Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Problems. Topic S04-02. Preventing Vehicle-Aircraft Incidents During Winter Operations and Periods of Low Visibility

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Winter and low visibility operations on an airport represent times when the risk for a collision between an aircraft and vehicles increases. Factors that increase this risk include: (1) </font><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Communication breakdowns or miscommunications between vehicle operators, air traffic controllers, and/or pilots can result in a vehicle-aircraft incident.</font> (2) <font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The urgency to restore the airport to operational status as soon as possible creates pressure on winter operations personnel.</font> (3) <font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Winter operations often occur over extended hours/days that can result in driver fatigue.</font> (4) <font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Visual cues that drivers normally use to navigate on airport runways and taxiways may be obscured or take on a different appearance.</font> (5) <font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Although it is sometimes possible to close a runway while winter/low visibility operations are conducted on it, at other times it is necessary to conduct winter/low visibility operations on the runway between aircraft arrivals and/or departures.</font> (6) <font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Personnel assigned winter operation duties in non-movement areas may inadvertently enter movement areas.</font> (7) <font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Vehicle operators are often faced with multiple distractions when conducting winter/low visibility operations.</font> <font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The objective of this synthesis is to provide a compendium of existing practices, procedures, training, and systems that airport operators use to reduce the risk of vehicle-aircraft incidents during winter/low visibility operations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>The synthesis should address airports with operating full-time, part-time or without airport traffic control towers (ATCTs).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>The synthesis should include airports ranging in size from general aviation to large hub.</font></p>

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1587

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $25000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 11-03, Topic

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591

  Airport Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001
• Project Managers:

  Staba, Gail

• Performing Organizations:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Start Date: 20070601
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20080901
• Source Data: RiP Project 16888

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air traffic control; Air transportation crashes; Aircraft; Airport control towers; Airport operations; Airport runways; Visibility distance; Winter
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01462658
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 11-03, Topic
• Files: TRB, RiP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2013 2:07PM