NBAA AIRCRAFT GROUND DAMAGE PREVENTION

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NBAA AIRCRAFT GROUND DAMAGE PREVENTION

• Best practices for preventing business aircraft
  ground damage events

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• Introduction
• Purpose of program - reduce aircraft ground
  damage risk by providing best practices
  interventions
• Focused audience - corporate flight and
  maintenance crews
• Intended use - training and awareness tool
• Self-audit tool - gap analysis, how do we manage
  these risks? (tbd)
• Incident analysis flow chart -tool to look at
  human factors issues
• What this is not - a tool to manage FBOs
• Size of the problem ? Many costs uninsured,
  estimated at over 100 million/year in direct
  costs

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• Most significant risk factors for ground
  damages

1. Towing 2. Ramp movements 3. Ground service
equipment 4. Hangar movements
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• Most significant human factors issues for ground
  damages

1. Time pressures - task saturation 2. Skill
based errors - over/under skilled 3. Customer
satisfaction 4. Direct rule based violations 5.
Environmental i.e. illumination, visual
obstructions, noise levels 6. Communications
breakdowns 7. Loss of situational awareness
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• Maintenance Related Exposures

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Risk Exposure - Area Maintenance Related
Exposures
Situation/Exposure

• Mobile ladders/equip near aircraft control
  surfaces
• Walk paths near aircraft storage positions
• Use of non-rubber chocks while in hangars
• Static wick protection warning devices
• Complete a Job hazard analysis for specific
  aircraft maintenance exposures related to unique
  situations

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Risk Exposure - Area Maintenance Related
Exposures
Situation/Exposure

• Fire Protection - urea foam deluge systems should
  receive periodic inspection
• Equipment that can move due to vibration or jet
  blast should be chocked or secured
• Aircraft log books should be stored in a secure
  storage system when not in use
• Clothing - Belt buckles covered and shoe
  protectors used if required.

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• Aircraft Movement

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Movement In/Out
of Hangars/Storage
Situation/Exposure

• Use of at least 2 wingwalkers while moving
  aircraft from or into hangars along with tug
  operator
• Team completes an area risk assessment before
  moving aircraft
• Perimeter floor marking that delineates limits of
  aircraft placement near hangar walls

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Movement In/Out
of Hangars/Storage
Situation/Exposure

• Hangar doors - securing methods to prevent
  inadvertent closure due to jet blast or high
  winds
• Aircraft wings should not overlap other aircraft
  due to settling hazard
• Hangar doors should be fully opened before
  aircraft movement
• Aircraft should not be moved through propeller
  arcs

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Movement In/Out
of Hangars/Storage
Situation/Exposure

• Floor/ramp markings delineate best aircraft
  positions for entry or exit from hangars
• Suggested hangar staking diagrams should be
  provided as visual aids
• Overhead doors systems should have a periodic
  inspection process

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Movement In/Out
of Hangars/Storage
Situation/Exposure

• A Job hazard analysis should be completed for
  aircraft movement exposures in hangar areas
  related to unique situations
• Written procedures for aircraft movement should
  be available in both the flight and maintenance
  operations manuals
• Employees who move aircraft receive should
  receive training on company procedures

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Movement In/Out
of Hangars/Storage
Situation/Exposure

• A visual inspection of the aircraft should be
  completed before any tow initiates
• The team should complete an area risk assessment
  briefing before moving aircraft - all sides of
  aircraft perimeter visually inspected for hazards
• Towing equipment - tugs/lektro tugs visually
  inspected, brakes checked, correct tow bar
  verified

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Movement In/Out
of Hangars/Storage
Situation/Exposure

• Towbars should be labeled as to aircraft type
• Tugs are marked as to rated maximum loads
• A post tow inspection should completed of
  aircraft
• For aircraft pushes, the rear area must be
  inspected before movement
• A written job hazard analysis should be
  completed for aircraft towing exposures

15,000lb
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• Aircraft Towing

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Towing - Ramp
Areas
Situation/Exposure

