National Academies Press: OpenBook

Ramp Safety Practices (2011)

Chapter: Chapter Six - Future Trends

« Previous: Chapter Five - Trends and Industry Reports
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Six - Future Trends." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Ramp Safety Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14599.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Six - Future Trends." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Ramp Safety Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14599.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Six - Future Trends." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Ramp Safety Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14599.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Six - Future Trends." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Ramp Safety Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14599.
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30 Current emerging and future trends gleaned from literature and industry research are included in this chapter. Areas discussed include technologies such as the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program and surface radar and multilateration systems; SMSs and the FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for SMSs; the FAA’s recent NPRM regarding Safety Enhancements for Part 139 Certifica- tion of Airports; the ISAGO program; use of ramp towers to control aircraft in gate areas; and changing business relation- ships such as airports managing ground services. TECHNOLOGIES NextGen NextGen is a comprehensive program led by the FAA that will modernize the National Airspace System (NAS) through new technologies, processes, and collaborations. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2025 and is currently underway. According to the FAA, many NextGen operational capa- bilities will make the NAS safer. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) will provide safety improve- ments on the ground and advances in tracking operations on airport surfaces will make runway incursions less likely. Also, integrating Airport Surface Detection Equipment- Model X (ASDE-X) surface radar coverage with ADS-B surveillance of aircraft and ground vehicles will increase situational awareness. As mentioned previously, one of the NextGen initiatives is to leverage the existing ASDE-X system, installed at approx- imately 32 airports across the country, to extend coverage to the ramp areas through a software tool called “Surface Man- agement.” ASDE-X is a ground radar system that allows FAA air traffic controllers to see real-time positions and identifica- tion information of aircraft and vehicles on the airport surface. By extending the Surface Management System to the ramp areas, the air traffic controllers and airport operators are able to track aircraft and vehicles from the movement area into the ramp area and to the gate. In 2009, the John F. Kennedy Inter- national Airport (JFK), FAA, and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey extended ASDE-X coverage into JFK ramp areas to provide surface surveillance data. The data are shared by the FAA, airport, and airlines to provide a comprehensive view of the airports operations. Surface Radars/Multilateration/ADS-B A number of commercial products exist that provide software and hardware solutions to identify, track, or guide aircraft and/or vehicles on the ground. These products offer visual and electronic alerts to airside operations using radar and transpon- der technologies such as multilateration or ADS-B. Multi- lateration is “the process of locating an object by accurately computing the time difference of arrival (TDOA) of a signal emitted from that object to three or more receivers using satel- lite and radars” (Wikipedia 2010). ADS-B uses Global Positioning System signals along with aircraft avionics to transmit the aircraft’s location to ground receivers. The ground receivers then transmit that information to controller screens and cockpit displays on aircraft equipped with ADS-B avionics. The ADS-B technology can also be used on vehicles in a similar manner (Takemoto and Jones 2010). The companies listed in Table 19 are currently using these products to provide airports, airlines, and the FAA with solu- tions to track aircraft and vehicles on the ramp for efficiency and safety. Some of the software features include recording and playing back events for investigational purposes, setting electronic boundaries to restrict vehicles from unauthorized areas, monitoring vehicle speeds, creating proximity alerts, and providing enhanced visual aids for Surface Movement Guidance and Control System low-visibility conditions. RAMP TOWERS Ramp towers are often managed by airlines, outsourced to third-party companies, or in some cases operated by airport or county/city staff such as at Denver International. Ramp towers are typically responsible for aircraft movements conducted in the non-movement or ramp area. Ramp tower controllers assist with traffic sequencing, separation, pushback, gate arrivals and departures, and coordination with the FAA’s Air Traffic Control Tower ground controller. Ramp tower structures vary widely and can include control tower-like facilities such as the US Airways Terminal One Ramp Control Tower at Philadelphia International Airport, which offers a 207-foot view of the ramp and gate areas. Other ramp towers are operated from terminal rooms with window views of the ramp and gate areas. CHAPTER SIX FUTURE TRENDS

