The Air Transport Association of America has released an open letter to all commercial pilots from organizations representing more than 50 U.S. airlines and 70,000 pilots, and the Federal Aviation Administration, announcing that Feb. 12 is Runway Safety Awareness Day.The ATA is committing to further bolster an already exceptional safety record.

The cornerstone of the commercial aviation industry is and remains safety. The airlines, pilots, airport operators, FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board continue to work collaboratively to strive to achieve zero fatalities and accidents - this continued dedication is the reason that commercial aviation remains the safest mode of transportation.

        Runway Safety Awareness Day - a day dedicated to furthering the industry’s commitment to make the skies and runways as safe as possible, is one of a series of initiatives designed to reduce the risk of runway incursions. The goal of this cooperative effort among key stakeholders is to reach, on one day, tens of thousands of pilots representing the U.S. airlines. In addition to a day of dedication, safety initiatives remain ongoing. Last fall, the industry banded together to address runway incursion concerns, which resulted in a ‘call to action’ that today continues to yield positive results.

 

        “The ongoing collective efforts by airlines, pilots and the government yielded unprecedented levels of safety that a decade ago seemed implausible,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. “Even with this exceptional safety record, we are committed to further improvements, with a particular focus on runway safety. One incursion is one too many and that increased awareness is imperative to improving an already stellar safety record.”

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