Here is where you will find news forwarded to us by professional Runway Safety experts. Be sure to also reference the SoCal Airports page for location specific news, and the INFO Warehouse Page that also may have Runway Safety Tips and Safety Information in general.
From the Flight Deck Videos - Click/Tap on the Image:
New Videos added Regularly!
FAA's From the Flight Deck video series provides pilots with actual runway approach and airport taxiway footage captured with cockpit mounted cameras, combined with diagrams and visual graphics to clearly identify hot spots and other safety-sensitive items.
View the map below for From the Flight Deck videos and links to location-specific safety information. New locations will be added to the map as videos become available.
Click on the map link picture below for the LATEST INTERACTIVE MAP of Airport Videos
Additional From the Flight Deck Videos
These additional From the Flight Deck videos are available on general aviation safety challenges and complex airfield geometry pilots may encounter:
NEW at From the Flight Deck! "LINE UP AND WAIT"
Click on the Image for the VIDEO
Runway Safety Professionals: Check out the latest LRSAT schedule on SCAUWG.ORG Click HERE
Incursions - FAA FACT SHEET - Runway incursions continue to occur at the rate of more than 1,200 per year — that averages more three a day! Because incursions have the potential to cause serious accidents, their prevention continues to be a focus of FAA and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam). Let’s have a look at some tips and best practices that can help you avoid incursions and improve your overall runway safety. Read it HERE
Slowing and Stopping - RUNWAY SAFETY INFO - "The typical personal airplane has busy brakes, which can make some landings more exciting than they need to be. It's best to slow down sooner rather than later. - That’s the last time I remember being even close to running out of runway on landing. I learned a few lessons that night, which have helped keep me out of the weeds since,..." "One of the things I learned is that planning to come to a stop after landing begins well before touching down." Webmaster: This is a nifty look at addressing runway safety in a nutshell, might well point you in the right direction toward a decision to focus more on this important safety topic. Read it Here.
NEWS Follows:
11/13/2024 Latest FTFD Video Reviews Line Up and Wait - FAA - A line up and wait instruction is used by air traffic control (ATC) to inform a pilot to taxi onto the departure runway to line up and wait. It is not authorization for takeoff. So, why do pilots depart when they are instructed to line up and wait? The answer lies in a variety of human factors that can lead pilots to mistakenly depart. This recent From the Flight Deck video explores some real-life events and discusses the factors that contribute to an unauthorized takeoff roll when a pilot is instructed to line up and wait. See this and past videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMxUytwRDiA&list=PL5vHkqHi51DSNpsBC8nb8Q8gFcGVmWhGA.
11/13/2024 Don’t Let Disquieting Deviations Become Part of Your Pilot Song - FAA - Our national airspace system is safe because it functions like an orchestra — everyone has a part to play, knows the song, and has the sheet music in front of them. But even with all of that coordination, who hasn’t made a mistake? Learn how research and rehearsing can help prevent pilot deviations and make runways safer in “Deviation Dissonance” at https://medium.com/faa/deviation-dissonance-572fc1a2719c in the Sep/Oct 2024 issue of FAA Safety Briefing. See the entire Airport Surface Safety issue at www.faa.gov/safety_briefing.
10/17/2024 FAA opens audit into runway incursion risks at 45 busiest US airports - From NBAA - "WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it is opening an audit into runway incursion risks at the 45 busiest U.S. airports after a series of troubling near miss incidents.
04/29/2024 - San Jose (KSJC) Taxiway Construction - Notice Number: NOTC3569 - Taxiway construction is ongoing on the General Aviation (west side) of the airport. - The construction will not impact the terminal side/commercial air carriers (east side). - General Aviation pilots should listen to the ATIS for specific taxiway closures. - B757 or larger aircraft will not be allowed onto Taxiway W at times, and these larger aircraft may be required to back-taxi on Runway 30L to exit at Taxiway G. - Low profile orange barricades will block the entrance to all closed taxiways. - POC: KSJC Airport Manager: (408) 277-5100
04/01/2024 Grand Canyon National Park Airport (KGCN) is a small single runway airport located near the southeast rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. - The Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN) now has its very own pilot handbook! https://www.faa.gov/gcn
Now when you visit the FAA’s From the Flight Deck (FTFD) website you will see the GCN Airport icon has been changed from green to yellow; this indicates that GCN now has a FTFD Video and Handbook. Scroll to the bottom to expand all sections of the handbook. There is also a link to download and print from PDF: https://www.faa.gov/flight_deck/pilot_info/gcn.pdf.
The purpose of the handbook is to provide information from local air traffic controllers directly to the pilots.
