Hartsfield-Jackson Scores a Zero … and Couldn’t be Happier
By Herschel J. Grangent, Jr.

From the early days of grammar school through every stage of professional life, one is taught to strive for 100 on every assignment.

However, in some cases it actually doesn’t hurt to aim a little lower.

The world’s busiest airport recently went through the Federal Aviation Administration’s annual certification inspection. The result?

"A whopping zero. A zero discrepancy rating that is, which is very good news."

“The FAA’s rating reflects the dedication of our women and men who oversee daily operations at [Hartsfield-Jackson],” said Assistant General Manager Robert Kennedy. “The report also reaffirms our absolute commitment to operate a safe and secure Airport.”

The five-day inspection covered Hartsfield-Jackson’s airside operations, including the Airport’s self-inspection programs, runway and taxiway pavement management, airfield markings and lighting, training and inspection records and airport certification manuals.

“The Department of Aviation’s Fire, Maintenance, Operations and Planning and Development units’ coordinated efforts were also instrumental in ensuring the successful completion of the inspection,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy was speaking in part about the emergency drills performed by Atlanta Fire and Rescue to demonstrate response time and ensure compliance with FAA standards. When firefighters received simulated calls for service from the FAA control tower, they responded well within the required three-minute response time.

At the conclusion of the inspection, the FAA report determined that Hartsfield-Jackson was in total compliance with FAA Regulation Part 139, which prescribes rules governing the certification and operation of airports in any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States.