1.1.1   Rescue and Firefighting Services

Belgian private aerodromes are equipped according:

• where the overall length of the largest aircraft is less then 12 M, minimum 50 KG dry chemical powders and minimum 5 KG CO2;
• where the overall length of the largest aircraft is equal or more than 12 M or when turbine powered aircraft are allowed, minimum 150 KG dry chemical powders, minimum 10 KG CO2 and a transporting vehicle.

Belgian private heliports are equipped according:

• heliports serving helicopters with MTOW less than 5700 KG, minimum 48 KG dry chemical powders ABC and minimum 5 KG CO2;
• heliports serving helicopters with MTOW equal or more than 5700 KG, minimum 150 KG dry chemical powders ABC and minimum 10 KG CO2.
• Elevated heliports are equipped according to the following tables:

  	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.

1.1.2   Runway Surface Condition Assessment and Reporting, and Snow Plan

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 concerned aerodrome.

Whenever possible, runways will be cleared to expose the pavement. Various clearing equipment and methods are used on various aerodromes. These methods are published in section AD 2.7 of the concerned aerodrome. Possible employed 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 concerned aerodrome.

The Airport Authority may temporarily close parts of the movement area for winter maintenance purposes, when condition of the area has been assessed as unsafe for operations. A temporary closure shall be notified in SNOWTAM and promulgated also by NOTAM if deemed necessary.

The aerodrome operator assesses the runway surface condition whenever water, snow, slush, ice or frost are present on an operational runway. From this assessment, a Runway Condition Code (RWYCC) and a description of the runway surface are reported in a Runway Condition Report (RCR), which can be used by the flight crew for aeroplane performance calculations. This assessment, based on the type, depth, temperature and coverage of contaminants, is the best assessment of the runway surface condition by the aerodrome operator; however, all other pertinent information is taken into consideration and kept up to date, and changes in conditions are reported without delay.

The RWYCC is a code number from 0 to 6 and reflects the runway braking capability as a function of the surface conditions. With this information, the flight crew can derive, from the performance information provided by the aeroplane manufacturer, the necessary stopping distance of an aircraft on the approach under the prevailing conditions.

Whenever the braking action experienced during landing is less good than indicated by the RWYCC issued for the runway in question, pilots shall provide a special air-report (AIREP) to ATC for a possible re-assessment of the runway surface conditions by the aerodrome operator.

Aerodrome operators use the following Runway Condition Assessment Matrix (RCAM) in order to assign the RWYCC.

The Runway Condition Report (RCR) reports the runway surface condition over each third of the runway and is contained in the relevant ATIS message. The aerodrome operator will report to AIS and ATS on matters of operational significance affecting aircraft and aerodrome operations on the movement area, particularly in respect of:

• water;
• snow;
• slush;
• ice;
• frost;
• anti-icing or de-icing liquid chemicals or other contaminants; and
• snow banks or drifts.

The runway surface condition will also be reported via SNOWTAM when a significant change in runway surface condition occurs due to water, snow, slush, ice or frost. Reporting of the runway surface condition via SNOWTAM will subsequently continue to reflect significant changes until the runway is no longer contaminated.

When a paved runway or portion thereof is slippery wet, the aerodrome operator will make such information available to the aerodrome users by issuing a NOTAM that describes the location of the affected runway portion.

SNOWTAM are issued in accordance with the SNOWTAM format, as shown below. SNOWTAM has a maximum validity period of 8 hours. If a SNOWTAM has not been replaced within this period, it will be invalidated automatically. Inclusion of the different items is either mandatory (M), conditional (C) or optional (O) as indicated. When reporting on more than one runway, the items B to H are repeated for each runway.

Note: The letters used to indicate the SNOWTAM items are only used for reference purposes and will not be included in the SNOWTAM messages.

SNOWTAM Format

../graphics/eAIP/SnowtamFormat.jpg

1.2.1   Rescue and Firefighting Services

A minimum allocation of means is applicable to each aerodrome category as stated in ICAO Annex 14 and specified as follows:

1.2.2   Runway Surface Condition Assessment and Reporting, and Snow Plan