AIRCRAFT GROUND
DAMAGE PREVENTION
Best practices for preventing business aircraft
ground damage events
•
Introduction
Purpose of program - reduce aircraft ground damage risk by
providing “best practices” interventions
Focused audience - corporate flight and maintenance crews
Intended use - training and awareness tool
Self-audit tool - gap analysis, how do we manage these risks?
(tbd)
Incident analysis flow chart -tool to look at human factors issues
What this is not - a tool to manage FBO’s
Size of the problem ? Many costs uninsured, estimated at over
$100 million/year in direct costs
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Most significant risk factors
for ground damages
Towing
Ramp Movement
Ground Service
Equipment
Hangar
Movements
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Most significant human
factors for ground damages
Time Factors
Skill-based Errors
Customer Satisfaction
Direct Rule Violations
Environment Issues
Communication Errors
Loss of Situational Awareness
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Risk Exposures
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Maintenance Related
Exposures
Mobile ladders/equip near aircraft
control surfaces
Walk paths near aircraft storage
positions
Use of non-rubber chocks while in
hangars
Static wick protection warning
devices
Complete a Job hazard analysis
for specific aircraft maintenance
exposures related to unique
situations
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Maintenance Related
Exposures
Fire Protection - urea foam deluge
systems should receive periodic
inspection
Equipment that can move due to
vibration or jet blast should be
chocked or secured
Aircraft log books should be stored in
a secure storage system when not in
use
Clothing - Belt buckles covered and
shoe protectors used if required.
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Aircraft Movement
• Use of at least 2 wing
walkers while moving aircraft
from or into hangars along
with tug operator
• Team completes an area
risk assessment before
moving aircraft
• Perimeter floor marking that
delineates limits of aircraft
placement near hangar walls
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Aircraft Movement
• Hangar doors - securing methods to
prevent inadvertent closure due to jet
blast or high winds
• Aircraft wings should not overlap other
aircraft due to settling hazard
• Hangar doors should be fully opened
before aircraft movement
• Aircraft should not be moved through
propeller arcs
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Aircraft Movement
• Floor/ramp markings
delineate best aircraft
positions for entry or exit
from hangars
• Suggested hangar
staking diagrams should
be provided as visual
aids
• Overhead doors systems
should have a periodic
inspection process
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Aircraft Movement
• A Job hazard analysis should be
completed for aircraft movement
exposures in hangar areas
related to unique situations
• Written procedures for aircraft
movement should be available in
both the flight and maintenance
operations manuals
• Employees who move aircraft
receive should receive training
on company procedures
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Aircraft Movement
• A visual inspection of the aircraft
should be completed before any
tow initiates
• The team should complete an
area risk assessment briefing
before moving aircraft - all sides of
aircraft perimeter visually
inspected for hazards
• Towing equipment - tugs/Lektro
tugs visually inspected, brakes
checked, correct tow bar verified
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Aircraft Movement
• Towbars should be labeled as to
aircraft type
• Tugs are marked as to rated
maximum loads
• A post tow inspection should
completed of aircraft
• For aircraft pushes, the rear area
must be inspected before
movement
• A written job hazard analysis
should be completed for aircraft
towing exposures
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Aircraft Towing
• Verification that aircraft
brakes are off is
completed before the tow
or push is initiated
• Employees who move
aircraft should receive
training on procedures
• Aircraft are towed at a
safe walking speed
• Towing safety rules
marked on tugs
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Aircraft Towing
• Large/heavy aircraft should
require a person acting as a
brake monitor during movement
- in cockpit
• If the tow operator loses sight of
wing walker, an immediate
STOP should occur
• If there is any doubt as to
having adequate
space/clearance,an immediate
STOP should occur
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Aircraft Towing
• Aircraft should only be
moved by approved
vehicles
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Aircraft Taxi To Ramp Area
• Pilots should visually scan the
ramp for risks while taxing in
• Ground marshaller’s should
provide the correct hand signals - if
in doubt, stop
• While taxiing, the area should
continually be scanned for threats
such as: drain grates, narrow rows
of positioned aircraft, ramp slope,
blind spots, jet blast hazards, wind
direction, loose chocks,
vehicle movements
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Aircraft Taxi To Ramp Area
• Pilots should communicate (radio)
with unicom or for taxi in
assistance from FBO, etc.
