Runway Safety - Incursions and Excursions

26 Jan 24:

I've been involved with aviation safety for 40 years now, beginning as a Tech Pubs Librarian in our Marine Corps Fighter Squadron to Accident Investigator  Instructor with the Air Line Pilots Association. We've had two severe threats plaguing us ever since more than one airplane tried to operate in the same area, runway COLLISIONS and runway EXCURSIONS. We have developed a slew of defenses against the threats, but there is still high potential for accidents during takeoff and landing with an associated catastrophic consequence.

We can not accept the threats as they currently are. So how do we reduce or eliminate the runway threats? 

Tactically, For Today:

1. Increase awareness tailored to each operating area. Check out the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting (ASRS) database for your airports and the FAA's new safety videos From The Flight Deck.

2. Brief threats with your team. Your team includes hangar flying, ATC, FBO, Dispatch, passenger...Complex taxiways? Night? Low visibility? High traffic? Crosswinds? Non-towered field? Multiple runways in use? Crossing runways?

3. Take specific actions to reduce (mitigate) or eliminate the the potential threats. Some examples, taxi slow, lights on to cross runways, pick a runway with better winds, stabilized approach, fly the aircraft at all times from chocks to chocks.

4. ACTIVELY LOOK, LISTEN AND LIVE. 

Herb's Rules to Live By;

-Look outside

-Use a checklist

-Never fly hard IFR in a single engine aircraft

Our Mentor (Herb)

Strategically, Tomorrow:

1. If we see something, say something. Hazards should be identified to the nearest person who can take action to fix the problem, and also fill out a safety report through the NASA ASRS, We can't fix what we don't know, and the problem may be at more than just one airport.

2. Engage your team members at every level, to increase your awareness and the awareness of the entire at Global Airspace System (GAS). 

3. Fly Smart

Kent Lewis

2009 FAASTeam Rep of the Year

(850) 449-4841 lewis.kent@gmail.com

Bio: Herb Albert Webber, the best pilot I ever flew with. A kind person and quiet leader. 

Herb was born on October 3, 1923 in Cloquet, Minnesota and graduated from Cloquet High School in 1941.

Herb was an Airline Transport Pilot, flight instructor, and an FAA safety counselor and was type rated and qualified to fly numerous large and small jets, turbo props, and single engine air planes.

After graduating from high school, Herb joined The United States Army Air Corps where he served honorably in WW II (1942 to 1944) and flew the B-17G bomber as a Second Lieutenant and pilot. While stationed in Carlsbad, New Mexico for training he met and married the love of his life, Geraldine (Gerry) Marie Webber. They were married for 70 years before her passing on March 29, 2015.

In 1955, he moved his family to Arlington to begin his career in commercial aviation working for American Airlines flying Boeing 707s and 747s along with several other commercial aircraft. He retired from American Airlines as a Captain in 1983. Herb continued to work in the airline industry in various capacities providing training, check rides, and flight checks for up and coming pilots. In August of 1989 Herb accepted a job as Captain with TAG flying the Boeing 707-138B for TAG to the Middle East and other parts of the world. He flew for TAG until January of 2004. After leaving TAG, from 2004 to 2010, Captain Webber flew various aircraft, including a Conquest 441-II, one of his favorites, across the USA as an employee for Hilliard Energy, Ltd. As if Captain Webber did not have enough to do, from September 2001 to 2014 he also flew for Van Bortel Aircraft. While at Van Bortel he selected pilots, provided check rides for customers and employees, scheduled pilots, performed flight tests on airplanes out of maintenance, and picked up new aircraft from the Cessna factory.

In his spare time Captain Webber was a Colonel in the Commemorative (Confederate) Air Force air shows where he flew the B-17G, Sentimental Journey, and several other WWII aircraft all over the US and Canada. When Captain Webber Flew West he was the oldest employed corporate pilot in America and had logged over 42,700 hours of flying time.

Herb's proudest accomplishments in life were wrapped around Gerry Webber, the love of his life for over 70 years, his three children, his grandchildren, and his lifetime love for flying.