FOD Management and Its Role in Airline Safety

This article explores the impact of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) on the aviation industry and how stakeholders can create awareness among staff to enhance FOD management. It includes a brief study of Airport Authority current FOD control programmes, recommendations for Emirates Airlines and Dubai Airport Authority, and a survey of employee data. The article also discusses major accidents caused by FOD, Dubai Airports FOD mitigation, and tools engraving.

City University London
FOD Management and Its role in Airline Safety
Foreign Object Debris (FOD) causes the aviation industry an annual estimate of 4 billion
dollars according to Boeing Company. FOD discovered at terminal gates, cargo aprons,
taxiways, runways and run-up pads can cause huge damage via direct contact with
airplanes, such as by cutting airplane wheels or being ingested into engines, or as a result of
being thrown by jet blast and damaging airplanes or injuring people. How do the
stakeholders create awareness among the staff to enhance FOD management? A brief study
of Airport Authority current FOD control programmes. Individual staff ownership of FOD
Management would be the ultimate goal in mitigating FOD. This article will provide
recommendations to the Airport Authority and the Airline to involve enhanced FOD
awareness among staff.
I certify that this project is either my own work or appropriately referenced where
sourced from other data. This project complies with the Project Regulations and Guidelines
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Table of Contents
Page 1 : Proposal Title page
Page 2 : Table of Contents
Page 3 : Description and Project Objectives
Page 4 : Proposed Project Contents
Page 5 : Time Scale
Page 6-9 : Project brief Description
Page 10 : References
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Description and Project Objectives
The major interaction with the aircraft happens at the arrival/departure bays whereby
various ground personnel such as flight catering, maintenance, cargo loaders attend to the
aircraft. The major FOD contribution occurs during this interaction.
Every bay has a red line defined as ERA (Equipment Restraint Area) or ASL (Aircraft Safety
Line). This line defined as an area, which has to be kept clear at all times for free movement
of aircraft in or out of the bay. In view of this article, this area is also the critical area to be
clear of any FOD. A survey conducted with the employees of the stakeholders to propose to
identify or rename the defined ERA area to be FOD critical Area. This rename will ensure
staff awareness of FOD at the bay.
Source: (Changi Airport Group, 2018)
The data analysis of the survey will be used for recommendations to the airport authority to
enhance FOD control at the bay by renaming the ERA to FOD critical area.
Further Objective of this article would be to provide recommendations to the airline’s FOD
campaign. The Airline in discussion uses FOD posters as a campaign for staff awareness. Is
the campaign sufficient? A survey will be conducted with the airline employees and the data
results will be analysed with recommendations to enhance the current campaign.
The airline Engineering Safety Report will be discussed briefly and recommendations will be
put forward to include a FOD damage indication. This will enable to collect/store/monitor
damages due to FOD.
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Contents
1) Introduction
2) FOD contribution to financial loss.
3) Major accidents in the world caused by FOD.
4) Dubai Airports FOD Mitigation
5.1) Airport Runway FOD detection System ( RMS )
5.2) Airport Runway, Taxiway FOD sweep
5.3) Interface with Engineering
6) Bay Marking
7) Importance of FOD on the ramp
8) Emirates Airlines FOD Awareness
8.1) Tools engraving
8.2) Engineering Safety Report
9) Employees Survey results and data
10) Detailed Recommendations for Emirates Airlines and Dubai Airport Authority
11) Glossary
12) References
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Time Scale
5
TASK START FINISH MAY
2018
JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN
2019
FEB M
earch & Consultation 01/05/18 30/06/18
al Draft 01/07/18 15/12/18
ervision review &
urn
15/12/18 15/01/19
endments &
rections
15/01/19 14/02/19
mission of final version 15/02/19 15/02/19
a 01/03/19 31/03/19

FOD Introduction
Foreign Object Debris (FOD) contains a variety of materials that includes loose hardware,
pavement fragments, catering supplies, building materials, rocks, sand, pieces of luggage,
and even wildlife. FOD cause the aviation industry with an annual estimate of 4 billion dollars
(Boeing Company, 2017). FOD discovered at terminal gates, cargo aprons, taxiways, runways
and run-up pads can cause huge damage via direct contact with airplanes, such as by cutting
airplane wheels or being ingested into engines, or as a result of being thrown by jet blast
and damaging airplanes or injuring people.
