Airport Closure Due Lightning..

[ranklein]

Hi,

I'm looking for a specific rule/s regarding airport closure when a thunderstorm with lightning is overhead the airport.Is it a general rule, is it per airport according to its own rules?
Looking to know in places around the world.

Thanks a lot!!:ok:

[spekesoftly]

In the UK, other than for snow clearance, Airports don't normally "close" for weather related reasons, no matter how severe. ATC may impose flow restrictions, and will endeavour to keep pilots informed of the current Wx conditions, but the final decision for an approach or departure rests with the aircraft commander.

[perkin]

I've been at Schiphol during a huge thunderstorm - lots of lightning and very heavy rain, directly above the airport, but arrivals and departures as normal. The only issue causing delays was that fact they weren't able to refuel any aircraft due to the fire risk from lightning strikes. Presumably as long as no windshear, arrivals and departures are ok to continue...

[ranklein]

So let's narrow it down:How about the ground operations when lightning is overhead.I know there are no refueling.How about other ground activities such as boarding passengers, marshalling aircrafts etc.?
Is there a written rule about those?
Thanks for the replies..

[NZScion]

Surely the gust front(s), along with the WS and up/down draughts associated with active CB(s) would be enough to put a shiver down the spine of a pilot, regardless of if they are flying a Cessna or B747...

Surely it would be better to stick it out in the hold until the wx passes, or go to an alternate? Better to get the pax onto terra firma 150nm away than to put the pax 6ft under terra firma...

... then again maybe I'm just a muppet and should wait until I have enough stripes on my shoulder to know what its like flying a 747...

[mitzy69]

Toronto when there is lightening about a warning light flashes on the top of terminal and all ground operations stop for people on the tarmac, so no refueling, catering, baggage loading/unloading, toilet tank emptying, and no push backs with tug. So will arrive but will not depart again on schedule.

[Kiwiconehead]

So let's narrow it down:How about the ground operations when lightning is overhead
In Australia the general rule is lightning within 5km of the airfield then all personnel vacate the ramp - various airports have different warning systems but the gist is the same - everybody inside the terminal or in an aircraft.
It's not unusual for aircraft to hold off airbridges for extended periods because no engineer on the gate for them to come on. On the regional side you can guarantee that the tarmac will be evacuated in that 2min window between the last punter boarding and the dispatcher bringing out the trim sheet - so no choice but to close up and sit there waiting, murphy usually arranges for the aircraft to have a u/s apu as well

There was an incident a number of years ago when an aircraft was zapped on the ramp in I think Sydney, there was an engineer on the headset and he got some nasty burns (lucky to be alive)

[ranklein]

Can anyone get their hand on a written rule and/or procedure?

[Essential Buzz]

There is some info in the Jepp's for Hong Kong procedures, but can't seem to find an appropriate internet reference.

Meanwhile here's some propaganda from the HK Airport Authority:
http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/pr/pr_844.html#anchor_1

[tom775257]

Vienna (Wien-Schwechat) closes ground operations when there is lightning around the airfield. This is listed in the Jepp notes.

Actually it seems surprising, the airline I work for has no recommendations about this (or if they have I haven't read them). I guess you should use common sense.

[MrApproach]

Kiwiconehead sums up the situation at major Australian airports however it should be said that the systems are airline specific and I think relate to their OH&S responsibilities. I believe Qantas operates their's centrally from their Sydney Ops Room and it is simply based on what the local BoM weather radar is displaying. If there is lightning within five NM strobe lights start flashing all over the apron and the staff down tools until the lights stop. I think Virgin Blue has something similar but I stress this is only on those airlines ramps. There are no airport or ATC restrictions, and as someone points out earlier, for weather issues, only pilots close airports (by declining approaches or take offs)not ATC. (As it should be) I assume any paperwork that Ranklein is searching for would be in airline documents.