31 Ramp towers are typically installed to increase efficien- cies and safety through communication with pilots and over- sight of the ramp and gate areas. Using radio communication and visual tools such as video cameras and surface manage- ment software provides an additional level of aircraft separa- tion and control on the ramp. Although limited industry data exist to reflect a decrease in ramp incidents and accidents through the installation of ramp towers, a report by the U.S. GAO on Aviation Runway and Ramp Safety indicates that when asking experts to provide their views on safety-related industry efforts, they suggested that the most effective ones were being taken mainly by airlines; for example, by setting safety targets and using ramp towers. Of 15 U.S. GAO sur- vey respondents, 2 experts indicated that airports’ use of ramp towers was “very or extremely effective in addressing ramp accidents, and 3 stated that airlines’ use of ramp towers was very effective. One expert said that ramp towers improve oper- ational safety but that all operations are still not completely visible” (Dillingham 2007). Research conducted online and through industry organi- zation information resulted in a partial list of ramp tower operations at U.S. airports and is presented in Table 20. The list is intended to demonstrate the variety and diversity of ramp tower operators, not to serve as a comprehensive list of all ramp tower operations in the United States. SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS On October 7, 2010, the FAA released a NPRM through the Federal Register, Vol. 75, No. 194 (Docket No. FAA- 2010-0997; Notice No. 10-14 RIN 2120-AJ38) entitled “Safety Management System for Certificated Airports.” The NPRM proposed that all CFR 14 Part 139 certificated airports establish a SMS “for its entire airfield environment (including movement and non-movement areas) to improve safety at airports hosting air carrier operations” (Federal Register 2010a). Company Product(s) Website Brief Description Advanced Aviation Technology Ltd. DSMR-800 http://www.aatl.net/ products/radar.htm Surface movement radars using millimetric radars for tracking surface movement operations including runway/taxiway incursion detection, critical area penetration monitoring, and conflict alerts ID Systems AvRamp® SafeNav™ http://www.id-systems. com/industry-solutions/ aviation/ Wireless Vehicle Management System and Airport Vehicle Navigation and Runway Incursion Avoidance System products that manage airside vehicle tracking and situational awareness PASSUR Aerospace Portal™ inSight™ OPSnet™ FlightPerform™ http://www.passur.com/ products-for-airports.htm A variety of products for airport operations including airspace activity, arrival and departure rates, real-time runway configurations, vectors, miles-in- trail, detailed flight trajectory and traffic flows, and NOTAMS/Field Condition Reporting Safegate Group Safedock http://www.safegate.com /home/safegate-solutions/ the-safegate-solutions/ docking-gs System that provides aircraft guidance on the ground through the use of an electronic docking system that guides pilots into gate areas by aircraft equipment type Sensis Corporation Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) Aerobahn® http://sensis.com/ products-by-solution.php Various real-time FAA and commercial surface management system products using a multilateration (MLAT) surveillance infrastructure to manage movement and non-movement areas through visual identification of aircraft and vehicles, including recording and replay features for accident/incident investigations SRA International Inc./ERA MSS—MLAT and ADS-B Surveillance Squad—Vehicle Tracking http://www.sra.com/air- traffic-management/ solutions/index.php Hardware and software aircraft tracking system using multilateration (MLAT) for surface management and control. Ground vehicle tracking using ADS-B broadcasting for Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems. Source: See web link for each product. NOTAM = Notice to Airmen; ADS-B = Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast. TABLE 19 SURFACE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PRODUCTS