The relevant stakeholders can mitigate the cost or danger by taking steps to prevent airport
FOD. Every airline, airport authority, handling agents, and maintenance organisation realize
the cost and the danger posed by FOD, has included procedures, methods, and programmes
to control FOD.
FOD contributed in the following three main areas of the airport:
a) Runway FOD – FOD found here will be various objects fallen from aircraft or towing
vehicles, ground equipment etc. FOD found in this area contributes to huge damage
due to the fast-moving aircraft (take-off/landing).
b) Taxiway/Apron FOD – All external operational activities are carried out in this area
like catering, cargo loading, etc. Such activities can contribute to FOD. FOD in this
area can be easily blown away into the runway by jet blast.
c) Maintenance FOD – Objects left after maintenance activities such as tools, spare
parts, or construction works can cause damage to the aircraft.
FOD Contribution to Financial lost
An aircraft engine can ingest FOD, which can damage the aircraft causing a major accident. It
can be lodged in aircraft operating systems or damage aircraft wheels. Normally, it has been
calculated by the Boing company that a huge amount spends on FOD each year. Any major
aircraft accidents can relatively increase the cost and loss of life. The relevant stakeholders
can reduce this cost by taking proper steps to prevent airport FOD. This section of the article
will explore financial lost due FOD.
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Major accidents in the world caused by FOD
This section will explore major aircrafts accident due to FOD. An Air France Flight 4590 at
Charles de Gaulle International Airport went over a piece of titanium debris on the runway,
which caused shredding of a wheel, which eventually slammed into the plane’s fuel tank.
That cause fuel leakage and further it caused a fire, eventually lead to the Concorde to
crash. This accident killed 100 passengers.
Dubai Airports FOD Mitigation
Airport authority plays a vital role in FOD prevention, in-fact, it is the major stakeholder
which holds the responsibilities of safeguarding the airport from any incident or accident.
Apron area deems to be the highest risk of FOD due to the highest level of activities from
maintenance, aircraft handling occurs. However, FOD is also found on the runways and
taxiways. The following are the sources of FOD:
a) Infrastructure - Degradation of airport surfaces and other facilities.
b) Construction Activities - Areas within the airport zone under construction.
c) Servicing and Maintenance of aircraft
d) Windborne debris from adjacent areas - Jet blast can blow materials onto the
Runway/Taxiway in any intersection.
The Dubai Airports authority has incorporated the following inspection/awareness on the
ramp including the runways/taxiways:
a) Regular sweeping schedules to clear FOD.
b) RDMS – Iferret FOD detection system.
c) FOD campaigns via posters and awareness
d) Regular Consultations with other organizations like MRO and Handling agents.
FOD identification will enable the airport authority to consult the relevant organizations,
which contribute the identified FOD. For the purpose of the thesis, a case study of frequent
FOD findings of Thrust Reverser seal from the A380 will be included. The case study will
include the airport authority consultation with the Airline / Maintenance organization and
the steps taken to mitigate this issue.
Airport Runway FOD detection System ( RMS )
The Dubai Airport authority uses the Runways FOD detection system to scan both Taxiway
and runways. This section will discuss briefly the system used and its effectiveness.
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Airport Runway, Taxiway FOD sweep
The Dubai Airport Authority conducts a regular sweep for FOD on the ramp, runway and
taxiway. This section will discuss the interval of the sweep and the amount of FOD gathered
during this sweep.
