The company has obtained recognition from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the National Air Safety Agency (AESA) for the design of instrument flight procedures, which establish the trajectory of aircraft to prevent collisions.

Ineco has thus become the first Spanish company to obtain the ICAO certificate, which only 14 other companies worldwide have been awarded. The accreditation is valid for three years, for both conventional and performance-based navigation (PBN).

The National Air Safety Agency (AESA) has also certified Ineco as a provider of flight procedure design services, making it the second organisation in Spain, after Enaire, to have received this recognition, which is valid throughout the European Union.

The EOS project developed by Ineco was chosen as the winner of the 5th edition of the company’s Innova Awards. EOS is a unique piece of software on the market, a comprehensive and efficient tool for the design of flight paths and procedures followed by aircraft to safely take off and land at airports. Its development is the result of collaboration between teams of aeronautical, computer and telecommunications engineers.

It uses spatial geometric calculations, integrated with a GIS developed by NASA and a 3D visual interface, for the calculation of safe flight procedures. It complies with ICAO air navigation regulations and is constantly being developed and updated.

Ineco’s Innova Awards annually recognise in-house projects for their contribution to the development of new knowledge, encouraging innovative initiatives within the company.

Unmanned aircraft (UAVs, RPAs or drones) are nothing new; these kinds of aircraft have been used as aerial targets to test weapons for more than a century and, indeed, the popular term ‘drone’ was coined by the British military in reference to the sound that these devices made. This is demonstrated by the fact that they were mentioned at the Convention on International Civil Aviation in Chicago, in 1944, which saw the creation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); in fact, Article 8 prohibited the use of unmanned aircraft without the express authorisation of each state.

Spain is one of the most active countries in terms of numbers of AESA-registered operators and is also the world’s tenth largest drone manufacturer

However, it was the evolution of microelectronics that enabled the sector to break into the mass market. Since the beginning of the 21st century, drones have been increasingly used by the military, although it was not until this decade that the technology started to become available for civilian use thanks to its gradual reduction in price. The low cost and ease of use of these small remote-controlled aerial vehicles, usually multicopters, has rapidly increased the popularity of their use in both recreational and professional fields. Growth of the sector in the last five years has been exponential, as shown by the number of drone patents issued. This growth is not surprising given that this technology has myriad applications, especially in imaging and photography, cartography and topography, surveillance and security, but also in agriculture, emergency support, environment, infrastructure maintenance, etc.

Spain is one of the most active countries in terms of numbers of AESA-registered operators and is also the world’s tenth largest drone manufacturer according to the Global Trends of Unmanned Aerial Systems report published by the Danish Technological Institute in 2019. Ineco pioneered the use of this technology for bridge inspections in 2015.

Ineco is actively participating in the SESAR projects related to the development of U-space: TERRA, IMPETUS and DOMUS

First steps

Drones also pose risks, of course, especially if they are operated in residential areas, controlled airspace close to manned aircraft or when drones are flown out of sight of the pilot on the ground. These hazards need to be carefully considered for both recreational and, especially, professional use: they include device failure, loss of control link, in-flight hacking and loss of the navigation or traffic separation systems.

For this reason, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has stipulated that drones with a take-off weight exceeding 150 kg must undergo a certification process, similar to that for manned aircraft, for both manufacture and operation. However, lighter drones, which are not intended to carry people on board, are not subject to such rigorous safety mechanisms. Consequently, their components and manufacturing are less robust, especially in the case of drones manufactured in large production runs, and standards are more appropriate for toys than aircraft.

In order to minimise the risks, a few years ago, the member states of the European Union began to restrict drone operations through regulations. In Spain, Law 18/2014 regulated the use of drones for the first time, limiting their operations to a height of 120 metres above the ground, prohibiting use near airports and controlled traffic regions (CTRs), in cities and areas with high concentrations of people, and allowing only flights within visual line of sight (VLOS), that is, less than 500 metres from the pilot on the ground. And, of course, drones must be remotely piloted (RPAs) and not operate autonomously.

