Airport Line Marking in Australia: How an Airside Job Actually Runs

An airport job is not a car park job with bigger lines. Everything is dictated by the aerodrome operator's works plan, the CASA rulebook and the clock, because the runway or apron has to be back in service before the next aircraft arrives. Here's how an airside line marking job really runs, and what to check before you sign anything.

What makes airport line marking different from a car park job?

Airport line marking is different because the work happens on a live movement area under an approved works plan, to a specific national standard, inside a closure window that ends when aircraft are due. Paint and layout matter, but approvals, supervision and handing the surface back matter just as much.

In a car park you can pause for rain and finish tomorrow. On an apron or taxiway that's rarely an option. The aerodrome operator has scheduled movements, and the works have to stop on time whether the last line is dry or not.

That's why we plan airside jobs backwards from the handback time. Our airport line marking service is built around that discipline, and the marking itself is only one part of it.

Which standard applies to airport line marking in Australia?

For certified aerodromes, the rulebook is CASA's Part 139 (Aerodromes) Manual of Standards 2019. Chapter 8 covers markings, markers, signals and signs, and Chapter 13 covers the works safety officer who controls aerodrome works. Your aerodrome manual and works plan sit underneath it.

We read the compilation published on the Federal Register of Legislation (dated 12 June 2025). CASA publishes the wider Part 139 framework on its Part 139 aerodromes page. Always check you're working to the current version, because standards get amended.

If you want the technical side of runway and taxiway layouts, we've covered it in our guides to runway and taxiway marking under Part 139 and aviation ground marking requirements. This post is about the job itself.

What colours, sizes and tolerances do aerodrome markings need?

Aerodrome marking colours must match Australian Standard AS 2700 codes listed in section 8.03 of the Manual of Standards. Markings must also be clearly visible against their background, and dimensions are held to tight tolerances. Colour, contrast and size are all specified, so nothing is left to the painter's eye.

Item	What the Manual of Standards says	Section
White	AS 2700 code N14, white	8.03
Yellow	AS 2700 code Y14, golden yellow	8.03
Red	AS 2700 code R13, signal red, preferred (R14 or R15 allowed if R13 can't be sourced)	8.03
Contrast surround (line up to 0.3 m wide)	Surround not less than the line width	8.04
Contrast surround (marking wider than 0.3 m)	Surround not less than 0.3 m	8.04
Dimension tolerance	Not more than 5% smaller, or not more than 5% or 0.1 m (whichever is less) larger, applied uniformly to the whole marking	8.05
Taxiway edge marking	Two continuous, parallel yellow lines, each 0.15 m wide	8.43
Runway holding position marking	Must extend at least across the full width of the sealed taxiway surface	8.39

That 5% tolerance is applied to the whole marking, and the proportions have to be kept. In practice that means setting out from surveyed points, not eyeballing from the last marking. A line that's 20 mm out might be fine on a car park. Here it's something an inspector can write up.

How does an airside job get approved before we touch the pavement?

Airside works run under a method of working plan, usually called a MOWP, approved by the aerodrome operator. A works safety officer enforces it on the day. The Manual of Standards says that officer must make sure any NOTAM text reflects the MOWP and that the works party is briefed daily on anything affecting aircraft safety.

So the contractor doesn't just turn up with a truck. Before the first night we'd expect to see:

• A MOWP that names the stages, the closed areas and the haul routes.
• A named works safety officer, trained to the standard in section 13.04.
• Agreed access routes. Section 13.04 requires access to work areas to be restricted to clearly identified routes.
• Vehicles, plant and equipment that are marked and lit, or kept under supervision, or inside a marked and lit works area.
• Whatever airside access permits and induction the operator requires. Larger aerodromes must run a permit system for airside vehicles (section 14.02, aerodromes with more than 350,000 air transport passenger movements or 100,000 aircraft movements in a financial year).

Every aerodrome has its own paperwork and its own lead times. Ask early. Approvals, not paint, are usually what set the start date.

What does a typical night closure look like on site?

A typical closure is a tightly timed sequence: set up and brief, clean the surface, set out, apply, protect the wet work, sweep, inspect and hand back. The Manual of Standards requires time-limited works to return the area to normal safety standards at least 5 minutes before a scheduled or notified aircraft movement.

Say you manage a regional aerodrome and the apron bay lines and a taxiway holding position are tired. The operator agrees a closure window outside the scheduled movements. The crew is briefed by the works safety officer, drives in along the nominated route, and works inside the marked area. Everything is out, swept and checked before the cut-off, because the surface isn't ours to keep.