• Pilots should observe any
hazards related to ground service
equipment movements or
positioning hazards - plan ahead
for departure routes
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Aircraft Taxi From Ramp
Area
Flight crew should complete a
visual inspection of the aircraft
prior to departure
Pilots should ensure that wing
walkers are used in confined
areas or areas where
marshalling person cannot see
all positions of the aircraft.
Pilots should visually survey
the ramp area for risks during
pre-start and taxi
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Aircraft Parking
• Warning cones should be placed
at wing tips and tail
• Potential jet exhaust blast
hazards should be planned for
• Aircraft should be positioned to
avoid wing overlap hazards
• Triple chocks should be placed
at mains and nose gear for
overnight parking
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Aircraft Parking
• The main gear should be
chocked at all ramp parking
situations
• A ground marshaller should
be used to aid for taxi in and
departure from parking spots
• Ground air stair mats should
be removed before engine
start
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Ground Service Equipment
• Fuel Trucks should be chocked when
servicing aircraft
• All mobile equipment should be
positioned to not face aircraft
• Ground power units should not be
positioned under tail sections and
must be chocked
• Special precautions should be
followed to insure the removal of GPU
plugs before the unit is moved
• Tugs and other types of GSE such as
golf carts should be shut-off, parking
brakes set, and chocked when left
unattended
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Towing Communications
• Will you be towing our aircraft today?
• Yes - Inform ground crew: “Be advised the brakes are off and here is a
copy of our company’s preferred for towing and securing our aircraft.”
• No - Present the company’s written suggested procedures for ground
chocking and protection - cones, etc
• “Are you familiar with this type of aircraft?”
• Yes - Assist as a spotter
• No - Ask that A/C remain where it is
• “Do you have room for our A/C in your hangar?”
• Yes - Present the company’s written suggested procedures for hangar
movements - chocks, walkers, speed, etc.
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Towing Communications
• “Have you been trained to tow this type of aircraft?”
• No - Ask that A/C remain where it is
• “Will the aircraft be towed at times when the flight crew is not available?”
• Yes - Ask that wing walkers be present at that the perimeter of the
aircraft be cleared before movement. Suggest the use of a brake
monitor on heavy aircraft.
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Fueling Communications
• “Are you familiar with the fueling procedures for this type of aircraft?”
• No - Present the company’s written suggested procedures that
outline fueling methods
• Yes - If time permits, assign a pilot to observe fueling
• As much as practical, fueling should only be conducted when a flight
crew member or employee of the aircraft’s owner is present
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What can happen?
• No Chocks on a
sloping ramp...
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What can happen?
• Unauthorized vehicles
operations on the
ramp...
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Incident
For Each
For Each UnSafe
Condition
At-Risk Behavior
Yes
Unforced Behavior
Was the Behavior Simply an Error by
the
Individual?
Yes
Explore “Soft” System Issues
•Procedures
•Training
•Human Factors
Make Improvements to:
•Procedures
•Training
•Human Factors
No
Ground Damage
Incident Review
Process
No
Did Condition
Result from a
Behavior?
Forced Behavior
Was the Behavior Out of Control of the
individual?
Yes
Explore “Hard” System Issues
•Workstation Design
•Tool/Equipment Design
•Tool/Equipment Availability
•Redesign Workstation
•Redesign Tool/Equipment
•Purchase Necessary Tool/Equipment
No
Influenced Behavior
Was there a Risk/Reward Influence on
the Behavior?
Yes
Conduct an Analysis to Determine What
Drives the
At-Risk Behavior
Identify and Implement Antecedents and
Consequences that Support Desired
Behaviors and Reduce At-Risk
Behaviors
Self-Audit Gap Analysis...
• We have written SOP’s in place?
Y
N
• Employees trained on procedures
Y
N
• Employees provided risk awareness training
Y
N
• Incident investigations conducted
Y
N
• We have completed a risk assessment
Y
N
• Compliance evaluations completed
Y
N
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Self-Audit Gap Analysis...
• We have the correct ground equipment
Y
• We monitor FBO actions
Y
N
N
• We have an accountability system in place
Y
N
• Access to ramp areas is controlled
Y
N
• Crews have ground damage awareness training
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Y
N
Thank you...
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