Known 'Best Practices' for AIRFIELD SAFETY Page 1 of 4

Known 'Best Practices' for AIRFIELD SAFETY

Updated: 4:26 pm ET November 3, 2008

Known 'Best Practices' for AIRFIELD SAFETY - Air Traffic Controllers

1. Encourage use of correct terminology and proper voice cadence.
2. Recommend controller usage of the electronic RID (Runway Incursion Device) and the IDS
(Information Display System) as an aid to prevent runway incursions. Use the electronic RID
with red lamps for runways and amber lights for adjacent areas (mowing, equipment, etc.).
3. Encourage air traffic controllers to tour the airfield, including the runway, taxiway and ramps,
during the day, at night and under IMC (instrument meteorological conditions).
4. Encourage locally based organizations to provide familiarization flights for air traffic
controllers.
5. Encourage tower cab tours as part of a pilot’s training, driver’s training and tenant familiarity.
6. Eliminate distractions in the operational area.
7. Air traffic and airport operations should meet following each snow removal day and/or any
other unusual event to discuss lessons learned.
8. Develop and publish airport diagrams for ALL towered, commercial and busy general aviation
airports.
9. Routinely check airport diagrams for accuracy and update as necessary.
10. Know who has access to the airfield.
11. Update the airport remarks section in the Airport Facility Directory with all applicable data
including runway safety information.
12. Determine and publish “line-of-sight” restrictions – can aircraft at opposite ends of the runway
see each other?
13. Increase awareness and advertise of local wildlife issues.
14. Determine and publish weather phenomena related visibility issues.
15. Inform AFSS if there is a change in runway status.
16. Encourage pilots to turn lights ON during Landing and Departure.
17. Encourage pilots to have their “eyes out” when taxiing.
18. Encourage pilots to have a “heads up” policy when taxiing.
19. Encourage local flight schools to emphasize runway safety during initial and recurrent training
& BFR’s.
20. Attend safety seminars and programs on RUNWAY SAFETY.
21. Customize RUNWAY SAFETY presentations for targeted audiences such as pilot
organizations, safety seminars, airport authorities, etc.
22. Improve safety by teaching, advocating, stressing and understanding situational awareness.
23. Cite specific airport RUNWAY SAFETY web pages.
24. Use Hot Spot brochures.
25. Distribute RUNWAY SAFETY materials to every aviation entity.

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26. Package and distribute runway safety materials to: Flight Schools, Flight Safety International,
Maintenance Centers, Aircraft Manufacturers, etc.
27. Realize that every airport is unique and presents its own set of RUNWAY SAFETY
challenges.
28. Stay alert; stay alive.
29. Declare war on errors; make it everyone’s responsibility.

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Known 'Best Practices' for AIRFIELD SAFETY - Pilots

1. Encourage use of correct terminology and proper voice cadence.
2. Eliminate distractions in the operational area.
3. Obtain and use airport diagrams. Use the FAA runway safety website to find airport diagrams
for all airports.
4. Conduct “Clearing Turns” prior to entering ANY runway.
5. Maintain a sterile cockpit when taxiing.
6. Maintain appropriate Taxi speed.
7. Encourage pilots to have their “eyes out” when taxiing.
8. Encourage pilots to have a “heads up” policy when taxiing.
9. Attend safety seminars and programs on RUNWAY SAFETY.
10. Improve safety by teaching, advocating, stressing and understanding situational awareness.
11. Customize RUNWAY SAFETY presentations for targeted audiences such as pilot
organizations, safety seminars, airport authorities, etc.
12. Cite specific airport RUNWAY SAFETY web pages.
13. Distribute RUNWAY SAFETY materials to every aviation entity.
14. Package and distribute runway safety materials to: Flight Schools, Flight Safety International,
Maintenance Centers, Aircraft Manufacturers, etc.
15. Realize that every airport is unique and presents its own set of RUNWAY SAFETY
challenges.
16. Stay alert; stay alive.
17. Declare war on errors; make it everyone’s responsibility.

()

Known 'Best Practices' for AIRFIELD SAFETY - Airport Personnel

1. Eliminate distractions in the operational area.
2. Air traffic and airport operations should meet following each snow removal day and/or any
other unusual event to discuss lessons learned.
3. Eliminate confusing call signs for vehicles operating in the airport operations area.
4. Maintain a well defined mowing plan and procedures, including specific area “Designations”.
5. Use a patch, or spot system, for mowing and/or farming operations.
6. Use two vehicles for runway inspections to reduce “Time-on-Runway”.
7. Use high visibility vehicles to increase conspicuity for pilots, controllers and other drivers
operating on the AOA (airport operations area).
8. All vehicle lights (high beams, flashers, beacons, and strobes) should be turned on when
crossing or operating on runways, taxiways or the AOA.
9. Vehicle flashers and beacons help ATC, aircrews and other vehicle operators see vehicles in
the AOA – especially during periods of reduced visibility and at night.

