Sistemas contra incendios

CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY

Kay Lesontha Richardson

AIRPORT RESCUE AND FIRE FIGHTING STANDARDS: DO THE BENEFITS JUSTIFY THE COSTS?

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Air Transport Group

MSc THESIS

CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Air Transport Group

MSc THESIS Academic Year 2002 – 2003

Kay Lesontha Richardson

Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Standards: Do the Benefits Justify theCosts?

Supervisor: Dr. Romano Pagliari October 2003
This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

© Cranfield University 2003. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the copyright owner

Abstract
Although significant strides have been made in improving the safety ofcommercial air transport, fatal aircraft accidents are and will continue to be an inevitable facet of the air transport industry. Consequently, the role that Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting

(ARFF) personnel play in protecting the lives of passengers and crew is a vital one. It is therefore imperative that the standards for the provision of ARFF services meet a certain minimum level. However,these services account for a significant portion of an airport’s costs. Increasingly, there is pressure on airports to operate as commercial entities. Accordingly, this has presented a degree of conflict between the objectives of an airport which include reducing costs and maximising profits, and those of the ARFF service which is to save lives. Moreover, some concern has been raised by the smallerairports in the UK which hold the view that the regulations in this country are excessive and costly, particularly when compared to countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA.

This thesis examines the issues described above. Areas such as the safety environment within which commercial air transport operates; ARFF standards at the international level as well as the national regulations inAustralia, Canada, the UK and the USA; the adequacy of the afore-mentioned standards and regulations; and the costs associated with meeting current ARFF standards will be analysed. Information was gathered using a variety of sources, namely trade publications, studies, accident databases and variety of regulations. Discussions were also held with industry personnel and lecturing staff of theCranfield University. In view of the information gathered, the thesis will address

the subject of whether ARFF costs can be justified in light of the benefits to be derived.

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Acknowledgements
I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Dr. Romano Pagliari for his support and advice in the formulation of this thesis. I would also like to thank Dr.Graham Braithwaite for the guidance which he provided in researching the subject matter for this thesis.

Special thanks go out to the teaching and support staff of the Air Transport Department for their assistance and support, especially in the latter stages of the academic year 2002/2003.

Many thanks are also expressed to those who assisted in providing valuable information for this thesis.These include Dr. Mark Eddowes, AEA Technology, Mr. Robert

McCleod, Mr. Paul Hardiman and Mr. Ross Norman, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited and the staff of the UK Civil Aviation Authority Safety Regulation Group.

I would also like to thank the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and American Airlines who made it possible for me to pursue this course.

Finally, I would like to thank God,my family, especially my parents and the friends that I have made, whose constant support kept me going throughout this year.

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In Memory of my Brother Danny

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Glossary
Abbreviations
ACAP ACI ADREP AEIS AIP ALARP ARFF ATAC CAA CAC CARS CASA CASR CBA CFS CIS CPF DND Ers ERSA FAA FAR HIAL HSE IAFF ICAO JAA N/A NLR NOTAM NTSB O&M PCA PFC QRA RFF RIV SARP SRG TC TCA Airports...