How safe are our airports and the equipment that the employees operate from on a day to day basis? It is important that the management properly and effectively trains the staff on the human factors of safety. Runway incursions affect an increased risk of collision for aircraft on the ground. Some common incursions happen when aircraft land or takeoff without an ATC clearance, incorrect runway crossing by an aircraft or vehicle, or incorrect spacing between arriving or departing aircraft. For airports serving scheduled air carrier operations in aircraft designed for more than 9 passenger seats but less than 31 passenger seats need an airport certification. Airport planning plays a significant role in bird strike hazard reduction. Proper preparation of an airport can benefit to recognize land uses on or near the airport site that can possibly interest wildlife.
Why is human factors training being important? The training contributes to the goal of creating and reinforcing a positive safety culture where employees practice safe habits at work and at home. For training in leadership and the workforce is a critical and cost-effective first step in identifying methods to recognize, understand, and manage human performance issues. The effective human factors training improves work performance and promotes workforce physical and mental health.
The Initial and recurrent training on new regulations, procedures, and equipment are opportunities to reinforce awareness of the human factors issues that affect job performance. With having business partner personnel, they also require this training. Human factors training is essential to understanding the contributing factors to events. When equipment and procedures are complex, the human is the last to be notified for safety, efficiency, and injury prevention.
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How to know if the human factors training program works. When the management and the workforce accept and approve training. The training program starts to work when the before and after discussions are trending positively. The previous history of event investigations shows a reduction in the number of human factors-related contributing factors.
But one can expect, to see an increase in reported events at first only because of everyone is just learning the training. If there are less reported injuries and equipment damage. When particular and more prone areas of failure show enhancement of work performance. The training can work when there are signs of employee behavior change regarding safety awareness and practices. When people see more requests for recurrent training is caused from an enjoyment and understanding.
The FAA adopted the International Civil Aviation Organizations (ICAO) which “states from Aviation Knowledge that a runway incursion is any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and takeoff of aircraft”. The National Airspace System (NAS) continues to experience approximately one runway incursion per week, which is classified as significant or a barely avoided collision.
Runway incursions are divided into three classification types. These types include pilot deviations, operational deviations, and vehicle deviations. In the United States, pilot deviations account for about 57% of the total runway incursions, operational deviations account for 23%, and vehicle deviations account for 20%. After type, runway incursions are further classified into four distinct categories by increasing severity.
Aircraft repositioning is another common cause of vehicle deviations. Aircraft are often moved by maintenance taxi or tug operations. Quite often it is a mechanic which is not a licensed pilot, taxiing or driving a service vehicle that is towing an aircraft on the airport surface. Airlines, charter operators, and air cargo operators often use these methods to reposition aircraft. If an incursion occurs during these types of operations on the airport surface, the FAA classifies the event as a vehicle deviation. From 2000 through 2003, there were 35 vehicle deviations involving airline maintenance taxi and tug violations.
Of the 25 airports reporting the violations, most of these airports managed facilities with large-scale maintenance and cargo operations. Human factors such as situational awareness, reaction time, visual perception, and oral communication validate innovative designs and tools at a significantly higher level of accuracy and confidence. The recent integration of an ATC tower with full mission flight simulation allows assessment of airport changes from both the controller and pilot perspectives.
Runway incursions, excursions and confusion present one of the greatest aviation hazards with potentially very serious consequences. Several fatal accidents have occurred around the world resulting from these events. In recognition of the seriousness and growing frequency of these events, a few years ago the FAA and Eurocontrol began a concentrated industry-wide review to seek to reduce the numbers of runway incursions. This work gave rise to the Eurocontrol which represents European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions, which involved many industry sectors.
One of the conclusions was that a local runway safety team should be established at each airport. Some airports have gone beyond this recommendation and have established a Maneuvering Area Safety Team (MAST). ACI has been actively participating in the development of a Runway Excursion Toolkit and supports the findings of the FSF Report of the Runway Safety Initiative ‘Reducing the Risk of Runway Excursions.
