FAI TWR INSTITUTED NEW PROC REQUIRING ALL VEHICLES TO BE ON TWR FREQ FOR RWY ACTIVITY. NOT ALL ARPT VEHICLES HAVE THE FREQ AVAILABLE. IN THIS INSTANCE; FIRE EQUIP WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH TWR FREQ REQUIREMENT.
Synopsis
FAI TWR INSTITUTED NEW PROC REQUIRING ALL VEHICLES TO BE ON TWR FREQ FOR RWY ACTIVITY. NOT ALL ARPT VEHICLES HAVE THE FREQ AVAILABLE. IN THIS INSTANCE; FIRE EQUIP WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH TWR FREQ REQUIREMENT.
Narrative
ON JUNE/FRI/06; FAI MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTED NEW RWY ACCESS PROCS. THE NEW PROCS ARE UNNECESSARY; INCOMPLETE; AND UNSAFE. THESE PROCS HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT CONFUSION AMONG CTLRS; DEVELOPMENTALS; PLTS; AND VEHICLE OPERATORS. THE MOST NOTABLE DEFICIENCY OF THE NEW PROCS IS IN THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE ALL VEHICLES REQUESTING RWY ACCESS TO DO SO ON LOCAL CTL'S FREQ. THE VAST MAJORITY OF VEHICLES OPERATING AT FAI ARE UNABLE TO MEET REQUIREMENTS AS THEY ARE WITHOUT THE EQUIP TO COMMUNICATE ON ANY FREQ OTHER THAN GND CTL. THE FOLLOWING IS ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES IN WHICH THE NEW PROCS HAVE PROVEN INADEQUATE. I WAS OJTI AT GND CTL. I BELIEVE THE RADAR CTLR HAD DECLARED AN EMER FOR AN ARRIVING ACR; IT HAD ONE ENG SHUT DOWN. LOCAL CTL ACTIVATED THE CFR LINE AND WE (GND CTL) HAD AN ARPT OPS VEHICLE AND A FIRE ENG APPROVED ON TXWY A AND AWAITING THE ACR'S ARR. AS THE ACR LANDED AND ROLLED OUT; THE ARPT VEHICLE CHANGED TO LOCAL CTL FREQ AND WAS GIVEN ACCESS TO THE RWY TO FOLLOW THE ACR AND PERFORM A FOD CHK. THE FIRE ENG REQUESTED OF GND CTL TO ENTER THE RWY AND FOLLOW THE ACR TO PARKING. I ASKED THE ACR IF IT WAS ABLE TO CHANGE TO LOCAL CTL FREQ. THE FIRE ENG REPLIED THAT IT WAS NOT ABLE TO CHANGE FREQ; BUT IT WOULD USE AN ACCESS ROAD TO MEET THE ACFT AS IT ENTERED THE TXWY (4000 FT DOWN THE RWY). I BELIEVE THIS WAS AGAINST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S SOPS AND WAS A SHAMEFUL LACK OF SVC BY ATC TO BOTH THE OPERATOR OF THE ACR AND THE ARPT'S FIRE DEPARTMENT. AS A MINIMUM; THESE PROCS NEED TO BE SET ASIDE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS ALL VEHICLES ARE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO COMMUNICATE ON LOCAL CTL'S FREQ. THE OTHER SHORTCOMINGS OF THESE PROCS WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSES AS WELL. PERHAPS A JOINT MANAGEMENT/CTLR WORK GROUP IS IN ORDER.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE SITUATION WAS UNCHANGED SINCE HE HAD FILED THE RPT. THE RPTR STATED THAT ONLY ARPT OPS VEHICLES HAD THE LOCAL CTL FREQ; THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT; SNOW REMOVAL; AND FAA MAINT VEHICLES HAD ONLY GND CTL FREQ. THE RPTR STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE OF AND HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF ANY PLANS FOR THE NON EQUIPPED VEHICLES TO BE UPGRADED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.