DGCA, the aviation watchdog of India, has issued a circular to prevent runway incursions after the Haneda airport incident in Japan last month. The circular outlines various measures to enhance runway safety and prevent collisions of planes on the runway.
What is a runway incursion?
A runway incursion is an incident where an unauthorized aircraft, vehicle or person is on a runway. This creates a collision hazard for aircraft that are landing or taking off. Runway incursions can have serious consequences, such as the fatal collision of two planes at the Haneda airport on January 2.
What are the measures suggested by DGCA?
DGCA has suggested several measures to prevent runway incursions at airports in India. These measures include:
- Activation of stop bars by Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) to inform aircraft when not to proceed, establishment of contingency plans in case stop bars malfunction .
- Establishment of runway safety teams at all airports and ensuring their effective functioning .
- Adoption of technological interventions to improve situational awareness, thereby assisting ATC and other stakeholders to identify the traffic within the manoeuvering area.
- Ensuring adherence to standard procedures by all involved personnel/stakeholders, and recognising the influence of human factors on performance, which may contribute to runway incursions.
- Comprehensive training for pilots, air traffic controllers, aircraft maintenance engineers, and drivers operating inside an airport .
Why are these measures important?
These measures are important to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and airport staff. By addressing the risk factors and fostering a proactive approach among all stakeholders, the risk of runway incursions can be reduced further. DGCA asserts that the rate of runway incursions are decreasing in India and that it is committed to enhancing the safety standards of civil aviation in the country.
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