Runway incursions at US airports have been reduced since the beginning of the year – from 1.0 per million takeoffs and landings in January to .022 in March and 0.44 in April.

“Our efforts are working, but we must remain vigilant and continue to find ways to prevent close calls from happening at all,” said FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen, who announced he will be leaving the role shortly after co-hosting a safety summit in late March.

The FAA has awarded more than $100 million to 12 airports across the country to reduce runway incursions. Projects will reconfigure taxiways that may cause confusion, install airfield lighting or construct new taxiways to provide more flexibility on the airfield. 

Funding is going to: 

  • Miami International Airport: $6 million 
  • Harry Reid International Airport: $13.4 million
  • San Diego International Airport: $24 million
  • Tucson International Airport: $33.1 million
  • Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport: $10.8 million
  • Pensacola International Airport: $1.17 million
  • Prescott Regional Airport in Prescott, AZ.: $7.4 million
  • Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, IL: $7.4 million
  • Bellingham International Airport in Bellingham, WA: $1.3 million
  • Republic Airport in East Farmingdale, NY: $12.4 million
  • Waverly Municipal Airport in Waverly, IA: $223,000
  • Charles B Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City, KS.: $844,000

The FAA has introduced several runway safety technologies to provide pilots and controllers increased situational awareness.

  • Runway Status Lights: The in-pavement lights alert pilots that entering a runway is unsafe due to other traffic on or approaching the runway. 
  • Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X): A surveillance system using radar, multilateration and satellite technology that allows air traffic controllers to track surface movement of aircraft and vehicles. It or its sister system, Airport Surface Surveillance Capability, is located at the country’s 43 largest airports. 
  • ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction: Predicts when a pilot lines up to land on a taxiway and provides a visual and audible alert to controllers.