AMS Case Study – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Background

Downtime and disturbance to airport operations needs to be minimal at the busiest airport in the world. For that reason, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) issued a public bid for an on-call contractor to supply airfield markings maintenance services. In the last five years the airport has invested over $20 million in their airfield markings program. As an industry leader, ATL has made every effort to implement the latest technologies and processes in airfield markings such as Hi-Lite’s AMS (Airfield Maintenance Services) program. The AMS program is a solution that not only guarantees FAA Part 139 compliance year-round, but a means to protect the investment the airport has made in the last years.  

Solution

Hi-Lite was awarded the Airfield Markings On-Call Contract in 2016, an innovative structure in which a contractor establishes permanent operations at the airport in order to perform routine maintenance and respond to any emergencies within a short time frame. ATL is one of the first airports in the United States pioneering this new approach to maintenance given the many benefits in costs, safety, and operation efficiency. For instance, all the specialized equipment is supplied and maintained by Hi-Lite. In addition, a permanent crew of managers, engineers, and technicians is assigned specifically to the airport. Hi-Lite takes care of hiring and training personnel to achieve the best quality results and meet or exceed industry standards. ATL provided Hi-Lite with a permanent staging area at the airport where an office trailer has been placed along with paint trucks, waterblasters, friction testers, sweepers, and ancillary equipment for ease of entry into the airfield.

Outcome

AMS allows Hi-Lite to become an extension of the already robust ATL in-house maintenance department. Being onsite allows Hi-Lite to coordinate maintenance closures around the airport’s operations schedule. Recently, ATL has been one of the first airports to implemented PA2 (Predictive Airfield Assessment), which is enhancing the AMS maintenance schedule. More than a commercial relationship, Hi-Lite has partnered with ATL to make the airport meet traffic demands and make it the safest in the world.