Airport Operations Safety continuing with the Part 139 Safety Self-Inspection Program series. We have covered the basics, setting up your program, pavement and safety areas.

In this post we will discuss Part 139.311(c) Lighting.

Each certificate holder must provide and maintain lighting systems for air carrier operations when the airport is open at night, during conditions below visual flight rules (VFR) minimums, or in Alaska, during periods in which a prominent unlighted object cannot be seen from a distance of 3 statute miles or the sun is more than six degrees below the horizon. These lighting systems must be authorized by the Administrator and consist of at least the following:
(1) Runway lighting that meets the specifications for takeoff and landing minimums, as authorized by the Administrator, for each runway.
(2) One of the following taxiway lighting systems:
(i) Centerline lights.
(ii) Centerline reflectors.
(iii) Edge lights.
(iv) Edge reflectors.
(3) An airport beacon.
(4) Approach lighting that meets the specifications for takeoff and landing minimums, as authorized by the Administrator, for each runway, unless provided and/or maintained by an entity other than the certificate holder.
(5) Obstruction marking and lighting, as appropriate, on each object within its authority that has been determined by the FAA to be an obstruction.
(d) Maintenance. Each certificate holder must properly maintain each marking, sign, or lighting system installed and operated on the airport. As used in this section, to “properly maintain” includes cleaning, replacing, or repairing any faded, missing, or nonfunctional item; keeping each item unobscured and clearly visible; and ensuring that each item provides an accurate reference to the user.
(e) Lighting interference. Each certificate holder must ensure that all lighting on the airport, including that for aprons, vehicle parking areas, roadways, fuel storage areas, and buildings, is adequately adjusted or shielded to prevent interference with air traffic control and aircraft operations.

AS you begin your daily self-inspection, you will proceed from the ramp/apron into a blue light illuminated taxiway. The lights can be up to 200ft apart, at intersection they will be much closer. At the airport I work at, they average 100ft in separation. In your ACM it will state the % of taxiway light that have to be illuminated, usually 85 to 90%. If you can not maintain that %, a NOTAM will be issued closing the area to Part 139 air carrier aircraft. If the airport will allow it, non Part 139 aircraft can use the area at there own discretion.

Your runways will have white edge lights, until the last 2000ft of an instrument runway, they will be amber. The amber lights are used as a caution zone, letting pilots, ARFF and Operations vehicles know the end of the runway is near. If you have visual runways at your airport, the edge lights will remain white for the entire length of the runway.
The runway may also have centerline and touchdown zone lights. The centerline lights start 75ft from the landing threshold, and extend full length of the runway. The lights are spaced 50ft from each other. Lights are white until the last 3000ft of the runway when they will alternate red and white for 2000ft. The remaining 1000ft they are all red.
Touchdown zone lights consist of 2 rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline. Each light bar consists of 3 unidirectional lights facing the landing threshold. The rows of light bars extend to a distance of 3,000 feet, or one-half the runway length for runways less than 6,000 feet, from the threshold with the first light bars located 100 feet from the threshold. In Tab 6 of your approved ACM, they will be a % of lights that have to be in service, Normally 90% for centerline and touchdown zone lights, and 85% for edge lights. If that % can not be maintained a NOTAM will be used putting both centerline and touchdown zone lighting systems out of service.

Other lights you may find on your airfield:
Runway End lights are red, very important for aircraft, ARFF, Operations to know the end of the runway is near. At night and low visibility can be a factor to understanding your location on the runway, these lights can help.
Obstruction lights are also red, and should be reported when found inoperative.
Runway Guard Lights are positioned on taxiways, at the hold position for entering a runway. You may find these lights being called Wig Wags or SMGCS lights,providing a distinctive warning to anyone approaching the runway holding position that they are about to enter an active runway. These lights must be in position on all SMGCS routs. Land and Hold Short Operation Lights (LAHSO) maybe on intersecting runways, or taxiways allowing dual operations at your airport. The system we have has six or seven in-pavement unidirectional pulsing white lights across the hold position marking.
Approach light systems for the runways on your field will be determined by the runway category, ask your supervisor for the specifics on your runways.
There are other lighting systems, each airport is unique. Familiarize your self with all the system on your airfield.

REF:
AC No.: 150/5340-30A
DESIGN AND INSTALLATION DETAILS FOR AIRPORT VISUAL AIDS

The Inspection

Here are a few things to be looking for during your lighting inspection:

1. Correct color and configuration
2. No Confusing or deceptive condition
3. Properly Maintained
4. Installed Correctly
5. Properly Oriented
6. Operational At All Intensities
7. Clearly Visable
8. Clean
9. No Faded/Missing/Nonfunctional
10. Accurate
    
    Treat the inspection as if your Supervisor, Manager, or FAA Inspector is in the vehicle with you. I have seen so many times complacency take over an inspection. Complacency on the airfield is one of the most dangerous things there can be. Please take the inspection serious for the safety of your airfield and those utilizing it.

Don't Just Go Through The Motions!!

