Vanquishing the V/PD

st 1 Quarter 2015 

A quarterly publication from the

Safety Section

Federal Aviation Administration Airports Division

Western-Pacific Region

This publication is directed primarily towards airport management to be disseminated to 

all levels of personnel working at your airfield. Vanquishing the V/PD can be 

accomplished through a solid partnership between the FAA and airport management. The 

responsibility of making sure that the proper safeguards are in place; however, lies 

squarely on the shoulders of airport management. Please use this information and all that 

follows as a guide by which to provide a safer environment at your airfield.

2014 is now in the history books. 

Western-Pacific Certification Safety Inspectors investigate all the vehicle/pedestrian 

deviations (V/PDs) that occur in our region. The investigation information is recorded 

and sorted into statistical data. The statistical data is used to identify V/PD trends 

developing in our region. 

What kind of V/PD statistical data and trends did we see in the Western-Pacific Region in 

CY 2014? 

In calendar year 2014 the Western Pacific Region experienced 101 V/PDs.

51 V/PDs were experienced at general aviation airports and 50 at certificated airports.

50 of the V/PDs resulted in runway incursions and 51 resulted in surface incidents.

The CY 2014 total V/PD count was higher than in years past. Factors contributing to this 

year’s higher V/PD count were:

• An increased trend in self reporting by sponsors 
• Unannounced operations in the non-movement sections of runway safety areas 

now counted as V/PD runway incursions 

• No tolerance V/PD reporting policy by the air traffic control towers

• Baggage cart break-aways, displaced baggage containers and other equipment 

malfunctions now counted as V/PDs

• Air traffic control towers are focusing attention on reporting specific operations 

• Aircraft cut-offs by vehicles on service roads are initially recorded as V/PDs

The biggest trend we have noticed in CY 2014 is that guests and visitors at GA airports

are not being escorted properly. 16 V/PDs (31% of the total V/PD count at GA airports) 

were a direct result of tenants, fixed base operators or aviation museums not properly 

escorting guests, leaving guests unattended or allowing visitors unescorted access to the 

airport. In 2014 we also noticed an increasing trend in poorly escorted photographers 

straying into movement areas while trying to photograph their favorite aircraft or their 

favorite pilot. 

At the certificated airports we have noticed an increasing trend in airfield operations 

personnel involved in incidents where they either did not follow an ATCT clearance, 

misunderstood an ATCT clearance or did not obtain the proper ATCT clearance. At 

certificated airports there were 11 such V/PDs (22% of the total V/PD count for 

certificated airports) involving airfield operations personnel. 

A statistical breakdown of the remaining parties directly responsible for committing 

V/PDs at both GA and certificated airports in CY 2014 reflects the following: 

Tenants 14 

Trespassers 11 

Maintenance tow operations 8 

Maintenance taxi operations 5 

Law enforcement 3 

Ambulance operations 2 

ARFF operations 2 

New Years is a time for reflection. We encourage each airport in the Western-Pacific 

Region to reflect on their CY 2014 V/PD history, identify trends developing at your own 

airport and strive to correct the issues that need addressing. 

 

Column written by:

Steven Oetzell

Lead Airport Certification Safety Inspector, AWP-620.6 

Reproductions of this, past and subsequent issues of Vanquishing the VPD are available 

on FAAWebsite: 

http://www.faa.gov/airports/western_pacific/airports_resources/newsletter/