International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Regional Aviation Safety Group (RASG) (Asia & Pacific Region) Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team (APRAST) INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES MANUAL FOR TIMELY AND ACCURATE REPORTING OF RUNWAY SURFACE CONDITIONS BY ATS/AIS TO FLIGHT CREW Developed by Airports Authority of India [Name of sub-group and/or Champion and/or Facilitator(s)] Draft Version 4.0 dated 12th June 2013 Executive Summary A great degree of diversity prevails among the ATS/AIS authorities in the methods for assessing a runway surface condition and friction during dry/wet/contaminated states and the procedures/formats for its reporting to the flight crew. So far many studies have been conducted on Runway Friction by various agencies and these have been inconclusive, & presented divergent views. ICAO Friction Task Force (ITF) is working on “Assessment and Reporting of Runway Surface Conditions” and it is expected that a global format for reporting runway surface conditions will be one of the elements of the ITF report. Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team (APRAST), during its first meeting (APRAST/1) identified Runway Excursion (RE) as a major Runway Safety Enhancement Initiative (SEI) and requested Airports Authority of India to develop “Industry Best Practices Manual on Runway Surface Conditions Reporting by ATS/AIS to Flight Crew” which contains guidelines for assessing and reporting runway surface conditions primarily based on the ICAO documents and with reference to the findings and observations made by various research organizations. Specifically the procedures for timely and accurate reporting of Runway Condition (RCR) by ATS/AIS to flight crew are contained in Chapter 6 of the Manual. BACKGROUND ON REGIONAL AVIATION SAFETY GROUP – ASIA & PACIFIC (RASG – APAC) The Regional Aviation Safety Group Asia-Pacific (RASG-APAC) was established in 2011 by the Council of ICAO. The RASG-APAC is tasked with improving aviation safety in the Asia & Pacific regions by developing and implementing a work programme, in line with the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan, aimed at identifying and implementing safety initiatives to address known safety hazards and deficiencies in the region. The Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team (APRAST), a sub-group of the RASG- APAC, assists the RASG-APAC in its work by recommending safety interventions which will reduce aviation safety risks. The full commitment and active participation of APAC States/Administrations and the industry partners is fundamental to the success of the RASG-APAC in reducing aviation safety risks and accident rates in the Asia and Pacific regions. DISCLAIMER This report makes use of information, including air transport and safety related data and statistics, which is furnished to the RASG/APRAST by third parties. All third party content was obtained from sources believed to be reliable and was accurately reproduced in the report at the time of printing. However, RASG/APRAST specifically does not make any warrants or representations as to the accuracy, completeness of timeliness of such information and accepts no liability or responsibility arising from reliance upon or use of the same. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect individual or collective opinions or official positions of RASG/APRAST Members. It is the responsibility of each RASG/APRAST member to determine the applicability of the contents of this report. If there should be any conflict between the contents of this report and ICAO Standards, then the ICAO Standards will take precedence over that contained in this report. FEEDBACK/ENQUIRIES Should there be any feedback or queries with regard to this report, please address them to: M. C. Dangi Airports Authority of India. [email protected] [email protected] Table of Contents Page No. Explanation of Terms 1 Chapter 1 Introduction 5 Chapter 2 The Dynamic System 8 Chapter 3 The Pavement 9 Chapter 4 Coefficient of Friction and Friction Measuring Devices 23 Coefficient of Friction Chapter 5 Aircraft Operations 26 Chapter 6 Reporting of Runway Surface Condition 38 Chapter 7 Safety, Human Factors and Hazards 51 Chapter 8 Future work 59 Appendix A Programme on Friction Measurement and Runway 62 Condition Assessment and Reporting ( EASA RuFAB) Appendix B Training for Ground, ATM Staff and Flight Crew 68 Appendix C Friction Issues versus Segment of Flights 69 Appendix D Hazards Related to Friction Issues and Pavement 71 Appendix E Hazards Related to Friction Issues and Aircraft 72 Appendix F Hazards Related to Friction Issues and Reporting 73 Format Appendix G Hazards Related to Friction Issues and Atmosphere 74 Appendix H The Guidance Material from various sources 75 Appendix I Runway Physical Characteristics