AIRPORTSAFETYACIPOSITIONBRIEF2009“Flyingisthesafestformoftransport”-acommonexpressionofwhichtheaviationindustryisjustifiablyproud.Thesafetyandsecurityofourairtransportsystemisnocoincidencethroughoutthehistoryofflight,safetyhasbeentop-of-mind.Whilemostpeopleknowthattheindustryissafe,peoplewhodonotworkinaviationareseldomawareoftheextraordinarylengthsgonetobyairportoperators,airlines,pilots,aircraftmanufacturers,airtrafficcontrolorganizationsandserviceproviderstoretainthisgoodrecordandcontinuallystriveforimprovement.Thisdedicationtosafeoperationsisseenacrossthewholeaviationsector,fromthehugeprogressinaircraftdesignincludingavionics,andengineandsystemreliability,tolesswell-knownmatterssuchasdimensionalstandardsforairfieldlayouts,.Thesafetycultureisanintegralpartoftheindustryandtakesonmanyforms,includingstandardoperatingprocedures,adoptionofnewtechnologyandensuringthatsafetyisthedrivingforcebehindairportoperations.ACIstronglybelievesthatsafetyiswhoweareandwhatwedo,notjustanyday,buteveryday.StandardsforairportdesignInternationalstandardswerefirstpublishedbythenewly-formedUnitedNations’agency,theInternationalCivilAviationOrganization(ICAO),soonaftertheSecondWorldWar,ascommercialaviationbeganitssubstantialgrowthintotheindustrythatexiststoday.Thoseyearshaveseenflightmovefromsmallpropeller-drivenaircraftto555-seatjetaircraftthatcanflyhalfwayaroundtheworldwithoutstopping.Allthewhile,flyinghasgrownsafer.Today’sICAOAnnex14,dealingwithAerodromeDesignandOperations,isacomprehensivedocumentcoveringstandardsandrecommendedpracticesforaerodromephysicalcharacteristics,obstaclerestrictions,visualaids,electricalsystems,aerodromeservicesandmaintenance.ACIhascontributedsignificantlyovertheyearstotheenhancementofthisdocument,throughitsparticipationintheICAOAerodromesPanel.StandardoperatingproceduresTheintroductionofstandardoperatingproceduresemployedbyairportoperators,airlines,pilots,airtrafficcontrolorganizations,aswellasthecompaniesthatprovideimportantservicessuchasgroundhandlingandre-fuelling,haveplayedaveryimportantrole.Oftenextrasafetymarginsarebuiltintooperationalprocedureswhichaddafurtherlayerofsafetytoanalreadysafesystem.Standardoperatingprocedurescoverallpartsofanairport’soperationsontheairfield,ontheapron,atgatesandinmaintenanceareas.Vehiclesdrivingontheapronmustadheretostrictrulesregardingspeed,crossingoftaxiways,distancetoberespectedbehindaircraftwithrunningengines,andsoon.Fordrivingontheairfield,evenmorestringentmeasuresareinforce,includingradiocontactwiththetower.Personnelmustalsofollowasetofproceduresdesignedtoensuretheirownsafetyandthatofaircraftandpassengers(forexamplewearinghigh-visibilityjackets,hearingprotectionandremainingatasetdistancefromoperatingaircraft).Suchproceduresaretrainedandrehearsedtobecomedeeplyingrainedinoperatingpractice,enhancingthe‘safetyculture’intheindustry.Inparallelwiththese,isanimportantneedfortheinstillingofasafetyculturefromthetopmanagementdown,includingthenotionofa‘just’culture,wherebyreportingofsafetyhazardsandoccurrencesisencouraged,withtheintentionoflearningfromtheseeventsanddiscussingsolutions,whichleadstoacontinuousreductionintherateofaccidents.“Whenwespeakofaviationsafety,membersoftheaviationcommunitymayhavedifferentperspectivesonthesubject,yetforallofusthereisonecommonconcern,thatofsavingandprotectingthelivesofpassengers,crews,andper...