This regulation greatly limited the type and complexity of drone operations, so three years later Royal Decree 1036/2017 was published to make the development of the sector compatible with safe operation. The new standard still allowed for simple operations, but also more complex ones with prior authorisation by the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).

To obtain authorisation, a safety study must be carried out, in addition to specific training and equipment to limit the risk, as well as coordination with those affected, if any, for example, air navigation service providers in the event of operations in controlled airspace. Ineco, in the context of the Ministry of Public Works’ Transport and Infrastructure Innovation Plan, has carried out these kinds of safety studies to obtain the authorisation required to perform complex piloting projects such as the recording of data from radio navigation systems in airports.

European regulations

Operating requirements in different European countries vary widely. To alleviate these regulatory differences, the EU has published a new regulation that divides operations into three categories (open, specific and certified), depending on the complexity of the operation, in order to harmonise requirements in all countries and facilitate the provision of services in any member state.

In short, it is now possible to carry out almost any kind of operation with drones in any environment, but only if operations are not carried out simultaneously. This means that if demand continues to grow as expected, it will be necessary to coordinate flights to maintain safety. To make this great development of drone operations possible, the EU, in its Warsaw Declaration of 2016, agreed on the need to develop the concept of U-space to allow safe operation of multiple drones at low altitude (below 150 metres) and especially in urban environments.

U-space will make it possible to coordinate drone operations so that they can be carried out simultaneously

U-space is a set of services, technologies and procedures to allow the safe and efficient operation of a large number of drones. The conceptual and technological development of these services is being carried out through the Single European Sky ATM Research programme (SESAR), as the EU considers it vital to provide an adequate environment to exploit all of the benefits that drones can bring to society. It will make it possible to coordinate drone operations so that they can be carried out simultaneously. However, the level of coordination will vary depending on the risk and density of this kind of aerial vehicle in the areas in which they are intended to operate; for this reason, the CORUS project has defined different types of airspace for drones: X, simple operations (VLOS) without coordination; and Y, complex operations in simple environments, so they will only require prior coordination of paths through flight plans, and Z, highly complex operations (urban-Zu, airports-Za) that require coordination in real time due to the risks to people and the number of operations.

Ineco is actively participating in SESAR projects related to the development of U-space: it is heading up the TERRA project, which is responsible for defining the ground technologies needed to support the provision of services, is also participating in the IMPETUS projects, whose purpose is to design information systems for the use of drones, and is involved in the DOMUS demonstration project, led by ENAIRE.

EVOLUTION OF THE SECTOR IN SPAIN

Activities with RPAS

Costa Rica’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, through ICAO, has awarded Ineco the project for the expansion and rehabilitation of the airfields of the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport. This is Costa Rica’s second largest airport Costa Rica and its international traffic has not stopped growing in recent years –exceeding one million passengers in 2016, 30% more than in 2015– thanks to its strategic position and tourist attractions.

The awarded contract will cover the definition of the construction project for the runway expansion and the rehabilitation of the airfields. The work will be completed in a year and will include a variety of additional studies, from the development of a new traffic forecast and the topographic and geotechnical campaigns, to the specifications for the execution of the works.

Nothing in an airport is superfluous. Everything is controlled and that is how it should be because, although it impossible to guarantee absolute safety, risks can be eliminated or mitigated to an acceptable level without causing injury to people or damage to property. Aeronautical safety studies are designed precisely to consider each and every one of these cases in order to identify, prevent and minimize any risk of accident or incident at airports, either on the land side or on the airside. Thanks to this work done by the entire aeronautical community, today’s world air transport has very high levels of safety, and is constantly reviewed through an ongoing process of hazard identification and risk management.

The rapid development of new technologies introduces factors that did not previously need to be taken into consideration. The advance in business models is focused on the construction of increasingly large aircraft that must operate at airports with all safety guarantees. These constraints generate added difficulty to maintain the quality standards that have been achieved. This is a constant effort, and in many cases it is necessary to propose alternatives, for example, aeronautical safety studies that guarantee an equivalent level of safety.