in AIP 97 Appendix J AIC issued by one country 98 Appendix K Instructions for air traffic controllers to report Surface 106 Conditions including Aquaplaning/ Hydroplaning – issued by one country Appendix L Provisions contained in Annex 14 109 Appendix M Extract from Doc 9137, Airport Services Manual, Part 118 2 Pavement Surface Conditions Appendix N Detailed Summaries of RCR for Winter Contaminants 123 Appendix O AIBN REPORT 2011/10 Issued May 2011 Winter 126 Operations, Friction Measurements And Conditions For Friction Predictions Appendix P IFALPA Aircraft Design & Operation Briefing Leaflet 132 12ADOBL03 January 2012 Boeing --- Certified versus Advisory landing data on aircraft. Appendix Q TALPA ARC 138 Appendix R UK CAA – UK Winter Runway Assessment Trial 151 2012/2013 TRIAL PLAN& Runway condition reporting format used by Geneva Airport Foreword A great degree of diversity prevails among the ATS/AIS authorities in the methods for assessing a runway surface condition and friction during dry/wet/contaminated states and the procedures/formats for its reporting to the flight crew. For example, a few States prefer to promulgate such information in ATIS broadcast, whereas many other States simply issue NOTAMs. A few other States publish SNOW PLAN in their AIP whereas some other states prefer to issue SNOWTAM as and when conditions necessitate. So far many studies have been conducted on Runway Friction by various agencies and these have been INCONCLUSIVE, & presented DIVERGENT views. In the first meeting of the Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team (APRAST/1) held during 20-24th February 2012, at ICAO APAC Office Bangkok, the Airports Authority of India was requested to develop a Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) for preparing a standardized format for reporting of runway surface conditions which may be acceptable to all the stakeholders. To understand the industry best practices in APAC Region a Survey was undertaken vide ICAO APAC Office Bangkok State Letter ref.: T 11/21.1 – AP 081/12 (AGA) dated 14 June 2012. The Regional Aviation Safety Group (RASG) in its meeting held in Delhi during October 2012, approved the DIP on RE 6 as a Priority Safety Enhancement Initiative and also recommended that States respond to the Survey. The ICAO/COSCAPSEA organized a workshop on "State functions and responsibilities regarding the Assessment, Measurement, and Reporting of Runway Surface conditions” from 19th November 2012 to 22nd November 2012 at Bangkok. The fruitful discussions held between the ICAO Friction Task Force Rapporteur and representatives of AAI, helped in gaining deeper understanding of the issues involved in Runway Condition Reporting. AAI thankfully acknowledges guidance provided by an expert from Boeing company in understanding the aircraft manufacturers point of view. The valuable feedback on the presentations received during APRAST Facilitators / Champions Meeting Bangkok, March 13, 2013, has also been used to develop this Industry Best Practices (IBP) Manual. This Industry Best Practices (IBP) Manual is primarily based on the on ICAO Cir 329/AN/191, Assessment, Measurement and Reporting of Runway Surface Conditions. While preparing the IBP Manual examples of NOTAMS/AIP supplement/ AIC on SNOWPLAN, ATMC , relevant guidance material from various sources such as Studies conducted by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency), TALPA ARC Of USA, FAA, National Aerospace Research Laboratory Netherlands, Accident Investigation Board Norway, International Federation of Airlines Pilot Association (IFALPA), CAA UK, NATS UK, ANNEX-14, ICAO Doc 9137 Airport Services Manual Part 2 – Pavement Surface Conditions have also been added at Appendices part of the draft manual. Airports Authority of India presented a Working Paper on “Timely and Accurate reporting of Runway Conditions by ATS/AIS to Flight Crew” to ICAO Third Meeting of the Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team (APRAST/3). The Working Paper contained a comparative study of ICAO provisions on runway condition assessment and reporting, important findings by various research organizations/agencies and SIX PROPOSALS on runway condition reporting. AS agreed by APRAST/3 ( refer APRAST/3 Report of the Meeting paragraph 6.4.3 ) the SIX PROPOSALS have been assimilated in Chapter 6 of this Industry Best Practices Manual. Airports Authority of India thankfully acknowledges the permission granted by EASA- RuFAB, Accident Investigation Board Norway, National Aerospace Research Laboratory (NLR) Netherlands to refer to their research work on assessment of runway surface condition and reporting. In regard to the response on Survey, AAI would like to place it on record that a strong support was received from M/s Qatar Airways in collecting NOTAMs and SNOWTAMs pertaining to Runway conditions