Interface with Engineering
During the sweep on the runway/taxiway, any FOD which is related to aircraft detached
part, is brought to the attention of the engineering department. The engineering
department derives the aircraft registration during the FOD detection timeframe window.
All the aircraft during that window period will be inspected by the maintenance personnel
to identify the aircraft with the missing part.
This identification will enable the maintenance personnel to rectify the defect. FOD
identification will enable the airport authority to consult the relevant organizations, which
contribute the identified FOD.
Bay Marking
Every bay has a red line defined as ERA (Equipment Restraint Area) or ASL (Aircraft Safety
Line). These lines are defined as an area to be kept clear at all times for free movement of
aircraft in or out of the bay. This area must be FOD free to enable free movement of aircraft
in/out of the bay.
Importance of FOD on the ramp
The major interaction with the aircraft happens at the arrival/departure bays whereby
various ground personnel such as flight catering, maintenance, cargo loaders attend to the
aircraft. The major FOD contribution occurs during this interaction.
A survey conducted with the employees of the stakeholders to propose to identify or
rename the defined ERA area to be FOD critical Area. This rename will ensure staff
awareness of FOD at the bay. The data analysis of the survey will be used for
recommendations to the airport authority to enhance FOD control.
Emirates Airlines FOD Awareness
Emirates Airlines FOD awareness will be briefly discussed. A survey would be carried out to
enhance the FOD awareness campaign. Based on the survey results, further
recommendations will be produced to enhance the campaign methods.
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Tools Engraving
There are instances whereby maintenance personnel left the tools behind which causes
great danger as FOD. The Dubai airport authority has implemented to engrave all tools for
identification. The maintenance Organization has commenced to implement the tools
engraving recommendation from the airport authority. This section will briefly discuss the
tools engraving implementation.
Engineering Safety Report
When an aircraft arrives, the maintenance personnel carries out a detailed visual inspection.
The airline has a checklist, which contains items to be inspected but not limited to the said
items. When damage found, further detailed inspections are required. The structures team
will conduct a detailed inspection with special equipment. A safety report is a mandatory
requirement to document an unusual event or incident. The following are the safety reports
raised:
a) Engineering Safety Report
b) Air Safety Report
Engineering Safety Report - This report is raised by the maintenance personnel
Air Safety Report – This report is raised by the Flight Crew
For the purpose of this article, the Engineering Safety Report will be investigated. The ESR
(Engineering Safety Report) will be raised in the event of an aircraft damage.
Employees survey results and data
The survey results of the Employees of the relevant stakeholders such as the Airline, MRO,
and Ground Handling will be discussed with data.
Detailed Recommendations for Emirates Airlines and Dubai Airport
Authority.
This section will include detailed recommendations based on the survey results. The
recommendations mainly focused on the Dubai Airport Authority and Emirates Airlines to
enhance FOD awareness among staff and bring changes according to the existing protocols
to achieve it.
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References
Aero, S. (2018) Foreign Object Debris (FOD) - SKYbrary Aviation Safety [online]. Available
from: https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Foreign_Object_Debris_(FOD) [Accessed 2 May
2018].
Boeing (2017) Foreign Object Debris [online]. Available from:
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_01/textonly/s01txt.html.
[Accessed 03 June 2017].
Changi Airport Group (2018) Welcome to Changi Airport Group, Singapore [online]. Available
from: http://www.changiairport.com/content/dam/cacorp/documents/airside [Accessed 26
May 2018].
Faa.gov. (2018) Fact Sheet – Foreign Object Debris (FOD). [online] Available from:
https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=15394 [Accessed 24 May
2018].
FOD Control Corporation (2017) What is FOD? [online]. Available from:
https://www.fodcontrol.com/what-is-fod/. [Accessed 03 June 2017].
FOD-Detection.com (2017) Latest News about FOD [online]. Available from: http://fod-
detection.com. [Accessed 03 June 2017].
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