Operational safety study: vehicle operations on a taxiway

Cologne Bonn Airport commissioned airsight to carry out a comprehensive exercise to develop an operational solution to allow safe operations of ground vehicles on the maneuvering area (i.e. live taxiway).

Ground service vehicles crossing an operational taxiway can be hazardous and can cause aircraft and vehicle delays as well as severe operational constraints.

At Cologne Bonn Airport an essential service road connecting two main parts of the airfield crosses one of the operational taxiways – TWY B. To ensure safe and efficient operations of ground vehicles and aircraft taxiing, a suitable operational solution needed to be developed to improve the current situation.

Aviation safety is one of airsight’s core competencies, with expertise ranging from operational analyses to aeronautical studies and assessments on all kinds of safety matters that concern airport operators or air navigation service providers.

One particular challenge of this project became apparent when a benchmarking exercise showed that the layout and operational necessities in CGN are unique in Europe and no similar processes exist at other airports that fulfil the specific requirements of this particular situation. To account for the distinctive nature of the task, specific safety requirements were defined, serving later as key indicators for the realisation of an operational concept. Various options were developed and evaluated including operational regulations aided by gates or barrier mechanisms, re-routing of taxiflows and a complete re-design of the intersection. During the optioneering process comprehensive stakeholder consultations were carried out to reach consensus and agree a serviceable solution.

This study derived a solution that provides operational safety and is commercially viable, provided vital aid for the consultation process and achieved the necessary stakeholder consensus.