New NTSB Recommendations Include Cockpit Technology for Runway Safety

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New NTSB Recommendations Include Cockpit Technology for Runway Safety

New safety recommendations from the U.S. National Safety Board (NTSB) concerning pilot mistakes or attention lapses on airport surfaces, includes the use of available technologies, such as moving maps and automatic pilot alerting that compares the aircraft's position to a database of runways and other factors.

The new recommendations, which are contained in a recent letter to the FAA, were made as a result of the Board's conclusions about the Comair takeoff accident at Lexington, Kentucky, on August 26, 2006. They include a requirement that all Part 91K, 121, and 135 operators (referring to 14 Code of Federal Regulations) equip their aircraft either with moving map displays or an automatic system that alerts pilots when a takeoff is attempted on a taxiway or a runway other than the one intended. Many current EFB (electronic flight bag) offerings have these options, and Honeywell's RAAS (runway awareness & advisory system) is an available alerting technology.

Other procedural, good practice and signage recommendations made by the Board in its letter include the following:

Require that all Part 91K, 121, and 135 operators establish procedures requiring all crewmembers on the flight deck to positively confirm and cross-check the airplane's location at the assigned departure runway before crossing the hold short line for takeoff.
Require that all airports certificated under Part 139 implement enhanced taxiway centerline markings and surface painted holding position signs at all runway entrances.
Prohibit the issuance of a takeoff clearance during an airplane's taxi to its departure runway until after the airplane has crossed all intersecting runways.
Revise FAA Administration Order 7110.65, "Air Traffic Control," to indicate that controllers should refrain from performing administrative tasks, such as the traffic count, when moving aircraft are in the controller's area of responsibility.

The Safety Board also reiterated these recommendations, which it had issued previously:

Require that all runway crossings be authorized only by specific air traffic control clearance, and ensure that U.S. pilots, U.S. personnel assigned to move aircraft, and pilots operating under 14 CFR Part 129 receive adequate notification of the change.
Amend Federal Aviation Administration Order 7110.65, "Air Traffic Control," to require that, when aircraft need to cross multiple runways, air traffic controllers issue an explicit crossing instruction for each runway after the previous runway has been crossed.

09-09-2007.

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