32 The FAA further stated that “the proposal extends the scope of Part 139 by including the non-movement areas, but the FAA has concluded that ensuring safety in air trans- portation requires that an SMS applies to any place that affects safety during aircraft operations” (Federal Register 2010b). According to the FAA’s Advisory Circular 150/5200-37, “Introduction to Safety Management Systems for Airport Operators,” an SMS is defined as “The formal, top-down business-like approach to managing safety risk. It includes sys- tematic procedures, practices, and policies for the management of safety (including safety risk management, safety policy, safety assurance, and safety promotion)” (FAA 2007b). An SMS can be further defined as including the following program elements: 1—Safety Policy Formal Policy Management and Staff Roles and Responsibilities Program Objectives and Goals. 2—Safety Risk Management Hazard Identification Safety Risk Assessments Safety Risk Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting. 3—Safety Assurance Quality Control—self-inspections Quality Assurance—program audits/evaluations. 4—Safety Promotion Training and Orientation Data and Reporting/Communication Safety Culture. The proposed changes to CFR 14 Part 139 certificated airports regarding SMS could change the management of the ramp area by formalizing the airport’s responsibility for the non-movement area; however, the NPRM does not reflect the final rulemaking. The future SMS program, which will be finalized after review of industry, airport operators, and pub- lic comments, may or may not include the proposed changes to ramp oversight. On February 1, 2011, the FAA released a NPRM through the Federal Register, Vol. 76, No. 21 (Docket No. FAA-2010- 0247; Notice No. 11-01 RIN 2120-AJ70) entitled “Safety Enhancement Part 139, Certification of Airports.” The NPRM proposes that all CFR 14 Part 139 certificated airports “estab- lish minimum standards for training of personnel who access the airport non-movement area (ramp and apron) to help prevent accidents and incidents in that area.” The NPRM provides guidance on program development, type and fre- quency of training, and reporting. As mentioned for the SMS rule, the training NPRM does not reflect the final rulemaking and possible changes resulting from public and industry comments could alter the current proposed requirements (Federal Register 2010b). ISAGO IATA launched the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) program in February 2008 to provide standardized auditing for GSPs. The program is designed much like the IATA Operational Safety Audit program for airlines. A suc- cessful audit results in the GSP company name displayed on an IATA website registry, which allows airlines and airports to assess the company’s ability to meet ISAGO standards. ISAGO proposes that the audit function may offer safer ground operations and improved quality standards through partic- ipation in the program. As of January 2011, only one GSP located in the United States [Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac)] is listed on the registry (a total of 61 are presented on the ISAGO website). The majority of ISAGO- registered companies are located in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. Sea-Tac is requiring all GSPs to complete audits by the end of 2011 to provide services at the airport. ISAGO may assist airports with the standardiza- tion and management of GSPs through their audit program; however, with few U.S. airports and GSPs participating at this time, the program may have difficulty gaining momentum. Airport Name Airport Operated by Chicago–OíHare ORD Signature, United Cleveland Hopkins International CLE Continental Dallas Fort Worth DFW American Denver International DIA City and County of Denver, United Detroit Metro DTW Northwest, Delta John F. Kennedy International JFK Airport Operated, JetBlue, LaGuardia LGA American, United, Delta, US Airways Los Angeles International. LAX United, Delta, American, Alaska Miami International MIA American Airlines Philadelphia International PHL Airport Operated, US Airways, San Francisco International SFO Airport Group International (AGI) Seattle–Tacoma International SEA Robinson Aviation Inc. (RVA) Source: Internet research and airport website information. TABLE 20 PARTIAL LIST OF RAMP TOWER OPERATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

33 AIRPORT MANAGEMENT OF GROUND SERVICES In April 2006, the Aviation Ground Services Association (AGSA) was formally launched through the AAAE. The group’s focus was to support airports that were developing and managing ground handling services. In an interview with Airport Business Magazine, Bruce E. Carter, AGSA Commit- tee Chair stated that “For airports, the primary focus is on main- taining and attracting air service. As airports are being pushed to find new ways of operating and generating revenue— led by the carriers’ emphasis on cost reduction—some are looking at getting into the into-plane refueling and/or other airline services” (Infanger 2006). Approximately 50 airports and service companies com- prised the AGSA organization from 2006 through 2008. In 2008, the group disbanded for a variety of reasons, although multiple airports continue to provide ground services. For example, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority over- sees the operations of the Port Columbus, Rickenbacker, and Bolton Field airports. One of the airport services is manage- ment of ground services. The airport’s primary goal in taking over the ground services was to maintain support for their existing carriers, especially for fueling, cargo handling, and ground handling. The prior service provider was unable to continue providing services owing to financial constraints and the airport took over the services. According to Charlie Goodwin, Director, Airport Operations Columbus Regional Airport Authority, most airports that take on ground support services engage in the activities to support carrier activities and to maintain continuity in services. A list of former AGSA committee representative airports and service organizations is provided for reference in Table 21. Airport City/State Castle Airport Atwater, CA Chattanooga Metro Airport Authority Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Chattanooga, TN Columbus Regional Airport Authority Bolton Field Airport Columbus, OH Fort Wayne International Airport Fort Wayne, IN Globe Composite Solutions, Ltd. Rockland, MA Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport Gulfport, MS Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport Atlanta, GA Lexington Blue Grass Airport Lexington, KY Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Nashville International Airport–BNA Nashville, TN Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Quad City International Airport Moline, IL Sedalia Memorial Airport Sedalia, MO SITA Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies Springfield/Branson National Airport Springfield, MO Trillion Aviation Austin, TX Source: AAAE—http://www.aaae.org/about_aaae/aaae_committees/agsa. TABLE 21 FORMER AGSA COMMITTEE AIRPORTS AND SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

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TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Synthesis 29: Ramp Safety Practices addresses the current state of ground handling practices, focusing on safety measures and training.

Issues addressed in the report include ramp safety operations, staff roles and responsibilities, safety training, audit and inspection programs, safety violation programs, and collaborative safety initiatives, such as foreign object debris programs.

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