Runway incursions under control?(AIR TRANSPORT BRIEFING)

The FAA says it exceeded its goal for reducing the most serious runway incursions by 5 percent in fiscal year 2007. There were 24 serious runway incursions this past year out of more than 61 million operations, or one incursion for every 2,545,000 operations, improving on the agency s goal of no more than one incursion for every two million surface movements.

The FAA's Chief Operating Officer for the Air Traffic Organization, Hank Krakowski, puts the improvement down to "better training, clearer signs and new procedures".

The FAA and industry leaders recently identified short-term steps that could be implemented within 60 days. The initiatives centre on improved procedures, increased training for airport and airline personnel, and enhanced airports signs and markings. The FAA just completed a runway safety review of 20 airports--a list based on runway incursion data and wrong-runway issues. Based on the findings, airports have taken action to improve signage and paint markings, as well put training programmes in place for airport personnel. Another short-term initiative is an agreement with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) to put in place a voluntary reporting system.

The FAA says the number of serious runway incursions has dropped by about 55 percent since fiscal year 2001.

In the longer term, the agency will be looking towards technological solutions. These will include cockpit warning systems and the deployment of runway status lights in con unction with ASDE-X, a safety tool that enables air traffic controllers to detect potential runway conflicts by providing detailed coverage of movement on runways and taxiways. The agency is taking a close look at the performance of lower-cost ground surveillance systems currently being tested and evaluated. These systems will provide cost effective alternatives to ASDE-X. While not as sophisticated as ASDE-X, they provide incremental situational awareness for controllers.

The US Government Accountability Office takes a rather different view of the situation in a new report which finds that, despite efforts by the FAA and aviation stakeholders, the rate or runway incursions has not decreased over the last five years. In addition, the GAO notes that the FAA has not prepared a national runway safety plan since 2002, despite agency policy that it be updated every two to three years, resulting in uncoordinated efforts within the agency.

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