Addressing the Challenge of Taxiway Incursions

While runway incursions are widely recognized as critical safety concerns, taxiway incursions are not analysed or documented as thoroughly despite their potential to cause serious operational disruptions and hazards. Taxiway incursions, surface incidents, or wrong surface operations can be understood as the unauthorized presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person on a taxiway. These incidents can lead to conflicts with aircraft, potential collisions, or taxiway excursions. Airports worldwide are facing such challenges. To address this issue at certain international airports, airsight has been conducting independent reviews focusing on taxiway systems and contributing factors to taxiway incursions.  

Once commissioned to review and analyse the taxiway system, airsight analyses: 

• visual aids infrastructure

• taxiway naming conventions

• taxiing procedures, aeronautical publications

• local weather conditions

• safety records and more.

Compliance with applicable regulations and checking international guidelines and benchmarks are fundamental aspects of the review. The team uses CAD software and computer-assisted simulations to evaluate existing infrastructure, identify hot spots and areas for improvement. 

The main challenges identified in these reviews include complex taxiway layouts and nomenclature, the effectiveness of visual aids in ground navigation, and human factors such as pilot expectation bias, distraction, task prioritization, and disorientation. Expectation bias occurs when pilots anticipate certain instructions based on past experiences, leading to selective hearing and potential deviations from assigned routes. New or complex taxi routes, often resulting from the introduction of new taxiways or changes due to construction, can be significant contributing factors to taxiway incursions. 

Recommendations can include targeted enhancements to signage, markings, and airfield ground lighting, revising taxiway naming conventions, and enhancing monitoring capabilities. Procedural measures, such as standardizing taxi routes and improving communication protocols, are also explored to ensure comprehensive safety improvements. Addressing human factors is crucial, as pilot behaviour and situational awareness significantly impact the occurrence of taxiway incursions. 

The implementation of the recommended measures is expected to reduce taxiway incursions, enhance operational safety, and improve the overall efficiency of ground movements at airports. By addressing both infrastructural and procedural aspects, these projects aim to create safer and more predictable environments for all airport stakeholders. 

airsight has a long-standing history of assisting airports globally in optimising their safety and operational efficiency. 

If you are facing challenges with runway or taxiway incursions or need support in any other aerodrome safety related matter, feel free to contact us via email or via our website.