Airfield Operations & Safety Unit - London City Airport Consultative ...

Who are AOSU?• AOSU is currentlymade up of 16 staffmembers• Based airside at thebottom of the ATCtower,• Mainly operate on theairfield & apron areas

AOSU StructureAnnaGawthorpeManagerAirside SafetyCoordinator5 Operations & SafetyControllersAdmin8 Operations & Safety Assistants

Our Role Within The Airport• Maintain a safe operating airfield on a day today basis• Ensure the Aerodrome Licence criteria is met• Meeting CAA requirements– Maintenance of the infrastructure, habitat &equipment– Airfield layout criteria– Maintain a functioning Safety Management System– Be prepared for an emergency

Meeting CAA LicenceStandards• The airport is licensed and regulated by the CAA• The majority of the criteria for that license ismanaged by AOSU• We are audited twice a year by the CAA toensure we are meeting the standards• The standards are set out in literally dozens ofpublications!

Airfield Maintenance• Runway & taxiway concrete maintenance– Regular monitoring ensures the runwayremains serviceable.– The Ops Controller will walk the length of therunway every week tracking faults

Runway Friction• Over the course of a season rubber build upcan reduce the frictional characteristics of therunway and it must be removed

Airfield Ground Lighting(AGL)• The airfield lighting layout & maintenancerequirements are set by the CAA– Daily checks of the 1000’s of lights are completed– Weekly maintenance to ensure they are fullyserviceable

Bird Management• Habitat Management to control bird activityaround the airfield is crucial for a safe operation• Bird strikes are one of the mostly likely causes ofaircraft incidents around airports• The CAA require us to continuously monitor birdson and around the airport

Bird Strike Consequences

Bird Management on Site• The airfield landscaping is designed to reducebird activity• Procedures to ensure bird attracts are removed• There is a member of staff on the airfield at alltimes monitoring birds– Record all sightings of birds,– Use different dispersal methods todeter the birds

Bird Management Off Site• A 13km bird circle around the airfield is monitoredfor bird activity• Birds are risk assessed to identify high risk species• Sites identified as those which increase bird activityaround the airfield are closely monitored

Local Problem Areas• Royal Victoria Dock & Marina - Swan Numbers• Huge increase in the number of observations inthe last 18 months350300Total Monthly Number of Swans Observed Overflying or inthe Dock Adjacent to London City Airport31229225020015010050473044907893137 1388161 69871451151001940

Airfield Safety Management• Ramp Awareness & Driver Training• Airfield procedure trials, risk assessments &promulgation of new procedures• Accident Investigation & hazard spotting

Safety Campaigns

Emergencies• AOSU play a large part in an airfield emergency• Ops Controller fulfils the role of Airport Silver• Ops Assistants will provide communications,scribe services and a passenger assembly area

Weather!

Any Questions?