News
TSB proposes new aviation safety guidelines

July 12, 2011 – The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has made recommendations on aviation safety. To increase the overall safety of aviation and more specifically to address the areas identified by the board, the department has taken a number of actions. Most importantly, the department is developing an accelerated process to take the action required as a result of the TSB recommendations and will continue to collaborate with the board to maintain and enhance the safety of Canadian aviation.

To reduce the risk of collisions with land and water, Transport Canada is:

• implementing an updated floatplane safety campaign for the summer of 2011;
• issuing guidance material to encourage the use of best practices to increase survivability in the event of a floatplane accident;
• conducting a focused evaluation with selected members of industry to determine the most effective ways to address the TSB’s recommendations; and
• engaging international partners to develop a coordinated international approach to requirements.

To increase safety on runways, the department:

• has published guidance material addressing airside access and vehicle control until the applicable amendments to the regulations are in place;
• is promoting the use of runway guard lights, located at taxiway and runway intersections, to caution pilots or vehicle drivers that they are about to enter an active runway;
• is participating in an industry-led panel on ways to prevent runway incursions; and
• partnered with the International Civil Aviation Organization to prepare the Manual on the Prevention of Runway Incursions. The manual provides global guidance on how to reduce runway incursions.
• To reduce the risk of landing accidents and runway overruns, the department has reviewed regulations to provide additional visual aids to help pilots assess landing distances. The department has also harmonized Canadian requirements with international standards on runway end safety areas (RESAs) and recognized the engineered material arresting system (EMAS)1 as an alternative measure to increase safety.

Transport Canada is committed to conforming to ICAO’s 150-metre runway safety area standard. At the same time, the department has also begun a risk assessment to determine the safety effectiveness of increasing the RESA to 300 metres. This process will continue through the summer of 2011. Pending the results of the risk assessment, a revised Notice of Proposed Amendment will be tabled for consideration at the September 2011 meeting of the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council.

The department has also published an Advisory Circular and an article in Aviation Safety Letter targeting airline operators. In addition, Transport Canada has issued guidelines to help pilots with decision making when flying in poor weather. Transport Canada also participates in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Air Navigation Commission, as well as its Aerodrome Panel and Aerodrome Design Working Group. These bodies develop and harmonize international standards that will reduce runway overrun and undershoot incidents.

Note 1: The engineered material arresting system (EMAS) is a system that reduces the speed of an aircraft once it has landed. EMAS is located beyond the end of the runway and is designed to stop an overrunning aircraft by affecting its landing gear. EMAS is a soft ground arrestor that deforms under the weight of the aircraft tires as the airplane runs over it. As the tires crush the material, the aircraft slows down and is brought to a safe stop.