Commercial and Business Aviation Advisory Circulars

Runway Incursions

BACKGROUND

For the past four years, runway incursions have increased exponentially. From 1996 to 1999, the number of runway incursions at Canadian airports increased by 145% while the average traffic volume increased by just over 9%. The unofficial number for 2000 represents an increase in runway incursions of 40% over 1999.

A Transport Canada study revealed that a number of contributing factors might have played a role in the increase of the number of occurrences. In addition to the increase in traffic volume, these contributing factors include airport layouts and complexity, increase in traffic flow, and human factors. Simultaneous Intersecting Runway Operations (SIRO) accounts for a large portion of the exposure to potential conflicts.

The present trend must be reversed to avoid potential disasters.

REFERENCE

Final report of the National Civil Aviation Safety Committee, Sub-Committee on Runway incursions, December 17, 2001.

ACTION

Although one or more of the contributing factors are usually present in each occurrence, the human factor is almost always the element that triggers the occurrence.

Recognizing that an increase in workload and potential distractions will increase the vulnerability to error, it is recommended that air operators develop procedures in their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to reduce workload and potential distractions while the aircraft is taxiing.

Air operators are also encouraged to develop and implement cockpit communication procedures in their SOPs, which require the pilot at the controls to read back the taxi route and the taxi clearance limit to the other pilot, before the aircraft begins or continues to taxi.

Company Operations Manuals (COM) and/or SOPs should be reviewed periodically to ensure that company radio procedures are in accordance with current International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard phraseology. The applicable manual should also contain additional considerations to improve pilot familiarity with SIRO.

As part on the ongoing Incursion Prevention Action Team (IPAT) awareness campaign, several articles on the subject are being published in the Aviation Safety Letter. Posters are also being distributed via the Regional System Safety Offices for regional air operators, and via the Principal Operations Inspectors for national air operators.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of these procedures will reduce the potential for runway incursions and meet the intent of some of the recommendations of the Transport Canada study team. The full report can be accessed at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/systemsafety/pubs/menu.htm.

Michel Gaudreau
Acting Director
Commercial & Business Aviation