TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS
Spotlight on runway safety Maggie Geraghty, CANSO safety manager, unveils a new runway safety initiative Unstable approaches on record • On 9 January 2012, an Enerjet Boeing 737-700 overran the landing runway 03 at Fort Nelson Airport in British Columbia, Canada, by approximately 70 metres after continuing an unstabilised visual approach to a mismanaged late-touchdown landing. Fortunately, none of the 118 occupants were injured, and there was no damage to the aircraft. • On 22 May 2010, an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 overran the landing runway at Mangalore Airport, India, when attempting a goaround after thrust reverser deployment following a fast and late touchdown off an unstable approach. Almost all of the 166 occupants were killed when control was lost and the aircraft crashed into a ravine off the end of the runway. The 2013 Global ATM Summit and 17th AGM, held in June in Curaçao, found CANSO launching a major initiative to improve runway safety worldwide. The initiative focuses on educating airport managers, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), pilots and air traffic controllers on the causes of, and risks inherent to, unstable approaches. Unstable approaches are a key factor contributing to runway excursions, which are widely acknowledged as the most significant threat to aviation safety globally. According to IATA, an unstable approach was identified as a contributing factor in 17% of accidents between 2008 and 2012. Thus, a stable approach is vitally important to the safe conclusion of a flight. If the aircraft does not meet the criteria for a stable approach, such as being at the wrong height, speed or angle, the approach will most likely be an unstable one. CANSO is partnering with organisations across the aviation industry to help reduce the risk of runway excursions around the world. At the runway safety initiative launch in Curaçao, CANSO Director General Jeff Poole said: “Safety is our number one priority, and the initiative 28 QUARTER 3 2013
AIRSPACE
• On 5 March 2000, a Boeing 737-300 operated by Southwest Airlines on a scheduled passenger flight from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Burbank, California, overran the landing destination runway after a steep visual approach had been flown at an abnormally high speed. The aircraft exited the airport perimeter and came to a stop on a city street near a gasoline station. An emergency evacuation of the 142 occupants led to two serious injuries and 42 minor injuries, and the aircraft was extensively damaged. Source: SKYbrary (http://skybrary.aero)
on unstable approaches aims to reduce the risk of a significant runway incident or accident. By partnering with regulators, airports, airlines and ANSPs, CANSO has developed global safety tools that will make a major contribution to safe flying.” Led by the CANSO Safety Standing Committee, these safety tools were designed in close concert with Eurocontrol and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and are supported by the industry, including ICAO, IATA, Airports Council International, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations, International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations, and European Cockpit Association. The tools are based on risk models identifying key areas that might lead to a runway excursion, models developed by
controllers, pilots and airport operators, as well as regulatory and safety specialists from around the world. The toolkit aims to raise awareness around the risk area of unstable approaches and to educate aviation professionals on how to work together to prevent them.
The checklist Designed for use by ANSPs, airlines, airport operators, regulators and aeronautical telecommunication and radio navigation (ATEL/ANAV) providers, the runway safety maturity checklist allows users to benchmark respective maturity levels with regard to managing runway safety risks. The checklist identifies key elements of risk control and uses a series of questions to assess the maturity of an organisation against each element.