Airport Safety Training

AIRPORT SAFETY TRAINING

Livermore Municipal Airport (KLVK) is an active and thriving airport. Small airplanes regularly taxi up and down the hangar rows. Our hangars are located inside the security fence line. Anyone visiting our hangars must be aware of the following safety issues and both follow airport & Robot Garden guidelines.

GROUND VEHICLE DRIVER ORIENTATION

ALL drivers visiting Robot Garden's hangars MUST first read the Driving Tips and other information below.

All Robot Garden members needing ongoing gate code access to the airport MUST first complete the "Ground Vehicle Driver Orientation" training available on the airport's website. Review the PDF document available at the airport link below. Robot Garden members must also fill out the airport's web form (available at the same link) acknowledging that they understand the requirements and agree to abide by them.

Web Link -- Livermore Airport Ground Vehicle Driver Orientation

Fill out the acknowledgement web form as follows:

Name - yours

User Type - Guest

Hangar # - 90

Flying Club / Guest of / Company / City Dept - Robot Garden

Email - yours

Phone - yours

DRIVING TIPS

When inside the airport's security fence line, drivers must adhere to these basic safety protocols.

Be visible - Many small airplanes have limited ground visibility so pilots might not see smaller cars.
Keep a safe distance - Many airplanes have poor visibility close in at the front of the plane, so keep a safe distance from planes for better visibility.
Turn on your headlights - for greater visibility.
Get out of their way - Airplanes don't have a reverse gear, so it is your duty to yield or get out of their way. Turn around or backup as needed.
Stay on the asphalt - Do not drive on the dirt or gravel areas.
Crack open car windows on both sides - to better hear any approaching planes.
Keep the radio off - to better ensure hearing any plane engines.
Keep conversations to a minimum - to avoid distractions and to hear better.
Listen attentively - many small airplanes have surprisingly quiet engines. You won't hear them until you are right on top of them!
Go slow around blind corners - to avoid surprises - especially when driving around the hangars where visibility around corners is lowest and engine noise is blocked by the hangars.
Find an alternate route - if an airplane is sitting in a hangar row, do NOT attempt to drive around it. Turn around and go down another hangar row that is clear of planes.
Know the boundary - know the dividing line between movement & non-movement areas of the airport. See below.
- non-movement area - these are the ramps, aprons, tarmacs and hangar rows. You are free to drive a ground vehicle in these areas.
- movement area - these are the taxiways and runways. Only authorized airplanes (and authorized work vehicles) are allowed to move about the taxiways and runways.
  - At Livermore Airport, the Air Traffic Control Tower must be contacted for this approval. Robot Garden members will NEVER have a reason to drive vehicles on the taxiways and runways.

THE GATES

Access to Hangar 90 (aka H90) is typically through North Gate 1, a motorized access gate near the intersection of Airway Blvd & Isabelle Ave (Rt 84).

A keypad is present just outside the gate and is used for controlling access.
Only paying Robot Garden members who have completed the Ground Vehicle Driver Orientation are provided with an access code.
- Robot Garden sponsors several high school & middle school robotics/STEM teams. Adult mentors are provided access codes only upon completion of safety training as detailed above.
There are vehicle sensors (a type of large metal detector) embedded in the ground on either side of each gate.
Entering -- To open the gate when entering, a valid access code must be entered into the keypad.
- Tailgating is not allowed. Do not let unknown drivers follow you through the gate.
- Multiple vehicles are allowed to enter at the same time ONLY if all drivers are known to each other and have taken the required safety training.
- To minimize tailgating, drivers must pull forward (beyond the internal gate sensor) and wait for the gate to fully close behind them.
Exiting -- To open the gate to exit, slowly drive your vehicle up to the gate until the available sensor detects your vehicle.
- The sensor is embedded in the asphalt just inside the gate.
- The sensor is a type of metal detector and will detect your vehicle once sufficient metal mass is positioned over top of the sensor.
- It is best to approach perpendicular to the gate for best effect.
- Depending upon your vehicle you might have to approach as close as one foot from the gate, so approach SLOWLY!
- To minimize unauthorized drivers scooting through the open gate, drivers must pull forward (beyond the external gate sensor) and wait for the gate to fully close behind them.
Drivers should NOT use any other airport gates until they have received specific training to do so.

PARKING

Once inside the airport, park only in front of Hangar 90 or along the retaining wall that parallels Isabelle Ave / Rt 84.
NEVER park in front of other hangars owned/leased by other pilots or businesses.
As a courtesy to others, only park in front of Hangar 90 while loading or unloading equipment and/or supplies. Move your vehicle after loading or unloading.

For additional airport info, visit the KLVK website.

MOVEMENT vs NON-MOVEMENT AREAS

MOVEMENT AREA - The taxiways & runways - for airplanes only. NO UNAUTHORIZED GROUND VEHICLES !!

NON-MOVEMENT AREA - Areas where ground vehicles are allowed unrestricted movement.

The boundary between the movement are and non-movement area is delineated by two yellow lines: one solid and one dashed.

The dashed yellow line is located on the movement area side while the solid line is located on the non-movement area side. Ground vehicles must stay on the side of the non-movement area indicated by the solid yellow line.

AIRPORT TERMINOLOGY

Taxilane: The area between rows of hangars is specifically referred to as a taxilane. A taxilane is a path that planes can taxi on, but unlike a taxiway, it may not be controlled by air traffic control (ATC).
Taxiway: A defined path established for the taxiing of aircraft from one part of an airport to another. Movement is controlled by ATC.
Runway: A defined rectangular surface on an airport prepared or suitable for the landing or takeoff of aircraft. Movement is controlled by ATC.
Apron/Ramp: The official aviation term for the area where aircraft park, are serviced, refueled, and boarded. The hard-surfaced area immediately around hangars is part of the apron.
Tarmac: Tarmac is a trademark of Tarmac limited, which supplies construction materials for a a number of airports. The term "tarmac" is often used generically to refer to any paved airport surface, including runways, taxiways, and aprons. In reality, Tarmacadam is a specific paving material that is rarely used for major airport surfaces today.