Belgian public aerodromes (according AD-1.3) are provided with RFFS and means whose essential purpose is to save lives in case of aircraft accident or incident occurring at or in the vicinity of an aerodrome.
The ensured protection level defined by the aerodrome category is published in section AD 2.6 of the aerodrome concerned. The aerodrome category is defined depending on the characteristics of the largest aircraft (aircraft overall length and maximum fuselage width) normally using the aerodrome and by the number of movements of the largest aircraft.
Rescue and fire fighting services are equipped according to the following table:
| Minimum usable amounts of extinguishing agents | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foam meeting Performance level A | Foam meeting performance level B | Foam meeting performance level C | Complementary agents | ||||||
| Aerodrome category | Water (L) | Discharge rate foam solution/minute (L) | Water (L) | Discharge rate foam solution/minute (L) | Water (L) | Discharge rate foam solution/minute (L) | Dry chemical powders (KG) | Discharge rate (KG/sec) | Rescue and fire fighting vehicles |
| 1 | 350 | 350 | 230 | 230 | 160 | 160 | 45 | 2.25 | 1 |
| 2 | 1000 | 800 | 670 | 550 | 460 | 360 | 90 | 2.25 | 1 |
| 3 | 1800 | 1300 | 1200 | 900 | 820 | 630 | 135 | 2.25 | 1 |
| 4 | 3600 | 2600 | 2400 | 1800 | 1700 | 1100 | 135 | 2.25 | 1 |
| 5 | 8100 | 4500 | 5400 | 3000 | 3900 | 2200 | 180 | 2.25 | 1 |
| 6 | 11800 | 6000 | 7900 | 4000 | 5800 | 2900 | 225 | 2.25 | 2 |
| 7 | 18200 | 7900 | 12100 | 5300 | 8800 | 3800 | 225 | 2.25 | 2 |
| 8 | 27300 | 10800 | 18200 | 7200 | 12800 | 5100 | 450 | 4.5 | 3 |
| 9 | 36400 | 13500 | 24300 | 9000 | 17100 | 6300 | 450 | 4.5 | 3 |
| 10 | 48200 | 16600 | 32300 | 11200 | 22800 | 7900 | 450 | 4.5 | 3 |
Temporary changes in the fire protection category will be published by NOTAM.
Belgian private aerodromes are equipped according:
Belgian ULM aerodromes are equipped according:
Belgian private heliports are equipped according:
| Foam meeting performance level B | Complementary agents | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Water (L) | Discharge rate foam solution (L/MIN) | Dry chemical powders (KG) | or | Halons (KG) | or | CO2 (KG) |
| H1 | 2500 | 250 | 45 | 45 | 90 | ||
| H2 | 5000 | 500 | 45 | 45 | 90 | ||
| H3 | 8000 | 800 | 45 | 45 | 90 | ||
| Category | Helicopter overall length |
|---|---|
| H1 | up to but not including 15 M |
| H2 | from 15 M up to but not including 24 M |
| H3 | from 24 M up to but not including 35 M |
Note: Helicopter length, including the tail boom and the rotors.
The Airport Authority is responsible for maintaining the aerodrome in safe conditions for flight operations and for assessing and reporting associated runway conditions. Seasonal availability and clearing is published in section AD 2.7 of the aerodrome concerned.
Whenever possible, runways will be cleared to expose the pavement. Various different clearing equipment and methods are used on various aerodromes. These methods are published in section AD 2.7 of the aerodrome concerned. Possible clearing equipment: sweepers, blowers, ploughs, stand-sweepers, spreaders, de-icers for taxiway/runway (liquid and solid).
The type of de-icing compounds and their conditions of use are the subject of special instructions given to aerodromes in due time, in keeping with the latest developments in this area.
Priority in clearance will normally be: runway, taxiways to aprons, aircraft stands on major aprons, remaining taxiways and aprons. More detailed cleaning priorities are published in section AD 2.7 of the aerodrome concerned.
There is an operational need for reliable and uniform information concerning the surface condition of contaminated runways. An indication of surface friction characteristics is helpful in conducting runway condition assessment. It can be obtained by a skilled assessor.
The friction conditions of a runway can be assessed in descriptive terms of “estimated surface friction”. The estimated surface friction is categorized as good, medium to good, medium, medium to poor, and poor, and promulgated in SNOWTAM format and ATC phraseologies.