• Verification that aircraft brakes are off is
  completed before the tow or push is initiated
• Employees who move aircraft should receive
  training on procedures
• Aircraft are towed at a safe walking speed
• Towing safety rules marked on tugs

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Towing - Ramp
Areas
Situation/Exposure

• Large/heavy aircraft should require a person
  acting as a brake monitor during movement - in
  cockpit
• If the tow operator loses sight of wing walker,
  an immediate STOP should occur
• If there is any doubt as to having adequate
  space/clearance,an immediate STOP should occur

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Risk Exposure - Area Aircraft Towing - Ramp
Areas
Situation/Exposure

• Aircraft should only be moved by approved vehicles

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Aircraft TaxiFlight Crew Procedures
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Risk Exposure - AreaInitial Aircraft Taxi
Approach to Ramp Area
Situation/Exposure

• Pilots should visually scan the ramp for risks
  while taxing in
• Ground marshallers should provide the correct
  hand signals - if in doubt, stop
• While taxiing, the area should continually be
  scanned for threats such as drain grates, narrow
  rows of positioned aircraft, ramp slope, blind
  spots,jet blast hazards, wind direction, loose
  chocks,vehicle movements

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Risk Exposure - AreaInitial Aircraft Taxi
Approach to Ramp Area
Situation/Exposure

• Pilots should communicate (radio) with unicom or
  for taxi in assistance from FBO, etc.
• Pilots should observe any hazards related to
  ground service equipment movements or positioning
  hazards - plan ahead for departure routes

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Flight Crew Precautions (departure)

• Flight crew should complete a visual inspection
  of the aircraft prior to departure
• Pilots should ensure that wing walkers are used
  in confined areas or areas where marshalling
  person cannot see all positions of the aircraft.
• Pilots should visually survey the ramp area for
  risks during pre-start and taxi

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• Aircraft Parking
• Flight Crew Precautions

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Risk Exposure - AreaAircraft Parking/Tie Down -
Ramp Areas
Situation/Exposure

• Warning cones should be placed at wing tips and
  tail
• Potential jet exhaust blast hazards should be
  planned for
• Aircraft should be positioned to avoid wing
  overlap hazards
• Triple chocks should be placed at mains and nose
  gear for overnight parking

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Risk Exposure - AreaAircraft Parking/Tie Down -
Ramp Areas
Situation/Exposure

• The main gear should be chocked at all ramp
  parking situations
• A ground marshler should be used to aid for taxi
  in and departure from parking spots
• Ground air stair mats should be removed before
  engine start

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• Ground Service Equipment

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Risk Exposure - AreaGround Service Equipment

• Fuel Trucks should be chocked when servicing
  aircraft
• All mobile equipment should be positioned to not
  face aircraft
• Ground power units should not be positioned under
  tail sections and must be chocked
• Special precautions should be followed to insure
  the removal of GPU plugs before the unit is moved
• Tugs and other types of GSE such as golf carts
  should be shut-off, parking brakes set, and
  chocked when left unattended

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• Flight crew communications
• with ground crews