In general, these studies will be used in cases where the correction of a deviation is not feasible or is technically, operationally, environmentally or economically excessive, and the safety degradation can be overcome by means of procedures that offer reasonable, practical solutions.

The airport operator, airlines and air navigation providers have their own safety management systems, but it is of little use if each group pursues its own objectives in a way that is not coordinated with the other agents involved in the operation. The different safety management systems have to be integrated to form part of an interlocking system in which all pieces operate in a synchronized manner.

The levels of safety guaranteed by global air transport today represent an achievement based on the determination and efforts of the aviation community as a whole

International regulations

In the Convention on International Civil Aviation (1944), also known as the Chicago Convention, the main rules of aeronautical law were laid down in order to achieve adequate safety in air transport: at the end of World War II it was important to review the international agreements on civil aviation in a period of consolidation and development of the world aviation sector, and commercial aviation in particular.

The Convention was the seed of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations created that same year to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation around the world. The ICAO established, and continues to establish, the necessary standards and regulations for aviation safety, efficiency and environmental protection worldwide. Strengthening the safety of the global air transport system is its primary objective. The ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan (1998) was developed to reduce the number of accidents regardless of the number of flights.

As the increase in air traffic leads to an increase in the risk of accidents, a progressive improvement in safety management has become necessary in order to maintain adequate safety levels. Its objective is to progressively reduce the number of accidents regardless of the growth of air traffic, taking into account that:

• No human activity or human-designed system can be totally free of risks and errors.
• The elimination of all accidents (and serious incidents) is impossible.
• Failures will continue to occur, despite the most successful prevention efforts.
• Risks and errors are acceptable in an implicitly secure system, provided they are under control.

The levels of safety that global air transport guarantees today represent an achievement based on the determination and efforts of the aviation community as a whole. Safety must be a dynamic process that is adapted constantly, while maintaining the objectives achieved with the goal of achieving the lowest possible risk, without forgetting the progressive adaptation to the changes that will be taking place.

TRAINING SEMINARS. In 2012, Ineco gave a Safety Seminar with Aena Internacional in Mexico. In the centre of the photo, from left to the right, Sara García Ramos, mathematician and author of this article, and Rosario González, aeronautical technical engineer, both from Ineco.

In this regard, the ICAO document Procedures for Air Navigation Services –Aerodromes (PANS-Aerodromes) (Doc. 9981), first edition 2015–, details the operational procedures to be applied by aerodrome operators to ensure safety, especially when it is not possible to fully comply with the required technical specifications.

It is important to note that the cost (economic, operational, environmental, etc.) of any action must be balanced against the safety benefit, so as to generate the least possible socio-economic impact without compromising the equivalent level of safety.

According to Article 15 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, all aerodromes open to public use under the jurisdiction of a Contracting State must provide uniform conditions for all aircraft of all other Contracting States. Likewise, Articles 28 and 37 of the same Convention provide that each State shall provide in its territory airports, other air navigation facilities and services in accordance with the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) developed by ICAO. Airport operators must therefore have an airport certificate in order to be able to operate, and in the case of newly built airports or where new runways are to be put into service, this is a prerequisite before opening to traffic. The loss or modification of the certificate will result in the loss or immediate modification of the authorization to admit air transport. The certificate accredits the ability of both the infrastructure and the operator to carry out air transport operations.

In Spain, the Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA) is the aviation authority responsible for granting the certificate and monitoring any problems or deviations. Within the required documentation, are the aeronautical safety studies whose purpose varies from the justification of the fulfilment of the requirements to the evaluation of the deviations detected.

Ineco has been carrying out this type of study in Spain for over 10 years, working in air navigation, for all airports and heliports in the Aena network, as well as at other international airports in countries such as Mexico, Israel and Italy. Also, during this period Ineco has supported the certification processes at the airports and heliports of the Aena network – guaranteeing results and procedures.

