To help reduce wrong-surface incidents (such as landing or taking off from a taxiway or the wrong runway), the FAA is sponsoring “special focus” meetings hosted by the agency’s runway safety action team (RSAT). The next meeting will be September 26 at the Boston MedFlight facility at Hanscom Field (KBED) in Bedford, Massachusetts, report agenceis.
These meetings will discuss factors that are contributing to recent wrong-surface events at airports, including attempted arrivals and departures, and to assess if current mitigations are adequate. “Wrong-surface landings occur at a rate of approximately one every other day and nearly 90 percent are committed by general aviation pilots,” the FAA said.
“We are inviting safety professionals from all major airport interests, including airlines, FBOs, industry groups, airport operations, and maintenance personnel,” said the Massachusetts Business Aviation Association (MBAA). “FAA participation will include the regional administrator’s air traffic, airports division, and flight standards divisions. Participants will help drive discussion and assist with recommendations and solutions to enhance surface safety.”
The air traffic manager will be the primary presenter during the RSAT, though the airport will have an opportunity to brief attendees on airport issues such as runway incursions and construction projects and their effects to airport operations. “There will be time for all airport users to address concerns and to answer any operational questions attendees might have,” the FAA added.
