1. Runway Incursions and Situational Awareness
ATB5-1

3. Runway Incursion
A runway incursion is "Any occurrence at an airport involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take off of aircraft."

4. Complex & Confusing Intersections Runway/Runway Intersections
Common Locations of Runway Incursions Regardless of Airport Size or Level of Operational Activity
Complex & Confusing Intersections
Runway/Runway Intersections
Runway/Taxiway Intersections
Runway Thresholds

5. The FAA categorizes Runway Incursions in
Four categories depending on the potential
For collision.
A - Separation decreases and participants take
extreme action to narrowly avoid a collision
B - Separation decreases and there is a significant
potential for collision
C - Separation decreases but there is ample time
and distance to avoid a potential collision
D - Little or no chance of collision but meets the
definition of a runway incursion

6. Severity Categories 9 B A C D
Animated Illustration 9 B A C D
Ample time and distance to avoid collision
Significant
potential
for collision
Barely
avoid
collision
Little or no risk of collision
Above scenarios are all classified as runway incursions, but with different severity codes.
In each case the taxiing aircraft penetrated the runway safety area (hold position) AND
A collision hazard or loss of separation occurred with the landing aircraft.

7. All Categories of Runway Incursions
Runway Incursions per 1,000,000 Tower Operations
Runway Incursion Rate
Rate est * as of 05/18//08
15.0
14.60
14.0
13.0
13.34
549 as of 05/18/07
12.0
12.36
11.0
11.56
10.0
9.0
8.0
63.12
63.01
61.13
61.15
YTD 05/18/08
Tower Operations (millions)
* Rates are based on Estimated Tower Operations

8. Severity Distribution of Runway IncursionsFY
FY 2008 YTD (05/18/08)

9. Runway Incursions 480 Air Traffic Control Towers
268 million operations (67 million/year)
1460 incursions total (5 incursions/million)
Over 80% are Category C and D events
71% of aircraft incursions involve two GA aircraft

10. Pilot Deviation Pilot Deviation (PD)
The actions of a pilot that result in the violation of a Federal Aviation Regulation.
When it appears that the actions of a pilot constitute a possible pilot deviation, the controller will notify the pilot, workload permitting, using the following phraseology
“(aircraft identification) possible pilot deviation, advise you contact (facility) at (telephone number)”.

11. Common Factors in Pilot Deviations
31% Improper readback / hearback
56% Not following ATC instructions

12. Vehicle / Pedestrian Deviation (V/PD)
Crossing the holding position marking
Without ATC authorization

13. Operational Error (OE) FAA Orders
An occurrence attributable to an element of the air traffic system in which:
Less than the applicable separation minima results between two or more aircraft, or between an aircraft and terrain or obstacles; or
An aircraft lands or departs on a runway closed to aircraft operations after receiving air traffic authorization

14. Distribution by Type of Runway IncursionsFY
FY 2008 YTD (05/18/08)

15. ATC ERRORS - INCURSIONS DUE TO….
25% deviation from SOP
32% poor communications
32% inadequate scan
10% Lapse of
memory

16. FAA’s DEFINITION OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
According to the FAA ….. ”Situational awareness is defined as a continuous extraction of environmental information, integration of this information with previous knowledge to form a coherent mental picture, and the use of that picture in directing further perception and anticipating future events.”

17. Challenges facing Air Crews and Air Traffic Controllers
Taxi operations are difficult and potentially hazardous
Air traffic volume is expected to increase
Air Traffic System is more complex
Airport layout design is more complicated
Technology improvements at airports have not kept pace with demand

18. Causes of Major Runway Incursions and OE’s
Loss of Situational Awareness
Misunderstanding ATC / Pilot communications
Lapse in short-term memory
Deviation from SOPs
HUMAN ERROR

19. LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
STRATEGY-
Plan your “head down” time wisely
Stripmarking / Chart reading
Reading weather
Adjusting controls
Non essential duties
STORY: LAHSO operation at TPA
HEAD-DOWN ACTIVITIES-changing frequency to Ground Control after landing, switching the transponder to standby, or waiting till clearing the runway to locate the airport diagram. Some of these activities can also be called “vertigo traps” leading to Spatial Disorientation.

20. LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
STRATEGY-
Use memory joggers
Writing pads
Strips
Lights / Bells / Controls
STORY: LAHSO operation at TPA
HEAD-DOWN ACTIVITIES-changing frequency to Ground Control after landing, switching the transponder to standby, or waiting till clearing the runway to locate the airport diagram. Some of these activities can also be called “vertigo traps” leading to Spatial Disorientation.

21. LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
or… “Looking at our surroundings through a straw”
STRATEGY -
Keep the “BIG” picture
SCAN – look out the windows
STORY: LAHSO operation at TPA
HEAD-DOWN ACTIVITIES-changing frequency to Ground Control after landing, switching the transponder to standby, or waiting till clearing the runway to locate the airport diagram. Some of these activities can also be called “vertigo traps” leading to Spatial Disorientation.

22. LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
STRATEGY –
Continue to Scan even when reading a clearance / reading back a clearance or performing other duties
STORY: LAHSO operation at TPA
HEAD-DOWN ACTIVITIES-changing frequency to Ground Control after landing, switching the transponder to standby, or waiting till clearing the runway to locate the airport diagram. Some of these activities can also be called “vertigo traps” leading to Spatial Disorientation.

23. LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
LUAW (Line up and Wait) = time for extra vigilance
STRATEGY-
Controller – Some type of memory jogger
Pilot – Should wait no more than a minute in position without confirming TIPH with tower
STORY: LAHSO operation at TPA
HEAD-DOWN ACTIVITIES-changing frequency to Ground Control after landing, switching the transponder to standby, or waiting till clearing the runway to locate the airport diagram. Some of these activities can also be called “vertigo traps” leading to Spatial Disorientation.

24. PILOTS AND CONTROLLERS
Know who
is who!
Know who
is where!
Here is another lost cost system that does not require any special acft equipage and is being tested in California. As an ILS-equipped acft passes through a small zone, they receive a audible message over their marker beacon system.

25. CONTROLLER / PILOT MISUNDERSTANDING
STRATEGY -
Use your headset rather than the speaker and microphone
Use standard phraseology
(you might interject the “throat mike” story about Mr. Toothacher)
Very frequently, pilots have begun their takeoff roll without and ATC clearance after given TIPH. It is not just pilots who use uncontrolled airports. Commercial operators are just as frequently guilty of this violation.
A-B-C are not acceptable ATC activities or intentions; but these may occur intentionally or simply be a pilot perception.
“Fast Talkers” The nature of the work
Wounded pride OR Short Temper: Interfere with sound reasoning….the warrior syndrome
LISTEN TO READBACKS

26. LAPSE IN SHORT-TERM/WORKING MEMORY
STRATEGY –
Keep tower cab / cockpit free of distractions, whether your busy or not.
Keep non-operational conversations to a minimum
Short-term memory keeps information IF you think about it; otherwise, it is lost after about 20 seconds.
The short-term memory retains 6-8 items under optimum conditions. Both indifference and distractions adversely affect this capacity. “not up for it” or “overload” will cause items—perhaps critical to safety—to be dropped.
Excessive demands on the pilot’s attention can lead to “task saturation”
Either get your ATC clearance before you taxi OR wait until you reach the run-up area. Don’t accept your ATC clearance while moving.

27. LAPSE IN SHORT-TERM/WORKING MEMORY
6-8 items, 20-second retention
Task saturation is a ATC and Pilot reality
STRATEGY –
Don’t take on more than
you can handle
Short-term memory keeps information IF you think about it; otherwise, it is lost after about 20 seconds.
The short-term memory retains 6-8 items under optimum conditions. Both indifference and distractions adversely affect this capacity. “not up for it” or “overload” will cause items—perhaps critical to safety—to be dropped.
Excessive demands on the pilot’s attention can lead to “task saturation”
Either get your ATC clearance before you taxi OR wait until you reach the run-up area. Don’t accept your ATC clearance while moving.

28. REVIEW
Runway incursions (RIs) are infrequent events (5 per million operations).
80% of RIs are minor in severity.
Catastrophic RIs are rare (4 since1989).
Aircraft operations contribute to RIs in proportion to their representation in the NAS.
Most common RIs involve 2 GA planes but are in the minor category.
Pilot Deviations account for a majority of runway incursions.
Rate of major incursions at busiest airports are twice those of the rest of the airports.

29. Runway Incursion Prevention Methods
Close teamwork and clear coordination is essential between pilots and controllers.
An effective scan of the active runways and taxiways by controllers and pilots is an absolute must.

30. “ A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations that require the use of his superior skill.”
Aviation proverb