Safety must be a dynamic process that is adapted constantly with the goal of achieving the lowest possible risk levels

Aeronautical safety studies

The objective of an Aeronautical Safety Study is to try to analyse an aeronautical problem, to determine possible solutions and select the most acceptable option, without adversely affecting safety. In short, the purpose of these studies is to:

• Detect the causes of the problem and evaluate the possible impact on the safety level.
• Present alternative means to ensure the aircraft operations safety.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of each alternative.
• Recommend procedures to act on the causes and/or diminish the effect or the occurrence of the consequences.

To achieve these objectives, the studies are based on a technical analysis. Technical analyses seek to justify deviations based on the possibility of achieving an equivalent level of security by other means. In addition, these analyses are generally applied in situations in which the cost of correcting issues that violate standards is excessive, but the negative effects on safety can be overcome by procedures that offer practical and reasonable solutions.

An aeronautical study may be conducted when aerodrome standards cannot be strictly met as a result of development or extension. This study is most frequently undertaken during the planning of a new airport or during the certification of an existing aerodrome.

Mathematical studies to determine the probability of an event

Risk analysis can be focused qualitatively or quantitatively involving mathematical models and input by groups of experts who contribute their knowledge to the process.

Quantitative models are a set of analytical techniques based on mathematical arguments used to assign probability of occurrence to a given fault or event in order to evaluate the level of risk associated with a given operation.

Runway excursion is the most frequent and catastrophic accident with respect runway operation. For this reason, a specific Mathematical model for the assessment of runway excursion probabilities has been developed for this type of incident.

Ineco has been carrying out this type of study in Spain for over 10 years, working for all airports and heliports in the Aena network, as well as in other international airports in countries such as Mexico, Israel and Italy

Severity and Probability Metrics

The accident database’s statistical model is based on the collection and processing of accident data in order to establish the quantitative relationships necessary to evaluate the safety of a system. The creation of a database with statistics on accidents, incidents and events and their analysis, makes it possible to determine the probability of occurrence for the most frequent events in an airport.

The tables show some examples as a guide, taking into account the international ICAO standard, severity classification matrix and probability classification matrix.

Severity classification matrix.

Probability classification matrix.

In recent decades, the constant worldwide increase in air traffic has led to the development of large-fuselage aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing B777 and B747-8. These are all large-capacity aircraft with the autonomy to fly long haul, and are therefore much larger and heavier than previous models. This has led to changes in the management, design and maintenance of airport infrastructure, both landside and airside. Airports have had to enlarge their terminals and access road in order to be able to accommodate more passengers, and have also had to increase the dimensions of their runways, taxiways and aircraft parking aprons.

Of all airport installations, the airfield is of critical importance, as it is where aircraft continuously taxi, take off, land and park. In many cases, they are in use 24 hours a day. For this reason, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) considers preventive maintenance to be of great importance, as the failure to correctly undertake these actions incurs additional costs, such as traffic restrictions or closures in order to carry out the necessary works, in addition to the cost of the repair works themselves.

Currently, the majority of airports find themselves handle more intense levels of traffic than they were designed for. As a result, the pavement deteriorates due to the loads produced by aircraft. This is then further exaggerated by exposure to the elements. In order to maintain operational safety, managers have to double their maintenance efforts.

Ineco has designed Gestrol, an application that provides the airport management with all the necessary information about the condition and evolution of the pavement

In any case, airfield pavements are dynamic in nature: their properties will change with the passage of time and the amount of airport traffic. Therefore, once it has reached the end of its useful life, usually around 20 years, new design, works and exploitation will be necessary. This cycle will not need to be applied to the entire pavement, rather only in the areas where it is necessary.

Airport managements are not usually aware of the overall conditions of the airfield pavement. For this reason, when a problem is detected, an immediate solution is required, generating unforeseen costs. Ineco has designed Gestrol, an application that provides the airport management with all the necessary information about the condition and evolution of the pavement, in such a way that they can anticipate future problems and possible solutions.

