Ground Handling: «Lay the ground for a safe flight» by DGAC, France

Michel MASSON • 13 June 2025

in community Air Operations

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Promoted in the EASA Community to benefit safety.

Ground Handling: «Lay the ground for a safe flight» series by DGAC

Ground Handling: « Lay the ground for a safe flight » | Ministères Aménagement du territoire Transition écologique

Safety is everyone’s business as a failing link in the chain may have serious consequences. In order to reduce the number of ground handling incidents and create a positive safety culture, the French Civil Aviation Authority (DSAC) has produced a series of 23 video clips series on the impact of ground handling on flight safety.

Ground handling involves multiple stakeholders, which operate within important constraints of space, time and profitability. It is a complex activity, and a source of risks that should not be underestimated.

One weak link in the long chain of safety – incorrect marshalling, equipment left behind, fuel spillage, weight and balance error, inadequate de-icing/anti-icing, collision - even a minor one - between an aircraft and a vehicle… may have considerable impact on flight safety.

Improving safety requires the involvement and coordination of everyone, especially airlines, subcontractors and airport operators.

Build a common vision of the risk

Feedback is an essential tool for improving aviation safety, and strengthening safety culture is key to improve occurrence reporting.

There is a wide variety of incidents related to ground operations: incorrectly secured cargo door, undetected aircraft damage, error in the quantity of fuel delivered or improperly secured cargo are all undesirable events, etc, some of which have had dramatic consequences.

Raise awareness and train

Along with regulation and oversight, safety promotion is one of the three pillars of the State Safety Programme implemented by the DGAC .

To spread a positive safety culture, DGAC has made a series of 23 video clips about ground handling’s impact on flight safety, useable by agents, instructors and managers, during training sessions as well as in break rooms.

Three risk areas are covered in the clips: