Runway Safety - Articles and news items

Serious runway incursions cut in half for second straight year

Airport news / 13 October 2010 /

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt announced today that the number of serious runway incursions at US airports dropped 50 percent from 2009, the second consecutive year that the number of serious incursions was cut in half. (more…)

FAA celebrates completion of San Francisco International Airport Recovery Act projects

Airport news / 31 August 2010 /

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today marked the completion of $14.5 million in runway projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) that will ensure continued safety for flights at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). (more…)

Runway Safety Project Completed

Airport news / 1 April 2010 /

Sydney Airport’s $100 million runway safety project is complete and the east-west runway has been returned to normal operations.

(more…)

Prevention of Runway Incursions at Joint Use Aerodromes

Issue 4 2009, Past issues / 16 July 2009 /

Runway Safety is a vital component of aviation safety as a whole. The predicted growth in air traffic implies that the actual numbers of incidents may rise, unless held in check by preventive actions such as those recommended in the European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions (EAPPRI). Over recent years, there have been a number of runway incursions in the European region, which resulted in three actual collisions, with a significant loss of life. The actual EAPPRI was approved by EUROCONTROL’s Provisional Council in April 2003.

Airports are key nodes of the aviation network, and airport capacity is a main challenge to future air traffic growth1. The number of slot-controlled airports has grown constantly over the last 10 years. Airport capacity is indeed becoming the limiting factor in overall system performance.

Central to the EAPPRI recommendations is the uniform and consistent application of ICAO provisions. The recommendations are generic, and it is for the national organisation responsible to decide upon specific implementation where joint-use aerodrome operations take place. The current EAPPRI recommendations are applicable where military aircraft operate as general air traffic. (more…)

Engineering Sciences Data Unit (ESDU)

Issue 3 2009, Past issues / 26 May 2009 /

The role of the Engineering Sciences Data Unit (ESDU) in Modelling Performance of Aircraft Tyres on Contaminated Paved Surfaces.

Aircraft Performance is directly affected by runway contaminants in two ways. There is an increase in decelerating force because contaminants impinge on the airframe and wheels. There is also a decrease in the available braking friction. As a result, the consequences are mixed. (more…)

Reducing runway incursions

Issue 4 2007, Past issues / 31 July 2007 /

Those entrusted with the safety of our aviation industry, frequently draw up lists of the most likely causes of a major incident. Over the past few years, runway incursions have moved closer to the top of these lists. Regrettably, this is not a new issue – the world’s worst aviation accident, at Tenerife in 1977, involved a runway incursion.

The official ICAO definition of 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 take-off of aircraft.”

In the case of the Tenerife disaster, one aircraft began its take-off run while the other was turning onto the runway ahead of it. The visibility at the time was down to 300m in places. 583 people were killed.

Although serious runway incidents are very rare and accidents even rarer, runway incursions are today among the top target areas for aviation regulators. In an ideal world we would aim for a scenario where no aircraft or vehicle ever entered a runway without permission, or in error. (more…)

A new approach to runway safety

Issue 2 2007, Past issues / 3 April 2007 /

Over the last few years, international organisations have recommended various national and international campaigns that could be used to help improve flight safety culture at a national and global level. Finland has responded to these recommendations in a unique way and through a widely implemented campaign.

The aim of Finavia, the driving force behind the campaign, was to bring together for the first time all the parties working on runways in a concrete way around the same table to share knowledge and to talk about runway safety. What makes this campaign special is that not only operative parties, such as professional pilots in both civilian and military organisations, flying enthusiasts and actors involved in maintenance and air traffic control, but also airport management, airport designers and professional associations took part in the planning and implementation of the campaign.

‘Without a doubt the most important aim of the campaign was to improve cooperation between the parties working on runways and to help examine and understand runway operations from the perspective of other actors. In order for operations to be carried out safely within the runway environment, it is important that the parties know each others’ working methods and culture as well as possible, Mr. Nyberg explains. (more…)