In addition to maintaining the minimum levels demanded by the international civil aviation regulations, the tool applies the quality levels that each manager chooses to implement. The application directly connects the manager to an engineer over the Internet, so that any issue may be resolved practically in real time.

When aviation was in its infancy, planes used to take off and land on earth or grass airfields. With the increase in size and weight of planes, airfield pavements also evolved and became more specialised in order to be able to bear growing loads and ever-intensifying usage. Currently, there are two main types of airport pavement: rigid and flexible. Both are made up of various layers. In rigid pavement, the top layer is made up of concrete slabs, while in flexible ones, asphalt materials are used. The lower layers absorb loads, reinforcing the earth’s load bearing capacity, and sometimes also help drainage. They are made up of different materials and may include the addition of a stabilising or binding ingredient to increase resistance.

Pavements are designed to withstand any weather conditions, in accordance with the loads determined in structural calculations. If loads or usage levels (or both) are greater than those for which it was designed, larger deformations will be produced, affecting the different layers and thus shortening the lifespan of the pavement. When measuring the deformations, an indicator called PCN (Pavement Classification Number) is obtained; this indicates the resistance to unrestricted use. This indicator is linked with another value known as ACN (Aircraft Classification Number) which indicates the relative effect of an aircraft on the pavement for a particular category of terrain. If this second value is less than or equal to the PCN, the pavement will be able to withstand operations without restriction.

Airfield pavements are designed to withstand any weather conditions in accordance with determined loads

As well as the load bearing capacity, other factors that determine the conditions of the pavement are the coefficient of friction and the surface texture. Friction between the surface of the runway and the tyres of the landing gear should be sufficient to ensure the maximum braking effectiveness, making this a factor which directly affects safety. According to the ICAO’s Airport Services Manual, the frequency of measurements must increase with the number of landings that occur: for less than 150 daily landings, once a year; between 150 and 210 landings, twice a year; and for more than 210 landings, three times annually.

The texture of the runway is crucial when it is wet, given that if the tyres lose contact with the surface of the runway, hydroplaning can occur; this in turn leads to the loss of control of braking and the steering of the aircraft.Slippery textures can be caused by the accumulation of rubber from the tyres of the landing gear or by wear from traffic. There are various measurement methods to determine whether the texture is suitable and what actions should be taken (clean-up of the rubber, screeding, etc.) if this is not the case.

All of these factors are reviewed and monitored through a Maintenance Plan. The information gathered through the various tests and studies is collected in a database, which is updated with the results of periodic assessments and any preventive or corrective work, as well as any possible change to traffic levels.

Physical security and operational safety are a fundamental pillar of all aeronautical activity and are at the centre of all procedures affecting air navigation, passengers, airport staff and the airport itself: among others, the inspection of baggage and cargo, access control, airfield signalling, the maintenance of vehicles and facilities, and action plans in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Ensuring that all these elements comply with safety levels established in aeronautical legislation (and monitoring them through the use of quality indicators) guarantees not only reliable and efficient air transport, but also international recognition and greater attention from airlines, which can boost the airport’s growth. It is for that reason that ENANA (the Angolan National Enterprise for the Operations of Airports and Air Traffic Control), which operates the country’s airports and air navigation services, has again turned to the experience of Aena Internacional, which through Ineco has carried out its second project at the capital’s 4 de Fevereiro airport. Preliminary studies were carried out in 2012 (see IT48), and are now being given continuity.

This first approach focused on the analysis and detection of potential risks and needs for safety, and the development of a total of 21 proposals for immediate corrective actions. These measures were grouped into 7 areas: infrastructure, equipment, airport services, documentation, real-time management, strategy and maintenance. In addition, Ineco and Aena Internacional developed operating and safety procedures and an Operations Management Plan (OMP), focusing on planning and real time. To raise awareness among airport staff of all the actions, a plan of training was delivered, totalling 196 hours for 220 participants. In addition to the safety proposals, a proposal for the commercial exploitation for the airport was also developed. This new project has seen advances in the development of these measures, which are specified in different plans. Works were carried out in two pases.