Please share this link: https://www.faa.gov/gcn, and spread the word as wide as possible. Share with all FBOs and users at GCN, as well as those at neighboring airports and states that may have pilots that occasionally visit GCN. Got a master tenant email list? Send it to all. Got an Instagram page? Does the airport’s website have a pilot info page? Consider posting a link on your organization’s site. Request to have it added to the current available material. The wider the net…the bigger the catch.
03/19/2024 FAA Introduces New Technology To Enhance Airport Surface Safety Nationwide - From AVweb - "On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the implementation of a new surface safety tool that warns air traffic controllers when an approaching aircraft is not lined up on its assigned runway. - The FAA outlined plans to deploy Approach Runway Verification (ARV) technology at several airports across the U.S. this year through 2025, with Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) the latest to adopt the solution. - “A safe National Airspace System begins and..." Continue Here.
03/04/2024 Paso Robles Municipal Airport in California is poised to begin a three-week runway rehabilitation project that entails filling in cracks, removing residual rubber and repainting surface markings. Ninety percent of the nearly $600 million undertaking will be funded by a federal grant, with the rest to come from the Airport Enterprise Fund. - Full Story: KSBY-TV (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) (3/1)
11/14/2023 FAA Names Next 16 Airports to Host Runway Safety Action Team Meetings - "The continuing safety program is designed to identify and eliminate risks on and around airport runways. - As part of a continuing program to address risks to runway safety, the FAA has named 16 airports where it plans to conduct meetings with its Runway Safety Action Team between now and the end of the year. The agency has so far conducted 90 such meetings across the country this year.
The meetings, which the FAA hosts annually at towered airports, serve as forums for identifying risks on and around runways that are specific to each airport. The sessions help stakeholders develop runway safety action plans and form agreements to pursue actions aimed at improving safety. Full Article Here.
11/14/2023 Las Vegas Harry Reid Airport Runway Lighting Reminder - Notice Number: NOTC3287 - Notice: Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) does NOT have runway centerline lighting on any of the runways. Improper aircraft alignment on the runway edge line and/or lighting on departure can result in costly damage to your airplane and to airport lighting system. A series of recent nighttime operational incidents has prompted this message. Kindly adhere to the designated markings in accordance with regulatory standards. Departing with aircraft damage is unsafe and contrary to regulations; and can contribute to an accident or incident.
https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2023/Nov/LAS_Notice.pdf
POC: Natacha Nazario, ACE, Airport Operations Coordinator at Harry Reid Int'l Airport/Clark County NV - (702)261-5607 Natachan@LASAirport.com
11/13/20231 Senate Committee Probes Runway Safety - From AVweb - "...lawmakers and aviation experts gathered for a hearing to address a series of aviation incidents that have raised concerns about the FAA’s air traffic control arm and overall safety. - The Nov. 9 hearing included testimony from National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy, FAA Air Traffic Organization Chief Operating Officer Tim Arel, National Air Traffic Controller Association President Rich Santa, Air Line Pilots Association Capt. Jason Ambrosi, and former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. " Finish reading Here.
1/11/2023 As Senate Committee Reviews Aviation Safety, NBAA Unveils Runway-Focused Working Group - PR From NBAA - "Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, dhubbard@nbaa.org -Washington, DC, Nov. 9, 2023 – In written testimony submitted as part of a Senate hearing today, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen noted the business aviation community’s longstanding, comprehensive approach to aviation safety, and pointed to a new, dedicated NBAA working group focused specifically on runway and surface incidents.
“We are pleased to announce that NBAA is standing up a Runway and Surface Safety Working Group that will bring experts together across our committees, and across the industry, to address recent runway incidents and incursions,” said Bolen. The formation of the group is intended to build upon decades of experience acquired from the work of NBAA, its committees and the association’s broader membership, in concert with government agencies and experts across several professions, to maintain a holistic focus on aviation safety.
Bolen’s testimony was offered as part of the hearing, held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation. The hearing was titled, “Addressing Close Calls to Improve Aviation Safety.”
Review Bolen’s full testimony provided to the subcommittee.
NBAA’s new Runway and Surface Safety Group adds to the cross-disciplinary approach the association and its members have long taken to glean underlying causes from accidents and apply the learnings to future accident avoidance. The working group will include representation from several standing NBAA committees.
The work to apply real-world scenarios and data toward safety enhancements has resulted in the production of a host of NBAA tools that serve as authoritative sources on matters ranging from inflight safety, to hangar and ground safety, to human factors and other key elements in the aviation-safety equation.
The association also produces a list of Top Safety Focus Areas on a biennial basis and administers a Business Aviation Safety Manager Certificate Program to operators demonstrating leadership in safety best practices on the ground and in the air.
In his testimony, Bolen commended government leaders with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and other stakeholder organizations to support an industry-wide focus on safety vigilance.
“Since NBAA was founded in 1947, we have been intentional in developing partnerships with government leaders and other stakeholders” in prioritizing safety, Bolen said. “NBAA will continue to engage with our members and other stakeholders to continually improve aviation safety.”
