Safety

Safety, Testing and Compliance

Frangibility Requirements

Any approach lighting structure required to be frangible should be able to withstand wind loads (static and operational / survival) but has the ability to break away when a collision occurs. The structure will break, distort, or yield, while absorbing minimal energy, so as to present the minimum hazard to aircraft. Frangible towers must withstand the elements, yet collapse on impact to minimize damage to the aircraft and ensure the safety of its passengers.

Frangibility certification has become the standard for tower structures located at airports or other high traffic airways. Millard Towers is one of only a few companies worldwide who offer ICAO complaint and FAA certified towers. Millard also has CSA (Canada) and CE (Europe) compliance.

Safety Is No Accident

Air France Crash Air France Airbus A340-313 crash at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on August 2, 2005. Millard approach light masts pictured in the foreground.

Millard Towers has a proven track record for safety. Not only are Millard towers ICAO compliant and FAA certified (link to Safety), but they also helped write the book on the frangible safety standard, literally. In 1998, the National Research Council of Canada teamed up with Transport Canada to test the frangibility concept and help develop standard testing procedures. The testing was later used in writing the ICAO Aerodrome Design Manual Doc 9157, Part 6: Frangibility (link to document)

In addition to ICAO compliance (link to ICAO Compliance) and FAA (link to FAA Certification) certification, Millard`s towers have been put to the test in over 20 accidents in the past 40 years without reporting a single serious injury. Most notably in 2005, an Airbus A340-313 skidded off the runway at Pearson (Toronto) International Airport taking out five (5) Millard approach light towers in the process. After a thorough investigation by Transport Canada, (link to Air France Crash Report) it was determined that Millard towers were effective in their design, resulting in all 309 passengers on board being safely evacuated from the scene.

Millard is not only developing new products to meet the changing demands of its customers, but is doing so with the safety of the public in mind. Millard's reputation for safety is no accident.