[MD11Engineer]

I know of two accidents where people were injured by lightning on the ramp. One happened a few years ago with my previous employer. A former colleague, who was in the process of dispatching an aeroplane and thus on the headset got struck when lightning hit close by (fortunately not the aircraft he was connected with, the jolt was strong enough to collapse him like a poleaxed ox, he was out for several minutes, but recovered fast).
This summer, at the airport I'm currently working at, a ramper got struck by lightning while operating a main deck loader. His manager insisted on the loading crew to continue loading a plane to catch up on a delay, even though a thuderstorm was directly overhead and he was breaking health and safety rules (The unions and health and safety board had a field day with this incident).
The ramper was brought to hospital by ambulance, but recovred after a few days.

For me as maintenance shift leader, I will not have any of my mechanics and engineers outside if there is a thunderstorm within 5 miles of the airport. Neither will the ground handling provider (if they obey the rules). It is simply too dangerous. Imagine you are soaked, in streaming rain, on a wet concrete surface , electrically connected to a metal object with a pointy fin sticking up into the air.

[john_tullamarine]

As anyone who has done Physics I at undergrad level would know ... not a good idea to be out in an electrical storm ... one becomes a lightning rod .. good idea, if caught, is to find a depression, lie down, get soaked .. and enjoy the light and sound show.

[Ozgrade3]

I was a ramp rat at Sydneyfor a regional airline for a few years and it was up to the supervisor rat when he took his boys off the tarmac. One day I was asked by ops if we wanted to come off when a storm was close by, i replied I think we can get the next departure away.

As the turboprop started the first engine, I was standing in front as the starter marshall, a huge lightning bolt hot the taxiway about 100m from myself. Now to get the picture, the bay was out in the open, about 300m from the nearest cover.

Before I could conciously think about it I was running at full tilt. The crew of the aircraft apparently were wetting themselves laughing, they later said they had never seen me move so fast. I must have left burnout marks on the ground as I took off.

Apparently all the cabling that powers the taxiway and runway lights is like a magnet for lightning. It seems that the end of runway 34R is ground zero for lightning, regularly gets chunks of asphalt blown ou of it by lighting, and that stuff is damn hard.

[MD11Engineer]

As anyone who has done Physics I at undergrad level would know ... not a good idea to be out in an electrical storm ... one becomes a lightning rod .. good idea, if caught, is to find a depression, lie down, get soaked .. and enjoy the light and sound show.

laying down is exactly the wrong thing to do. Earth has a finite resistance. If lightning strikes nearby, the electric potential gradualy drops in concentric circles around the point of impact. If you are laying stretched out, you will bridge quite a difference in electric potential between your feet and your head (several 10.000 Volts), which will cause a strong current to flow through you. You should squat down, with your feet close together to minimize the difference in potential.

[skiesfull]

Seems to be the law in the USA and Canada. Try the relevant aviation authorities' websites.

[john_tullamarine]

laying down is exactly the wrong thing to do

quite happy to stand corrected on detail .. main thing is to get rid of the lightning rod ...

[call100]

Airport Safety instructions state that during thunderstorms.....
The embarkation ad disembarkation of passengers, other than by airbridge should be stopped.
Aircraft and vehicle fuelling should be suspended.
All aircraft should bge correctly earthed.
Mobile crane ops to be suspended and personnel moved away from crane.
Headset operations during pushback should cease and hand signals used.
Personnel should not gather in groups and if possible remain indoors.

Hope that's helpfull. I think CAP642 contains something on the subject.
:8

[PBL]

laying down is exactly the wrong thing to do
quite happy to stand corrected on detail .. main thing is to get rid of the lightning rod ...

"Getting rid of the lightning rod" is a very modest measure if you are anywhere but boating on a lake. I suggest (as do many mountain guides) that the main thing is to insulate yourself from the surroundings, which you do best by staying on the rubber soles of your shoes and not touching anything else. And staying away from stuff likely to be accumulating charge. Squatting down makes most sense; but no touching the ground except with the soles.

The reason: if you are (somewhat) insulated from earth (it's better to have dry boots, but that is likely impossible), then ground strikes within 50 m will not be running up you (much), and lightning will not be liking you cos the only particles running to or from your pointy head will be yours.

PBL

[Capt Claret]

As I understand it, removing ramp personnel is an OH&S issue, rather than an Airways/Airline regulatory one.

[call100]

Thats correct. He was asking for the airport rather than an airline rules...:O