The FAA is in the process of adding “Hot Spots” to National Aeronautical Charting Office (NACO) diagrams to bring attention to movement areas that have previously contributed to the occurrence of runway incursions. ICAO defines a hot spot as a location on an aerodrome movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion, and where heightened attention by pilots and drivers is necessary. The use of labels for hot spots on all NACO diagrams will make it easier for users of an airport to plan the safest possible path of movement in and around that airport.
Planning is a crucial safety activity for airport users, both the pilots and the air traffic controllers. By making sure that aircraft surface movements are planned and properly coordinated with air traffic control, pilots add another layer of safety to their flight preparations. Proper planning helps avoid confusion by eliminating last-minute questions and building familiarity with known problem areas.
In the context of an airport, the identification of hazards and safety risk management are conducted by means of procedures and methods that comprise an airport safety system. According to a study at São Paulo International Airport “an airport safety system consists of mechanisms aiming to control the risks that may affect the safety of the stakeholders while ensuring compliance with relevant legislation.” The airport management should provide goals for the prevention of accidents, which would guide the procedures for continuous monitoring of safety and the implementation of mechanisms for investigation and taking corrective actions in case of non-conformance.
14 CFR Part 139 requires FAA “to issue airport operating certificates to airports that serve scheduled and unscheduled air carrier aircraft with more than 30 seats; serve scheduled air carrier operations in aircraft with more than 9 seats but less than 31 seats, and the FAA Administrator requires having a certificate” stated from What is Part 139. This Part does not apply to airports at which air carrier passenger operations are conducted only because the airport has been designated as an alternate airport.
Airport Operating Certificates serve to ensure safety in air transportation. To obtain a certificate, an airport must agree to certain operational and safety standards and provide for such things as firefighting and rescue equipment. These requirements vary depending on the size of the airport and the type of flights available. The regulation, however, does allow FAA to issue certain exemptions to airports that serve few passengers yearly and for which some requirements might create a financial hardship.
The basic phases to ensure that airports with Airport Operating Certificates are meeting the requirements of Part 139, nearly 35 FAA Airport Certification Safety Inspectors conduct certification inspections. These inspections typically occur yearly, but FAA can also make unannounced inspections. Certification inspections consist of the following steps: A pre-inspection review of office airport files and airport certification manual. In-briefing with airport management. Organize inspection time schedule, meet with different airport personnel.
Administrative inspection of airport files and paperwork. Also includes updating the Airport Master Record (FAA Form 5010) and review of the Airport Certification Manual/Specifications (ACM/ACS), Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), and airfield self-inspection forms. Movement area inspection which includes checking the approach slopes of each runway end; inspect movement areas to find out condition of pavement, markings, lighting, signs, abutting shoulders, and safety areas; watch ground vehicle operations; ensure the public is protected against inadvertent entry and jet or propeller blast; check for the presence of any wildlife; check the traffic and wind direction indicators. Aircraft rescue and firefighting inspection.
Within this process the members conduct a timed-response drill; review aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel training records, including annual live-fire drill and documentation of basic emergency medical care training; check equipment and protective clothing for operation, condition, and availability. Fueling facilities inspection. Inspection of fuel farm and mobile fuelers; check airport files for documentation of their quarterly inspections of the fueling facility; review certification from each tenant fueling agent about the completion of fire safety training.
Night inspection. Evaluate runway/taxiway and apron lighting and signage, pavement marking, airport beacon, wind cone, lighting, and obstruction lighting for compliance with Part 139 and the ACM/ACS. A night inspection is conducted if air carrier operations are conducted or expected to be conducted at an airport at night or the airport has an instrument approach. Post inspection briefing with airport management. Discuss findings; issue Letter of Correction noting violations and/or discrepancies if any are found; agree on a reasonable date for correcting any violations and give safety recommendations.
