The FAA announced on Monday that it has awarded over $100 million in funding aimed at reducing runway incursions. The money will go to 12 airports for projects such as reconfiguring taxiways, installing airfield lighting and constructing new taxiways. Funding sources include the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Some airfields have complex layouts that can create confusion for pilots and other airport users,” said FAA Associate Administrator Shannetta Griffin. “This funding will reconfigure complex taxiway and runway intersections to help prevent incursions and enhance the safety of the National Airspace System.”
Among the airports receiving funding are Tucson International Airport (KTUS), San Diego International Airport (KSAN), Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS), Republic Airport (KFRG) and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (KSJC). As previously reported by AVweb, the FAA held a safety summit last March following a series of serious runway incursions earlier this year. The agency noted that it has also introduced several runway safety technologies such as runway status lights, the Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) radar surveillance system and ASDE-X taxiway arrival prediction.
That $100 million could better be spent on the digital infrastructure. No one wants a runway incursion misshape, but many are a result of overworked controllers, and that is the result of the antiquated systems they have to work with. Let’s fix the underlying problem, and not just apply a bandaid.
Nice round number that $100,000,000. I wonder how they came up with that? Seems that better training of both pilots and controllers would yield the results they’re hoping for. Throwing tax payers hard earned dollars at the problem shouldn’t be the first action taken, but always seems to be.
“Over $100m” doesn’t mean its a round number. For a full listing of AIP funds see: https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/2023_aip_grants
Selection of a couple projects for airports mentioned in article:
KTUS: $4,960,417.00 Shift or Reconfigure Existing Runway
KSAN: $4,294,897.00 Construct Apron, Construct Taxiway
How about simple traffic lights at each crossing? A red light that reads, “Stop,” and a green one that reads, “GO.”
Too complicated for government work.
Or too simple.
With the advent of the FAA’s brainchild (ADS-B), I imagine they could develop a guidance system that would direct an aircraft to its intended position, and then have a traffic light system as mentioned above to clear them onto, or keep them short of the intended runway. The tracking system would report each plane’s position to controllers and alarm if a plane makes a wrong turn or fails to stop as directed. The WAAS GPS system is accurate enough to report an aircraft’s position within a few feet, and can definitely tell whether it is moving or stationary.
Something like what you’ve described does exist at a few airports: See https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/technology/rwsl/faqs/
Funny how those airports were chosen.
Since 2013, Honolulu International Airport (HNL) has had the unfortunate distinction of being ranked #1 for runway incursions in the U.S.
Not on the list