A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/565556
o Mr. Loewen will be going to BWI 9/9 to make an RWSL presentation at their RSAT. o Site status: § MSP completed Joint Acceptance Inspection (JAI), Operational Readiness Decision (ORD), and commissioned 8/13 § ORD system checkout is in process. Installation is being completed in 3 phases, the first of which is scheduled for Initial Operating Capability (IOC) early February 2016. § DTW IOC 7/8, Operation System Development (OSD) is on going. JAI and ORD planned f or mid September. § LAX OSD is ongoing, JAI and ORD planned for late September. § EWR controller training scheduled for mid to late September, IOC January 2016. § BWI is briefing RWSL at their RSAT on September 9, Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) planned f or late 2016, IOC mid 2017. § JFK is being installed in three phases, phase 1 shadow ops and IOC scheduled for lat October 2015. Phases 2 and 3 should reach IOC next summer. · Runway safety: o The topic at the top of most conversations has been the use of runways as taxiways. There are risks associated with using a runway as a taxiway including but not limited to: pilots will frequently taxi faster than they will on a taxiway leading to greater stopping distances and reduced time to react to ot her traffic, sight lines to signage and obstructions are wider leading to degraded situational awareness, surface markings are different than on taxiways leading to degraded situational awareness, and some facilities allow ground control to taxi aircraft o n or across runways which also degrades the flight crew's awareness of other traffic that is approaching or departing the runway. o There are times when it is necessary to use a runway as a taxiway, but those operations should be limited to the greatest extent that is possible. This is a question of risk management. Sometimes riskier operations are required but they should be managed/mitigated by heightened tower crew awareness and in some instances through a more strict adherence to standard operating procedures to instill as much safety as possible. · Monday 8/24 was the fifth Airport Construction Task Group Meeting hosted by RTCA. o The Runway Template Action Plan (RTAP, a checklist of actions associated with new runway construction) was com pared to the Airport Construction Advisory Counsel (ACAC) checklist for airport construction (N JO 7210.3 para. 10 - 3 - 11) to begin construction of a tool that will assist all stakeholders involved in airport construction. o Case studies and reports from construction at ATL, ALB, BDR, and RDU highlighted the importance of early and frequent communication among stakeholders through projects that frequently