What considerations for assessing difficult environments are already given in the EU regulatory framework?

Although the Regulation (EU) No 139/2014 does not contain specific considerations on the assessment of difficult environments at or near an aerodrome as the response to such areas, the existing EU regulatory framework contains aspects that could be used to assess difficult environments and plan the response to such areas in a transparent way:

1. definition of the area’s size (e.g. AMC1 ADR.OPS.B.005(b), AMC2 ADR.OPS.B.005(b), GM1 ADR.OPS.B.010(a)(1));
2. availability of support within the area;
3. resource management (e.g. GM3 ADR.OPS.B.010(a)(2), AMC3 ADR.OPS.B.010(a)(2); and
4. verification.

For more information, please refer to the following acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM):

• GM1 ADR.OPS.B.010(a)(1).
• AMC3 ADR.OPS.B.010(a)(2), which states that ‘If the aerodrome is located near a water/swampy area, or other difficult environment, or a significant portion of the approach/departure operations takes over these areas, the aerodrome operator should coordinate the availability of suitable rescue equipment’.
• GM3 ADR.OPS.B.010(a)(2), which states that ‘Special fire fighting equipment may not be provided for water areas; this does not prevent the provision of such equipment if it would be of practical use, such as when the areas concerned include reefs or islands. The objective should be to plan and deploy the necessary life-saving flotation equipment, as expeditiously as possible, in a number commensurate with the largest aeroplane normally using the aerodrome’.
• AMC1 ADR.OPS.B.005(b), which states that ‘The aerodrome operator should ensure that an assessment of the approach and departure areas within 1000 m of the runway threshold is carried out to determine the options available for intervention’.
• AMC2 ADR.OPS.B.005(b), which states that ‘A grid map of the aerodrome and its immediate surroundings, approximately at a distance of 8km from the centre of the aerodrome’.