The rate of runway overruns in Canada is twice the world average — and four times the world average when runways are wet.
An overrun occurs when a landing aircraft exceeds the available runway, running off the end.
With accidents showing little sign of decreasing, an exasperated Transportation Safety Board took the unusual step last month of taking to social media to make its point, tweeting a video expressing its concern.
“We first raised the issue of runway overruns and landing accidents in 2010 with the launch of our first safety watch list,” the safety board says in its video, “but since then, the number of accidents has not significantly decreased.
“This watchlist issue is one that can no longer be left unaddressed.”
“This is one area where the board is concerned and would like Transport Canada to do more,” says Mark Clitsome, the board’s director of investigations, air branch.
The safety board, an arm’s-length government agency mandated with investigating accidents and making safety recommendations, says there were 12 runway overruns in Canada in 2010 and nine in 2011.
There were 15 overruns in 2012, but the Safety Board cautions this figure is preliminary.
In 2005 an Air France A340 Airbus overran the runway while landing at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport during a severe thunderstorm. The 297 passengers and 12 crew members all survived, but the jet burst into flames and was destroyed.
The Air France episode sparked TSB criticism of Canada’s lack of compliance with international standards. Canada is still not in compliance.
The International Civil Aviation Organization mandates that there be a “runway end safety area” of at least 90 metres beyond the end of any runway longer than 1,200 metres, and recommends a runway safety area of 240 metres.
The safety board acknowledges the Greater Toronto Airports Authority has a 90-metre overrun at Pearson, but it is immediately followed by a ravine, which the Air France jet fell into after it overran the runway.
In its 2011 aviation review, Transport Canada stated it is revising runway standards and “will require certain designated certified aerodromes to install and maintain a Runway End Safety Area.”
However, Transport Canada said in an email these “revisions are not yet complete,” and won’t be for years. It said it has “the objective of commencing public consultations in late 2013 or early 2014.”
The Federal Aviation Administration in the United States requires a runway end safety area at major U.S. runways of at least 300 metres from the end of a runway.
Airports in the U.S. that have found it difficult to meet FAA compliance due to obstacles in place prior to implementation of runway safety area regulations have started installing something called an “engineered material arresting system” at the ends of runways. The system is a soft, crushable material designed to slow an aircraft that has exceeded the runway landing area.
The safety board is recommending airports in Canada install the arresting systems at runways that are unsuitable for overrun areas due to space limitations. In October 2012, Transport Canada issued an advisory to provide guidance for the installation of arresting systems, but such an advisory cannot mandate their installation.
“Currently, there are no airports in Canada with (the arresting system),” says Clitsome.
Clitsome acknowledges Transport Canada is doing “some studies and some research based on our recommendations, but we don’t know where or how far that’s developed.”
The safety board says “Canada now lags behind international standards” because airports have not installed overrun areas or arresting systems.
“The bottom line is, if we don’t do anything to prevent landing accidents and runway overruns, passengers, crew and aircraft will continue to be placed at unnecessary risk of injury or damage,” says Clitsome.
Even though Transport Canada acknowledges it does not yet have in place regulations mandating overrun areas, it maintains “Canada has one of the safest aviation systems in the world,” Transport Canada spokesperson Kelly James said in an email.
“Between 2000 and 2011, Canada’s air transportation accident rate decreased by 25 per cent.”
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: Craig Daniels
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