Assessment results of the estimate friction on the surface of runways, affected exclusively by ice/compacted snow, will be made by means of the following table:
| Measured coefficient μ | Estimated surface | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 0.40 and above | Good | 5 |
| 0.39 to 036 | Medium to good | 4 |
| 0.35 to 0.30 | Medium | 3 |
| 0.29 to 0.26 | Medium to poor | 2 |
| 0.25 and below | Poor | 1 |
If the surface is affected by snow or ice and the estimated surface friction is reported as “good”, pilots should not expect to find conditions as good as on a clean dry runway. The value “good” is a comparative value and is intended to mean that aeroplanes should not experience directional control or braking difficulties, especially when landing. The figures in the “Measured Coefficient μ” column are given as an indication.
The airport authority is responsible for reporting changes in the state of movement areas to the ATS unit. A SNOWTAM according (EU) 2017/373 Annex VI Part-AIS, ATC phraseologies according (EU) 923/2012 (SERA) and ATIS according (EU) 923/2012 (SERA) Section 9 Flight Information Service is used.
The designated authority to co-ordinate information about the current state of progress of snow clearance operations and the conditions of the movement area is published in section AD 2.7 of the aerodrome concerned.
A minimum allocation of means is applicable to each aerodrome category as stated in ICAO Annex 14 and specified as follows:
| Aerodrome category | Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) or fluoroprotein foam | Complementary agent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount of water (L) | Discharge rate foam solution/MIN (L) | Dry chemical powders (KG) | |
| 1 | 230 | 230 | 45 |
| 2 | 670 | 550 | 90 |
| 3 | 1 200 | 900 | 135 |
| 4 | 2 400 | 1 800 | 135 |
| 5 | 5 400 | 3 000 | 180 |
| 6 | 7 900 | 4 000 | 225 |
| 7 | 12 100 | 5 300 | 225 |
| 8 | 18 200 | 7 200 | 450 |
| 9 | 24 300 | 9 000 | 450 |
| 10 | 32 300 | 11 200 | 450 |
| Heliport category | Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) or fluoroprotein foam | Complementary agent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount of water (L) | Discharge rate foam solution/MIN (L) | Dry chemical powders (KG) | |
| H1 | 500 | 250 | 23 |
| H2 | 1 000 | 500 | 45 |
| H3 | 1 600 | 800 | 90 |
The airport authority is responsible for maintaining the aerodrome in satisfactory security conditions for flight operations and for assessing and reporting associated runway conditions.
Whenever possible, the movement area will be kept clear of snow, ice, slush and standing water. The Belgian Air Component will give priority to keep clear the runway and QRA taxiways at EBBL and EBFS.
The maintenance of the movement area will be assured by means of brushes, snowploughs, snowblowers and chemicals.
If SNOWTAM must give information on the braking action, the three equal sections of a runway will be referred to as A, B and C.
Section A will always be the first third measured from that end of the runway with the lowest runway designation number.
However, in landing instructions, the three sections will be referred to as the “first”, “second” or “third” part of a runway seen from the threshold.
The friction coefficient is given by a special tool and data are available after the runway inspection. If no friction tool is available, the friction coefficient is estimated by the local ATC authorities.
Information on braking action will be given according to the following table:
| Measured friction coefficient | Estimated braking action | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 0.40 and above | Good | 5 |
| 0.39 - 0.36 | Good to medium | 4 |
| 0.35 - 0.30 | Medium | 3 |
| 0.29 - 0.26 | Medium to poor | 2 |
| 0.25 or below | Poor | 1 |
| 9 - unreliable | Unreliable | 9 |
Note: “Unreliable” will be reported when more than 10 % of a runway surface is covered by wet ice, wet snow and/or slush. Measuring results and estimates are considered absolutely unrealistic in such situations. In reports “unreliable” will be followed by either the friction number given by the instrument used or the estimated braking action.
Certified aerodromes are provided with RFFS and means whose essential purpose is to save lives in case of aircraft accident or incident occurring at or in the vicinity of an aerodrome.
The level of protection to be ensured at an aerodrome is determined with respect of;
The aerodrome category being determined, the ensured protection level is published in section AD 2.6 of the aerodrome concerned.
The Airport Authority is responsible for maintaining the aerodrome in safe conditions for flight operations and for assessing and reporting associated runway conditions (see AD 2.7).