Suggestions for Improving Runway Safety David Lotterer Regional Airline Association NTSB Runway Incu

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Suggestions for Improving Runway SafetyDavid
Lotterer Regional Airline AssociationNTSB
Runway Incursion Forum March 27, 2007
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Introduction to Regional Airlines

• Regional operators transport 23 of domestic
  airline passengers (scheduled service)
• Regional airlines operate one third (2,700
  aircraft) of the commercial airline fleet and
  operate 47 percent of the scheduled flights
  (lower 48) (5.4 million flights in 2005)
• 2,200 operate in Part 121 (1,700 are RJs, 500
  are turboprops)
• 500 operate in Part 135
• RAA represents 45 members who operate the larger
  fleets and aircraft types within the regional
  network.

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RAA Committees- Active in Promoting Safety and
Sharing Best Practices

• Safety Director Committee
• Ramp Safety Working Group
• Flight Technology Committee
• Regional Operations Council
• In-Flight Committee
• Annual Forums (e.g. Memphis, TN, May 21-24, 2007)
• Members only Web Site
• Post Best Practices, particularly for Ramp Safety
• Hot Button Program
• Sharing best practices, safety and regulatory
  concerns

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CAST Safety Enhancement 51

• RAA members commitment to
• Standard Operating Procedures Runway Incursion
  Prevention (completed)
• Recommended best practice for mechanics and
  others who tow or otherwise move aircraft within
  the airport movement area.
• FAA provided CD (Taxi 101) as guidance for
  mechanics and others who move aircraft within
  airport movement areas.

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Best Practice Maintenance Taxi Operations

• Training Class room instruction (Taxi 101),
  followed by OJT for run-ups and taxi. Recommended
  training- Have the mechanic perform five
  OJT engine run-ups, five OJT rides, then a check
  ride.
• Airport Tower/Airline Agreement Develop a plan
  to keep the communication process readily
  understandable. E.g. provide for unique call
  signs for maintenance taxi operations. Select
  call signs so that they are not confused with
  runway or taxiway designators (i.e. REPO Blue 2,
  REPO Red 4 etc.). Use a different call sign for
  each movement.
• Aircraft Tracking (for ASDE-X radar equipped
  airports) Assign unique transponder codes to the
  call signs (i.e. REPO White 6 is permanently
  assigned xpdr code 1235). The aircraft taxi with
  the transponder and altitude reporting "ON".
  Each repositioning aircraft is then
  displayed with an identifying tag on the ASDE-X
  ATC radar.
• Simplify Aircraft Taxi Routes Avoid runway
  crossings whenever possible. Operator should take
  a slightly longer route if fewer runways crossing
  can be avoided. Airport should assign higher
  priority to aircraft repositioning activities.

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CAST RECOMMENDATION

• RAA members commitment to
• Safety Enhancement 49 Runway Incursions
• Standard Operating Procedures Runway Incursion
  Prevention (completed)
• All operators establish, document, train and
  follow SOPs for ground operations.
• Ref Advisory Circular 120-74A, "Flightcrew
  Procedures During Taxi Operations"

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Future of Moving Map Displays

• Will display map technology ever be considered as
  more than just an aid for ground operations?
• Heads up versus Heads down Whats best for
  the pilot?
• Primary versus Supplemental
• Accuracy of display
• Redundancy
• Electronic Flight Bag (for display of moving
  maps) serves other useful purposes
• Potential to reduce pilot workload for preflight

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Suggestion for improving runway safety- Improve
the Charting Process

• Major disconnect between airport operators and
  charting suppliers
• Another disconnect- ATC uses govt produced
  charts operators use commercial charts
• Airports have no formal process for communicating
  data exchange for both users
• Part 139.339 provides for NOTAM after change has
  occurred
• Chartering suppliers need at least 21 day advance
  notification of change
• The use of moving map displays for ground
  operations lacks reliability unless the charting
  process can be improved

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Suggestion for improving runway safety- reduce
pilot workload during preflight

• Overhaul the NOTAM Process
• RAA Flight Tech Committee provided a 5 step issue
  paper to FAA in 2003 for improving the NOTAM we
  have not seen any changes
• Accounts for the most paper in the dispatch
  release
• Accounts for the most time consumed by crews in
  pre-taxi particularly for short ground stops and
  
• Format difficult to convert to an electronic
  format (EFB usage)

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NextGen Safety Team- Goal 1

• Strategies
• Increase usefulness and understandability of
  information
• Increase the reliability and the accuracy of
  information
• Improve collaborative decision making
• Measures
• Assure the timeliness of the information
• Reduce the manipulation required to access needed
  information
• Reduce miscommunication

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Before we add more technology to the cockpit,
lets get our

• and improve on our current processes and
  procedures

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REGIONAL AIRLINE ASSOCIATION (www.raa.org)
QUESTIONS?