SAFETY AND EMERGENCIAS

The airport safety programme assigns responsibility, competences and obligations in the area of safety between airport management and the departments that organise and provide the services involved; defines restricted areas and safety measures both in the air and on land as well as the regulations in force for vehicle checks, the control of weapons and hazardous substances and goods, and the transport of passengers who are ill, have been detained or deported or are deceased, etc.

The emergency and contingency plans are designed to cover any serious situation affecting safety at the airport, from criminal acts to aircraft accidents inside or outside the premises of the airport. The objective of the contingency plan at 4 de Fevereiro airport is to identify and to coordinate what action protocols are to be followed in the event of an aircraft being hijacked or sabotaged, and, according to the level of threat, what measures must be taken by each body: airport staff, ENANA, armed forces, the police, the fire service, hospitals and medical services, etc. In parallel, Annex 14 of the ICAO requires that each airport have a specific plan for situations involving aircraft or aeronautical emergencies, such as accidents inside and outside the airport, and other situations such as natural disasters, accidents with hazardous goods or medical emergencies. The purpose of the emergency plan is to minimise the repercussions of such situations, to avoid the loss of human life, to safeguard the integrity of the facilities and to resume normal airport activity as early as possible. To that end, the document identifies possible risks and establishes command and communication procedures to be followed in order to avoid improvisation and the lack of coordination. The emergency plan includes the preparation and organisation of emergency drills in the airport and the drafting of a guide to carrying this out.

The airport safety programme assigns responsibilities between management and organisational departments

The project’s scope also covers the Safety Management System (SMS), for which a gap analysis was carried out on the current situation, 10 procedures were drafted and a plan was established for the implementation of the System. Another crucial safety element, considered strategic by ENANA, is the training of trainers, for which a course is being planned.

APRON WORKS

A fundamental aspect of operational safety is that the aircraft parking apron or ramp and the taxiways are properly marked, in accordance with ICAO manuals. At Luanda airport, shortcomings were detected in this area, especially for aircraft stands. In addition, the apron is shared by different types of aircraft (planes and helicopters); this constitutes a potential hazard both for aircraft themselves and for people and vehicles. Three types of actions are recommended in response to this.

Firstly, a topographic survey at a scale that would allow plans to be drawn up. Secondly, the definition of requirements for the design of the apron, taking multiple factors into account: the air traffic volume and forecasts, the types and sizes of aircraft, and whether they are commercial, military or for general aviation, their stops (national or international, terminals, transit, etc.), margins of separation from other aircraft, buildings and objects, etc. It is also necessary to analyse the means of access to aircraft parking (autonomous or with the assistance of a vehicle to tow or push the aircraft) and the distance to other installations (terminal, hangars, etc.), aircraft’s requirements of land-based assistance (fuel supply services, baggage handling, etc.). Additionally, the design of the apron should take into account the space available, the type of surface, jet blast, the time that each aircraft will occupy a stand and the time taken for another to occupy it, etc.

Advances are also being made in the commercial development of the airport, a field to which Aena Internacional has contributed its broad experience

Finally, taking into account all these design requirements and in compliance with ICAO criteria, the signalling study and planning will be carried out. This will cover aircraft stands, taxiways, service lanes and helicopter pads.

COMMERCIAL PLAN

Advances are also being made in the commercial development of the airport, a field in which Aena has contributed ample experience (see IT54). To achieve an increase in non-aviation income similar to that of other international airports (in Aena’s, this accounts for 26% of total income), an analysis was carried out into passenger demand, the most appropriate type and range of offering (including catering, duty-frees, VIP lounges, parking, etc.), and the design or layout of commercial spaces. The plan also included how the exploitation and contracting of the different spaces are to be carried out (direct exploitation by the operator, concession to third parties, etc) and how it is to be planned and managed. All of this is gathered in a business plan which included the participation of Carlos Porrón, from Aena Internacional.

