Aerodromes evolving in constrained environments, it is sometimes difficult for an airport to grow while meeting the design standards used in airport planning. In this case, safety studies have to be produced by the aerodrome operator, aiming at demonstrating that new aircraft can be accommodated on the platform without questioning the safety of operations.
Plus, innovations can help to meet some safety aims: foreign object debris (FODs) detection automated systems, engineered material arresting systems (EMAS) – providing the airplane and its occupants with an acceptable way of being stopped in case of an accidental runway exit… the safety level reached by these innovations and their implications on airport planning have to be assessed through specific studies.
The French civil aviation technical centre (STAC) greatly contributes to these studies, which results stand for inputs as the STAC actively participates in the consolidation of international standards of design and operations for aerodromes.
Moreover, STAC also works as a technical expert unit as far as animal strike hazard is concerned : wildlife expertises, study of new scaring methods, statistical analyses, training...