A standardized inspection methodology for identifying foreign object debris (FOD), pavement/surface deterioration, vegetation encroachment, water accumulation, contamination, drainage problems, wildlife-related damage, and weather-related impacts affecting AGL equipment and associated airfield infrastructure. Covers the area surrounding runway AGL, taxiway AGL, approach lighting, fixtures, bases/base cans, cable routes, pits, drainage interfaces, and associated airfield surfaces.
Critical control — FOD and environmental conditions can directly affect AGL fixture integrity, visibility, drainage, electrical connections, pavement condition, aircraft/vehicle safety, and maintenance access. Findings that create an immediate operational or safety hazard shall be escalated in accordance with the applicable airport procedure.
Inspection for FOD around runway lighting installations.
Inspection around runway edge, threshold, end, centreline, TDZ, and other applicable fixtures.
Identification of loose stones, metal pieces, fasteners, construction material, or other foreign objects.
Inspection of accessible fixture pits/base-can areas for FOD.
Identification of FOD potentially generated during AGL maintenance activities.
Verification that identified removable FOD has been appropriately cleared and recorded.
Inspection for FOD around taxiway lighting installations.
Inspection around taxiway edge, centreline, junction, curve, and other applicable lighting.
Inspection of fixture bases, pits, and surrounding areas.
Identification of stones, hardware, cable remnants, construction debris, or other loose materials.
Inspection for FOD resulting from maintenance or construction activity.
Inspection for FOD around approach-light structures and fixtures.
Inspection around foundations and structural bases.
Inspection along accessible approach-light cable routes.
Inspection for loose hardware, damaged structural components, or debris around support structures.
Inspection following maintenance or construction work.
Inspection of pavement and surrounding surfaces immediately around AGL fixtures.
Identification of cracks around fixtures, bases, pits, and foundations.
Inspection for broken pavement, spalling, loose concrete/asphalt, or surface deterioration.
Inspection around fixture and base-can interfaces.
Inspection of the transition between pavement and fixture/base assemblies.
Identification of erosion around foundations, bases, cable routes, and drainage areas.
Inspection for settlement around AGL fixtures.
Identification of settlement affecting base cans or fixture elevation.
Inspection of approach-light and other lighting foundations.
Identification of abnormal level differences between fixtures and surrounding pavement.
Identification of fixture movement or misalignment caused by settlement.
Comparison with previous inspection records to identify progressive deterioration.
Inspection for vegetation affecting AGL equipment.
Inspection around runway lighting fixtures.
Inspection around taxiway lighting fixtures.
Inspection around approach-light structures and fixtures.
Inspection along accessible cable routes.
Inspection for grass, weeds, roots, or vegetation entering pits or fixture interfaces.
Identification of vegetation affecting fixture visibility or optical output.
Identification of vegetation affecting drainage paths.
Inspection for standing water around AGL fixtures and associated infrastructure.
Inspection for water collecting around fixture bases.
Inspection of pits/base cans for water accumulation.
Inspection for ponding around fixture locations.
Inspection for water accumulation around approach-light foundations.
Identification of localized or widespread flooding affecting AGL assets.
Identification of equipment damage resulting from flooding or prolonged moisture exposure.
Inspection for mud around fixtures and associated surfaces.
Identification of construction, maintenance, vegetation, or other debris.
Identification of mud affecting fixture lenses/prisms where applicable.
Inspection of base cans, pits, and surrounding areas.
Identification of accumulated material around fixtures and drainage points.
Inspection for dust accumulation around AGL installations.
Inspection of exposed optical and mechanical components.
Inspection of accessible equipment areas where dust accumulation could affect equipment operation.
Identification of dust affecting lens/prism/optical surfaces.
Inspection for dust accumulation affecting applicable equipment ventilation.
Inspection for oil or petroleum contamination around AGL equipment.
Identification of fuel contamination where applicable.
Inspection for de-icing chemicals, cleaning chemicals, hydraulic fluids, or other chemical contamination.
Identification of deterioration of fixture housings, seals, cables, coatings, or other components due to contamination.
Identification and recording of the apparent source of contamination where practicable.
Verification that contamination has been appropriately removed or controlled.
Inspection of drainage conditions around AGL installations.
Verification that drainage paths remain clear.
Inspection of accessible drainage inlets.
Inspection of applicable drainage outlets.
Identification of blocked or restricted drainage.
Inspection for accumulated mud, silt, leaves, or debris.
Identification of repeated ponding around fixtures.
Recording of drainage deficiencies requiring civil/maintenance action.
Inspection for equipment damage caused by wildlife.
Inspection for bird deposits affecting fixtures or structures.
Inspection for cable or equipment damage caused by animals.
Inspection for damage to fixtures, bases, cables, or structures.
Identification of conditions associated with wildlife activity that affect AGL equipment.
Recording of repeated wildlife-related damage for corrective-action planning.
Inspection following severe storms or strong winds.
Inspection for water ingress, flooding, drainage problems, and equipment damage following heavy rain.
Inspection for displaced fixtures, damaged structures, loose hardware, and cable damage.
Inspection for visible evidence of lightning or electrical storm damage.
Inspection of fixtures, pits, cables, control equipment, and foundations following flooding.
