FRACS at the service of airports

For several years now, France Aviation Civile Services has been investing in the domain of airports. The services we have developed are relevant and effective and are at the crossroads of our usual know-how:

• Regulatory Compliance
• Optimization of operations
• Strategic development strategy
• Maintaining and developing competencies

In terms of regulatory compliance, FRACS is mainly involved in support of general aviation aerodromes. These organizations very often need to be supported in complying with regulation, keeping their Safety Management System up to date as well as their procedures and operational manuals. We support the aerodromes over the long term. We also intervene on a more ad hoc basis to bring these aerodromes up to speed, taking into account the limited resources of these aerodromes. This allows you to catch up on a backlog and start off on the right foot.

These include the airfields of Amiens, Vannes, Colmar, Candillargues, Wallis and Futuna, the AFIS Saint-Martin and very soon the aerodromes of French Polynesia.

FRACS has also developed with the STAC a methodology to raise the level of airports in addressing wildlife and bird hazards which was implemented with success in Cameroon.

FRACS also advises on the optimization of operations and can thus support the implementation of Airport Collaborative Decision Making (ACDM). FRACS experts are then able to define a change management plan, support the drafting and implementation of procedures and lead workshops and training until implementation.

FRACS can also model aircraft traffic in detail with the support of STAC or in a simpler way with its own experts.

In the field of airport technical resources, FRACS provides PAPI calibration by drone. Fast, efficient and cost-effective, this method makes it possible to meet the obligations of recurrent calibration of PAPIs. In less than an hour, a PAPI ensemble will be calibrated, adjusted and recalibrated. FRACS also offers interested airports the opportunity to transfer the method to them. These services are now delivered in France and worldwide. For ILS, FRACS has recently conducted exploratory studies of ILS radiation perturbations that have led to the redefinition of critical and sensitive areas. Finally, we are able to assess any loss of radio coverage on the airport surface.

In this period of global aviation recovery, it is important to support the sustainable development of airports. We rely on our global Air Transport Data and our knowledge of traffic and flight schedules to support the strategic development of airports and possible benchmarks.

For the implementation of a strategic airport development plan, FRACS offers a holistic approach dealing with all aspects: capacity study (including airspace), passenger experience, change management, implementation of new regulations and procedures, etc., … FRACS participated in a preliminary study for the development of secondary airports in Ethiopia.

Finally, with the support and the expertise of the DGAC services (STAC and SNIA) and our experts, FRACS is able to provide advice on runway renovation projects, airport creation or extension.

In all these areas, we are constantly enriching our tools and methods by confronting the realities on the ground and the plurality of situations around the world and sharing them to the best of our ability. It is therefore with enthusiasm and pleasure that we try to make our contribution to the development of airports, which we, of course, want to be sustainable.