Jazmin Li
Hot spots refer to locations in airport movement areas that have a history of or present a significant risk of collision or runway incursion. These areas require heightened attention from pilots and drivers. Hot spots are typically complex or confusing taxiway/taxway or taxiway/runway intersections. Airport diagrams with standardised hot spot symbology are available on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website, which also provides links to a complete list of airports with hot spots.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A "hot spot" is a location on an airport movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion, requiring heightened attention by pilots and drivers. |
| Location | Typically a complex or confusing taxiway/taxiway or taxiway/runway intersection. |
| Risk | Nearly always have a history of or a significant risk for runway incursions. |
| Action | Pilots should become familiar with the locations of any hot spots before taxiing. If the taxi route enters a hot spot, it is recommended that the pilot reviews the relevant Chart Supplement to understand the factors involved. Extreme caution must be exercised when approaching or in a hot spot to avoid inadvertently entering a runway or taxiway. |
| Mitigation | All identified hot spots should be examined for short or long-term opportunities for mitigation or removal of the hazard. This can include changes to the movement area infrastructure, such as the construction of new taxiways or the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) to address critical VCR sight line deficiencies. |
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What You'll Learn
Runway safety problem areas
Runway safety is a critical aspect of aviation operations, and reducing runway safety-related accidents is a top priority for aviation authorities and organizations like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Here are some key problem areas and initiatives to address runway safety:
Runway Excursions and Incursions
Runway excursions occur when aircraft veer off the side of the runway, overrun the end, or land short of the runway. These incidents can have various causes, such as unstable approaches, and pose significant risks. Runway incursions, on the other hand, involve unauthorized presence of vehicles or pedestrians on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, creating potential conflict with aircraft operations. Both types of incidents are a major focus of runway safety efforts. Initiatives like the Global Runway Safety Action Plan (GRSAP) aim to reduce the rate of these occurrences and enhance overall runway safety.
Wrong Surface Events
Wrong surface hot spots refer to locations where aircraft have inadvertently attempted to depart or land on the wrong surface. These events can present a significant safety risk and have been a focus area for the FAA. They have implemented measures such as Arrival Alert Notices (AAN) to visually depict the approach to airports with a history of misalignment risk, helping pilots better align their landing approach and reducing the likelihood of wrong surface events.
Runway Safety Areas (RSA)
The RSA is a graded area surrounding the runway, typically 500 feet wide and extending 1,000 feet beyond each end. It serves as a safety buffer in the event of runway excursions. However, challenges arise when aircraft overshoot the runway at high speeds or veer off to the side. To address these issues, authorities like the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) have recommended the implementation of engineered material arresting systems (EMAS) to enhance the effectiveness of runway safety areas.
Surface Safety Metric (SSM)
The FAA introduced the SSM to more accurately identify the greatest risks in the runway environment. Unlike previous metrics that focused solely on runway incursions, the SSM considers all relevant events, including excursions, and utilizes the Surface Safety Risk Index to assess the severity of risks, incorporating factors like aircraft damage, injuries, and fatalities.
Airport Infrastructure and Technology
Improving airport infrastructure and adopting new technologies play a crucial role in enhancing runway safety. This includes constructing new taxiways, decommissioning old ones, implementing closed-circuit television (CCTV) for critical sight line deficiencies, and utilizing automated tools like the Aviation Risk Identification and Assessment (ARIA) system, which uses data to identify potential collision risks and support risk-based decision-making.
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Runway/taxiway intersections
Taxiing a 170,000-pound aircraft to an on-time departure is no easy feat, especially when faced with a maze of taxi routes. A wrong turn could lead to a runway incursion, which has always been a severe issue in aviation.
Hot spots are locations on an airport movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion, requiring heightened attention from pilots and drivers. These spots are typically complex or confusing taxiway-taxiway or taxiway-runway intersections.
To mitigate the risks associated with hot spots, pilots must understand and actively scan for taxiway signage and markings. Airports have also installed above-ground signage and enhanced taxiway centerline markings to help guide pilots. However, these tools are useless if the pilot is rushed or preoccupied with tasks within the cockpit.
