The efforts to clear Princess Juliana International Airport of "foreign objects and debris (FOD)" will continue uninterrupted; at the wrap-up session of the first FOD month on Monday June 31s, 2008, it was announced that from now on every June will be "Foreign Object Debris/Damage Awareness Month". "Let us all make PJIA FOD free," PJIAE Operations Division Director Mr. Larry Donker told a gathering of airport workers.

 

The workers had for the second time in June joined in an early Monday morning “FOD walk” aimed at ridding all aircraft moving areas of fod.” The first FOD walk on June 2, 2008 marked the start of several activities PJIAE organized together with airport users, aimed at building an environment of awareness of FOD prevention. Foreign objects lying around on airport runways can cause expensive, significant damage to aircraft, equipment and may result injury of passengers, crew and employees and even death. It is estimated that FOD cause the aerospace industry $4 billion USD per year. Mr. Donker explained that through the FOD awareness month, PJIAE plays its part in reducing this unnecessary expenditure.

During the FOB month, personnel and users at the airport will be given deeper insights of what FOD is, what its dangers are and what actions can be taken to prevent it. During the entire month of June Workers were encouraged to help prevent FOD.

“It is our objective that no FOD is found on the aircraft movement area and that is why we will follow up this exercise with letters to users reminding them of their responsibility to remove FOD and other unwanted material,” said the Operations Director.

Participating workers were all presented with tokens of appreciation, made available by PJIAE and co-organizers Menzies Aviation and American Airlines.

 

 

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