IFPA Board of Directors unanimously agree that immediate action is needed to improve the quality of runway surface condition reporting to commercial airline pilots before landing and takeoff on runways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clearwater, Florida - The International Friction Pavement Association, a coalition of interested parties in the aviation industry and operational entities believes that the accurate and timely reporting of runway surface conditions in adverse weather is the most pressing concern effecting aviation safety during winter flight operations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should move quickly to ensure airports observe and transmit critical runway braking action conditions in a more timely matter to flight crews.

 

As a trade association, IFPA provides both technical and industry expertise to support its members on issues related to runway pavement safety while providing information to operational users around the world. Over the past 15 years there have been 140 aircraft overruns directly related to runway braking action resulting in over 100 fatalities. Many US Airports currently use outdated equipment and poorly trained personnel in testing runway surfaces following existing FAA evaluation procedures.

 

With the NTSB announcement on its findings of the Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) accident, IFPA fully supports the need for both operational and equipment improvements in monitoring and reporting runway braking action to aircraft by airport authorities. As the MDW accident has shown, a lack of awareness within the aviation industry and its users as to the hidden dangers of winter airport operations can lead to severe consequences. Understanding the direct relation between friction values and fluid drag or pavement contaminate, such snow and slush, must be calculated in providing an accurate braking action report. The development of improved runway surface testing equipment along with better communications between airports, air traffic controllers, and pilots will be vital to the safety of the our growing national air carrier traffic.

 

Read the full NTSB report here