So after 11 years of dithering the end result is a single safer taxiway intersection. Who knows, in 20-30 years they might have a safer runway, I for one won’t be holding my breath.

Download the Press Release (or don’t)

It has now been 2 years since I held the position of Product Manager for the Tarsier FOD detection system, and I no longer feel that I have the up-to-date knowledge required to offer my services as a consultant (although some FOD vendors have been happy to have a consultant working in this area, and have offered demonstrations of their latest systems, the behaviour of other system vendors can only be described as hostile), for this reason the consultancy section of this site has been removed.

Before leaving QinetiQ I had the opportunity to fill a massive feature gap in the Tarsier system i.e. reporting. When I started as Product Manager there was no automated reporting available to Tarsier customers, no historic data, no maps, no images, no database. In order to fill this gap I proposed the Tarsier Toolbox, a SaaS solution built on Google Maps. It was not an easy task to get the Toolbox built, I had a great technical team working with me and they shared the product vision, unfortunately the project had to be justified to management at almost every stage of development (not something that makes for a particularly positive working environment).

The one thing I did learn from my time working on the Toolbox was that I wanted to continue to help build great SaaS solutions, and that is what I am now fortunate enough to be doing. My current employer is dedicated to building a SaaS solution while also offering a great experience to end users.

FOD-detection.com will continue as usual…but now with videos! The Consultancy section has now been replaced by a Videos section, this area will contain a collection of various FOD related videos from YouTube (I’ve done the searching, so you don’t have to). In the future I hope to add further reference sections to the website (map of current installations, FOD company profiles, FOD related patents etc)

SEPANG – Malaysia Airports today launched the Airside Safety Campaign, a joint safety campaign with the objective to inculcate safety culture, in addition to promote awareness of safe working area and further stimulate safety-conscious to all airside workers.

KLIA in collaboration with the agencies such as Malaysia Airlines, KL Airports Services, LSG SkyChefs Sdn.Bhd, Petronas Dagangan, Shell Aviation, Exxonmobil, Air Asia and Air Asia X, jointly organizedthis apron safety campaign to educate all apron users on the importance of safety while they carry out their duties at the apron area.

Among the activities held during this month long campaign are Safety Model, Play Card Presentation, Safety Talk by participating agencies, Safety Exhibitions, Safety Quiz, Fire Fighting Simulation, FOD Hunt and Blood Donation by Tabung Darah Negara.

During this campaign, the apron users were exposed to proper handling of all equipments used at the apron area so as to safeguard the safety of the aircraft, crew and other workers, hence minimizing the probability of accidents to occur.

Dato’ Azmi Murad, Senior General Manager, Operations Services of Malaysia Airports, who launched the campaign this morning said, “KLIA achievement is not only measured from the number of passengers, aircraft and cargo handled every year but safety aspect in the operations of the airports are also very important and must be in compliance to the regulatory-bodies such as Department Civil Aviation (DCA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).”

He added, “The campaign is themed ‘FOD! We See, We Pick, We are Safe’ as we are calling for all airside staff to mind and pay attention to the foreign object debris (FOD), although it may be small in sizes, but it have potential to cause major incidents. We are giving the FOD a special attention this year although numbers of incidents caused by FOD is still minimal.”

Dato’ Azmi also said, “We would like to summon all agencies, especially those working at the apron area, to embrace the belief on the importance of working safely and keeping the workplace safe at all times, towards making KLIA as one of the safest airport to work in. We would like to stress not only on physically safe-conscious way of doing work, but also to encourage staff to always think and put safety as top priority at all times, at work and even at home. This safety culture should be embedded in our mind, body and soul.”

The ultra modern airport was the first among five international airports in Malaysia to receive the Safety Management System (SMS) certification from DCA in 2009. The certification is to acknowledge the airport’s conformance to all safety requirements and achieving continuous improvement in safety performance. These include the essential features of safety such as policy, strategic planning and implementation as well as promotion, records, staff training and competency.

The SMS certification is a testimony of Malaysia Airports’ commitment to ensure the highest level of safety at our airports and to fully comply with the ICAO Safety Management System requirement. This certification further create the needs for us to keep the airport as a safe place to work and to maintain, sustain and further elevate the level of safety standards to the next level that we are committed to.

Through this campaign, it is Malaysia Airports’ aspiration that the entire apron’s workforce will continuously work safely, maintain a safe working environment and further reduce numbers of accidents at the apron.

In promoting the airside safety culture and awareness, apart from this campaign, Malaysia Airports also exercise prevention methods in its relentless effort to decrease airside incidents, such asImplementation of Demerit System, where driver who is involved in accident or breached a regulations, will not be allowed to drive for certain period of time and will be given demerit point. Driving permit will be confiscated when demerit point reached 12 points or above and driver will not be allowed to drive in airside for a year.

Malaysia Airports also sets up the age limit of each type of vehicle to ensure all vehicle is fit for operations and to avoid from oil spillages. Airside drivers are also provided with the KLIA Airside Drivers Safety Handbook as a guidelines for drivers in airside. They are also required to attend refresher briefing to refresh them of the safety and security regulation when driving at the airside areas.

The Occupational Safety & Health (OSHA) Act 1994 provides the legislative frame work to promote, stimulate and encourage high standards of safety and health at work. The long term goal of the act is to create a healthy and safe working culture among all the employees and employers and KLIA advocates this act strictly as a working culture. OSHA 94 is under Department of OSHA, Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia.

