Expediting Aircraft Recovery at Airports (2012)

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11 chapter two AircrAft recovery GuidAnce Currently, there is regulatory and nonregulatory guidance on the recovery of disabled aircraft at both the U.S. and inter national levels. This chapter presents a compilation of this guidance for the benefit of airport operators and others involved in the recovery of disabled aircraft. u.S. reGulAtory GuidAnce for Airport operAtorS In the United States, there are three main sources of regula- tory guidance associated with the recovery of disabled air- craft. First, 14 CFR Part 139.325, Airport Emergency Plan (AEP), requires certificated airports to develop an AEP that contains instructions for response to— 1. Aircraft incidents and accidents; 2. Bomb incidents, including designation of parking areas for the aircraft involved; 3. Structural fires; 4. Fires at fuel farms or fuel storage areas; 5. Natural disaster; 6. Hazardous materials/dangerous goods incidents; 7. Sabotage, hijack incidents, and other unlawful inter- ference with operations; 8. Failure of power for movement area lighting; and 9. Water rescue situations, as appropriate (FAA 2004). Part 139.325(c)7 requires the AEP to include “Procedures for removing disabled aircraft, including, to the extent prac- tical, the name, location, and telephone numbers of agencies with aircraft removal responsibilities or capabilities.” Part 139.325(d)2 requires the AEP to provide for “the removal of disabled aircraft.” It is clear, therefore, that AEPs at certificated airports are required to address procedures for the removal of disabled aircraft (FAA 2004). A second source of guidance for airports is found in AC 150/5200-31C, Airport Emergency Plan. Although not technically considered regulatory guidance, “for certificated (Part 139) airports, the use of guidelines and standards in this Advisory Circular is mandatory” (FAA 2009, p. 1). This lengthy AC contains the following chapters: • Chapter 1: The Airport Emergency • Chapter 2: Concepts and Principles • Chapter 3: The Planning Process • Chapter 4: Plan Format • Chapter 5: Basic Plan • Chapter 6: Functional Sections – Command and Control – Communications – Alert Notification and Warning – Emergency Public Information – Protective Actions – Law Enforcement/Security – Firefighting and Rescue – Health and Medical – Resource Management – Airport Operations and Maintenance. • Chapter 7: Hazards – Aircraft Incidents and Accidents – Terrorism Incidents – Structural Fires, Fuel Farm, and Fuel Storage Areas – Natural Disasters – Hazardous Materials Incidents – Sabotage, Hijack, and Other Unlawful Interference with Operations – Failure of Power for Movement Area Lighting – Water Rescue Situations – Crowd Control. Although AC 150/5200-31C is a comprehensive emergency planning and management guidance document, it provides little guidance on the recovery of disabled aircraft. The word “recovery” in this AC mainly refers to the recovery phase of comprehensive emergency management, which includes actions that restore the airport/community to pre-emergency conditions, rather than the recovery of disabled aircraft. The AC does, however, suggest that in the section of the AEP detailing responsibilities, the aircraft owner/operator “should provide for the timely removal of the wrecked or disabled aircraft as soon as authorized by the appropriate authority” (FAA 2009, p. 117). Also, Section 7-1-10(c) of the AC recommends the formation of a situation analysis team consisting of representatives from various airport organiza- tions, functional areas, and tenants. According to the AC, an incident action plan will aid in the recovery process. This plan should include long- and short-term considerations for: 1. Final damage assessment (written, pictorial, including video) 2. Public information announcements 3. Facility repair

12 4. Supply inventory and restoration 5. Cost documentation 6. Economic impact 7. Documentation of actions taken 8. Personnel utilization by time on duty 9. Critical incident stress debriefing requirements, if necessary 10. Equipment utilization documentation 11. Overall cleanup activities 12. Air operations area inspections, if appropriate (FAA 2009). AC 150/5200-31C provides significant guidance to air- ports in developing AEPs and planning for the response to and recovery from aircraft accidents. However, it does not provide a great deal of guidance in the recovery of disabled aircraft; therefore, chapter five of this report has been included to provide significant insight into this topic. The third source of U.S. regulatory guidance regarding disabled aircraft is found in 49 CFR Part 830, Notification and Reporting of Aircraft Accidents or Incidents and Over- due Aircraft, and Preservation of Aircraft Wreckage, Mail, Cargo, and Records: The operator of any civil aircraft, or any public aircraft not oper- ated by the Armed Forces or an intelligence agency of the United States, or any foreign aircraft shall immediately, and by the most expeditious means available, notify the nearest National Trans- portation Safety Board (NTSB) office when: A. An aircraft accident or any of the following listed serious incidents occur: a. Flight control system malfunction or failure; b. Inability of any required flight crewmember to perform normal flight duties as a result of injury or illness; c. Failure of any internal turbine engine component that results in the escape of debris other than out the exhaust path; d. In-flight fire; e. Aircraft collision in flight; f. Damage to property, other than the aircraft, estimated to exceed $25,000 for repair (including materials and labor) or fair market value in the event of total loss, whichever is less. g. For large multiengine aircraft (more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight): i. In-flight failure of electrical systems which requires the sustained use of an emergency bus powered by a back-up source such as a battery, auxiliary power unit, or air-driven generator to retain flight control or essen- tial instruments; ii. In-flight failure of hydraulic systems that results in sustained reliance on the sole remaining hydraulic or mechanical system for movement of flight control surfaces; iii. Sustained loss of the power or thrust produced by two or more engines; and iv. An evacuation of an aircraft in which an emergency egress system is utilized. h. Release of all or a portion of a propeller blade from an air- craft, excluding release caused solely by ground contact; i. A complete loss of information, excluding flickering, from more than 50 percent of an aircraft’s cockpit displays known as: i. Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) displays; ii. Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) displays; iii. Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) displays; or iv. Other displays of this type, which generally include a primary flight display (PFD), primary navigation display (PND), and other integrated displays; j. Airborne Collision and Avoidance System (ACAS) reso- lution advisories issued either: i. When an aircraft is being operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan and compliance with the advi- sory is necessary to avert a substantial risk of collision between two or more aircraft; or ii. To an aircraft operating in class A airspace. k. Damage to helicopter tail or main rotor blades, including ground damage, that requires major repair or replacement of the blade(s); l. Any event in which an operator, when operating an air- plane as an air carrier at a public-use airport on land: i. Lands or departs on a taxiway, incorrect runway, or other area not designed as a runway; or ii. Experiences a runway incursion that requires the operator or the crew of another aircraft or vehicle to take immediate corrective action to avoid a collision (NTSB 1998). B. An aircraft is overdue and is believed to have been involved in an accident. Although the aircraft owner/operator is responsible for notifying NTSB, it is good practice for the airport operator to verify the notification. In addition to notifying the NTSB, it is important for the airport operator to notify the FAA Commu- nication Center. Depending on the notification responsibili- ties outlined in the AEP, the air traffic control tower (ATCT) may handle this notification. According to Part 830.6, the notification should contain: A. Type, nationality, and registration marks of the aircraft; B. Name of owner, and operator of the aircraft; C. Name of the pilot-in-command; D. Date and time of the accident; E. Last point of departure and point of intended landing of the aircraft; F. Position of the aircraft with reference to some easily defined geographical point; G. Number of persons aboard, number killed, and number seri- ously injured; H. Nature of the accident, the weather, and the extent of damage to the aircraft, so far as is known; and I. A description of any explosives, radioactive materials, or other dangerous articles carried. Although NTSB Part 830 does not necessarily address the recovery operation, it does detail the events that take place prior to commencing the recovery operation (NTSB 1998). icAo reGulAtory GuidAnce for Airport operAtorS Aircraft recovery is handled differently at airports in Europe and other countries than it is in the United States. For instance, it is not uncommon for a European airport operator to assume the responsibility for aircraft recovery. In fact, airport opera- tors in countries other than the United States may manage or control aircraft servicing, concessions, and more. Even with these differences, it is helpful to consider aircraft recovery guidance in other countries. Specifically, regulatory guidance

13 at the international level is promulgated by ICAO. A spe- cialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 190 contracting states. In the United States, FAA Man- ages ICAO compliance: It represents the contracting state and provides all regulatory guidance that airport operators are obliged to follow. All references to ICAO guidance in this report are for informational purposes only and are not intended to replace, or be equivalent to, FAA regulations and/or FAA guidance on the topic of aircraft recovery. ICAO develops both Standards and Recommended Prac- tices (SARPs) and guidance materials. The SARPs, with which contracting states are obliged to comply, are appli- cable to both regulators (such as FAA) and aerodrome (air- port) operators. Guidance materials, on the other hand, are supplementary to the high level SARPs and may be equated to ACs in the United States. For aerodromes (airports), the SARPs can be found in Annex 14—Aerodromes, Volume I— Aerodrome Design and Operations (ICAO 2009b). In the area of disabled aircraft removal, Chapter 9, sec- tion 9.3 of Annex 14, Volume I contains the following two recommended practices (RPs) for disabled aircraft recovery: 9.3.1 Recommendation—A plan for the removal of an aircraft disabled on, or adjacent to, the movement area should be established for an aerodrome, and a coordinator designated to implement the plan, when necessary. 9.3.2 Recommendation—The disabled aircraft removal plan should be based on the characteristics of the aircraft that may normally be expected to operate at the aerodrome, and include among other things: a) a list of equipment and personnel on, or in the vicinity of, the aerodrome which would be avail- able for such purpose; and b) arrangements for the rapid receipt of aircraft recovery equipment kits available from other aerodromes (ICAO 2009b, p. 9-9). Further, Chapter 2, section 2.10 of Annex 14, Volume I, contains the following two RPs related to the need for promulgation of information concerning disabled aircraft recovery: 2.10.1 Recommendation—The telephone/telex number(s) of the office of the aerodrome coordinator of oper- ations for the removal of an aircraft disabled on or adjacent to the movement area should be made available, on request, to aircraft operators. 