Safety - Latvia

PRB monitoring

▪ LGS achieved the RP3 targets in 2023 and maintained its performance in 2024, ending the reference period with maturity level D for two Management Objectives (Safety Risk Management and Safety Culture).

▪ Latvia recorded stable performance with respect to runway incursion (RIs) and an increase in the rate of separation minima infringement (SMIs) in 2024.

Effectiveness of Safety Management (EoSM) (KPI#1)

All five EoSM components of the ANSP meet, or exceed, the RP3 target level. A The level was maintained compared with 2023.

LGS achieved the RP3 targets in 2023 and maintained its performance in 2024, ending with maturity level D for two Management Objectives (Safety Risk Management and Safety Culture). While the RP3 targets were achieved, the planned targets have not been fully achieved. Primarily, this was due to a shortage of available time among ANSP personnel. The delays created a backlog of tasks that required prioritisation, limiting the resources and capacity to implement new initiatives within the planned timeframe.

The ANSP continues to update its documentation and procedures, with a focus on increased automation and simplified access, in support of its core safety objectives and the effective execution of key safety-related tasks. In addition, the ANSP has launched several initiatives to enhance its safety policy and refine its safety objectives, ensuring closer alignment with EASA and ICAO requirements, as well as international best practices in air navigation services.

Despite the currently good performance of the ANSP, the NSA cautions that the ANSP might not be able to achieve the planned targets in the future due to financial and human resource issues, as a result of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Safety occurrences

Rate of runway incursions (RIs) (PI#1)

Rate of RIs per 100,000 airport movements - Latvia
# Airport name APT movements Number of RI Rate RI per 100,000
1 Riga 62,663 0 0.00
2 Liepaja 2,781 1 35.96
3 Ventspils 1,134 0 0.00
4 Tukums Jurmala 0 0 NA

Throughout RP3, Latvia had a stable and good performance with respect to RIs (one in 2024, and none in the other years). The rate of RIs at the Member State level remained low and well below the Union-wide average.

The rate of RIs with ANS contribution followed the same evolution at the Member State level.

The NSA promptly reviews all the safety occurrence reports upon receipt. When issues are identified, the CAA immediately notifies the ANSP and tracks the implementation of corrective actions. Furthermore, regular audits and inspections are conducted, to scrutinise safety occurrences and verify the effectiveness of risk mitigation measures.

Rate of separation minima infringements (SMIs) (PI#2)

Rate of SMI with ANS contribution per 100,000 flight hours
# ANSP
Flight hours
Number of SMIs
Rate of SMI per 100,000 flight hours
% variation in rate of SMIs
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
1 LGS 39,170 46,440 52,501 53,203 66,055 1 0 1 1 2 2.6 0.0 1.9 1.9 3.0 NA -100% 0% -1% +61%

Since 2021, Latvia has experienced a slight increase in the rate of SMIs at the Member State level but remains below the Union-wide average. Between 2023 and 2024, the SMI occurrences increased from one to two.

The rate of SMIs with ANS contribution has consistently tracked with that at the Member State level.

The NSA promptly reviews all the safety occurrence reports upon receipt and tracks the implementation of corrective actions.

Quality of occurences reporting

LGS uses specific safety recording tools for separation minima infringements and runway incursions and is one of the few ANSPs to do so.

Use of automated safety data recording system (ASDRS) (PI#3)

Use of automated safety data recording system - 2024
For RIs For SMIs
  ✓   ✓

The number of occurrences reported at Member State level seems consistent with the occurrences reported at the ANSP level, both for SMIs and RIs.