Airside Vehicle Operators Permit (AVOP) explained
The airside of an Airport is a specialized working environment governed by rules designed to prevent accidents, avoid property damage and minimize the risk of injury to personnel. As part of these rules and procedures an Airside Vehicle Operators Permit (AVOP) has been implemented by all manned Airports globally to support Airside safety by maintaining professional radio communications between the Operator and Air Traffic Control (ATC).
An AVOP certify airport employees who are required to drive airside, i.e. any part of an Airports, runway and aircraft taxi areas. In addition to the compulsory Airside safety awareness training, an applicant for AVOP needs to also complete their radio training which forms part of this training programme.
This specific RT discipline that forms part of the radio training for AVOP has been implemented to allow any person who wishes to drive airside, (movement and/or manoeuvring area), and who needs to communicate with ATC on frequency, the legal authority to do so in order to obtain permission to proceed with their intention/s while Airside. These personnel requiring permission from ATC to proceed onto the Airside include Tug drivers, Maintenance personnel, Fireman, Technicians, Weather office, Electricians, Airport management and Contract workers. The syllabus for this subject includes the following:
- Aerodrome Physical
- Runway and Taxiway Markings
- Runway Visual Range
- Low Visibility Procedures
- Aerodrome rules and Regulations
- Radio Procedures and Phraseologies
- Transmission of Letters
- Transmission of Numbers
- Transmission of Time
- Standard words and phrases
- Callsigns for Aeronautical stations
- Callsigns for Vehicles
- Callsigns for Aircraft
- Transmission test procedures
- Radio failure procedures
- Practical radio procedure examples
In simplified turns, AVOP can be compared to that of a Driver’s license with the addition of a radio license for communication purposes. When this radio license is compared in turn with that of a Pilots the difference between them is that the AVOP radio license only permits the holder permission to speak on frequency ,whilst Airside (on the Ground) ,to ATC whereas the Pilots radio license permits them to speak to ATC from the Ground as well as when in flight.
NOTE: No person shall operate a vehicle on the airside area of an Airport unless they are in possession of an Airside Vehicle Operators Permit.
For more information re: the Airside Vehicle Operators Permit please email dylan@talkingradio.net