Introduction
Vehicle operations at the airside have tremendous impact on the safety and security of aviation activities. For this reason, the use of vehicles for airside operations is regulated to avoid injury to persons and damage to properties (particularly aircraft). It is therefore the responsibility of the airport operator to have and to maintain Airside Traffic Handbook which contains the rules and requirements for operating a vehicle at the airside. The focus of this presentation therefore, is on Airside Vehicle/Operators’ Permits and Airside Driving Rules.
Airside Vehicle Requirements/Permits
Vehicles used or intended for use at the airside must meet the minimum standards laid down by the airport operator. Some of these requirements could be that such vehicles:
✅ must meet the mechanical and roadworthiness requirements under Government laws;
✅ must have a serviceable two-way communication radio;
✅ must be painted in contrasting and conspicuous colour as approved for airside operations;
✅ must display a clearly distinguishable logo of the operating company or vehicle owner, and possibly the Vehicle Call Sign;
✅ must have a flashing yellow hazard beacon; and
✅ must display a valid Airside Driver’s Permit/Apron Pass.
Airside Vehicle Operators’ Requirements
Companies and persons requiring access to the airside for aviation business purposes must obtain sufficient copies of the Airside Traffic Handbook such that each of her Airside Drivers can have a copy. This is the regulatory document for drivers at the airside and provides the basis for testing applicants for Airside Vehicle Operators Permit (AVOP). Each airside driver must be approved to operate a vehicle at the airside, and the issuance of an AVOP to the driver is a confirmation of this approval.
The airside driver’s permit specifies the areas that the driver is authorized to operate. The Permit is categorized into Class A Category – Airside Roads, Apron and Perimeter Roads only; and Class B Category – All Movement Areas. Applicants for an AVOP must provide certification as evidence of having the requisite knowledge of Airside Driving or as having been trained and tested by an approved/authorized Training Officer(s) on:
I. Rules for airside driving operations;
II. Geography of the airport in question;
III. Airport signage; and
IV. Radiotelephony Procedures.
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Safety Operating Procedures For Airside Driving/Vehicle Operations
Every airport has her procedures for driving at the airside. These procedures are often stated in the Aerodrome Operations Manual (AOM). All companies and personnel driving at the airside are therefore expected to get acquainted with and strictly comply with these procedures. Such procedures could be, but are not limited to the following:
1) Permission of vehicular movement into the movement areas shall only be granted on request, by the ATC after appropriate screenings have been ensured.
2) All vehicles and/or construction equipment must have serviceable hazard beacons. And for every unit of construction, there must be an airside escort vehicle for coordination purposes.
3) Movement of equipment/vehicles 70m to the shoulder of the runway, or into the runway shall be through express permission of the ATC as obtained through request.
4) At all times, only vehicles that have met the minimum airside safety and security entry requirements shall be granted access to the airside.
5) The ICAO stipulated airside speed limit of 30km/hr (or as stipulated in the airside rules) must be maintained while driving at the airside.
6) Movement of vehicles/equipment into the trans-receiving areas of the Navigation/Landing Aids (200m radius) must be only with the permission of the ATC.
7) No equipment or detached part must be left beyond 120m measured from the runway shoulder or strip. It must be stowed at least 200m away from the runway shoulder or strip.
8) Dysfunctional equipment must not be left unattended within the runway strip, but must be repaired or taken out of the airside immediately.
9) Equipment/vehicles with known or perceived sign of unserviceability (maintenance challenges) must not be taken or allowed into the airside.
10) All firefighting equipment/vehicles with perceived operational faults must not be tested at the airside.
11) A taxiing aircraft shall always have the right of way at the airside. Movement across the taxiway or link way when there is a taxiing aircraft is highly prohibited.
12) Movement of equipment/vehicles or personnel across the runway 21-03 approach paths and frontage of localizer antenna arrays/safety area is highly prohibited.
13) Construction equipment storage site at the airside must be adequately lit at night.
14) Construction equipment/vehicles must be parked and serviced in an area designated by the airport authority outside the safety area of an active runway or taxiway.
15) All vehicles and equipment operating at the airside and in the general vicinity of the safety area or in aircraft movement areas must be marked with flashing yellow/amber beacons, or orange and white flags during daylight hours.
16) Pedestrians and vehicular traffic at the airside must be warned at all times by the proper positioning of warning signs, devices and/or flaggers.
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Identifying Airside Hazards Posed By Vehicle Operations
Airside driving poses significant risks to safety of properties (particularly aircraft) and personnel working at the airside. Therefore, airside users should be able to identify and report the following hazards:
- Erratic driving (driving too fast or above approved speed limit);
- Driving vehicles with mechanical conditions (faults) like failed brakes, expired tires, etc;
- Improper parking;
- Parking in aircraft operations areas;
- Blocking fuel truck when fueling;
- Improper grounding of equipment;
- Leaving vehicle with engine running unattended;
- Vehicles or equipment without hazard lights;
- Vehicles or equipment without two-way radios or requisite communication equipment;
- Lack of reverse alarms in vehicles/equipment;
- Failure to yield to right of way for aircraft and pedestrians; and
- Oil spills on the apron and/or in passenger walkways.
Conclusion
Supervision of airside driving is a collective responsibility of all users of the airside. Still, the Airfield Services Officer/Manager or any other authorized personnel should regularly conduct spot checks on drivers at the airside to ensure compliance with the airside safety procedures and regulations.
REFERENCE
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- Annex 14 – Aerodromes, Vol. I – Aerodrome Design and Operations, Chapter. 9, 9.7,
- Aerodrome Vehicle Operations and Attachment A, Paragraph 18, Operators of Vehicles
- Safety Management Manual (SMM) (Doc 9859)
Airports Council International (ACI)
- (World) Apron Safety Handbook
- (World) Apron Signs and Markings Handbook
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
- Airport Handling Manual (AHM), current edition
