A4: I like your optimism: "no surface radar at OTP otherwise it would have been picked up". We have just recently had installed at the major international airport where I am a tower controller, current generation ground radar, and I can assure you it doesn't always "pick up" vehicles. I'm afraid that runway integrity still very much relies on: a/ the aerodrome (local) controller not forgeting what he/she has cleared on to or off the runway; b/ other tower controllers (eg the Ground controller) not clearing other moving objects on to an active runway without clearance from (a); c/ the crew at the front of the aircraft that is about to use the runway, seeing, or having a fair idea what is on/recently off the runway, d/ operators of ground vehicles, tugs etc to be sufficiently trained and aware of how important runway sterilization is, and finally e/ crews of taxiing aircraft not to do silly things like crossing a runway holding point during a period of runway activity. Of course option (c/) has it's drawbacks during periods of poor visibility, and at night when the view from the cockpit (especially after recent rain) can just be a mass of reflected lights. Any of the events listed above can have an ugly outcome if allowed to slip through, unfortunately ground radar is really just an aid, helpful at times and sometimes pretty useless.
Just my thoughts
Happy New Year to you anyway.
Last edited by Bedder believeit; 30th Dec 2007 at 13:16.