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Wrong surface events
A "hot spot" is a location on an airport movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion. Locations on aerodromes with increased risk of hazardous events occurring are referred to as "hot spots".
A wrong surface event is a type of hot spot, where an aircraft has inadvertently attempted to or actually departed or landed on the wrong surface. Wrong surface events can occur when an aircraft lands or departs (or tries to do so) on the wrong runway or on a taxiway. They can also occur when an aircraft lands or tries to land at the wrong airport. From fiscal year 2016 to fiscal year 2018, there were 557 wrong-surface landing/approach events in the U.S. National Airspace System that were reported to the FAA, with 464 wrong-surface departure events. This means there was an average of nearly two wrong surface operations per day during this period.
To reduce the likelihood of wrong surface events, operators are encouraged to follow best practices such as familiarizing themselves with airports in advance using up-to-date airport diagrams and charts, using instruments to cross-check runway headings, and actively listening to air traffic control (ATC) instructions to avoid complacency.
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History of misalignment risk
A hot spot is a location on an airport movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion, requiring heightened attention from pilots, drivers, and controllers. These spots are generally complex or confusing taxiways or intersections between taxiways and runways. Airports with multiple runways, larger apron capacities, and more taxiways are more likely to have hot spots.
Hot spots are identified by airport authorities through analysis of past data and potential risks. They are then marked on airport charts and communicated to pilots before flights. The markings indicate the type of hot spot: a circle or ellipse for ground movement hot spots, which have a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion; and a cylinder for wrong surface hot spots, where an aircraft has inadvertently attempted to depart or land on the wrong surface.
Prior to May 19, 2022, there was no standard shape for designating hot spots on airport diagrams, with a variety of shapes used with no pattern or consistency. This lack of standardization meant that pilots unfamiliar with a particular airport or its chart might not notice the hot spots. Recognizing this issue, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) introduced standardized symbology for hot spots, consolidating the various shapes into three shapes with two distinct meanings.
As part of its efforts to enhance airport safety and reduce accidents, the FAA is also introducing Arrival Alert Notices (AANs) at airports with a history of misalignment risk. AANs provide a graphic visualization of the approach to an airport with a history of misalignment issues, incorporating the new standardized hot spot symbology. Wrong surface events are a significant safety risk, and the FAA aims to provide more permanent awareness of these events, especially for general aviation pilots who comprise 83% of wrong surface incidents.
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Hazardous event locations
Hot spots can be caused by a variety of factors. One common cause is wildlife strikes, which occur when birds or other animals collide with an airplane during takeoff, landing, or while the plane is in the air. Wildlife strikes have increased over the years due to growing populations of hazardous wildlife species and an increase in aircraft movements. Airports are encouraged to employ professional biologists trained in wildlife hazard management to assess these risks and provide training and wildlife management plans. Another cause of hot spots is volcanic ash, which can be hazardous to aircraft during takeoff. Pilots are advised to avoid operating in visible airborne ash and to delay flap extension until initiating the takeoff checklist. Laser operations near airports can also create temporary or permanent vision impairment for pilots and are therefore another source of hazardous events.
To identify hot spots, airport diagrams with standardised hot spot symbology are used. These diagrams help to prevent pilot confusion and provide awareness of the risks associated with specific locations. Once identified, mitigation or removal of the hazard can be implemented through changes to the movement area infrastructure, such as constructing new taxiways or installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) for critical VCR sight line deficiencies.
Additionally, when purchasing property near an airport, it is essential to be aware of potential hazards from airplane accidents and the possibility of the property being acquired as part of an airport expansion project.
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Frequently asked questions
An airport hotspot is a location on an airport movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion. These areas require heightened attention from pilots and drivers.
Airport hotspots are important because they present a significant safety risk. Pilots should be aware of the location of any hotspots on the field before taxiing at the beginning or end of a flight.
The FAA Office of Runway Safety website has links to a complete list of airports with hotspots. You can also search the FAA Database to access PDF versions of airport diagrams, which will include hotspot information.
Pilots must exercise extreme caution when approaching or in a hotspot to avoid inadvertently entering a runway or taxiway. It is highly recommended that pilots review the relevant region Chart Supplement to understand the factors involved in making that area a hotspot.
