-areas

Within the trapezoid, the FAA distinguishes two zones for land-use purposes:

• The Central Portion of the RPZ — centered on the extended runway centerline. This is the most restrictive area, and the FAA’s expectation is that it stays clear of structures and concentrations of people.
• The Controlled Activity Area — the remainder of the RPZ outside the central portion, where certain uses may be acceptable subject to coordination.

RPZ dimensions by approach category and visibility

The controlling dimensions are selected by two inputs: the aircraft approach category (AAC) and the approach visibility minimums. The RPZ grows as aircraft get faster and as visibility minimums get lower — the largest RPZ belongs to runway ends serving the fastest aircraft at the lowest minimums. Read the controlling row from the table below.

The “small aircraft” row applies where the runway serves small aircraft exclusively (approach speed under 50 kt and small-aircraft design). Note the jump in footprint from the visual rows to the instrument rows: lower minimums roughly double the protected acreage.

Land use compatibility: what can be in an RPZ

This is where most RPZ work actually lives. The governing answer comes from §3.13 together with the FAA’s Interim Guidance on Land Uses Within a Runway Protection Zone, dated September 27, 2012. The default posture is that the RPZ should be free of incompatible land uses, with the central portion held to the strictest standard.

Incompatible / discouraged uses

The following are considered incompatible — especially within the central portion — because they concentrate people, create hazards to flight, or both:

• Residences of any kind.
• Places of public assembly — churches, schools, hospitals, office buildings, shopping centers, and stadiums.
• Fuel storage facilities and hazardous material storage.
• Anything that creates glare or smoke, or that attracts wildlife.
• Any use that concentrates people within the RPZ.

Uses that trigger FAA coordination

The 2012 interim guidance specifically calls for FAA coordination and evaluation whenever a new or modified land use is introduced into the RPZ. The examples it lists as triggering review include:

• Buildings and structures.
• Recreational land use — golf courses, sports fields.
• Transportation facilities — roads, rail, and transit.
• Fuel storage facilities.
• Above-ground utility infrastructure.
• Wastewater and water-treatment facilities.

Generally acceptable uses

Some uses are generally acceptable, provided people are not concentrated and the central portion stays clear:

• Agriculture — crops (but not livestock concentrations, which can attract wildlife).
• Open space.
• Airport service roads with controlled access.

What this means on the ALP

In practice, a planner must depict the RPZ on the Airport Layout Plan, show the land use within it, and coordinate any proposed change with the FAA before it is introduced. Where existing incompatible uses already sit inside the RPZ, they should be a documented mitigation or acquisition priority — the FAA expects a deliberate path toward removing or controlling them over time, typically through fee acquisition or avigation easements.

The practical takeaway: the RPZ is selected by the controlling AAC and visibility minimums, drawn as a trapezoid anchored 200 ft before the threshold (approach) or at the TORA end (departure), and then defended as a land-use boundary.

This article is a reference summary for planning use, not a substitute for the governing FAA text. Citations refer to AC 150/5300-13B (Airport Design) §3.13 and Appendix G, Change 1, and to the FAA Interim Guidance on Land Uses Within a Runway Protection Zone, dated September 27, 2012. Always verify dimensional values and land-use determinations against the current FAA guidance before issuing a design product. See the full airport planning glossary or the AvPlot toolkit.