HomeMy WebLinkAboutYakima FAA Contract Tower; Yakima Air Terminal - McAllister Field - Letter of Agreement for Reporting Airport Conditions Yakima FAA Contract Tower and Yakima Air Terminal—McAllister Field
LETTER OF AGREEMENT
EFFECTIVE: December 15, 2023
SUBJECT: Reporting Airport Conditions
1. PURPOSE: To establish procedures and define responsibilities for the exchange of Airport
Field Conditions and Runway Braking Action reports.
2. CANCELLATION: Letter of Agreement, subject: Reporting Airport Conditions, dated
April 1, 2019, is cancelled.
3. SCOPE: The responsibilities and procedures outlined herein apply to Yakima FAA Contract
Tower(FCT) and the Yakima Air Terminal—McAllister Field (YKM) Airport Manager or
designee(Yakima Airport Management) for operational responsibilities pertaining to Airport
Field Condition and Braking Action reports at YKM.
4. BACKGROUND: The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety
Board determined that procedures to assess runway contamination required improvements.
Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment(TALPA)was created to reduce further risk of
runway overrun accidents/incidents caused by weather and other factors. This Letter of
Agreement incorporates the new process for reporting runway conditions based on contaminant
type and depth.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES: All signatories are responsible for ensuring compliance by personnel
under their authority with the provisions of this agreement. Training, both initial and recurrent,
of involved personnel is also the responsibility of the signatories.
6. PROCEDURES:
a. Yakima FCT must:
(1) Solicit braking action reports whenever weather conditions are conducive to
deteriorating or rapidly changing runway conditions. When necessary, advise pilots to
describe braking action as "good, " "good to medium, " "medium," "medium to poor, "
"poor, "or "nil. "
(2) Promptly advise the Airport when runway braking action reports of "good to
medium, " "medium, " "medium to poor, " "poor, "or "nil"have been received, or when
conditions have improved to "good. " When reporting, include the type aircraft from
which the report is received,the location, and the time.
(3) When appropriate, include within the Automated Terminal Information Service
(ATIS)broadcast that Braking Action Advisories are in effect and the current Runway
Condition Codes(RWY CC)when any one or more RWY CC values are less than six
(6), as contained in the Attachment.
Yakima FAA Contract Tower and Yakima Air Terminal—McAllister Field
EXAMPLE: "Runway two seven condition code two, two, three, at two three one eight
Zulu. "
(4) When braking action reports of "nil"are received, cease operations on the runway(s)
subject to the "nil"braking action and promptly advise the Airport.
b. Yakima Airport Management must:
(1) Promptly notify YKM FCT of any change in runway or taxiway conditions that could
impact aircraft operations. These conditions must be documented in a Field Condition
(FICON)Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM). If conditions are deemed unsafe for aircraft
operations, the Airport must close those surfaces until the condition of the surface is
deemed safe.
(2) Use FICON NOTAMs to identify the runway or taxiway, the time, and the runway
condition code if applicable. RWY CCs are presented in thirds; touchdown, midpoint,
and roll out.
(3) When all three (3) runway segments are reporting a code of six (6), the Airport must
notify YKM FCT that runway condition codes are no longer reportable.
(4) Conduct a runway assessment upon receipt of two (2)or more consecutive "poor"
Braking Action Pilot Reports unless continuous monitoring procedures have been
implemented.
(5) When braking action reports of "nil" are received, close the runway, and issue a
NOTAM. The runway must remain closed until the Airport determines that the "nil"
condition no longer exists.
(6) Advise YKM FCT once it has determined that the "nil"condition no longer exists.
The Airport must promptly advise YKM FCT when the runway is open and cancel any
NOTAMs.
(7) Advise YKM FCT of any other reported or observed condition that will affect the
safe operation of aircraft on the airport:
(8) Report runway and taxiway conditions as follows:
(a) Wet Runway—enough standing water that can be measured.
(b) Ice, snow, slush on the runway.
(c) Height and locations of snowdrifts, berms, or piles of snow on or along the edges
of the runways or taxiways, and the extent of any plowed areas.
(d) Construction work on or immediately adjacent to runways or taxiways.
(e) Hazardous wildlife.
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Yakima FAA Contract Tower and Yakima Air Terminal—McAllister Field
(9) Advise YKM FCT of irregular operations of any part of the airport lighting system.
(10) As deemed appropriate, provide information to YKM FCT on any other pertinent
airport condition.
7. ATTACHMENT: Runway Condition Assessment Matrix(RCAM).
/§(// 1;1// ._
Robert Davis Robe Hodgman
Air Traffic Manager Airport Director
Yakima FCT YKM Airport
ITY CONTRACT NO: w a
RESOLUTION NO: 10 IN
Robert Harrison
City Manager
City of Yakima, WA
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ATTACHMENT
Runway Condition Assessment Matrix (RCAM)
Assessment Criteria Downgrade Assessment Criteria
Vehicle Deceleration or Pilot
Runway Condition Description Code Mu(p) Directional Control Reported
Observation Braking
Action
• Dry 6 — I
• Frost
• Wet(Includes Damp and 1/8 inch depth or less of water) c Braking deceleration is
normal for the wheel
1/8 inch(3mm)depth or less of: 5 = braking effort applied AND Good
• Slush m directional control is
• Dry Snow normal.
• Wet Snow —
5°F(-15°C)and Colder outside air temperature: ,, Braking deceleration OR Good
• Compacted Snow ° directional control is
4 to
between Good and Medium
Medium.
• Slippery When Wet(wet runway)
• Dry Snow or Wet Snow(Any depth)over Compacted Snow
Braking deceleration is
Greater than 1/8 inch(3mm)depth of: noticeably reduced for the
• Dry Snow 3 wheel braking effort applied Medium
• Wet Snow OR directional control is
_ noticeably reduced.
Warmer than 5°F(-15°C)outside air temperature: r,
• Compacted Snow e
Greater than 1/8(3mm)inch depth of: m Braking deceleration OR Medium
• Water 2 directional control is to
• Slush between Medium and Poor. Poor
• 0
Ice 2 Braking deceleration is
significantly reduced for the
1 N wheel braking effort applied Poor
OR directional control is
significantly reduced.
• Wet Ice 2
• Slush over Ice 2 —
Braking deceleration is
• Water over Compacted Snow 2 minimal to non-existent for
• Dry Snow or Wet Snow over Ice 2 0 o the wheel braking effort
a) applied OR directional
control is uncertain
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