If you do not have two firefighters for entry, and two for a safety line, you do not enter an aircraft (or structure). I work at a Index A airport, working under Part 139 rules and regulations. Staffing is not mentioned in the 139, only extinguishing agent requirements. After normal working hours and weekends, we may have three ARFF responders, in the evening two, and overnight one. With this being said our operation can run into some hard decisions. Your own safety comes first, but your intuition as a firefighter is to help those in need.
You and your partner respond to a aircraft accident, people are in the aircraft that can't get themselves out. Mutual Aids are five minutes or more away, what do you do? Risk over Benefit...
Are you putting yourself in danger? Are you following policies and procedures? Are you going to be disciplined?
Are you going to sit there and watch people in need, while you wait for two or three other responders to arrive? Is putting the "wet stuff on the hot stuff"(water on fire) going to be sufficient. Is putting the "White stuff on the red stuff" (foam on fire) going to be enough for you to feel like to gave it your all.
I don't claim to have the answers to all these questions. As Firefighters you are up against a hard task. Aircraft burn very fast, within 90 seconds it could burn to ashes. Aviation fuels are very dangerous to handle. As the people are running away, we are running in.
As you make decisions based on this topic, think them through. Start today, when an aircraft emergency may arise it should not be the first time this topic was discussed.
We all have families that want us to come home the way we left. Review your Operating Guidelines, talk with the people on your shift, have a plan in place for when it happens.

Not If It Happens, When It Happens!!!

As we continue our Safety Self-Inspection Series, we will turn our focus to Part 139.309, Safety Areas. All runways and taxiways available for Part 139 Air Carrier Aircraft must have an established safety area. Tab five in your approved Airport Certification Manual will explain your inspection procedures, and state your safety area dimensions.

§ 139.309 Safety areas.
Each certificate holder must maintain its safety areas as follows:
(1) Each safety area must be cleared and graded and have no potentially hazardous ruts, humps, depressions, or other surface variations.
(2) Each safety area must be drained by grading or storm sewers to prevent water accumulation.
(3) Each safety area must be capable under dry conditions of supporting snow removal and aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment and of supporting the occasional passage of aircraft without causing major damage to the aircraft.
(4) No objects may be located in any safety area, except for objects that need to be located in a safety area because of their function. These objects must be constructed, to the extent practical, on frangibly mounted structures of the lowest practical height, with the frangible point no higher than 3 inches above grade.
(c) FAA Advisory Circulars contain methods and procedures for the configuration and maintenance of safety areas acceptable to the Administrator.
A/C 150/5300-13 Airport Designs
A/C 150/5320-5 Airport Drainage

As stated above, safety areas must remain clear of all objects other then those deemed necessary by the FAA. After construction activity in or near a safety area, an inspection of the area shall be performed. Construction work is allowed in a safety area, but no closer then 200ft off the centerline of the runway, if a NOTAM is issued.
Use caution when inspection your safety areas, after rain/snow is not the best time to drive in those areas. We do not want to cause any damage.

Safety Area Inspections are a key component in your Self Inspection Program, also for the safety on your airfield.

In our next post of the "Safety Inspection Program" we will discuss Part 139.311 Markings, Signs, and Lighting.


DON'T JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS!

Aviation Tutorials has an excellent interactive driver training cd-rom, available at www.avtutorials.com. This program will cost $29.oo, well worth the money.
Click on the photo for a screen shot.

Here is a link to see the NEW AIRBUS A380 landing in LAX.

Click here to view the Video.

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, four-engined airliner manufactured by EADS (Airbus S.A.S.) It first flew on 27 April 2005 from Toulouse, France. Commercial flights are scheduled to begin in late 2007 after lengthy delays. During much of its development phase, the aircraft was known as the Airbus A3XX. The nickname Superjumbo has become associated with the A380.
The A380's upper deck extends along the entire length of the fuselage. This allows for a spacious cabin with 50% more floor space than the next largest airliner, the Boeing 747-400, and provides seating for 555 people in standard three-class configuration or up to 853 people in full economy class configuration.[1] Two models of the A380 are available for sale. The A380-800, the passenger model, is the largest passenger airliner in the world,[2] superseding the Boeing 747. The other model, the A380-800F, if built, will be one of the largest freight aircraft and will have a payload capacity exceeded only by the Antonov An-225.[3] The A380-800 has a maximum range of 15,000 kilometres (8,000 nm, sufficient to fly from Chicago to Sydney nonstop), and a cruising speed of Mach 0.85 (about 900 km/h or 560 mph at cruise altitude).[2]
Due to long delays in production of the A380, two customers cancelled their orders and several launch customers deferred delivery, or considered switching their order to the competing Boeing 747-8 and 777F aircraft, at significant cost to Airbus.[4][5]

As you respond to a emergency call from the Air Traffic Control Tower, you are told that the aircraft in question is on a two mile left base for the active runway. Do you know how much time that gives you to get your emergency vehicles in place, contact your mutual aids, and have your crew prepared for this situation?

The point I am getting at is, you should know your traffic patterns for your runways. Time is not always on your side.
Not only you, but your mutual aids should be familiar with the airfield. Some structural departments are the ARFF crew for a particular airport, others respond to the airport at the request of the ARFF department on the field. Everyone accessing the airfield in an emergency situation should be familiar with the layout and topography.

Part 139 ARFF crews have annual mandatory training, including Airport Familiarization. Invite your structural departments, take the time to show them around the airfield.

Every time I see this sign I wonder many things.
Who made the sign? Last I looked a compass went up to 360! Who installed the sign, I hope it was for training purposes? Is it included in your sign plan? How confusing could this really be. ATC tells you to Hold Short of 33-15, might you enter into an active runway?

I'm sure this situation was corrected right after the picture was taken. We need to pay close attention during our inspections. As we get accustomed to our airfield, seeing a Hold Position Sign at this location would be normal. If you don't look closely, or driving 75mph you may not pick-up on this discrepancy.

Please take you time doing the Field Inspection, you never know what you'll find!

Don't Just Go Through The Motions!