The number of serious runway incursions at U.S, airports was cut in half during Fiscal Year 2009, according to he Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
There were 12 serious incursions in FY 2009, which ended Sept. 30, with only two involving commercial carriers, compared to 25 such events in FY 2008, with nine involving commercial carriers.
A runway incursion occurs when something or someone intrudes on a runway without authorization. A serious incursion is one in which a collision was narrowly avoided, or there was a significant potential for collision that resulted in the need to take quick corrective action.
Two years ago, the FAA, the airline industry and airport managers implemented a program to improve runway safety. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt says “teamwork helped get us to where we are today. But while the 50 percent reduction is remarkable, there is still much work to be done to continue to reduce the potential risk.”
Close calls in FY 2007 at some of the busiest U.S. airports prompted the FAA to take immediate action to reduce the risk of runway incursions and wrong runway departures.
There were 24 serious runway incursions that year, eight of them involving commercial carriers.
FAA management teamed with leaders from airlines, airports, air traffic control and pilot unions, and aerospace manufacturers to take action in areas that would result in safety improvements.
The safety initiative expedited the installation of new technology at airports, improved runway/taxiway signage and markings and imposed pilot re-training.
Continuing its efforts to improve runway safety at airports, the FAA is hosting an international runway safety meeting on Dec. 1-3 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Attendees are expected to leave the meeting with ideas and plans on how to further reduce runway incursions. The event, the FAA’s first international gathering of the runway safety community, is co-sponsored by the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and MITRE Corp.