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When it comes to taking safety precautions on our airport runways, the FAA has set rules in place that include take-off, landing and everything in between. Airport runway safety is a huge priority—for both airlines and airports—as it encompasses the protection of travelers, staff, and equipment. Yet, for all the strategy and regulations that keep runway’s safe, there is a small, but insistent intruder that makes airport runway safety an ongoing challenge and priority.
Dealing with FOD
FOD, or Foreign Object Debris, is a reality recognized by airports worldwide. While FOD itself can be tiny—as small as a rock or pen cap—the effects of debris has a huge impact. Reports indicate that upwards of $4 billion is spent annually on repairing damage caused by even the smallest of particles on airport runways. This doesn’t include costs incurred by airlines due to delayed or canceled flights or refunds to passengers. While most debris-related incidents don’t end in catastrophe—most cause damage to the airplane—the potential for accidents is still a reality that keeps officials asking the same question: what is the best method for keeping our runways safe?
A sweeping approach to runway safety
Sweeping is the most common method for removing FOD from airport runways and a practice that includes daily sweeps and check-ups throughout the workday. In fact, airport employees are taught about the dangers of FOD and how to keep an eye out for any foreign objects on the runway. While major airports perform routine sweeping throughout the day, smaller airports with less traffic may not even perform daily or weekly sweeps. Instead, many airports depend on visual maintenance. But is it enough?
The National Hockey League has regulatory ice resurfacing rules that include up to five runs of the Zamboni per game. What would happen to runway safety if the same stringent requirements for FOD removal were employed? Airports report that some of the most effective runway sweepers, when employed regularly, remove potentially dangerous debris that would otherwise go unnoticed by visual maintenance staff.
Several airports are investing in new technology used to scan the surface of runways for any foreign debris that might be invisible to the naked eye. When objects are picked up on the scanner, FOD sweepers or then sent out to remove the debris. Items as small as paperclips to more obtrusive articles such as luggage handles and airplane debris can be effectively removed, and rapidly, with the help of runway sweepers. While new technology is explored, however, airports are recognizing that their use of sweepers, when utilized to their fullest potential, can be the key to runway safety worldwide.
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