The LEX Incident …
… is at once a tragedy and a lesson (re)learned. The crash of Comair Delta Flight 5191 killed 49 of 50 persons on board; it appears pilot error was the cause, as the jet departed the wrong and shorter runway at Lexington on its way to Atlanta. One question to be answered: Was there confusion in the cockpit because of recent changes in taxiway procedures due to construction?
George Vickas is a veteran of airfield operations at O’Hare International, and today contracts to teach about runway incursions and navigation to companies doing construction work on the airfield. Vickas is also the owner of Chicago-based P3 Technologies, which offers an anti-runway incursion product for this and other applications.
Lexington’s airport had recently undergone runway rehabilitation; for airports, heightening awareness of the users is a critical component of safety. Vickas says he wonders what type of emphasis is placed in pilot training for AOA operations. “I wish I knew more about the pilot training for the AOA,” he says. “We know they get their ratings for flying in the air, but what kind of training do they get for operating on the AOA?” It’s something, he says, that FlightSafety and others might want to explore further.
His central message to airports regarding airfield construction: educate the contractors. “They’re just as important as the airport, the airlines, and anybody else on the airfield.”
Thanks for reading. jfi
Please let your readers know that Mr. Hitzel’s position and information regarding Readington Township and Solberg Airport is very biased position…he is the Director of Partners@Solberg.
http://www.partners-solberg.org/contributions.htm
Perhaps now the FAA and local authorities have enough data to extend Lexington
Kentucky Blue Grass Airport Runway 26, to meet federal safety standards. Since 1997, a
few local residents have prevented improvements at Blue Grass Airport, including
extending runway 26 from 3500 to 5000 feet, long enough for ComAir flight 5191 to take
off safely. An FAA part 150 noise study conducted in 1997 indicated only 37 homes
would need to be acquired or noise-insulated. Last December, after a six-year old boy
was killed when a 737 ran off the end of a Midway runway, CNN reported that 1/3 of US
runways don’t meet federal standards. Lexington’s Runway 26 runway length of 3500
feet was 2100 feet below federal standards (80% for a crosswind runway at a commercial
airport with a 7000 foot main runway.) New federal legislation was recently passed
requiring 1000’ of paved safety over-run at the ends of nearly 300 major airports.
A web search indicates Blue Grass Airport serves over a million travelers every year by
no less than 6 major airlines. Politicians need to listen more closely when the public air
travelers demand safer air travel, including airport improvements. AeroBlue.Org is a
grassroots member-based organization focused on delivering that message.
This is a nationwide problem, and state governments, and local land-use planners need to
take stronger measures to ensure safety improvements and runway extensions are
implemented to protect lives. Only state and local governments can reduce the number of
people living near the ends of runways; the FAA has no local authority to ensure airport
compatible land-use. In New Jersey, Readington township is attempting Eminent
Domain to prevent transportation improvements at Solberg Airport and even built a new
elementary school less than 2000 feet from the end of a runway, with potentially heartbreaking
results.
“States and cities across the country need to do more to enhance safety at and near
airports” says Simeon Hitzel, President of AeroBlue.Org. “We’re working hard to
organize the traveling public to deliver safer airports and runway improvements instead
of decades of delays and highly disruptive controversy. Our economy and our quality of
life depend on safer airports.”
AeroBlue.Org is launching a nationwide grassroots organization uniting Air Travelers
and the aviation industry to improve both our economy and our quality of life.
For additional information,
Contact: Simeon Hitzel
AeroBlue.Org
P.O. Box 288
Garwood NJ 07027
908 477-4000
Contact@AeroBlue.Org
http://www.AeroBlue.Org
Pilots get plenty of training and reminders about AOA operations. Unfortunately there are many times when the data is incorrect or obsolete. Some airport information seems to be updated very frequently and others lag behind for some reason. This disparity was very evident to me a few years ago when both major hubs of the airline I worked for were undergoing major changes to the terminals, taxiways,taxi procedures, and runways. Information given to the pilots of one airport was updated virtually every two weeks (the normal update schedule for our charts at the time) while the other airport lagged behind on the updates on major changes for literally months.
I have operated at LEX and confusion was present even before the configuration change. A taxi clearance given to taxi to Runway 22 would often not contain the statement to cross Runway 26. Runway 26 would be the first runway encountered, it also starts with a ‘2′, and taxiing in darkness all added to the confusion.
This accident will sadly come down to pilot error. Even with all the migating factors, it was the pilot’s and specifically the Captain’s responsibilty the aircraft was departing from Runway 22. I am sure the problems with the airport (confusing signage and understaffed ATC personnel) will be fixed, but the cost to get to that point was too high.