FAA · Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFO)
SAFO 08003: Guidance Material for Contaminated Runway Landing Operations
In Brief
What It Addresses
This SAFO identifies Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published guidance material that all operators are encouraged to incorporate into their standard operating procedures (SOP) to mitigate the risk of landing operations on contaminated runways.
Why It Matters
The aviation industry continues to experience accidents and incidents associated with landing operations on contaminated runways. These events are seldom caused by one factor but are typically the result of several combined factors that lead to the accident or incident.
Recommended Action
Directors of safety, directors of operations, aviation instructors, those responsible for operational control, and flight crewmembers should become familiar with the safety recommendations provided in these two documents and incorporate them into their SOP. Air carriers and air operators should incorporate the safety elements of these two documents into their operating procedures.
From the Document: selected source passages, quoted as written, for a quick overview.
SAFOSafety Alert for Operators
U.S. Department SAFO 08003
of Transportation DATE 1/17/08
Federal Aviation
Administration Flight Standards Service
Washington, DC http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo A SAFO contains important safety information and may include recommended action. SAFO content should be especially valuable to air carriers in meeting their statutory duty to provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public interest. Besides the specific action recommended in a SAFO, an alternative action may be as effective in addressing the safety issue named in the SAFO.
Subject: Guidance Material for Contaminated Runway Landing Operations
Purpose: This SAFO identifies Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published guidance material that all operators are encouraged to incorporate into their standard operating procedures (SOP) to mitigate the risk of landing operations on contaminated runways.
Background: The aviation industry continues to experience accidents and incidents associated with landing operations on contaminated runways. These events are seldom caused by one factor but are typically the result of several combined factors that lead to the accident or incident. Some of the elements that have been identified as causal factors in these runway overrun events are:
Misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the stopping performance capability of the aircraft on contaminated runways and the assumptions that are built into landing performance data, both normal and advisory, as supplied in Aircraft Flight Manuals (AFM) and associated documentation.
Landing long—Basing landing distance requirements on AFM data but landing farther down the runway than would be assumed by the AFM landing data.
Approach and landing speeds higher than those specified by the AFM.
A different approach angle from that used during certification.
The effect on landing distance caused by techniques used with brakes, thrust (prop) reversers, and aircraft ground lift dumping and drag devices that differ from those used during certification.
Insufficient flightcrew training for planning and execution of landings on contaminated runways.
Discussion: In cooperation with industry, the FAA has produced and published the following two guidance documents that operators are encouraged to incorporate into their SOP for all landing operations with special emphasis for landing operations on contaminated runways. For your convenience, hyperlinks to the documents are included in the titles below.
Approved by: AFS-200
SAFO 06012 Landing Performance Assessments at Time of Arrival (Turbojets), which can be found at http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all _safos/media/2006/safo06012.pdf
Advisory Circular (AC) 91-79, Runway Overrun Prevention, which can be found at http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/0052F2A 2A00D91B28625738E0071E44C?OpenDocument
Recommended Action: Directors of safety, directors of operations, aviation instructors, those responsible for operational control, and flight crewmembers should become familiar with the safety recommendations provided in these two documents and incorporate them into their SOP. Air carriers and air operators should incorporate the safety elements of these two documents into their operating procedures. Training programs should incorporate training for appropriate personnel to acquire the necessary knowledge and skill required to put the safety elements identified in these two documents into everyday operational practice.
Contact: AFS-220 at (202) 493-4602
Approved by: AFS-200
Source: Federal Aviation Administration — www.faa.gov. Reproduced from the published record; FlightPush adds formatting only.
SAFO 08003