That's why we build in a buffer. If rain, wind or a late aircraft squeezes the window, we'd rather stage the work and finish on the next closure than rush a cure and hand back a marking that isn't ready.

1. Briefing and access: Daily safety briefing, then escorted or authorised entry along the agreed route.
2. Surface preparation: Clean, remove old markings where needed, and keep the area clear of debris.
3. Set-out: Survey-based layout to the dimensions in Chapter 8.
4. Application: Applied at the thickness and in the colour specified for the job.
5. Handback: Sweep, inspect, remove all plant and personnel, and confirm the movement area is safe before the deadline.

Why do surface prep and old-line removal matter more on an airfield?

On an airfield, preparation and removal affect more than paint adhesion. The Manual of Standards requires operators to keep runway, taxiway and apron surfaces clear of debris that could damage aircraft (section 18.01) and to maintain runway friction and texture (section 18.02). Grinding grit, loose paint and slurry are all things we have to control.

Removing old markings is a good example. Grinding or blasting can throw off dust and chips, and it can change surface texture if it's overdone. We pick the method to suit the surface, then sweep or vacuum as we go. Our guide to line marking removal methods explains the trade-offs, and our line marking removal service covers the machines.

Rubber is the other airfield headache. Section 8.22 allows the lateral spacing of aiming point markings to be varied within set limits to minimise contamination by rubber deposits. That's the standard acknowledging that marking layouts have to live with tyre wear, so talk to the operator about rubber removal before and after the job, not during it.

What happens to markings on a closed runway or taxiway?

When part of a runway or taxiway becomes unserviceable, the Manual of Standards requires unserviceability markings: white on a runway and yellow on a taxiway. A runway needs one at each end of the closed portion and others at intervals of no more than 300 m. If the closure is permanent, the other markings must be obliterated.

For temporary closures, any marking that isn't paint or a similar substance must be secured or weighted against jet blast, propeller wash and strong wind (section 8.106). So a cone or a sheet that blows away isn't a marking.

Permanent closure is where line marking and removal meet. Painting out a taxiway centreline is not enough if the standard says to obliterate it, so the removal method and the finish both need to be agreed with the operator.

What should you ask an airport line marking contractor before you hire?

Ask whether they've worked to a MOWP before, who their works safety liaison is, how they control debris, and how they'll hand the surface back on time. A contractor who quotes a flat per-metre price without asking about closure windows or access hasn't understood the job.

• Have you worked under a MOWP and a works safety officer? On which aerodromes?
• What do you need from us: plans, existing markings survey, closure windows, access routes?
• How do you keep debris and slurry off the movement area?
• What happens if the window shrinks on the night?
• How do you set out and check dimensions against Chapter 8?
• Which paint or material do you propose, and who confirms it suits the surface and the operator?
• What do we get at handback: photos, a marked-up plan, a sign-off sheet?

If a quote doesn't mention any of this, you've probably been quoted a car park.

What are the most common airport line marking mistakes?

The most common mistake is treating an aerodrome like any other pavement. Others are skipping the approval lead time, letting the NOTAM wording drift from the plan, and underestimating surface prep. Most of these show up as delays or rework rather than a dramatic failure, but they all cost a closure window.

• Quoting like a car park. Per-metre rates ignore set-up, supervision and the cost of a short window.
• Leaving approvals late. The MOWP, access and induction usually take longer than the painting.
• Working from old drawings. Markings get changed over the years. Survey what's on the ground.
• Ignoring the handback deadline. Time-limited works must be back to normal safety standards before the aircraft is due.
• Skimping on removal and cleaning. Ghost lines, debris and poor adhesion all start here.
• Forgetting the contrast surround. Section 8.04 asks for a contrasting surround so the marking is clearly visible.

Most people get this wrong the same way: they ask what it costs per metre. The better question is what it takes to be ready, safe and gone by the deadline.

How do you get an accurate quote for airport line marking?

An accurate quote needs a plan or survey of the existing markings, the area and type of each marking, the surface type, any removal required, and the closure windows the operator will allow. Without those, any price is a guess. With them, we can scope stages and quote a fixed price.

Cost on airside work is driven by the number of closure windows, set-up and demobilisation each night, how much old marking needs removing, and the total area and complexity of the layout. That's why we don't publish a rate per metre for airports.

If you have apron plans, a taxiway layout or a photo set of the existing markings, upload your plans for a fixed-price quote. We'll come back with a staged scope and the questions we'd want answered before we turn up.