Who has the legal authority to close a runway?

• A. Airport management
• B. Military operations officer
• C. Airport management or military operations officer
• D. FAA air traffic manager

Answer: (C)

Runway closures come from who owns or operates the airfield. If it’s a civil airport, airport management has the authority to close a runway for maintenance, safety concerns, or emergencies. In a joint civil-military or military facility, the military operations officer can close a runway for military operations or security reasons. The FAA air traffic manager doesn't have unilateral authority to close a runway; they coordinate with the field operator and implement the closure through NOTAMs and traffic procedures. That combination—airport management or the military operations officer—covers the different contexts, which is why it’s the best answer. The other options are too narrow, since they don’t account for the field’s ownership/operating authority in different situations.