Hey, do you have crew cars? Fuel her up and I
will see you in the AM
Pilot
Ground crew
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Crew Communications Flight and Ground - Towing
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Crew Communications Flight and Ground - Towing
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Crew Communications Flight and Ground - Hangar
operations
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Crew Communications Between Flight and Ground
Crews - Fueling
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Case studies of what can go wrong
Aircraft Towing (Hangar) Event Two ground crew
employees were positioning a Falcon 50 into a
hangar when the left wing tip struck a golf cart.
One employee was operating the Lektro tug and the
other employee was acting as the wing walker. The
aircraft was being nosed into the hangar. There
was a golf cart being charged on the left side of
the hangar and a car was parked on the right side
of the hangar. As the aircraft was being pulled
in, the wing walker was at the rear of the
aircraft going between the right wing and left
wing to monitor clearance. As the right wing
cleared the car the wing walker started to move
back to the left wing when the left wing tip
struck the golf car Lear60 Ground Power
Unit Event A Lear-60 requested a GPU start
assist. Upon completion of both engine starts,
and proper shut down procedures of the GPU, the
line service technician noticed the GPU cable
plug head felt very hot to the touch during
disconnect from the aircraft GPU receptacle. The
crew was notified, shut down the engines, and
requested a maintenance inspection of the GPU
receptacle and related components. The aircraft
maintenance representative discovered a lose wire
on the internal bracket of the GPU receptacle
located within the fuselage. .
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Case studies of what can go wrong
Aircraft Towing and Hangar Storage Event Two
line service employees with the additional
assistance of two aircraft crewmembers were
preparing to pull an aircraft from a hangar. The
tractor operator misjudged the gear pattern noted
on the transmission stick selector, and upon
release of the clutch pedal the tractor lurched
forward several inches pushing the aircraft into
another aircraft positioned directly behind. The
intended tow aircraft suffered a dent to the
right outboard flap, and the other aircraft
suffered a scratch to the nose cone. Use of
Approved Tow Bars Event The owner of a
Mitsubishi MU-2 recently requested his aircraft
to be towed from a hangar utilizing the customer
owned tow bar. Upon the initial tow bar
inspection, it was noticed the tow bar was not
equipped with manufacturer identification tags
and the tow bar was bent. The line crew notified
their supervisor of their findings, and the
supervisor instructed the crew not to use the tow
bar. The supervisor notified the pilot of the
issue and requested the manufacturer labeled tow
bar, designed for the aircraft be used. The pilot
understood the concern and had no issue with
utilizing the approved tow bar. The approved tow
bar was used with no further incident.
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Case studies of what can go wrong
Crew miscommunication Event The ground crew was
informed by the flight crew that the aircraft (
King Air 200 ) brakes were set in the off
position. A tow was initiated which resulted in
damage to the brake and wheel assembly. Aircraft
Towing - lektro tug Event An employee used the
Lektro 8750 to tow a Cessna 425 Corsair to a
hangar. After the employee captured the C-425 he
installed the front gate guard on the bucket of
the Lektro. The aircraft was towed to and placed
in the common hangar. The operator of the Lektro
unit lowered the bucket and released the winch
strap prior to chocking the aircraft. The C-425
rolled backwards into the front gate guard
crushing the nose wheel fender. The nose wheel
fender, which covers the rear of the nose wheel,
was crushed against the tire and the fender
brackets were broken.
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Case studies of what can go wrong
The result of unauthorized vehicle operation on
ramp areas
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Case studies of what can go wrong
The result of no chocks on a sloping ramp
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• Self-audit toolGap Analysis
• We have written standard operating procedures
  Y N
• Employees trained on procedures
  Y N
• Employees provided risk awareness training
  Y N
• Incident investigations conducted
  Y N
• We have completed a risk assessment
  Y N
• Compliance evaluations completed
  Y N
• We have the correct ground equipment
  Y N
• We monitor FBO actions
  Y N
• We have an accountability system in place
  Y N
• Access to ramp areas is controlled
• Flight crews provided ground damage awareness
  training

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• Incident

• Ground damage incident review process

• For Each
• At-Risk Behavior

• For Each UnSafe Condition

• Yes

• No

• Did Condition Result from a Behavior?

• Forced Behavior
• Was the Behavior Out of Control of the individual?

• Unforced Behavior
• Was the Behavior Simply an Error by the
• Individual?

• No

• No

• Influenced Behavior
• Was there a Risk/Reward Influence on the Behavior?

• Yes

• Yes

• Yes

• Explore Hard System Issues
• Workstation Design
• Tool/Equipment Design
• Tool/Equipment Availability

• Explore Soft System Issues
• Procedures
• Training
• Human Factors

• Conduct an Analysis to Determine What Drives the
• At-Risk Behavior

• Identify and Implement Antecedents and
  Consequences that Support Desired Behaviors and
  Reduce At-Risk Behaviors

• Make Improvements to
• Procedures
• Training
• Human Factors

• Redesign Workstation
• Redesign Tool/Equipment
• Purchase Necessary Tool/Equipment

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• Special Thanks to
• Home Depot FTY
• Hill Aircraft FTY
• Signature Flight Support
• Purdue University