Aviation Management - Airplane Accident Rescue Procedures - Assignment Example

Running Header: Aviation Management Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code & Name: Date of Submission: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 2 Aerodromes Operations, Categorization and the Licensing Requirements 3 Operations of aerodromes 3 License requirements 4 Aerodrome Categorization 4 Airplane Accident Rescue Procedures 5 AAIB and rescue and fire services 6 Competence Standards in Aviation and Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services 6 Competence Training 6 Aviation fire and rescue services and local fire services 7 Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS) and Fire and Rescue Service Authorities 8 CAA Inspections 9 Role Maps in fire and rescue services 10 Fuel Management 11 Conclusion 12 References 14 Introduction Aviation has put safety as part of its priorities as a way of ensuring reduced risk and hazards among its staff. This is towards ensuring that its operations are not affected by any arising risks of fires due to poor risks management. Aviation is a major UK industry that within a year carries 235million passengers with over 2.3million tonnes of freights. This trend is expected increase greatly in the long term. This is through taking into consideration the set rules and regulations by various civil authorities including CAA as well as other aviation regulatory bodies as illustrated by Mike (2004). It has also collaborated with various fire and rescue authorities towards enhancing increased safety and awareness in the airport and entire community within the vicinity. The report will analyse various standards & recommended practices fire and safety used by the aviation fire and rescue services. This is through analysing the operation of the aerodrome by defining the terms used to categorize several areas. It will analyse the categories of the aerodrome in terms of airplane size as well as licensing requirements. The role of AAIB in case of an accident will also be evaluated as well as procedures undertaken in case of an accident. The report will also asses the fire safety personnel training and development effectiveness within the aviation context or set up. Through is through comparing competences in both aviation fire services and local authority fire and rescue services. It will outline the IPDS system used by local authorities for fire and rescue services in checking the competence. It will appraise the suitability of the system used towards the assessment of existing performance of aviation based fire & rescue service that relates to main strategic objectives of the main organization. The report will assess the management of aviation fuel in terms of storage, use as well as its transportation within the cartilage of the airport. Aerodromes Operations, Categorization and the Licensing Requirements Operations of aerodromes Civil aerodromes usually operate after meeting the requirements as required by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Aerodrome can be defined as the area on land or water that includes equipments, installations, and building that are expected to be used for departure, surface movement, and arrival of airplanes. It is area within the aerodrome that all the activities take place including fuelling, loading, unloading and maintenance of aeroplanes. Therefore, they are a lot of activities involved as well as high number of people hence the need for high safety precautions within the aerodromes. License requirements Civil Aviation Authority is an independent body in UK that ensures safety and consumer protection regulation, and airspace policy. Civil aerodromes are usually licensed towards ensuring that some certain levels of safety criteria are met. A license is usually granted when CAA are satisfied that the physical conditions on the manoeuvring areas, apron and other surroundings of the aerodrome are up to the standards as argued by Civil Aviation Authority (2011, CAP 168). The facilities and equipments for the activities of flying should also meet the expected standards. The license applicant should also ensure an effective safety management system is meet. The applicant should also be able to have effective safe operations of aerodrome. The staff should also competent and suitable qualified for the job. Aerodrome Categorization The protection levels and licensing requirements are categorized according to maximum fuselage width and overall length of the aeroplane as argued by Civil Aviation Authority (2011, CAP 168). The protection levels should not at any time be less that the highest aeroplane category that can use the aerodrome. Any changes of protection levels should be informed to the suitable unit of air traffic and rescue and fire services within the aerodromes as well as CAA. Figure 1 Aerodrome category for rescue and fire fighting Airplane Accident Rescue Procedures There are some set standards that have been set towards ensuring effective and quick rescue operation is undertaken as quickly as possible in order to save life and reduce accident effects. After the accident, the fire and rescue team is contacted by the control tower crew. They are given all the details that include airplane type, nature and location of the crash, number of people who had boarded and the type of cargoes in the plane and their category such as whether toxic or explosive as illustrated by Mike (2004). The fire crews should then move to their set positions alongside but clear from the runway. Rescue and fire services notify all concerned people where it then notifies all the control tower. The control tower then clears the fire and rescue units to proceed with appropriate actions in the accident area. This entire process should take less than three minutes for it to be able effective. Other medical personnel and fire chief should be alerted immediately. AAIB and rescue and fire services AAIB and fire and rescue services usually take into considerations when evaluating safety factors. Such factors include standard operating procedures, alerting system, human factors, cell