If FAA finds that an airport is not meeting its obligations, it often imposes an administrative action. It can also impose a financial penalty for each day the airport continues to violate a Part 139 requirement. In extreme cases, FAA might revoke the airport’s certificate or limit the areas of an airport where air carriers can land or takeoff.
Ground handling and Ramp operations represent two of the most important aspects of an international airline’s operations. They affect the exercise of its basic market access rights. It is also a crucial factor for air carriers in terms of operating costs, service levels and the image portrayed to users. Ground handling is sometimes provided by the airports themselves, but at most airports, it is provided by airlines or concessionaires.
An airport ramp is a community of relationships and its success relies on how well these relationships are working. Managers must orchestrate a great deal of activity within a small area, around a magnificently expensive piece of equipment, in a very short space of time. Ramp operations are a very important part of the whole operation of an aircraft.
Ramp handling covers the loading and unloading of baggage, air cargo, and air-mail onto the aircraft and transportation between the aircraft and the passenger terminal, air cargo terminals and the air-mail center. In addition to this, ramp-handling services cover preparations for the delivery onto aircraft of bulk baggage and baggage containers, aircraft loading bridge operations, and passenger stairs operations. As we can see, it is a very complex situation where delivery precision and safety are very important issues.
Ramp safety is a significant safety concern in the aviation industry. The airport’s ramp area involves a vast number of activities and movements from aircraft, vehicles, equipment, and people. More so, it accommodates personnel and contractors from different organizations such as airport operations and maintenance staff, airport police and fire, airport and airline engineers, planners, regulatory and security personnel, as well as ground handlers, caterers, and fuelers – all performing different activities and tasks every day. Owing to the level of aircraft activity, the complexity of work tasks, and the equipment used in servicing aircraft, ramp operations, and workers can face a variety of safety concerns and hazards.
Wildlife around airports can present serious hazards to aircraft operations. The most obvious of these is the presence of birds, but other animals such as mammals can also present a hazard. One key method to control and limit the dangers presented by wildlife on an airport is to ensure that adequate fencing is put up around the airside areas. This is fundamental to keeping mammals off the airfield. Birds present a hazard to aircraft in flight.
They easily adapt to human development and make full use of the many opportunities that human activity provides. The built-up areas of airports offer these birds a variety of nesting and roosting sites, as well as sources of food. It is impossible to guarantee no bird strikes will occur, but there are several activities an airport can take on to reduce the likelihood of this happening.
According to Environmental Management, “these include: collecting accurate information on all bird strikes that occur, including details of the species involved, observations of bird species, and bird behavior both on the airport and in the surrounding areas.” Airports identify the hazard presented by each species by carrying out a species-based risk assessment prioritizing effort towards the most hazardous species.
Wildlife Services is a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, provides Federal leadership and knowledge to resolve wildlife conflicts that threaten public health and safety. Increased air traffic, enhanced noise suppression on aircraft, and more concentrated populations of birds and other wildlife at or near airports contribute to wildlife strikes.
The National Wildlife Research Center scientists conduct research to provide information to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the mitigation of bird-aircraft strike hazards. NWRC research is focused on understanding the nature of wildlife hazards at airports, developing management tools to reduce those hazards, and providing Wildlife Services biologists, airport personnel, and FAA officials with information on the latest strategies for controlling wildlife hazards.
Strikes are when birds or other animals collide with an airplane. This may occur when the airplane is taking off, landing, or while it is in the air. Wildlife strikes have increased in the past 30 years because of a combination of expanding populations of many wildlife species that are hazardous to aviation and increasing numbers of aircraft movements. Managing bird and other wildlife hazards at airports is a complicated, public- restricted endeavor involving many species of wildlife. Professional biologists trained in wildlife hazard management at airports assess hazards, provide training, and assist in the development of wildlife hazard management plans in all 50 states.