Kaohsiung port, the largest in Taiwan and one of the most important ports in the world in terms of container traffic, is in full expansion with the construction of a new intercontinental container zone, a project that the Ministry of Transport and Communication of Taiwan and the Kaohsiung Port Branch (KPB) began in 2007. To increase its current loading capacity an increase in the size of cranes is necessary to about 150 metres in height in various docks of the port, which is equivalent to a building of 33 floors, such as the Agbar tower in Barcelona. However, the installation of such large cranes would be interfering with the current operations of Kaohsiung international airport, located just two kilometres away, and it would infringe upon the airport’s protection areas. With the objective that the Taiwanese Civil Aviation Authority allows the installation of the cranes, the port authority of Kaohsiung has commissioned a study whose objective is to demonstrate that the cranes will not negatively affect the safety of air operations. This project is being executed jointly by Ineco and the local company MiTAC.

In the context of the project, Ineco has already carried out a series of key activities with regard to evaluating the feasibility of an increase in the height of the cranes. Firstly, Ineco engineers have analysed both the maximum heights that the cranes could reach in each dock of the port without interfering with the instrument flight procedures published (including take-off, approach and landing manoeuvres and flights en route), as well as the modifications that would be necessary in the flight procedures for these to be compatible with the heights of the cranes required by Kaohsiung port authority in each of the port’s docks, thus ensuring the safety of these operations in accordance with the procedure design standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

To increase the current loading capacity of the Kaohsiung port it is necessary to increase the size of the cranes to about 150 metres in height in various docks of the port, which makes it necessary to modify the instrument flight procedures of the airport

Secondly, given that cranes of such large dimensions can be an obstacle for the correct transmission of electromagnetic signals of the air navigation facilities located in the vicinity, Ineco experts have studied their compatibility with all of the communications, navigation and surveillance systems that support the operations in Kaohsiung airport and in the surrounding air space, with 11 facilities in total being analysed, including instrument landing systems, primary and secondary surveillance radars, distance measuring equipment and communication centres. The examination of communications, navigation and surveillance systems (known as CNS systems) was carried out in terms of coverage and quality of the signal in space (through the study of potential multipath phenomena), with support from specialised radioelectric simulation tools.

Moreover, taking into account the new dimensions of the cranes, it was analysed in which way the obstacle limitation surfaces of Kaohsiung airport, established in Taiwanese regulations, would be infringed and recommendations were provided with respect to marking and lighting needs for the cranes that do so, in accordance with ICAO regulations. Lastly, Ineco provided the relevant recommendations regarding operations of the pilots.

The methodology for executing the previously mentioned analyses was also defined by Ineco, using for this purpose its extensive experience in studies of these kinds both in Spain and in other countries, and adopting the necessary hypotheses in each case, since cranes are mobile objects and since the model intended to be installed was not known.

As a result, the report shows, on one hand, for the 44 docks analysed the maximum achievable height compatible with the current instrument flight procedures, and the modifications necessary in these procedures (increase of the climb gradient in certain departures, modification of the operation minimums in various approaches, etc.) with regard to allowing the installation of cranes with the required height in each of the docks; moreover, with the objective of ensuring compatibility with current and future CNS systems, both the adaptations that must be carried out in the systems, when they are necessary and feasible, and the maximum heights that cranes can achieve to ensure that no adverse effects will occur (when there is no mitigation mechanism of this effect through the adaptation of systems) are depicted; lastly, the infringements of the protection surfaces over the 44 docks are detailed as well as the associated marking and lighting recommendations.

The methodology for executing the analyses was defined by Ineco, using for this purpose its extensive experience in studies of these kinds both in Spain and in other countries, and adopting the necessary hypotheses in each case

For years Ineco has carried out work relating to obstacle limitation surfaces, flight procedures or CNS systems in airports in Spain, Oman, the UAE, Cape Verde, Singapore and Kuwait, among other countries.