FAA announces new air traffic control safety technology at these Utah airports
The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced new air traffic control safety technology will be implemented at Salt Lake City International Airport, Ogden-Hinckley Airport and Provo Municipal Airport as part of its Surface Safety Portfolio initiatives.
The FAA plans to deploy a new Runway Incursion Device — a memory aid that gives auditory and visual alerts to air traffic control about whether a runway is occupied — at Salt Lake City International and Ogden-Hinckley airports. The device will be at these airports by the end of fall 2026 and will be implemented by 74 airports in total by the end of 2026.
"The Runway Incursion Device is another vital tool to keep the flying public safe," said Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau in a news release. "These initiatives will continue to address the needs of our controllers by cutting through the red tape and bringing the most up-to-date technologies to their fingertips."
This tool comes as the third and final initiative of the administration's Surface Safety Portfolio, created in February 2023 to address aviation safety concerns nationwide.
As part of the portfolio, Salt Lake City International, Ogden-Hinckley and Provo Municipal airports will also implement Approach Runway Verification technology, a function within the existing flight-tracking system that alerts air traffic control if an aircraft is not aligned with the approved runway while preparing to land. That technology is currently operational at 77 airports, but there isn't yet an estimated date for when it will be provided in the Salt Lake City, Ogden and Provo airports.
The Surface Safety Portfolio also includes the Surface Awareness Initiative, a technology that provides real-time depictions of aircraft and other vehicles transmitting Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast on airport surfaces. This may be necessary at airports where tower controllers do not have a clear view of all activity on the surface because it allows them to have a better understanding of any obstacles on the surface, reducing the likeliness of runway incursions. According to its website, the FAA does not currently have plans to implement the technology at any Utah airports.
The portfolio's goal is zero serious close calls, including surface incidents and runway incursions. According to the FAA, a runway incursion is "any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and takeoff of aircraft." Surface incidents are described as being a less severe occurrence whenever there is unauthorized movement in a designated area associated with an aircraft that could affect the safety of flight.
On March 20 — one day after the FAA announced the Runway Incursion Device being launched in over 70 airports — pilots at the Orlando International Airport mistakenly tried to take off using a taxiway that ran parallel to the runway they were cleared to use, causing a surface incident. An air traffic controller recognized the error and canceled the aircraft's takeoff clearance, stopping the plane. Tools like the Approach Runway Verification and Runway Incursion Device are created to increase situational awareness for air traffic controllers, allowing them to better facilitate aircraft movements within controlled airspace.
The FAA plans to integrate Approach Runway Verification at Orlando International Airport in the future. For more information on the FAA's Surface Safety Portfolio initiatives, visit its website here.
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