[ad_1]
Rapa Quindlen
PARO – A Himalaya Airbus Havoc A320 aircraft carrying 160 passengers and 4 crew members took off from Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. The flight was scheduled to land on Runway 33 of Paro International Airport at 4:50 pm on June 12.
Shortly before landing, the plane encountered a microburst – strong downdrafts causing severe turbulence – which caused the plane to have an unstable touchdown and the main landing gear tires to burst.
This caused the aircraft to turn sharply to the left, run off the runway and slide onto the nearby grass. The rough landing caused part of the main landing gear to fall off and the hydraulic lines to break. The leaking hydraulic oil caught fire after coming into contact with the overheated landing gear components, quickly causing a fire on the left side of the aircraft, endangering the wing and fuselage.
Comprehensive emergency simulation drill
The crew took quick action and initiated emergency evacuation procedures, directing passengers to evacuate through the escape slides on the right side of the aircraft. Passengers and crew gathered safely on the grass next to the runway. However, due to the impact of landing, several passengers were injured.
This scenario was simulated during a tabletop exercise held at Paro International Airport on June 12, with a mock airliner crash test conducted to ensure the operational effectiveness of the procedures outlined in the Airport Emergency Plan (AEP).
The exercise attracted around 70 officials from various agencies including Bhutan Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA), airlines, police, Paro Dzongkhag, hospitals and desuups. After a detailed tabletop discussion, they participated in a comprehensive emergency simulation exercise.
The friction-based full-scale emergency exercise (Himalaya Catastrophe), held every two years, brings together all stakeholders to prepare for real-life emergencies.
Air Transport Minister Karma Wangchuk said it was important to be prepared for unforeseen challenges. “Given that mechanical hazards are unpredictable, this exercise is to mitigate potential risks,” he said.
To ensure a coordinated and effective response, trained personnel were assigned specific duties to handle emergencies. Not all airport staff were involved in the evacuation process to prevent obstacles in its execution.
Karma Wangchuk said the two biggest dangers to aircraft at Paro International Airport are strong winds and runway deviations. The department plans to conduct separate drills for mid-air emergencies.
The service said the emergency exercise was not intended to test the capabilities of participating forces, but to provide an opportunity to challenge Air Force emergency plans and identify areas for improvement after the exercise.
Recommendations, lessons learned, and observations from the exercise will be incorporated into the final AEP manual.
It is expected that the exercise will enable the assessment of AEP’s command, control and coordination capabilities at the operational and incident control levels, providing a platform for complex emergency operations under time constraints, scarce resources and with multiple priorities.
It also provides each agency with the opportunity to join a multi-agency simulated scenario response, contribute to incident control, accurately prioritize resources, and demonstrate the best use of all available assets in the field, regardless of agency, ownership, or mission.
Trainer Peter McMahon (PhD) from Australia said this type of training greatly improves the response to incidents such as plane crashes. “This training brings all agencies together to achieve a common goal. This ensures everyone is on the same page and understands their responsibilities,” he said.
He said Paro International Airport is considered one of the five most difficult airports in the world to land at due to factors such as terrain, wind conditions and runway length.
“We have a dedicated fire department at the airport, which consists of professional firefighters equipped with specialized equipment and trained for specific tasks,” he said, adding that these personnel are well prepared for incidents such as aircraft emergencies.
He said he has seen a significant improvement in firefighters’ skills and knowledge compared to when the same training was conducted in 2019. “I’ve seen a strong response during the exercise, which is very valuable,” he said.
The last similar full-scale exercise was held in 2022, having been postponed since 2018 due to the pandemic.
Peter McMahon provides innovative, immersive training experiences to air emergency services in more than 20 countries around the world.
[ad_2]
Source link
