Says Industry Has Responded To Call To Action

The Federal Aviation Administration says the US aviation community has initiated and completed significant short-term actions to improve safety at US airports... but also notes recent close calls at some of the nation’s busiest airports show further action must be taken to reduce the risk of runway incursions and wrong runway departures.

Led by Acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell, more than 40 aviation leaders from airlines, airports, air traffic control and pilot unions, aerospace manufacturers, agreed on August 15 to an ambitious plan focused on solutions in cockpit procedures, airport signage and markings, air traffic procedures, and technology.

The following is a summary, released by the FAA Wednesday, of what the agency considers to be the aviation industry’s short-term accomplishments. Work continues on mid- and long-term goals.

Upgrade Airport Markings at Medium and Large Airports

Action: All airports with more than 1.5 million enplanements to voluntarily accelerate the enhancement of new markings that were originally required by the FAA by June 30, 2008.

Status: As of today, 53 of the targeted 75 airports have completed painting, 18 airports are planning to complete enhanced markings by the end of the year, and 4 have committed to complete the upgrade prior to the deadline. Regional offices continue to track the progress with airport sponsors and provide assistance.

Upgrade Airport Markings at Smaller Airports

Action: All airports certificated under Part 139 to develop plans to voluntarily upgrade existing markings, even though it is not required.

Status: As of today, 28 airports have upgraded their markings, 50 airports plan to complete the work by the end of the year, 173 airports plan to upgrade markings by June 2008, 29 airports plan to enhance markings in 2009, and 28 airports have expressed interest but have not yet provided a target completion date. This means 308 airports are at some stage in voluntarily adopting the enhanced markings, and we expect that number to increase. Regional offices continue to track the progress with airport sponsors and provide assistance.

The FAA is taking steps to propose extending the enhanced taxiway centerline requirement to all certificated airports. A draft change to Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5340-1J, Standards for Airport Markings, was published in late December 2007. Comments are due by February 26, 2008. The change to the AC would adopt the enhanced markings as standard signage at all certificated airports. Further decisions will be made after the agency has the opportunity to review the comments the public and industry comments.

Airport Surface Analysis

Action: Complete a runway safety review of 20 airports based on runway incursion data and wrong runway departure data.

Status: Reviews of all 20 airports are complete and have resulted in more than 100 short-term and numerous mid- and long-term initiatives. Many of the short-term initiatives identified have already been completed. The agency has evaluated lessons learned from the initial surface analysis and have modified the format for future Runway Safety Action Team (RSAT) meetings and incorporated evaluation of the wrong runway risk factors identified by the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) into the RSATs. We are currently evaluating the next tier of airports to be included in the “Call to Action” surface analysis effort. The first tier included:

• Atlanta: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International 
• Atlanta: Dekalb Peachtree
• Boston: Logan International 
• Chicago: O’Hare International
• Dallas: Dallas/Ft. Worth International
• Denver: Denver International 
• Ft. Lauderdale: Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International
• Las Vegas: McCarran International
• Las Vegas: North Las Vegas
• Long Beach: Long Beach/Daugherty Field
• Los Angeles: Los Angeles International
• Miami: Miami International
• Milwaukee: General Mitchell International
• New York: John F. Kennedy International 
• Orlando: Orlando International
• Philadelphia: Philadelphia International
• Reno: Reno-Tahoe International
• San Francisco: San Francisco International
• San Jose: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International
• Santa Ana: John Wayne Airport (Orange County) Santa Ana

Airport Recurrent Training

Action: All other certificated airports to voluntarily develop plans to require annual recurrent training to all individuals with access to movement area.

Status: All of the 569 certificated airports in the United States require initial and recurrent training for airport employees such as airport police and airport maintenance workers. As a result of the Call To Action, there are now 385 airports that now require recurrent training for non-airport employees such as Fixed-Based Operators or airline mechanics. Additionally, 97 airports plan to adopt this requirement. Regional offices continue to track the progress with airport sponsors and provide assistance.

The Office of Airport Safety and Standards issued a draft change to AC 150/5210-20, Ground Vehicle Operations on Airports, in late December 2007. Public comments are due by February 26, 2008. The draft AC strongly recommends regular recurrent driver training for all persons with access to the movement area and ramp apron areas.

Air Carrier Pilot Training

Action: Air carriers to provide pilots with simulator or other training that incorporates realistic scenarios from pushback through taxi.

Status: Of the 112 active air carriers, all have reported that they are in compliance.

Air Carrier Cockpit Procedures

Action: Air carriers to review cockpit procedures to identify and develop a plan to address elements that contribute to pilot distraction during taxi.

Status: Of the 112 active air carriers, all have reported that they are in compliance.

Air Carrier Employee Training

Action: Air carriers to establish mandatory recurrent training for non-pilot employees who operate aircraft or vehicles on the airfield.

Status: The FAA reviewed existing videos, posted FAA Notice No. 0988 containing visual depictions (FAASafety.gov), and is developing a new DVD to be distributed to air carriers to be used in training programs.

Air Traffic Taxi Clearances

Action: Review current policies for issuing taxi clearances, conduct a safety risk analysis of a procedure to issue specific taxi instructions for each operation.

Status: The FAA has completed an analysis of ATC procedures pertaining to taxi clearances and found that more explicit taxi instructions are needed. The FAA has forwarded preliminary results to stakeholders for a 30-day review. An analysis of Multiple Landing Clearances has begun.

FAA Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Voluntary Reporting

Action: Work with labor unions on an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) for air traffic controllers. ASAP is already used successfully by 67 air carriers to encourage voluntary reporting of safety by pilots, dispatchers, flight attendants or mechanics.

Status: A partnership agreement between the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) was recently signed. The agreement covers all ATO employees. The FAA and NATCA will work together to develop and implement the voluntary reporting system.

Next Steps

On January 15, Sturgell convened a teleconference with the chief executive officers of US commercial carriers to reinforce the need for improved pilot training and cockpit procedure, citing concern over recent high-visibility runway safety events. Sturgell called for meetings with all carriers and top FAA safety officials to take place by Friday, January 25. The meetings will include each airline’s director of operations, director of safety and chief pilot and will examine ways to enhance situational awareness on the runway.

A runway incursion is an incident on a runway involving an aircraft, vehicle, person, or object that creates a collision hazard or results in loss of required separation with an aircraft preparing to take off or land. In 2007, there were 24 serious runway incursions (A&B events), eight of which involved commercial air carriers.

FMI: www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets