SynX Blog

Ramp safety is a very important matter in the aviation sector, as the area of an airport ramp involves a huge number of different activities, vehicle movements and the presence of people that have to be coordinated. Maintenance staff, ground handlers, fuelers, airling engineers, airport police (and the list could continue) all move on the ramp and around the aircraft in order to get it ready for departure or after its arrival. Depending on the activity taking place, the equipment used or the complexity of any tasks being carried out, ramp operations and workers might face different risks. But what happened in Chicago O'Hare airport to a catering cart at the end of September was probably not expected by the majority of staff operating around an American Airlines due to leave soon after the incident.

A video that has soon gone viral in the last 2 weeks shows a catering cart "gone crazy" and spinning out of control. The video was caught by Dr. Kevin Klauer, an osteopathic physician, who saw the cart's uncontrolled circular ride on the tarmac while waiting for his flight to Tennessee:

What at the beginning seemed hilarious to see, started well soon to be perceived as a possible accident as the vehicle came closer and closer and was about to hit the aircraft. But thanks to the quick action of a ramp instructor, later identified as Jorge Manalang, the vehicle was stopped. Manalang hit the catering cart with a pushback tractor to prevent what could have been a serious accident. The aircraft could leave soon and reached its destination with just a 10 minute delay.

According to the first investigations, the accelerator of the vehicle got stuck, causing it to spin out of control. The accelerator was allegedly hit by a water case.

The episode, tweeted by Dr. Kevin Klauer, got viral and has so far reached 18.2M views on Twitter.

Crazy event at ORD. Heads up safety move by a ramp worker! pic.twitter.com/SQi5zB0Ooz

— Kevin Klauer DO, EJD (@Emergidoc) September 30, 2019

Leading telematics and fleet management software provider, Transpoco, has announced that it has enabled Iberia to achieve significant operational savings by implementing its advanced fleet management solution on its ground support equipment in numerous airports across the airline’s Spanish network.

Following a rigorous tender process, Transpoco was selected for a proof of concept in Madrid and Barcelona on up to 200 motorised assets. As a result of proven savings and return on investment Iberia will roll out the technology on up to 1400 motorised assets across further stations throughout Spain.

The Transpoco solution will help Iberia Airport Services to manage its fleet more efficiently and reduce any misuse from daily operations.

Iberia will benefit from Transpoco’s product functionality that includes tracking and controlling motorised equipment at the various airport ramps. The system also has the potential to integrate with many other platforms within the organisation including sharing data with airport authorities to update them with live location of the Iberia fleet.

Ángel Marcos, Iberia Chief Airport Services Officer, commented, “At Iberia we are constantly striving to find new ways of innovation, maximising efficiency and providing a punctual, safe and reliable service to our customers. By integrating the Transpoco fleet management software across multiple stations in Spain we have helped to achieve this”. Ángel Marcos added, “The solution from Transpoco allows us to increase safety and performance on the ramp, being more environmentally friendly while reducing operational costs. The Transpoco system and team have been very flexible and agile in reaching the business specifications of our requirements”.

Andrew Fleury, Transpoco CEO, commented, “We are delighted to be working with a world class airline in Iberia as we have been developing our system for many years with clients now in over 60 different countries. Our specialism in the aviation industry has been recognised internationally by some of the largest companies in the world and we continue to make internal investment to expand our international client base”.

Iberia Airport Services roster of more than 170 airline clients at 29 airports in Spain. In 2018 the handling unit attended some 350.000 aircraft and more than 96 million passengers. Iberia Airport Services is distinguished by its versatility in serving all types of airlines in all types of operations, and its human and material capacity for resolving every kind of contingency.

Some 40% of Iberia’s handing unit’s ground vehicles are now 100% electric and thus emissions-free, and the substitution of older vehicles continues. The unit is certified by Spain’s AENOR standards bureau for its quality assurance and environmental protection systems, under ISO 9,001 and ISO 14,001 standards.

According to figures recently released by the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland (HSA), vehicles are the leading cause of death in Irish workplaces.

The source of the aforementioned figures is the Authority’s 2018 Annual Report, showing that there were 39 work-related fatalities reported to the HSA in 2018, compared to 48 in 2017, a decline of 19%. But the single biggest danger last year came from vehicles in the workplace, with 17 lives lost across all industries last year.

The farming sector suffered 15 work-related deaths in 2018, compared to 25 in 2017, a decline of 40%, while construction had five work-related deaths.

Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen TD, said workplace deaths cause great trauma and personal suffering for families every year. While welcoming the decline in workplace fatalities, he said: “We should remember that any improvement in numbers provides little comfort to the family, friends and colleagues of the dozens of Irish people whose lives were cut short this year while doing their job.”

Dr Sharon McGuinness, Chief Executive Officer of the HSA, said that the fatality statistics show how vehicles are now the biggest threat to life in the Irish workplace. “Whether it’s a farmer driving a tractor in a yard, or a truck driver delivering a load, across all sectors, incidents involving vehicles accounted for almost half - or 44% - of all deaths last year. The worrying trend is continuing with six deaths provisionally recorded so far this year in the transportation sector” she said.

Tractors were involved in the majority of workplace vehicle incidents last year and claimed six lives but cars, refuse trucks and forklifts were also involved in fatalities.

Expressing concern at the devastation caused by work tragedies on bereaved families, Dr McGuinness urged everyone to be aware of the risks posed by moving vehicles in all workplaces. A change in mindset is required to reduce the numbers of workers dying or suffering serious injury as a result of workplace vehicles: complacency is costing lives.

“Drivers at work often forget about the same hazards that they look out for when driving on the road, like properly maintaining their vehicles, and paying attention to pedestrians when reversing. These checks could help prevent a fatal catastrophe to themselves or a work colleague,” Dr McGuinness concluded.

The old adage "time is money" can generally be considered valid for any activity, but we are pretty sure airlines and aviation experts will agree that it is especially accurate when we think about an airline or a plane turnaround time.

What is exactly an airline or a plane turnaround time? The turnaround time of an airplane is defined as the time required to unload an airplane after its arrival at the gate and to prepare it for departure again and it is crucial for its utilization since airlines obtain revenue when the airplane is in the air. Today, with airlines having to cope with exorbitant airport charges and rising fuel expenses levied across the world, it becomes important to come out with ways to cut back costs. One of the things is often under scrutiny is fuel, although very little control is possible on fuel costs (at least when thinking about the aircraft!). As per turnaround time, on the other hand, it is possible to cut back cost without compromising quality.

What happens during turnaround time? During the turnaround time, both the airport and the resources of the airline get organised to complete the aircraft setup in the shortest possible time. The process to be carried out includes both the planning and the handling of tasks that have to guarantee cleanliness, safety and efficiency for the next flight. Turnaround time is therefore an extremely delicate phase which has a direct impact on passengers experience, as it involves the correct and swift coordination or all the resources involved to keep the flight punctual and to perform the necessary maintenance for a safe flight with the plane landing on the time at the next destination. With uncontrollable aspects such as severe weather conditions or emergencies, it goes without saying that one of the best ways to reduce turnaround time is the support of a highly organised GSE fleet, the type of fleet that as soon as the aircraft reaches the gate, it starts to gather around it and to operate with the precision of an orchestra.

How much can long turnaround times or delays cost? In a 2010 Federal Aviation Administration study it has been calculated that delays cost to the US economy around $US32.9 billion a year (around €30B), with about half of the cost borne by airline passengers because of missed connections and added lodging and food expenses. Such situations can lead to a lot of undesirable consequences, as they have a direct impact on the survival of an organization due to a series of payment crisis one after another.

Airline Turnaround Time has become a very important and key parameter in determining the profitability of an airline company. If you want to serve your airline clients providing the best efficient turnaround times as a GSE fleet, talk to us.

Steel water storage tank manufacturer Braithwaite Engineers was recently fined after one of its employees sustained serious injuries after a significant fall while working at their site the town of Risca, located in South East Wales. 

On the 25^th October 2017, a Braithwaite employee fell from a lorry bed while unloading and suffered multiple fractures to his body, including to his head, shoulder blade, ribs and fingers forcing a medical absence of five months from work.

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) investigation concluded that Braithwaite Engineers had not offered suitable and clear instructions nor training to ensure employers carried out this specific activity in a safe manner—something that would ordinarily be expected as part of an employer’s Duty of Care.

Braithwaite Engineers, of Units A&B Leeway House, Leeway Industrial Estate, Newport pleaded guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in Cwmbran Magistrates Court and was fined £9,400 (€10,533) and ordered to pay costs of £1,680.75 (€1882).

After the case, HSE inspector Will Powell made the following statement: “Falls from vehicles can be overlooked by employers when considering risks from work at height. Simple measures would have prevented this accident.”

Walkaround checks or regular vehicle inspections, also known as pre-trip checks or vehicle verifications, are a great way to get started with regular maintenance and risk assessment in any fleet vehicle and are also part of the compulsory duties of fleets operating on the road as they demonstrate compliance, aside from the obvious advantages of checking vehicles regularly to maintain their functionality.

Walkaround checks essentially include different protocols that include both the outside and the inside of the vehicle. These can be carried out via paper checklists that can be printed and used like this one, or, even better, carried out via a smartphone app with the added benefit of providing a greater degree of personalisation. This could indeed present a distinct advantage for aviation ground fleets or GSE pools that have very specific checks and uses and increased complexity of movements and operations—so, which particular requirements of aviation ground fleets will be the basis for personalised walkaround check apps?

#1 – Traditional walk-around checks. Appropriate for the usual type of vehicles we find on our roads, such as vans, cars or emergency trucks—the “normal” walkaround checks provide a sound generic format from which to compile your own checklist.

#2 – Vehicle checks for mixed fleets like the GSE ones. Motorized and non-motorized assets that all have to be fully operational and at the right place at the right time. Design a standard checklist for all of your GSE vehicles and customise each one depending on the vehicle your staff is going to operate.

#3 – Communication equipment check. This is definitely something people working on ramps cannot skip, no matter what. Testing any type of communication device the team is using has to be a critical part of the verifications done in aviation ground fleets.

#4 – Safety protection clothing/equipment. You can decide to have an option including box-ticking for this particular item, such as if personnel are wearing the appropriate apparel, footwear, visibility accessories, protection for ears, eyes and so on.

#5 – Aircraft arrival. A detailed checklist of the actions to be carried out upon landing of an aircraft helps streamline the array of equipment involved and is a reminder that all safety and location procedures prior to landing have been carried out.

#6 – Aircraft departure. You can customise the checklist for your ground services team to include checks to be carried out before the aircraft has to take off.

#7 – Various services. You can add to your checklist fuel servicing, catering services, de-icing if that applies, potable water replenishment, loading, FOD inspections...

Digital walkaround checks are an invaluable tool to help organise and speed up operations where vehicles are involved—why not capitalise fully on their benefits if you are running an aviation ground fleet and customise them to your personal requirements? Talk to us or start a free trial if you want to learn more!

There is still no clarity by the British government regarding the modification of part of the highway code dedicated to the use of mobile phones behind the wheel. The law has come under recent scrutiny in August after two sentences set a new precedent.

Ramsey Barreto had a conviction quashed for filming a crash on his mobile phone. The 51-year-old was prosecuted and found guilty after police saw him driving past an accident while using his phone to record a video. However, he had the conviction overturned at Isleworth Crown Court, last October, after his lawyers successfully argued that the law only banned the use of mobile phones to speak or communicate while behind the wheel. Publishing its decision last month, the High Court dismissed an appeal by the director of public prosecutions (DPP), agreeing with Barreto’s lawyers’ initial argument. The High Court Judge, Lady Justice Thirlwall, concluded with this statement: “The legislation does not prohibit all uses of a mobile phone held while driving. It prohibits driving while using a mobile phone or other device for calls and other interactive communication (and holding it at some stage during that process).” An incredibly literal interpretation of the law that placed doubt on what we could consider as irresponsible or unsafe driving or its opposite. However, the Judge made it clear “that you could still be prosecuted for driving without due care or dangerous driving, which carry potentially far higher punishments.”

The second case concerned Chief Constable Kerrin Wilson, who appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court. It followed a crash involving a Mini Countryman and a Hyundai i30 that took place at 5.33pm on December 21, 2018 on Deepdale Lane in Nettleham. While Wilson was driving her Mini Countryman (which she’d only had for a week), she apparently got distracted with Bluetooth controls and when trying to make a call with her hands-free system, ending up drifting onto the wrong side of the road and crashing into the oncoming Hyundai i30. Wilson entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity when she was charged with driving without due care and attention; then was promptly refused entry when she turned up ten minutes late for a driver improvement course on June 17th, 2019. Chief Constable Wilson was given seven points on her license and fined a total of £1,460, including a £125 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.

The law regulating the use of devices behind the wheel is now 16 years old. The two cases have brought up the necessity of putting a prohibition on any possible physical activity on a hands-free device, mobile phone, tablet or smartphone behind the wheel even if it does not include communicating. At the time of writing, the law still stays the same.

The perception that airport ramps and runways are only occupied by aircraft servicing our travel requirements is obviously not the whole picture, as other aircraft and a multitude of motorized and non-motorized assets are manoeuvring at the same time according to specific timeframes to make air travel possible. And as such, airports are definitely not exempt from the need for safe driving—rules have equally to be respected in this environment or your licence can be revoked...

This is precisely what happened to a ground handler working for the company Saigon Ground Services at the airport of Tan Son Nhat in Vietnam. The news reported that a ground handler drove his vehicle onto the runway, forcing a Vietnam Airlines plane to make a sudden stop on August 19. The driver, whose name has not been made public, has been fined the equivalent of $172/€156 for not maintaining a safe distance from the plane on the runway. The Vietnam Airlines plane was forced to stop suddenly.

The incident was not the only near-miss to occur at the airport last month, as a driver of a mobile boarding ramp lost control on August 21 and hit an aircraft waiting to depart for Osaka, Japan. The collision caused a dent in the aircraft’s fuselage and postponed the flight for one day, with the aircraft now having been sent for repairs and checks. The driver, who has not been named, said the vehicle “suddenly shifted gears” and crashed into the plane.

When on the ground, aircrafts face far more risks from the various other agents operating in the shared airport space—not only other airplanes but fuel trucks, tugs, support vehicles, catering trucks, buildings, obstacles and so on. The ground area of an airport is a very busy place indeed… where the kind of unsafe practices just mentioned ought never to happen.

According to the whitepaper Solutions to the High Costs of Aircraft Ground Damage, occupational hazards, injuries and absences from the workplace result in multi-billion dollar costs close to $4B to the aviation industry and more specifically in the ground operations sector. In terms of aircraft ground damages, the $4B figure is closer to around $12B when the ancillary costs related to injuries, staff shortages, insurance-related costs to both employers and employees and other factors are taken into consideration.

If your ground handling organisation doesn’t want to be part of these statistics (and we assume that’s invariably the case), talk to us to see how to streamline your airport ground operations and run a safe airport fleet.