A Petition To Halt CRDA Operations at MEM

Feed

Image 1 of 4

Author: CRDA

Started: October 1, 2008, 10:19:33 am

Target: Pilots, Airline Passengers, and Concerned Citizens

Category: Government & Politics

Supporters:

Goal:

100,000

Goal Progress:

Status

Closed

On July 2, 2007 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) installed Converging Runway Display Aid (CRDA) software and procedures at the Memphis International Airport (MEM). CRDA was implemented at MEM in order to provide "stagger spacing" between aircraft on approach to RWY 18L or 18C and RWY 27. When used appropriately, this stagger spacing ensures that a RWY 27 go-around aircraft will pass behind any aircraft on approach to RWY 18L or 18C. The stagger spacing also ensures that any aircraft landing on RWY 27 will not be overflown by any other aircraft on approach to RWY 18L or 18C.

However, there are concerns with the CRDA procedures currently in use at MEM:

CRDA software and procedures at MEM do not provide any form of wake turbulence separation from Heavy Jet aircraft on approach to RWY 18L, 18C, or 18R. This means that any aircraft executing a go-around from RWY 27 will fly through the associated wake turbulence created by any Heavy Jet aircraft on approach to RWY 18L, 18C, or 18R.

CRDA software and procedures at MEM do not provide any form of ensured IFR separation between a RWY 27 go-around aircraft and any other aircraft on approach to RWY 18R. This means that any aircraft executing a go-around from RWY 27 must be issued alternate instructions to avoid any aircraft on approach to RWY 18R, or the Air Traffic Controllers in the Tower Cab must provide Visual Separation between these aircraft -- and Visual Separation is not allowed if either of these aircraft is a Heavy Jet aircraft.

CRDA software and procedures at MEM do not compensate for the wind direction and velocity at different altitudes. This means that aircraft are often on approach to RWY 27 with a tailwind, and aircraft are on approach to RWY 18L or 18C with a headwind. The combined headwind/tailwind components for these runways often result in the RWY 27 aircraft having a faster ground speed, and/or the RWY 18L or 18C aircraft having a slower ground speed. These speed differences often result in a "tie" situation at the airport, and in the event of a tie -- the RWY 18L or 18C aircraft must be issued go-around instructions so that it does not overfly the aircraft landing on RWY 27.

There are numerous documented go-around incidents at MEM due to the use of CRDA software and procedures, as well as documented go-around incidents due to headwind/tailwind differences between RWY 18L, 18C and RWY 27. There are several documented incidents at MEM involving RWY 27 go-around aircraft conflicting with other aircraft on approach to RWY 18L and 18R, and in each of these incidents -- the RWY 27 aircraft was instructed to "stay low" so as to avoid the aircraft on approach to RWY 18L and 18R.

This petition will serve to inform the FAA that we are concerned with the current use of CRDA software and procedures at MEM; that headwind and tailwind components create complex situations for Pilots and Controllers; that RWY 27 go-around aircraft must have a clear and unobstructed flight path that is free and clear of other aircraft and obstructions; that RWY 27 go-around aircraft must not be subjected to the dangerous effects of wake turbulence associated with other aircraft on approach to RWY 18L, 18C, or 18R; that we are requesting a complete and thorough review of the CRDA software and procedures in use at MEM, and that the final results will be made public to the aviation community.

Airport capacity must not take a back-seat to safety. Please sign this petition and demand that the FAA review the CRDA software and procedures that are currently in use at MEM.