Japan issues enhanced emergency measures after deadly plane collision at Haneda Airport

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The measures – which include more visible stop line markings on taxiways leading to runways and the use of clearer language in traffic control communications – are to be implemented immediately at Haneda, while they will go into effect at other airports across the country in the coming weeks. Are going to happen. ,

The January 2 collision occurred when JAL Flight 516 carrying 379 passengers and crew landed directly behind a Coast Guard aircraft preparing to take off on the same coastal runway. Both planes engulfed in flames,

All passengers of JAL’s Airbus A350-900 airliner were evacuated safely within 18 minutes. The captain of the Coast Guard’s much smaller Bombardier Dash-8 escaped burns but five of his crew members died.

The investigation into the collision focuses on what caused the Coast Guard flight crew to believe they had received the go-ahead for takeoff. Partial release of air traffic control transcripts revealed that no apparent takeoff clearance was given to the Coast Guard aircraft.

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According to the text, Tokyo Air Control gave permission for the JAL aircraft to land on runway 34R. Upon noticing that there was a departing aircraft, the JAL pilot repeated the instruction. In the transcript, traffic control tells the Coast Guard aircraft it was given a “no”. 1” priority for takeoff, an expression that some experts say may have led the Bombardier crew to mistakenly believe they were given permission to proceed to the runway.

According to a report published in the Asahi newspaper on Tuesday, the coast guard aircraft may have initiated communication with traffic control only after the JAL aircraft received permission to land and may not have been aware of the aircraft’s arrival.

The ministry’s new emergency measures call for ensuring that pilots understand terminology specifically related to runway entry, urging them to repeat instructions given by traffic control, and asking if they are unsure. . They also instruct traffic control not to use numerical terms such as the number 1 suggesting takeoff and landing priorities to avoid confusion.

The Haneda Traffic Control Tower has created a new position specifically assigned to monitor a radar system that indicates any unauthorized runway entry starting next Saturday.

Haneda Airport is the third busiest airport in the world, and is considered the preferred of the two airports in the Tokyo area due to its better access to the city’s downtown. During peak times, flights arrive and depart every few minutes, a frequency comparable to Tokyo’s commuter trains.

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