Action taken by Miyazaki Airport against Volcanic Ash

Action taken by Miyazaki Airport against Volcanic Ash from the eruption of Mt. Shinmoedake in the Kirishima mountain range International Volcanic Ash Task Force (IVATF) Second Meeting Montreal, 11 -15 July 2011 Civil Aviation Bureau JAPAN 1 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Overview of Miyazaki Airport Hokkaido Sendai Kyushu Islands Osaka Tokyo 　 Volcanic Ash from the eruption of Mt. Shinmoedake reached Miyazaki Airport from 28 th January 2011. Fukuoka Miyazaki Airport AD Administrator: MLIT CAB Operational Hours: 7: 30 -21: 30 JST Miyazaki Airport Mt. Shinmoedake Runway (Length-Width): 2, 500 m-45 m Scheduled flights: 104 flights/day Kagoshima Airport Mt. Sakurajima Passengers : 2, 993, 000 person/year Cargo : 13, 655 ton/year 2

Contents: • Introduction • Information Sharing Framework for Information Sharing in Japanese Airports 1) Information gathering for volcanic ash 2) Infrastructure for Information Sharing Airport Officials Information Web Mobile Email • Observation of Volcanic Ash • Coordination for Ash Removal Establishment of communication flow during operational/non-operational hours • Ash Removal Work (Runway Closure) 3

1. Introduction Operational impact at Miyazaki Airport by Volcanic Ash from the eruption of Mt. Shinmoedake, from JAN 26 th to FEB 13 th; 19 days in 2011. Initial ash fall Runway Closure Canceled Flights* 226 Flights 77 80 Canceled Flights at Miyazaki Airport 40 Eruption Runway Closure 2/6 2/5 2/4 2/3 2/2 2/1 1/30 0 5 4 0 2/13 1 2 0 1 2/12 2 2/11 4 11 2/10 4 8 12 2/9 11 1/29 *The number of Canceled Flights includes other reasons than volcanic ash 15 2/8 14 Times 20 2/7 20 31 18 1/28 Special Observation Volcanic Ash at midnight. 4 Times Runway Closure 1/26 Runway Closure 60 1/27 Extension of 16 Times Airport （Max 50 Min） operational hours 4

2. Information Sharing 1) Information gathering for volcanic ash 　　　 Airport Operation Officer(AOO) collects any information regarding to Volcanic Ash from the eruption of Mt. Shinmoedake. AOO also observes volcanic ash condition by Runway surface inspection. 2) Infrastructure for Information Sharing 　ATIS 　　　 Airport Official Information Web Mobile Email 5

Framework for Information Sharing in Japanese Airports When an accident, unusual circumstances, such as facility failures and natural disasters etc. happen, AOO gathers any information and share them among other sections in airport office and airport stakeholders by any infrastructure on time. Airport Office Airport Administrator Trouble Disasters • Report /Instruction • Support Airport Administrator Operator Information Sharing By Web site By ATIS Airport Stakeholders Cooperation Coordination Support Airport Operation Officer(AOO) Other Sectios 6

1) Information gathering for volcanic ash Weather (including Miyazaki Airport Japan Meteorological Agency Website) 1) Volcanic eruption 2) Ash fall forecast (with upper wind direction) 3) Met-air notification 4) Special observation by JMA Flights Status 1) Flight status for cancelation, diversion or delay 2) Requests of extension of airport operational hours for ash evacuation. 3) Overnight stay. Airport Condition 1) Runway, taxiway and apron surface condition. 2) Observation of volcanic ash 3) Ash removal work plan (Runway Closure) 7

2) Infrastructure for Information Sharing Airport Officials Information Web 　AOO provides information by “Airport Officials Information Web” on time. Airport condition, NOTAM, Aircraft stand allocation plan/status, Work plan/status in airside area, Volcanic ash information, aerodrome warning, typhoon warning and other useful information for flight planning are also available via this Web site. All airport stakeholders access it with their ID/password. 8

2) Infrastructure for Information Sharing Mobile Email 　AOO provides weather, flight status and airport condition information to the Airport Administrator and other sections regularly and quickly by mobile email. They can use it easily for their each decision. Airport Office JMA Airport Administrator Airlines Airport Stakeholders AOO Collect Info Mobile Email （Example） Subject: “Volcanic Observation” 16: 33 Wed 26 th JAN 2011, 1. Kirishima eruption continued, Time: 3: 00 pm January 26 and 40 minutes (JMA) 2. Flow direction: southeast 3. The public distribution of Kirishima southeast direction, the study of the time up to about 13 Miyakonojo 4. Concern is the effect of ash on Miyazaki Airport. 5. No impact on operational at the moment Air Traffic Controller Air Navigation Officer Airport Facility Manager Airport Security Officer 9

3. Observation of Volcanic Ash Observation of volcanic ash is essential for the decision of ash removal. However, it is difficult to observe and report ash fall condition because ash is diffused in the air and cannot measure easily. Miyazaki Airport Office applied following observation methods that anybody can easily identify and report ash fall. 　Methods to observe Ash fall • Observe ash fall checking how dirty the white cloth established on certain point of apron. • Observe how ash whirled up when a vehicle runs at 60 km/hours in apron area. *Depend on the observation, Airline operators request ash removal to airport office. 10

4. Coordination for Ash Removal Communication Flow during operational hours AOO “Observation Volcanic ash” “Runway Inspection” 【Report】 Airport Administrator AOO 【Coordination】 • Surface Ash Condition • Flights status and airlines operation • Ash removal plan (Runway Closure time) • Ash fall forecast (with upper wind direction) etc. Airport Stakeholders (ATS, MET, Airlines etc. ) Communication Flow during non-operational hours Airport Security Officer (Shift work of 24 hours) “Check ash fall” 【Identify ash fall】 Airport Administrator 【Instruction】 AOO Airport Facility Manager “Special Observation Volcanic Ash at midnight” (if ash removal necessary) “Contact ash removal worker” “Ash removal work before operational hours (early in the morning)” ・　Special Observation Volcanic Ash at midnight; 　14 Times ・　Ash removal before operational hours; 　 2 Times “The Guideline for Ash Removal Work in Miyazaki Airport ” This guideline was determined by reference to the Guideline of Kagoshima airport with many years of experience in volcanic ash from the eruption of Mt. Sakurajima. 11

5. Ash Removal Work 　Equipment of Ash Removal Work ・Blower (for Runway and Taxiway) 　　　・Handmade Blower vehicle (for Runway and Taxiway) ・Watering Sweeper Vehicle(for Apron) Prioritization Priority 1 st Priority 2 nd Other Area （Watering Sweeper Vehicle） Blower 【Runway closure; 4 Times】 Jan 28 th 　09: 55 -13: 20 JST　（3 Hours 25 Minutes） Jan 28 th　16: 06 -18: 00 JST　（1 Hours 54 Minutes） Jan 30 th 21: 30 -07: 00 JST　（9 Hours 30 Minutes） Feb 3 th 01: 00 -07: 00 JST　 （6 Hours） Handmade Blower We took Blower and Handmade Blower vehicle to clean up the volcanic ash on the RWY/TWY to prevent the attachment of volcanic ash to embeded aeronautical ground lights and clogged 12 grooves on the RWY