Airfield Operations & Safety Unit (ASOU)

Anna Gawthorpe
AOSU Manager
London City Airport
05 April 2011

Who are AOSU?

AOSU is currently
made up of 16 staff
members
Based airside at the
bottom of the ATC
tower,
Mainly operate on the
airfield & apron areas

AOSU Structure
Anna
Gawthorpe
Manager

Airside Safety
Coordinator

5 Operations & Safety

Controllers

8 Operations & Safety Assistants

Admin

Our Role Within The Airport

Maintain a safe operating airfield on a day to

day basis
Ensure the Aerodrome Licence criteria is met
Meeting CAA requirements
Maintenance of the infrastructure, habitat &
equipment
Airfield layout criteria
Maintain a functioning Safety Management System
Be prepared for an emergency

Meeting CAA Licence

Standards
The airport is licensed and regulated by the CAA
The majority of the criteria for that license is
managed by AOSU
We are audited twice a year by the CAA to
ensure we are meeting the standards
The standards are set out in literally dozens of
publications!

Airfield Maintenance

Runway & taxiway concrete maintenance

Regular monitoring ensures the runway
remains serviceable.
The Ops Controller will walk the length of the
runway every week tracking faults

Runway Friction
Over the course of a season rubber build up
can reduce the frictional characteristics of the
runway and it must be removed

Airfield Ground Lighting

(AGL)
The airfield lighting layout & maintenance
requirements are set by the CAA
Daily checks of the 1000s of lights are completed
Weekly maintenance to ensure they are fully
serviceable

Bird Management
Habitat Management to control bird activity
around the airfield is crucial for a safe operation
Bird strikes are one of the mostly likely causes of
aircraft incidents around airports
The CAA require us to continuously monitor birds
on and around the airport

Bird Strike Consequences

Bird Management on Site

The airfield landscaping is designed to reduce
bird activity
Procedures to ensure bird attracts are removed
There is a member of staff on the airfield at all
times monitoring birds
Record all sightings of birds,
Use different dispersal methods to
deter the birds

Bird Management Off Site

A 13km bird circle around the airfield is monitored
for bird activity
Birds are risk assessed to identify high risk species
Sites identified as those which increase bird activity
around the airfield are closely monitored

Local Problem Areas

Royal Victoria Dock & Marina - Swan Numbers
Huge increase in the number of observations in
the last 18 months
Total Monthly Number of Swans Observed Overflying or in
the Dock Adjacent to London City Airport
350

312

300
250
194

200
137

150

115
90

100
50
0

145

138

47

30

44

78

93

81

61

69

87

100

292

Airfield Safety Management

Ramp Awareness & Driver Training

Airfield procedure trials, risk assessments &
promulgation of new procedures
Accident Investigation & hazard spotting

Safety Campaigns

Emergencies
AOSU play a large part in an airfield emergency
Ops Controller fulfils the role of Airport Silver
Ops Assistants will provide communications,
scribe services and a passenger assembly area

Weather!

Any Questions?