Runway Safety The Pilots Perspective

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Runway Safety The Pilots Perspective

Peter Sørensen ECA Research Officer
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The Airport Surface Environment

• A highly complex dynamic place, the dimensions
  of which are bound not only by the physical
  pavement and its attendant markings, lighting and
  signage, but also by the capabilities of the many
  people who must carry out their separate roles on
  its surface using differing equipment and
  procedures.

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Identifiable Hazards

• Unstandardised language use proficiency
• Complex and varying airport geometry
• Cryptic signs and surface markings
• Large numbers of aircraft in close proximity
• Large numbers of ground vehicles
• Weather conditions
• Unfamiliar / inexperienced pilots ATCOs

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Action/Reaction

• Without significant action by the aviation
  community, as traffic grows, the risk of runway
  accidents will grow.
• Consequently there must be commensurate growth
  and development of airport infrastructures, thus
  ensuring required levels of safety and risk
  reduction.

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Runway Safety Initiatives

• US Safer Skies Programme
• C.A.S.T.
• ICAO Air Navigation Commission
• Transport Canada / Nav Canada
• I.P.A.T.
• JAA JSSI / EuroControl
• Runway Safety Task Force

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Definitions

• The unintended presence of an aircraft, vehicle
  or person on a runway or runway strip.
  (EuroControl Runway Safety Task Force)
• Any unauthorized presence on a runway of an
  aircraft, vehicle, person or object that creates
  a collision hazard or results in the potential
  loss of separation. (ICAO)
• Any occurrence on an airport runway involving an
  aircraft, vehicle, person or an object on the
  ground that creates a collision hazard or results
  in the loss of separation with an aircraft
  taking-off, intending to take-off, landing or
  intending to land. (FAA)

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Focal Areas

• Airport Design
• Awareness
• Training
• Procedures
• Communication (English)
• Signs, Markings Lighting
• Airport Safety Management Programme
• Technology

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Pilot Procedures

• Briefings
• Pre-Flight
• En-Route
• Approach Landing

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Nota Bene (1)

• Runway Incursion Reporting Schemes
• Airport Safety Management
• Remedial actions
• Infrastructure and Procedural
• Punitive, if gross negligence/deliberate

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Nota Bene (2)

• Airport Runway/Taxiway Design
• The foremost solution to avoiding Runway
  Incursions is to minimize Runway/Taxiway
  crossings.
• Annex 14 design criteria for airports with more
  than 20 movements/hour.

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BEWARE!!!

• Runway used as Taxiway
• Landing on a Closely Spaced Parallel
• Exit Taxiways Intersecting a Separate Runway
  Within a Short Distance
• Loss of Situational Awareness
• Common aviation language essential

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The Reason Model
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1

• Level 1 Airport Design
• Level 2 Communication/Aviation Language
• Level 3 Hardware/Visual Aids/Cockpit Displays/
  Procedures
• Level 4 Human Factors
• Pilots and ATCOs

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Conclusion

• The causal factors of incursions are difficult,
  if not impossible, to eradicate. In fact, the
  potential for incursions will exist as long as we
  operate airplanes, so both regulators and
  industry must take appropriate action to address
  known problems.
• Thank you