Why Gibraltar Airport Tested Its Air Disaster Plan to Ensure Regulatory Compliance.

The Gibraltar Air Terminal recently completed a critical in-house air disaster exercise.

The exercise tested the airport’s response to a simulated aircraft incident. This action aligns with its role established by the Gibraltar Airport Emergency Orders. Such drills are vital for maintaining high operational safety standards.

Regulatory Compliance and Planning

International aviation regulations mandate regular emergency testing. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 14 requires airports to have an Aerodrome Emergency Plan (AEP). The AEP objective is to minimize an emergency’s effects. This includes saving lives and maintaining aircraft operations. Full-scale exercises must occur at regular intervals to test the plan's adequacy. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also requires coordinated emergency response plans. The Gibraltar exercise ensures the airport meets these stringent global and regional requirements.

Exercise Scope and Key Activations

The recent drill was conducted under the Office of Civil Contingencies umbrella. It focused on internal terminal procedures. Two critical facilities were activated during the exercise. These included the Friends and Relatives Reception Centre and the Passenger Reunion Centre. Non-essential staff acted as role players for realism. This tested different processes and procedures in place. The exercise also involved the Airport Fire & Rescue Service (AFRS) colleagues.

Air Terminal Director Mr. Terence Lopez highlighted the importance of the drill. He stated these exercises ensure Gibraltar Airport compliance with relevant regulations. They also allow staff to familiarize themselves with their roles.

Lessons Identified and Future Readiness

All participating organizations will now provide "Lessons Identified." These findings will be reviewed by the Office of Civil Contingencies (a key agency in Gibraltar's emergency planning). The goal is to adapt or improve the current aviation emergency planning documents.

• Key takeaway: Exercises evaluate preparedness, not just training.
• Focus: Testing the coordination between various agencies is essential.
• Benefit: The process improves incident coordination and interoperability.

Minister Christian Santos, with responsibility for Commercial Aviation and Gibraltar Air Terminal Ltd, observed the exercise. He called these drills an essential part of airport operations. They show the work done to ensure Gibraltar Airport is ready to respond to any aircraft incident response. The successful activation of the Friends and Relatives Reception Centre is a vital component. It ensures adequate support for passengers and their families during a crisis. This focus on human factors is a key part of modern aerodrome emergency plan (AEP) standards.

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