The head of Eurocontrol's safety enhancement division Erik Merckx says the air navigation agency's action plan on runway incursions has been implemented, including distribution of a self-checking toolkit for airports, pilots and controllers. The relatively immature incident reporting programme in which all Eurocontrol member states are now required to participate is also intended to provide much-needed data on incursions (Flight International, 17-23 February). But the Netherlands air traffic control agency NVNL reports that, following police prosecution of three controllers in 2000 for a 1998 runway incursion at Amsterdam Schiphol, reporting of incidents by controllers has halved. Merckx says such a reduction in reporting has not, at this point, been reflected across Europe.
Source: Flight International