Source (4-traders.com)

by Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee, 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The 52nd Fighter Wing’s foreign object damage manager, in collaboration with base civilian agencies, provided free reusable grocery bags to Airmen and their families at the Spangdahlem Commissary Nov. 15 in an effort to enhance recognition of the dangers loose debris has on the base’s flying mission.

“It only takes one grocery bag to damage a jet,” said Master Sgt. Matthew LaNew, FOD manager. “The agencies on base have donated thousands of reusable grocery bags to get people in the mindset that loose bags truly are a FOD hazard.”
Foreign object debris is the actual rubbish on the ground or in the air. It becomes foreign object damage when that debris damages government equipment. For example, when the vacume created by an aircraft’s engine sucks in hardened trash fragments, it can destroy a turbine.

Wing leadership spent $14.7 million on FOD-related incidents in fiscal year 2011. As such, LaNew charges Airmen to actively watch for debris.

“If you see trash,” he said, “just pick it up. It’s easy; plus, it’s everyone’s responsibility. As service members, we should be doing our part to reduce spending.

“If we don’t increase our awareness of this problem, we’re saying, ‘It’s okay to pay for FOD-related damages and not the stuff we need,’” he added.

With plastic bags being a high-threat item, LaNew said he hopes base stores will soon switch to a more environmentally-friendly style of commerce: shoppers carry their personal, reusable bags into the store and leave with them secured.

“This is one step we can take to help prevent unnecessary damage,” he said. “It’s a new idea on base to shop this way, so we’re asking people to take baby steps. We have to get used to the idea, and it won’t happen overnight.”

Staff Sgt. Idris Royal, 52nd Force Support Squadron and recipient of a reusable bag, said he thinks the bags will get people to start seeing base trash in a new light.

“This is a really good thing we’re doing,” he said. “I already try to pick up any trash when I can, and I’m sure people are more likely to hold onto these bags.”

As of now, there is no set date to require Spangdahlem agencies to stop issuing plastic bags, LaNew said, but he and wing leadership are evaluating when such an initiative could take place.

“This is all for a good cause,” LaNew said. “FOD is not just plastic bags, but if we can control one facet, we need to.”

Source (US Air Force in Europe)

Here’s the link

You shouldn’t need to do anything, but if the issue persists please delete the app from your home screen, and simply visit the site again using your mobile browser, you will be prompted to install the app again, this should solve any issues.

The iPad version of the site suffered from the same issue, this should also be fixed now.

In the area of safety and operational excellence, the airport members unanimously passed a resolution on runway safety. The resolution calls for ACI to produce a new Runway Safety Handbook to provide state of the art guidance to airport members. “We understand that some of the contributing factors in runway accidents are under the responsibility of airport operators,” said ACI Director of Safety, Technical and Administration David Gamper. “These contributing factors include runway surface conditions, visual aids, foreign object debris and wildlife hazards. We also believe that Runway Safety Committees are needed at all airports, for all partners (ATC, airlines, pilots etc.) to discuss safety risks and agree on suitable mitigations. ACI will produce a new guidance document based on the existing Airside Safety Handbook, which will present best practices and assist members with abating the causes of runway accidents.”

Read the full article here (Focus on Travel News Website)

by Grant Bishop, COO at TREX Aviation Systems

The 2012 FOD Finder now operates via wireless iPAD operation.  The iPAD now controls the entire radar/vacuum/airfield management system.  The FOD Finder radar and vacuum are now mounted on a single platform allowing for easy drop-in installation to the bed of any US full size pickup.  The vacuum motor provides power to the radar which keeps the entire kit self contained.  All the operator needs is the iPAD which comes a simple mounting system that fits any vehicle.

The FOD Finder iPAD app allows the operator to zoom in/zoom out with a quick flick of the fingers.  Photos and movies can be taken and linked to any airfield discrepancy.  The new vacuum is ready for both winter/summer ops with a water suppression system that can also deploy approved anti icing fluids for winter operations.

The 2012 FOD Finder is available for lease starting at $9100/month which includes all service, parts and support for the equipment—all you have to do is drive!  Our Support team also empty, sort and categorize the debris collected and provide a weekly report detailing the FOD removed for the airport’s SMS program.

Why go mobile?  Ray Hoffelt/Chicago O’Hare Ops Supervisor has developed a great technique with the FOD Finder for highlighting FOD safety at the boarding gates.  Ray scans the gate area prior to the next aircraft arriving and takes pictures of any FOD items detected by the FOD Finder radar.  These pictures are linked and reported automatically via email.  Ray then sends the report and data to the airline supervisor responsible for the gate area.  This is a very effective method for stopping FOD at the source (see pictures below).

In addition to the FOD Finder, Trex is now offering the iPAD with the Airfield Management app for use as a standalone system for use in any airport vehicle.  The system generates airfield inspection reports that meet FAA, ICAO and Military Airfield Inspection requirements and networks with other Trex iPAD equipped vehicles.  These systems also integrate with the FOD Finder mobile and fixed systems.  The iPAD and Airfield management app system is available for lease starting at $99.95/month per unit.

“FOD is a ticking time bomb,” Pruszenski says. Without some signs of progress, he fears another disaster on the scale of the loss of the Air France Concorde.

No mention of FOD detection systems in the article.

Source (Aviation Week)

Get them here.