Inspection of exposed structures and equipment following severe weather events.
Verification of fixture and structural alignment following severe weather.
Assessment of environmental contamination affecting optical output.
Identification of environmental conditions affecting mechanical stability.
Identification of moisture, contamination, or environmental damage affecting electrical components.
Assessment of drainage conditions affecting AGL equipment.
Verification that maintenance access remains available.
Comparison with previous inspection records to identify recurring environmental problems.
Identification and classification of FOD around AGL installations.
Identification of cracks, settlement, erosion, spalling, and pavement-interface defects.
Identification of water, vegetation, contamination, drainage, wildlife, and weather-related defects.
Classification of identified conditions according to operational and safety significance.
Recording of removal, cleaning, civil repair, drainage clearance, vegetation control, equipment repair, or other action.
Verification that the identified condition has been corrected or appropriately controlled.
Every applicable area, fixture surrounding, pit/base can, and drainage interface should be assessed, where relevant, against the following parameters — the common checklist spine underlying all 92 topics above.
| Parameter | Inspection Status |
|---|---|
| FOD | None / Present |
| Loose Material | None / Present |
| Stones/Metal/Hardware | None / Present |
| Runway AGL Area | Clear / Deficient |
| Taxiway AGL Area | Clear / Deficient |
| Approach-Light Area | Clear / Deficient |
| Surface Condition | Good / Deficient |
| Cracking | None / Present |
| Spalling/Breaking | None / Present |
| Settlement | None / Present |
| Differential Level | None / Present |
| Vegetation | None / Present |
| Visibility Obstruction | None / Present |
| Standing Water | None / Present |
| Flooding | None / Present |
| Mud | None / Present |
| Debris | None / Present |
| Dust | None / Present |
| Oil/Fuel | None / Present |
| Chemical Contamination | None / Present |
| Drainage | Clear / Restricted / Blocked |
| Wildlife Damage | None / Present |
| Bird Contamination | None / Present |
| Storm Damage | None / Present |
| High-Wind Damage | None / Present |
| Weather-Related Damage | None / Present |
| Equipment Access | Clear / Restricted |
| Defect Status | Normal / Defective / Unserviceable / Immediate Action Required |
This division should operate on the principle: FIND → ASSESS → CONTROL → RECORD → VERIFY. Not every environmental observation is an AGL equipment defect, but environmental conditions can create or accelerate AGL defects.
The following should be considered for immediate action/escalation under the airport's applicable operational procedure, particularly when they affect an operational area:
Quick answers about fod, surface & environmental inspection in the AGL Inspection Handbook.
Division 18 contains 92 published topics in 15 sections (A–O). It gives a standardized methodology for identifying foreign object debris, pavement and surface deterioration, vegetation encroachment, water accumulation, contamination, drainage problems, wildlife-related damage and weather-related impacts affecting AGL equipment and associated airfield infrastructure.
It covers FOD around runway, taxiway and approach lighting, surface condition around fixtures, pavement settlement, vegetation encroachment, water accumulation and flooding, mud and debris, dust, oil and chemical contamination, drainage, wildlife-related damage, weather-related equipment condition, and the environmental impact on AGL performance.
The division works on the sequence find, assess, control, record and verify. Not every environmental observation is an AGL equipment defect, but environmental conditions can create or accelerate AGL defects, so the inspection assesses the impact on equipment as well as the condition itself.
Under the airport's applicable operational procedure, the division lists significant FOD, flooding or extensive standing water, a damaged fixture creating an operational hazard, major pavement failure around a fixture, severe fixture displacement, significant structural damage, exposed or damaged electrical infrastructure, major oil or chemical contamination, storm damage affecting airfield lighting, and any condition creating an immediate aircraft, vehicle, personnel or electrical-safety concern.
The sequence inspects the area, checks FOD and loose material, inspects fixture surroundings, and checks pavement, settlement, vegetation and standing water. It then inspects pits and base cans, checks mud, dust, oil, chemicals, drainage, wildlife and weather damage, assesses equipment impact, classifies risk, and records, removes or corrects, reinspects and closes.
Defect status is recorded using the four-level scheme Normal, Defective, Unserviceable and Immediate Action Required, so every observation ends with a clear classification before it is recorded and escalated.
Yes. This handbook is an uncontrolled educational reference, not an approved procedure. The airport's approved inspection schedule, SMS procedures, ATC instructions, NOTAM procedures and local aerodrome regulations always take precedence, and the current revision of any official document should be verified before use.
Yes. Each inspection topic has a Download as Word option that produces an uncontrolled Word checklist template (description, a tick-box inspection table and an inspector sign-off block) for personal reference and internal training, to be reviewed and adopted under the user’s own document control.
FOD, surface and environmental inspection is where hazard, debris and drainage condition awareness begins. Go beyond identifying defects and build the technical knowledge to understand why abnormalities occur, how they affect system serviceability, and when further testing, troubleshooting, maintenance or corrective action is required.
Develop structured knowledge across:
Learn to connect the inspection process with the wider AGL engineering lifecycle.
Inspect with purpose. Understand the system. Act with technical confidence.
Please read before relying on any content on this page or on any record downloaded from it.