With frequent takeoffs and landings, airspace control and organization ensure the success of the Exercise.
CRUZEX 2024, Latin America’s largest simulated warfare exercise, gathered, over a 15-day period, armed forces from various countries at Natal Air Base (BANT), facilitating high-level training with a focus on safety and coordination on ground and air.
The training involved frequent takeoff and landing operations, about 40 per day, requiring strict airspace control and organization to ensure the success and safety of all participants.
With aircraft of different nationalities and models operating side by side, coordination was crucial to avoid incidents. Thus, ground teams followed detailed protocols to manage all aircraft taxiing, parking, and refueling movements.
“Flight safety is essential and underpins all operations conducted at CRUZEX. Every movement and decision prioritizes safety,” said the Commander of Natal Air Base (BANT) and Exercise Director, Major General Ricardo Guerra Rezende.
F.O.D. (Foreign Object Debris) prevention is a critical front for accident prevention. Objects like tools and stones, when present at the apron, pose risks of damaging aircraft. During the exercise, teams conducted daily rounds to locate and remove any debris that could compromise flights.
Daily, the Military Air Operations Coordination Section (SCOAM), responsible for the Runway Sweeper Truck (CLP) and the vehicle with the F.O.D. collection equipment (FOD BOSS), conducted runway and apron sweeps at times that did not interfere with flights to remove potentially damaging materials.
“This work can happen at any hour, including nighttime, to ensure that the entire area remains in optimal cleanliness. F.O.D. is a constant and invisible threat. Our job is to prevent it before any flight,” emphasized the Director of the Flight Safety Cell, Colonel Lucas Sousa Dantas de Araujo, reinforcing the seriousness of the measures taken to mitigate risks.
Additionally, the presence of wildlife near BANT requires heightened attention. Biologist officers were responsible for monitoring and controlling bird presence in the operational area to reduce the risk of collisions that could compromise air operations.
These measures help to preserve both the environment and aircraft safety. In this regard, wildlife management at airfields is essential to prevent bird-aircraft collisions, ensuring the safety of air operations. According to FAB biologist Lieutenant Marco Tulio de Lima e Carlos, various techniques are used to make the operational area less attractive to wildlife.
“Recently, Natal Air Base implemented the use of falconry techniques, which involve breeding, training, and caring for birds of prey for hunting purposes, to keep animals away from the operational area. The presence of trained birds of prey creates a threat environment, naturally driving other species away and reducing the need for more aggressive methods,” he explained.
Maintenance Up to Date
Another pillar of safety is aircraft maintenance, with rigorous inspections conducted before and after each mission. Whether at CRUZEX or in daily Air Unit operations, any faults are immediately corrected, and maintenance teams are always prepared for adjustments and emergency repairs. In this regard, the Director of the Flight Safety Cell explained that, after the conclusion of aerial activities in the Exercise, a team inspected the area and placed cones around the aircraft, ensuring visibility for others circulating at the apron and allowing maintenance to proceed safely.
Weather, an uncontrollable factor that poses potential risks, also received constant attention. Military meteorologists monitored weather conditions in real-time, ensuring that information about storms or strong winds was relayed in time to adjust air operations. This strategy reduces exposure to hazardous conditions and preserves the safety of those involved.
