Aviation Related Emergency Response Plan Exercises
covering (list is not exhaustive)
Airline Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Exercises
Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) Exercises
Ground Handling Agent (ERP) Exercises
Aviation Business Continuity Plan Exercises
Regular, scheduled testing / exercising of associated emergency / crisis / contingency response plans – is one of the most important target of all to achieve and maintain for aviation organisations such as airlines, airports, ground handlers etc. (assuming that an appropriate emergency etc. plan is actually available of course – and that adequate, associated training for all concerned [as based on said plan] has been / is being accomplished?)
The time and effort involved in preparing for / achieving the above should not be under-estimated (a common problem). Planning for same typically starts around planned exercise date minus 12 months – ramping up rapidly from about the minus 2 to 3 month point on
For various reasons, few aviation related emergency response planners can commit the appropriate (additional) time and effort required to fully exploit such major exercises to maximum effect. (Particularly for those having several areas of responsibility within the parent organisation e.g. ‘safety and emergency planning’ manager; ‘security and emergency planning’ manager etc.)
Solutions & Services
We offer services / solutions re all aspects of emergency etc. testing / exercise planning, conduct and post-exercise evaluation – re the organisations titled at the top of this web-page. Such services etc. are ‘specialities amongst specialities‘ for us. Furthermore, we have no such limitations (as mentioned above) re inability to dedicate 100% commitment to such projects
If you wish to learn more and / or engage us for one or more of your exercise solutions – please contact us
We also produce a FREE guideline / manual (authored by us) re emergency response exercise planning and conduct etc. – click HERE to access. (Note – latter written for aircraft operators [airlines etc.] – but is adaptable for airport operator, ground handling operator and business continuity etc. purposes)
For airport operators – you might also want to take a look at the separate (but related) free article entitled:
‘Information Article – Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) – Exercise Audit Checklist‘. Click HERE to access
TYPICAL EXERCISE TYPES
* Desktop (equivalent USA terminology = ‘Tabletops / Seminars / Workshops / Games’)
A relatively simple, ‘non-threatening’ (brainstorming type) exercise – used to fairly realistically test a new or re-written emergency response plan for the first time. 2 to 4 hours typical duration and held as required
* Partial Simulation (equivalent USA terminology = ‘Drills and Functional exercises’)
More like the ‘real thing’, a partial simulation exercise is designed to exert some degree of realistic pressure on participants – typically as related to a catastrophic aircraft accident type scenario. Around 4 to 6 hours – usually held annually
A fair degree of ‘notional’ (pretend) activity, resources used etc. is quite common in such exercises i.e. they are not too expensive to run
* Full Simulation (equivalent USA terminology = ‘Full-scale exercises’)
Typically a joint airline / airport / GHA exercise, usually also involving ‘external’ agencies e.g. emergency services / civil defence, hospitals, military, civil aviation authority, air accident investigation authority etc. Real (actual) resources of all kinds are typically deployed during such exercises
A full working day is usually devoted to this exercise type – which is typically held every 2 to 3 years
For airlines, such exercises are ideally operated in conjunction with associated (major) airport emergency exercises – particularly (but not exclusively) involving the airport at (or near to) which the particular airline has its main HQ and / or where that airport is a major hub for the particular airline. Appropriate Ground Handlers (GHA) and other (appropriate) ‘interested parties’ should also be involved of course
Full simulation exercises typically require a very significant amount of planning and preparation – and significant use of real resources (thus raising implications for budget etc.)