The Critical Importance of Landing and Takeoff Safety in Aviation
Landing and takeoff are undeniably the most critical phases of any flight, where the slightest deviation can lead to catastrophic outcomes. While the recent tragic air crash in South Korea is already under investigation—and its root causes will likely be addressed—it’s important that we proactively identify other potential risks that might remain invisible today (just like the concrete wall in this case) but could lead to future disasters.
Having studied dozens of air crash investigations, I have developed a keen interest and the analytical eye needed to identify potential improvements in aviation safety. Two such areas that warrant focused attention are:
- Landing Approach Performance
- On-Ground Aircraft Movement
Landing Approach Performance:
Incorrect glide slope capture during an ILS approach has been a recurring issue in aviation history. For example, the 2013 Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash in San Francisco demonstrated how a mismanaged glide path can lead to disaster. By integrating Real-Time Kinematics (RTK) into commercial aircraft, ATC can proactively know if a certain aircraft is deviating from the correct glide slope, thus identifying the potential hazard without increasing workload of pilots.
On-Ground Aircraft Movement:
Runway incursions and on-ground collisions remain critical challenges in aviation safety. A recent narrowly avoided collision, where an ATC had to issue an urgent “STOP, STOP, STOP” command, underscores the importance of real-time monitoring systems. With RTK technology, we can accurately track aircraft positions on the ground and use intelligent digital solutions to predict and alert on potential conflicts, significantly mitigating the risk of accidents during taxiing and ground operations.
Furthermore, regular recording and analysis of RTK data can help assess landing performance, enabling airlines to identify and address suboptimal pilot actions proactively, allowing for targeted training and performance improvements.
