The Air Transport Association of America has testified before the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee concerning runway safety.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data indicates that runway incursions and other airport surface operating area errors have diminished over the past decade as a result of well-thought-out collaboration among stakeholders, using empirical data obtained through aviation safety databases and human factors research.

To further improve safety at the airport, the following short-term initiatives were identified: enhancing taxiway and runway signage, lighting and markings; providing special emphasis pilot and air traffic controller training; and accelerating installation of state-of-the-art airport surface detection systems. The optimal way to enabling better situational awareness for pilots and air traffic controllers remains through the application of Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B), a key component of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).

 

        “The airlines remain unwavering in their commitment to safety and to further improve an already stellar safety record,” said ATA Vice President of Operations and Safety Basil Barimo. “The airlines have identified several short-term enhancements to further improve safety. However, NextGen, which still awaits congressional funding, holds the greatest promise to provide a deeper level of pilot and controller situational awareness.”
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