Ministry defends Muan Airport concrete mound, bird strike confirmed

Members of the police particular forces examine the positioning of a Jeju Air aircraft crash at Muan Worldwide Airport, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) reiterated on Tuesday that the controversial localizer and its concrete basis at Muan Worldwide Airport, linked to the severity of casualties within the Jeju Air flight 7C2216 crash, had been constructed in accordance with rules.

The design agency liable for including a concrete slab beneath the localizer additionally asserted that there was no violation of any security pointers.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, officers reaffirmed that the localizer was „constructed in accordance with rules,“ regardless of criticism from home and worldwide specialists that its construction contributed to the excessive variety of casualties.

The Dec. 29 crash noticed the plane efficiently execute a stomach touchdown, solely to overshoot the runway and collide with a 2-meter-high localizer embankment, leading to an explosion that claimed 179 lives. The embankment, supported by 19 concrete pillars, has been cited as a vital think about exacerbating casualties.

The controversy facilities on the interpretation of the rules. Below the „Requirements for Airport and Airfield Services and Runway Set up,“ the runway finish security space (RESA) should prolong no less than 90 meters past the runway finish, with a advice to broaden it as much as 240 meters the place possible.

Some argued that the rule of thumb mandates extending the RESA to incorporate the localizer, whereas others interpreted it as requiring extension solely as much as the localizer.

The ministry defined that its evaluate concluded the requirement to increase the runway finish security space (RESA) „as much as“ the localizer, as stipulated within the set up requirements, aligns with Worldwide Civil Aviation Group (ICAO) rules.

Joo Jong-wan, head of the ministry’s aviation coverage division, stated, „It’s cheap to interpret that obstacles should be eliminated throughout the runway finish security space (RESA), and that the RESA ought to be secured as much as the localizer facility.“

He added that Muan Airport’s RESA, extending 199 meters to the localizer, exceeds the necessary 90-meter minimal and complies with present pointers.

In distinction, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules in america specify that localizer amenities ought to be situated „past“ the RESA, in response to the ministry.

The second engine retrieved from the localizer at Muan Worldwide Airport is loaded onto a trailer for relocation on the seventh day after the crash, Thursday. Yonhap

Concrete pillars compliant however elevate security issues

Addressing criticisms over the usage of sturdy supplies within the embankment, Joo stated, „There are not any home or worldwide rules governing the supplies or design of amenities exterior the RESA.“ He emphasised that the localizer’s building doesn’t violate any present requirements.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged shortcomings, saying, „No matter regulatory compliance, higher emphasis ought to have been positioned on guaranteeing most security.“

The localizer embankment, constructed 264 meters from the runway finish, was constructed throughout Muan Airport’s opening in 2007. It options 19 concrete pillars, every 3 meters excessive and 0.26 meters huge, beneath an earthen embankment roughly 1.5 meters thick.

The design for the construction was initiated between 1997 and 1999 below the administration of the Busan Regional Workplace of Aviation. From January 2000 to December 2007, in the course of the building section, oversight was transferred to the Seoul Regional Workplace of Aviation.

In a renovation venture final 12 months, a concrete slab measuring 30 centimeters in thickness, 42 meters in size, and three.4 meters in width was added atop the embankment.

Commissioned by the Korea Airports Company, the design section for this venture occurred between Could and August 2020, with building going down from September 2023 to February 2024.

The renovation concerned trimming 30 centimeters off the highest of the prevailing 19 concrete pillars, filling the world with 40 centimeters of soil, after which putting the slab on high.

Following the improve, the uncovered top of the set up above the embankment now stands at 70 centimeters.

Conflicting rules

The ministry introduced plans to revise conflicting rules between the „Requirements for Airport and Airfield Services and Runway Set up“ (set up requirements) and the „Requirements for Airport Security Operations“ (operational requirements).

Whereas the set up requirements don’t limit the supplies used for amenities situated exterior the RESA, the operational requirements state that navigational aids inside 240 meters ought to be manufactured from „breakable amenities and gear“ and put in „as little as attainable.“

Joo stated, „The operational requirements have been in impact since 2010, which means they didn’t apply throughout Muan Airport’s building. Nonetheless, the necessity to enhance airport amenities to align with these requirements throughout operation and administration has been raised, and we are going to swiftly evaluate this matter to make sure security.“

He added, „As there are inconsistencies between the development and operational requirements launched alongside worldwide pointers, we plan to harmonize these rules shifting ahead.“

Police and firefighters conduct search operations on the website of a Jeju Air aircraft crash at Muan Worldwide Airport, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday, the tenth day because the accident. Yonhap

Chook strike confirmed

The federal government formally confirmed {that a} fowl strike occurred in the course of the Jeju Air flight crash.

In response to the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, feathers had been present in one of many plane’s engines. Nonetheless, whether or not each engines failed in the course of the accident stays below investigation.

Lee Seung-yeol, head of the accident investigation board, stated, “One engine clearly exhibits proof of a fowl strike. Nonetheless, we have to examine additional to find out whether or not each engines had been affected or if the opposite engine skilled much less extreme injury.”

He added, “Even when a fowl strike is extreme, it doesn’t instantly trigger the engine to close down.”

As proof of the fowl strike, Lee stated, “Through the technique of eradicating soil from the engine, we discovered some feathers.” He stated that the investigation would look at the engine’s inside to determine the fowl species and decide the way it entered the engine.

In the meantime, the investigation into the accident is predicted to take a big period of time. As of Jan. 7, the investigation board has begun collaborating with the U.S. Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) to retrieve knowledge from the flight knowledge recorder (FDR).

All however two individuals on the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 aircraft carrying 181 died after it crashed at Muan Worldwide Airport on Dec. 29.

Transport Minister Park Sang-woo bows after a briefing on the Jeju Air crash on the Authorities Complicated Sejong, Tuesday. Yonhap

This text from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Instances, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Instances.