Runway surface condition readings (RCR) are issued to which group?

• A. Civil air carriers
• B. U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard
• C. U.S. Navy
• D. Civil aviation authorities

Answer: (B)

Runway Surface Condition Readings are a way to quickly communicate the current state of a runway’s surface—whether it’s dry, wet, icy, snow-covered, or has slush—and the resulting braking action that pilots can expect. In this training context, these readings are issued to the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard because they manage and operate most of the military’s airfields and need a standardized, ready-to-use source of runway status for planning landings, takeoffs, and field maintenance. Civil operators typically obtain surface condition and braking information through standard civil weather reports, NOTAMs, and runway state codes used in civilian aviation, not military Runway Surface Condition Readings. The Navy has its own procedures for its airfields, but RCRs as described here are associated with the Air Force and Air National Guard.