Final answer:
The air traffic control (ATC) bears the primary responsibility for the use of active runways, managing aircraft flow and ensuring the safe takeoff and landing of planes. Alongside ATC, airport operations personnel are essential for runway maintenance and inspections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary responsibility for the use of active runways lies with the airport's air traffic control (ATC). The ATC is tasked with managing the safe and orderly flow of aircraft on the ground and in the airspace around the airport. This involves coordinating takeoffs and landings, providing pilots with essential information, and managing aircraft movements on taxiways and runways to prevent collisions. Controllers in the tower give pilots clearance for taking off or landing on the runway, ensuring that it is safe to do so. Moreover, airport operations personnel also play a crucial role in runway management. They conduct regular inspections and maintenance to ensure that the runways are safe for use. These inspections can lead to temporary closures of runways, during which air traffic controllers will direct planes to other available runways.