Start from the terminal’s ramp-side face and the aircraft parking positions, then check that the wall construction, openings, ramp drainage, and loading walkways shown on the architectural, civil, and equipment drawings describe the same arrangement. AI can flag conflicts; the designer and the authority having jurisdiction decide compliance.
What does NFPA 415 cover?
NFPA 415 is the Standard on Airport Terminal Buildings, Fueling Ramp Drainage, and Loading Walkways. NFPA’s page states that the purpose of the standard is to protect life and property from fire at airport terminal complexes.
NFPA’s official NFPA 415 page identifies the 2026 edition as current when checked on October 8, 2026. Confirm the edition, local amendments, and project scope that actually govern the work. The publisher’s newest edition does not establish local adoption.
The terminal building itself also follows the adopted building code and fire code, so read this with the IBC guide and the IFC guide where they apply. Hangars follow the NFPA 409 guide and rooftop or ground helicopter facilities the NFPA 418 guide. Airport owners often add their own design standards; upload them as references too.
Gather the terminal, ramp, and boarding bridge documents
Collect the terminal floor plans and elevations facing the ramp, the wall types and opening schedules for that face, the civil grading and drainage plans for the apron, the aircraft parking and fueling layout, the passenger boarding bridge or loading walkway vendor drawings, the fire protection and fire alarm drawings for the walkways and the ramp-side rooms, the mechanical drawings for air intakes, and the specifications.
Aircraft parking positions change during design. Upload the latest apron layout with the building drawings so each gate can be compared with the face of the terminal behind it.
Follow the ramp-side face of the terminal
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Gate and parking layout | Apron layout, terminal plans, boarding bridge drawings | Confirm the gates, aircraft positions, and boarding bridges match across the apron and terminal drawings. |
| Ramp-side walls and openings | Elevations, wall types, opening schedules | Check that the wall construction and openings facing the ramp agree between elevations and schedules. |
| Ramp drainage | Civil drainage plans, apron layout, specifications | Match drains, slopes, and separators near fueling positions across civil and apron drawings. |
| Loading walkways | Vendor drawings, fire protection plans, specifications | Confirm the walkway materials and any protection the specifications name appear on the vendor and fire protection drawings. |
| Air intakes | Mechanical plans, roof plan, elevations | Find air intakes on the ramp-side face that the mechanical and architectural drawings place differently. |
| Alarm and communication | Fire alarm plans, walkway drawings, specifications | Check devices and interfaces in the walkways and ramp-side rooms across sources. |
Terminal projects are described on the airport project review page. Use the civil site checklist for the apron drainage and the fire alarm checklist for the walkway devices.
Example: a new gate without its drainage
Hypothetical example. A terminal expansion adds a gate at the end of a concourse. The terminal plans and the boarding bridge drawings show the new gate, while the civil drainage plan for the apron still shows the earlier pavement layout with no drains at the new aircraft position.
The terminal plans and boarding bridge drawings add a gate at the end of the concourse, but the civil apron drainage plan still shows the earlier layout with no drainage at the new aircraft position. Please confirm the gate and coordinate the ramp drainage with the fueling layout.
The civil engineer and the airport’s planners confirm the new position and update the drainage. Compliance is decided by the designer and the authority.
Review an airport terminal set with Groundbook
Upload the current project PDFs and relevant specifications to Groundbook. Identify the governing issues and add the applicable NFPA 415 reference from a copy you are licensed to use, where the license permits uploading it. State the edition, amendments, review area, and known exclusions in your instructions.
Compare the terminal plans and ramp-side elevations, wall types and opening schedules, apron layout, civil drainage plans, boarding bridge vendor drawings, fire protection and fire alarm drawings, mechanical drawings, and specifications. Flag gates, walls, openings, drainage, walkways, and air intakes that differ between sources. Use the supplied NFPA 415 edition where applicable and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets involved and the reference you uploaded.
Document review does not design drainage, rate walls, or approve the terminal. Those decisions remain with the design team, the airport, and the authority having jurisdiction.