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10. Airport authority should distribute current airport diagrams to all airport users – especially
FBO’s for transient and student pilots and to other users within 50-100 miles of busy GA
airports.
11. Airport authority should coordinate with local fire department, ARFF, and associated training
for access to the airfield. Create a “Letter of Agreement” on staging points, alert drills, etc.
12. Re-designate confusing taxiways.
13. Eliminate problem runways.
14. Use current diagrams in all AOA access vehicles.
15. Carry a current airport diagram with all AOA personnel badges.
16. Obtain and use airport diagrams. Use the FAA runway safety website to find airport diagrams
for all airports.
17. The airport authority is encouraged to share its driver’s training program. (Even FAA
employees are required to take training if they are on the airfield.)
18. Utilize CD-based pilot and driver’s education training materials and electronic programs.
19. All AOA access authorized personnel, including taxi-qualified mechanics, should complete a
driver’s training program – to include recurrent training.
20. Require and schedule FAA employee driver’s training and recurrent training/testing.
21. Ensure on-airport farming operators are trained and aware of airport operations and its
inherent dangers. Ensure farmers know and adhere to agricultural leased boundaries.
22. Encourage inclusion of surface safety training in maintenance school curriculum for taxi and/or
tow-qualified mechanics.
23. Offer training and awareness education to local contractors working on the airport, and
monitor them.
24. Ensure drivers know where to look for traffic when a pilot isn’t talking to the tower or
broadcasting on CTAF.
25. AOA access authorized personnel should have an awareness and understanding of the
“uniqueness of helicopter operations”.
26. Conduct “Clearing Turns” prior to entering ANY runway.
27. Place signs and marking placards in all AOA access vehicles.
28. Know who has access to the airfield.
29. Maximize controlled access to the airfield, including wildlife.
30. Enforce a “No Tailgating” policy to ensure vehicles remain within proximity until gate is closed
and secure to prevent unauthorized “Tailgating”.
31. Inform the public. Get signs up, “NO TRESPASSING”. Enforce “No Trespassing” through
ordinance.
32. Keep the runway a runway, no racing.
33. Conduct opposite flow runway inspections. Runway inspections should be conducted toward
the flow of aircraft landing and departing as much as possible.
34. Enforce maximum use of existing service roads; stay off of the runway as much as possible.
35. Build and maintain access roads to Navaids from service roads or taxiways, not from runways.
36. Use tunable radios.
37. Enforce a policy of “No Cell Phone” use for personnel while operating on the airfield.
38. Install and/or remove additional signs (including surface painted) and markings to eliminate
confusion.
39. Create an airport sign plan and adhere to it.
40. Use lighted runway closure markers to warn pilots of a closed runway.
41. Install signs at the entry point to the AOA and runway safety areas.
42. Prevent potential obstructions.
43. Use standardized “12 inch” and highlighted hold position markings.
44. Maintain runway and taxiway markings.

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45. Install elevated runway guard lights (ERGL’s) at known Hot Spots and/or high risk
intersections.
46. For new construction, use in-pavement runway guard lights (RGL) at known Hot Spots and/or
high risk intersections.
47. Update the airport remarks section in the Airport Facility Directory with all applicable data
including runway safety information.
48. Determine and publish “line-of-sight” restrictions – can aircraft at opposite ends of the runway
see each other?
49. Increase awareness and advertise of local wildlife issues.
50. Advertise seasonal crops, which might affect line-of-sight for pilots.
51. Issue NOTAMS for snow removal operations and mowing operations.
52. Designate and publish a “Calm Wind” runway at part-time and non-towered airports.
53. Advertise crop dusting operations in the area.
54. Encourage CTAF usage when the airport is “Non-Towered” in the AFD, Hot Spot Brochure,
Airport Website, and Posters at ALL on-site facilities.
55. Encourage local flight schools to emphasize runway safety during initial and recurrent training
& BFR’s.
56. Encourage pilots to have a “heads up” policy when taxiing.
57. Use follow-me vehicles when the ramp is unusually close to a runway and/or for a confusing
taxiway route.
58. Attend and conduct safety seminars and programs on RUNWAY SAFETY.
59. Improve safety by teaching, advocating, stressing and understanding situational awareness.
60. Cite specific airport RUNWAY SAFETY web pages.
61. Use Hot Spot brochures.
62. Distribute RUNWAY SAFETY materials to every aviation entity.
63. Package and distribute runway safety materials to: Flight Schools, Flight Safety International,
Maintenance Centers, Aircraft Manufacturers, etc.
64. Realize that every airport is unique and presents its own set of RUNWAY SAFETY
challenges.
65. Stay alert; stay alive.
66. Declare war on errors; make it everyone’s responsibility.
67. Look for runway incursion potential when reviewing airport construction safety plans,
especially for haul routes.
68. Always think SAFETY FIRST.

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