handling, staff competence, efficient incident command and leadership, position of fire station area and vehicle and other facilities performance as illustrated by Mike (2004). AAIB has a role of ensuring that an effective task analysis is carried out in ensuring that there is proper scene management, deployment to scene, fire extinguishers agents’ replenishment, and staff mobilization. Competence Standards in Aviation and Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services Competence Training In both aviation rescue and fire services and local authorities’ fire and rescue services, they are various factors determining the effectiveness of both services. Such include effectiveness of facilities, speed of operation by personnel and facilities, and training received by the personnel. Competent training in both services is a crucial aspect that determines the effectiveness of any operation that they undertake. Competence training ensures that the personnel are able to apply knowledge, skills and understanding towards their roles as they have been trained as illustrated by Civil Aviation Authority (2004, CAP 699). This comprises meeting changing demands and solving underlying problems. A competence person should be capable of demonstrating consistency in their defined performance outcomes. Competence training includes personal safety, human performance aspects such as teams coordination, low visibility operations and aerodrome emergency plan. Others include airport familiarization and RFFS personal safety as well as fire fighting operations and aircraft evacuation. Aviation fire and rescue services and local fire services There are some similar and different aspects that are seen when training aviation fire fighters and local fire authority staff. Fire fighters in both aviation and fire local authorities have a role of educating and informing the community on safety awareness. This is according to units FF1 and they both save and preserve endangered life as illustrated in their role maps where Aviation fire-fighter unit (AFF1) and fire fighter unit (FF3). They also take responsibility for effective performance as their core roles according to unit number AFF9 and FF2 in aviation and fire authority respectively according to National Fire Protection Association (2002). However, aviation fire fighters are mostly associated with aircraft accidents such as extinguishing fire at Aircraft incidents as compared to fire local authorities who have a role of protecting the entire society. Aviation fire fighters have a role of preventing the occurrence of emergencies by managing the hazards and risks at aerodromes. Fire fighters at local authorities have a role of protecting the environment from risky materials. They also play key role in minimizing the risks to the community. Therefore, combining both services training can result to achievement of higher performance for the staff. Both organizations have collaborated with various agencies as a way of enhancing their performance and working together. Such different agencies are illustrated in the figure 2 shown below. Figure 2 Related agencies Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS) and Fire and Rescue Service Authorities IPDS is a system or even framework that when integrated within an organization everyday duties encourages as well as support organizational and personal development. IPDS has a great role of ensuring that employees acquire skills, achieve core competency, maintain competency, identify new skills and acquire skills. This system is based on a national standards and framework of skills and competence. According to the IPDS, training depends on the individual requirements within the appropriate time as illustrated by Civil Aviation Authority (2004, CAP 699). According to the system, IPDS does not depend on the roles and how they are employed. However, it maintains that there is need to get skills, attain competency of those skills, and ensure sustenance of skills while developing others. There is an officer in the aerodrome who ensures that staff and other safety personnel are able to gain skills are required by CAA requirements. At both services, they are trained and competent people who are supposed to ensure that training process is well undertaken. It also ensures that they are able to use available fire fighting facilities and other related facilities within the fire services according to National Fire Protection Association (2002). Figure 3IPDS system CAA Inspections CAA inspectors constantly visit the aerodrome as a way of ensuring and determining the extent to which it satisfies the licensing requirements. This is in terms of aerodrome conditions, equipments used, and operational activities within the aerodrome. The inspectors assess how the aerodrome facilities, personnel, and facilities complies with requirements, audit safety management aspects as well as assessing the competence of those head safety department. Inspectors do not in all instances give the notice to inspection because they are authorised persons who can inspect any time for the sake of safety. CAA ensures that aviation fire services continue to provide training that is effective and competent as illustrated by Civil Aviation Authority (2004, CAP 699). This aspect is also inspected when inspectors are undertaking an inspection. CAA also inspects airplanes functionality and other moving parts that may lead to mechanical failures and subsequent fatalities and emergencies. The licenses for aerodrome by CAA ensure the provision of robust training programme. This is towards maintaining competence for all personnel at RFFS. This is through revalidation process through a trainer who is approved. Role Maps in fire and rescue services Role-maps usually provide a tool whereby measurement and assessment can be undertaken towards planning for the main development stages including learning and development, competence, competence maintenance, and continuous Professional Development (CPD). Role maps can be viewed as a collection of the functions identified to be common to specific roles. The functions are titled as units and are collectively known as standards for competence of rescue and fire fighting service personnel who have been employed at UK aerodromes that are licensed. Role maps duties are usually classified in terms of core duties (C), role related (R), developmental (D), and optional (O) as illustrated by time as illustrated by Civil Aviation Authority (2004, CAP 699). According to role map, firefighter is mapped to 8 core, 2 role related as well as 2developmental units. In main roles and aviation fire service, they are some common features with general acceptance as well as understanding of what involves station-based roles. In aviation fire fighting and local, there is no typical fire fighter because all their roles are clearly stipulated at the aerodromes. This is due to high number of risk, organizational structure and resource availability. There are a total of 31units developed for the fire-fighters, managers, and supervisors. Fuel Management Fuel is usually intended to be used in the aircraft. Fuel used in the aircrafts is usually sensitive to fire, exposure to air, and any contaminations. Fuel installation is any container that is purposely used for fuel storage including vehicle. They are designed and manufactured or even adapted for fuel delivery into aircrafts. Fuelling is a process that includes de-fuelling and fuelling. Fuelling zone is an area whereby fuel is put into the aircraft according to Civil Aviation Authority (2004, CAP 748). These areas are usually classified as zone 0 or Zone 1 under the dangerous substances and regulations of atmosphere regulations. Negligent and errors occurring during fuel procurement, storage, and handling can endanger an aircraft and even the lives of those boarding the aircraft. Correct grade of fuel should be supplied in ensuring it is fit for aircrafts. Air Navigation Order (ANO) 2000 Article 103 ensures that licensees of aerodromes with fuel facilities for storage have manual and procedures. These are for ensuring that at all stages of fuel receiving, storing, managing and distributing, fuel remains fit for aircraft use. It is recommended by CAA that managers of all aerodromes as well as those responsible for fuel reception, storage, distribution and even handling take into consideration CAP guidance towards ensuring fuel remains in a state suitable of aircraft. Air Navigation Order demands that managers responsible for fuel ensure that fuel received is always fit for aircraft use, installation, storage, and dispensing process will make it unfit, storage and delivery system is labelled appropriately, fuel sampling is done when delivering into installation, and fuel should always be fit and of correct grade when installing, storing and fuelling the aircrafts to Civil Aviation Authority (2004, CAP 748). Inspectors from CAA can confirm the compliance with ANO whereby they can carry out an inspection without or with a warning. The fuel managers should ensure that there are no any risks associated with fuel handling including leaks, vapours among others. All the measures should be put in place to ensure there is no any form of contamination on the fuel. All personnel involved in process of receiving fuel, storing, and even distribution of fuel are competently trained. Periodic audits should be carried out on all areas of fuel installations and storage in an effort to ensure it complies with Aerodrome Manual and procedures. Fuel should be visually tested and examined to ensure that there are traces of contaminations such as sediments, water globules or cloudiness to Civil Aviation Authority (2004, CAP 748). Sampling is one way of ensuring that fuel is not contaminated hence reducing the risks associated with it. Therefore, it is important for the fire and rescue personnel to be trained on various ways they can manage fuel at all stages. Conclusion In conclusion, there is need for both fire and rescue services to undertake a common command and control measures. This includes an agreed national framework that manages those agencies in their efforts towards responding to and recovering from emergencies. This is through undergoing various levels that include bronze (operational level), silver (the tactical level), and gold (the strategic level) according to National Fire Protection Association (2002). There is need to collaborate some training aspects towards knowledge increment in various levels of fire fighting services. Collaboration is one way of ensuring that competence training is attained. This is towards improving skills and capability of the staff in ensuring reduced fire and related risks and hazards. Sharing of training facilities will also benefit the training process in both fire services. It is crucial for CAA to ensure that all the aerodromes satisfy the requirements for risk reduction in order to minimize accidents occurrence. All the fire and rescue staff should be trained in such as way that they are competent. However, continuous training should be undertaken as ways of ensuring skills are maintained throughout. Fuel should be properly managed to ensure there is no contamination or fire risk incident that may arise as a result of its poor management. Collaborated training should be undertaken as a way of ensuring effective and fast rescue operations are undertaken towards saving life and destruction of properties. References Civil Aviation Authority 2004, CAP 699 Standards for the Competence of Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS) Personnel, viewed 19 April 2011, http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP699.PDF Civil Aviation Authority 2004, CAP 748 Aircraft Fuelling and Fuel Installation Management, viewed 19 April 2011, http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/1206.pdf Civil Aviation Authority 2011, CAP 168: Licensing of Aerodromes, viewed 19 April 2011, http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP168.PDF Mike, D 2004, Fire Attack: An integrated Strategy, Alston Press, England. National Fire Protection Association 2002, National fire codes, Volumes 13, National Fire Protection Association, London. Read More