EUROCONTROL confirms the correct application by Belgocontrol of the Runway Selection Procedures at Brussels Airport
According to the conclusions of a EUROCONTROL report published on 9 January 2012, the Runway Selection Procedures at Brussels Airport are accurately applied by Belgocontrol in compliance with the Preferential Runway System (PRS) provisions.
The study ordered by Belgocontrol has been carried out by a EUROCONTROL ATS (Air Traffic Services) expert who has been chosen for his operational experience as a Tower Supervisor in a major European airport. The purpose of this survey was to check if the runway selection at Brussels Airport complies with the Preferential Runway System (PRS) taking into account all necessary operational considerations.
The study was focused on five days, i.e. from 22 to 24 August 2011, and 14 and 16 October 2011. The study concludes that during the periods of the survey, the PRS was correctly applied and that all deviations from the PRS were justified by the weather conditions or by runway closures. The runway selection turned out to be correct in every case. The report also shows that the Tower Supervisors at Brussels Airport maintained, in specific traffic situations, an identical runway configuration despite temporary changes in wind conditions in order to avoid an unnecessary and excessive series of runway change notices. This process is considered by EUROCONTROL to be a best practice as far as safety is concerned. Finally the report emphasizes that the PRS was applied in a highly professional manner, that the difficulty in balancing many dynamic factors should not be underestimated and that it is clear that this task is achieved in accordance with extremely high standards at Brussels Airport.
It should be noted that Belgocontrol is continuously supervised by the Belgian Supervisory Authority (BSA) and by the Aviation Inspection of the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority to which Belgocontrol sends each week a report on the application of the PRS with a justification for each deviation. Furthermore, it is not the first time that EUROCONTROL carried out a survey of this type at Belgocontrol. Since 2006, it has carried out five similar audits with each time positive conclusions. This last study was intended to confirm once again the correct application of the procedures at Brussels Airport by a completely independent international organisation, which is an expert on the subject.
The study was focused on five days, i.e. from 22 to 24 August 2011, and 14 and 16 October 2011. The study concludes that during the periods of the survey, the PRS was correctly applied and that all deviations from the PRS were justified by the weather conditions or by runway closures. The runway selection turned out to be correct in every case. The report also shows that the Tower Supervisors at Brussels Airport maintained, in specific traffic situations, an identical runway configuration despite temporary changes in wind conditions in order to avoid an unnecessary and excessive series of runway change notices. This process is considered by EUROCONTROL to be a best practice as far as safety is concerned. Finally the report emphasizes that the PRS was applied in a highly professional manner, that the difficulty in balancing many dynamic factors should not be underestimated and that it is clear that this task is achieved in accordance with extremely high standards at Brussels Airport.
It should be noted that Belgocontrol is continuously supervised by the Belgian Supervisory Authority (BSA) and by the Aviation Inspection of the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority to which Belgocontrol sends each week a report on the application of the PRS with a justification for each deviation. Furthermore, it is not the first time that EUROCONTROL carried out a survey of this type at Belgocontrol. Since 2006, it has carried out five similar audits with each time positive conclusions. This last study was intended to confirm once again the correct application of the procedures at Brussels Airport by a completely independent international organisation, which is an expert on the subject.
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