november-december 2021 - 20

PRODUCT PROFILE
Rebecca Kanable
Airfield Markings:
Sightline Makes a Mark with
Training Certification
SIGHTLINE INC.
AIRFIELD MARKINGS don't necessarily get the
attention they deserve in today's high-tech world.
Sightline Inc., an education and consulting firm based
in Virginia, is on a mission to change that.
Company President Donna Speidel
has been in the pavement marking business
since 1974. She's been an equipment
operator, she's driven a truck, and
it was she who, after founding Speidel
Construction in 1981, noticed airfield
markings lacked the quality and scrutiny
of highway markings. In 1998, she
started addressing the aviation industry
about what could be done.
While strides have been made,
Sightline Vice President Mike Speidel,
Donna Speidel's son, said more work
needs to be done. " It's funny that after
all the technological advances, we're still
putting paint and glass on the ground
in order to enhance safety, " he said.
Pavement markings are basic, but fundamental,
not fancy, and they're not as
expensive as some of the other visual
aids, but Mike Speidel said that doesn't
mean they are of lesser importance.
However, they tend only to get attention
when they're peeling off the pavement
or something's wrong with them.
Sightline looks at markings with a
critical eye. As the company philosophy
states, " Despite being a relatively small
part of airfield operations, markings
can make a big difference when applied
and maintained properly. Educating the
industry to use a proper strategy is the
first step to achieving that goal. "
Historically, there's been a lack of
technical training and understanding
in this area. In 2008 the Innovative
Pavement Research Foundation published
the " Airfield Marking Handbook. "
Sightline conducted the research for the
handbook under a cooperative agreement
with the FAA and Donna Speidel
was the principal investigator on the
project. The handbook includes best
practices for specifying construction and
maintenance of airfield markings, materials,
surface preparation, paint removal,
application procedures and inspection.
When asked what could go wrong
with pavement markings, Mike Speidel
said the origin of an issue could be
traced back to design or specification or
it could be related to the application. On
site, generally one of two groups does
the work: contractors or in-house crews.
" When you have a brand-new construction
project, you very often have a consulting
engineer that is funded by the
FAA, " he said. " The project is put out
to bid and a prime or general contractor
is contracted to do the flatwork for
a new taxiway or a resurfaced runway.
While the prime contractor often faces
a high degree of scrutiny, the subcontractor
selected to paint the markings
does not. There's no training required
and there's no certification credential
that that contractor has to have to paint
an airfield of any size. " Furthermore,
20 \ AIRPORTBUSINESS / NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
november-december 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of november-december 2021