2.10.2 Recommendation—Information concerning the capability to remove an aircraft disabled on or adja- cent to the movement area should be made available. In addition to the RPs in Annex 14, Volume I related to the recovery of disabled aircraft, the bulk of ICAO guidance on this topic is found in Airport Services Manual, Part 5— Removal of Disabled Aircraft. This 115-page manual begins by specifying the following contents for an aerodrome’s dis- abled aircraft removal plan: 1. A list of equipment and personnel available on or in the vicinity of the aerodrome; 2. A list of additional equipment available from other aerodromes on request; 3. A list of nominated agents acting on behalf of each operator at the aerodrome; 4. A statement of the airline’s arrangements for the use of pooled specialist equipment; 5. A list of local contractors (with names and telephone numbers) able to supply heavy removal equipment on hire (ICAO 2009a, p. 1-1). The remainder of the guidance in Airport Services Man- ual, Part 5—Removal of Disabled Aircraft, presents detailed methods for removing disabled aircraft. Much of this guid- ance is discussed in chapter five of this report. nonreGulAtory GuidAnce for the AircrAft owner/operAtor Because the airport operator will typically oversee the recov- ery of disabled aircraft, it is beneficial to understand guidance provided to aircraft owner/operators on this topic. Aircraft manufacturers provide a significant amount of guidance to the aircraft owner/operators on the recovery of aircraft they man- ufacture. Specifically, one manufacturer “provides recovery resources from documents and tools to comprehensive air- plane recovery services” (Paluszek 2009, p. 20). Often, the manufacturer has a team of recovery experts that provide expert guidance for recovery team personnel. According to this same manufacturer, aircraft recovery is considered even during the aircraft design process; specifically, it pertains to the following five areas: 1. Weight and center of gravity 2. Emergency defueling with no power on 3. Lifting/shoring 4. Tethering 5. Transporting (Paluszek 2009, pp. 21–23) Additionally, aircraft manufacturers typically have designed specialized tools and equipment to assist in recovering their aircraft once they become disabled. Most important, aircraft manufacturers develop airplane recovery manuals or docu- ments specific to each aircraft model to detail the best recov- ery tools and methods for to recovering one of their aircraft (Paluszek 2009). In addition to guidance offered by aircraft manufacturers, an industry group involved in generating guidance on this topic is the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Aircraft Recovery Task Force (ARTF). This group, “the most

14 • Determine Type of Aircraft Recovery Category • Aircraft Recovery Operation Process • Aircraft Stabilization • Load Calculation and Monitoring • Ground Reinforcement and Stabilization • Tethering Methods • Aircraft Lifting Methods • Aircraft Lifting Procedures • Aircraft Recovery Operation Documentation • Case Study • Table-Top Exercises • Aircraft Transport • Administration Issues • After Use Inspection. Practical Subjects: • Aircraft Recovery Situation Assessment • Familiarization with Aircraft Recovery Equipment • Developing an Aircraft Recovery Plan • Identify the Required Equipment • Ground Reinforcement and Stabilization Concept • Tethering Methods • Placement and Operation of Aircraft Lifting Equipment – Lifting Bags – Spreader Bar – Jacks • Conducting of Live Aircraft Recovery Operations • Aircraft Towing and Winching. Whether guidance is considered regulatory or nonregula- tory, or is obtained from industry associations, manufactur- ers, or training providers, it is important for airport operators and others involved in the recovery of disabled aircraft to be aware of the significant amount of guidance and assis- tance available on this issue. This is important because of the many complexities involved with recovering disabled aircraft. important organization in the recovery profession,” assists the IATA Engineering & Maintenance Group in addressing aircraft recovery requirements for new larger aircraft. The ARTF includes experts from airports, airlines, aircraft manu- facturers, recovery specialists, and tooling manufacturers, within the following roles: • Working with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop practical and safe aircraft recovery proce- dures to minimize secondary damage to the aircraft structure and exposure to health and safety risks. • Working with OEMs and making recommendations for the development of new recovery tools. • Recommending updates for the ICAO Airport Services Manual, Part 5—Removal of Disabled Aircraft. • Increasing awareness of the economic and operational impacts of aircraft recovery (“IATA’s Aircraft Recov- ery Task Force” 2010). The ARTF meets annually. Membership is open to airlines, OEMs, and aviation suppliers and service providers (known as IATA Strategic Partners) (“IATA’s Aircraft Recovery Task Force” 2010). Additionally, various companies, organizations, and asso- ciations offer specialized training in the recovery of disabled aircraft. This training is available from both industry asso- ciations and independent recovery companies and may prove beneficial for airport operators, specifically for personnel des- ignated to coordinate a recovery event. The training curricu- lum may include both theoretical and practical subjects, allow- ing participants to experience the aircraft recovery process. A proposed curriculum, according to one training provider, is as follows (“Aircraft Recovery Training Task Force” 2011): Theoretical Subjects: • Legal Aspects of Disabled Aircraft Recovery • Aircraft Recovery Equipment