09/28/2023 Complex operating environments, distractions, workforce turnover, and complacency may lead to runway incursions. Comprehensive, site-specific driver training and operational procedures can mitigate these factors. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides best practices and training supplements to support airport operators and airfield drivers while promoting safe operations.
The FAA Website has posted new information on proper phraseology for crossing or proceeding onto runways. Airport operators are encouraged to review the information, share it with airport drivers, and supplement existing driver training programs.
Information includes:
- Phraseology discussion on accepting "Proceed" for accessing or crossing the runway as a vehicle operator.
- "Stay Away If You Don't Hear Runway" training supplement
Information for airport operators and vehicle drivers is available on the FAA website at: https://www.faa.gov/airports/runway_safety/airfield_drivers
Respectfully,
Birke Rhodes, Manager, Airport Safety and Operations Division, AAS-300, FAA Office of Airports
11/11/2023 Tucson Airport Changes - Two-year Extensive Program - Get the INFO HERE.
09/28/2023 The following documents were signed by AFX-1 and are published:
- Order 8000.94B, Procedures for Acceptance or Review of Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (LVO/SMGCS)
- AC 120-57C, Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (LVO/SMGCS)
09/27/2023 White House Announces $201 Million Airport Lighting Upgrade Program - "The White House announced today (Sept. 26) that more than $201 million will go to new or reconstructed runway and taxiway lighting systems as part of the administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. During an event marking the new program at Denver International Airport, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, “We’re acting to improve lighting systems at 82 airports, an important part of keeping aircraft moving safely, no matter the time of day or weather.” LAX and ONT Benefit - Full Story Here.
08/22/2023 WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration will hold runway safety meetings at approximately 90 airports between now and the end of September.
“Sharing information is critical to improving safety,” said Tim Arel, chief operating officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. “These meetings, along with other efforts, will help us achieve our goal of zero close calls.”
During a Runway Safety Action Team meeting, airport stakeholders come together to identify unique risks to surface safety at that airport and develop plans to mitigate or eliminate those risks. Representatives from the FAA’s air traffic organization, airlines, pilots, airport vehicle drivers and others participate.
Major airports with upcoming runway safety meetings include Ronald Reagan Washington National, La Guardia New York, Dallas-Fort Worth International, Cleveland Hopkins International, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Reno/Tahoe International and Birmingham Shuttlesworth International. A full list is below.
The meetings, held annually at each airport with a control tower, are the primary forum for pinpointing and addressing airport-specific risk in the surface environment. The product of the meeting is a Runway Safety Action Plan where stakeholders document and agree to pursue specific actions to improve surface safety.
The FAA issued a Safety Call to Action in February following a string of incidents. Following the Safety Summit in March, the agency has undertaken a series of safety initiatives. The summit resulted in a commitment from the FAA and aviation community to pursue a goal of zero serious close calls. The same approach virtually eliminated the risk of fatalities aboard U.S. commercial airlines.
To learn more, read about the FAA’s runway safety program and runway safety fact sheet.
Full list of Runway Safety Action Team meetings between now and the end of September:
- Addison Airport (Texas)
- Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (New Mexico)
- Ardmore Municipal Airport (Oklahoma)
- Atlantic City International Airport (New Jersey)
- Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field (Georgia)
- Boire Field Airport (New Hampshire)
- Bradley International Airport (Connecticut)
- Branson Airport (Missouri)
- Brown Field Municipal Airport (California)
- Capital Region International Airport (Michigan)
- Central Nebraska Regional Airport
- Chennault International Airport (Louisiana)
- Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (North Carolina)
- Cyril E King Airport (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Dallas Love Field Airport (Texas)
- David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (Texas)
- Decatur Airport (Illinois)
- Des Moines International Airport (Iowa)
- Dothan Regional Airport (Alabama)
- Eagle County Regional Airport (Colorado)
- East Texas Regional Airport
- Easterwood Field Airport (Texas)
- Essex County Airport (New Jersey)
- Executive Airport (Florida)
- Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (Arizona)
- Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International Airport (New York)
- Friedman Memorial Airport (Idaho)
- General Downing - Peoria International Airport (Illinois)
- Gillespie Field Airport (California)
- Groton-New London Airport (Connecticut)
- Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field (Alabama)
- Harrisburg International Airport (Pennsylvania)
- Hayward Executive Airport (California)
- Houma-Terrebonne Airport (Louisiana)
- Hudson Valley Regional Airport (New York)
- Juneau International Airport (Alaska)
- Kahului Airport (Hawaii)
- La Crosse Regional Airport (Wisconsin)
- Lafayette Regional Airport/Paul Fournet Field (Louisiana)
- Lea County Regional Airport (New Mexico)
- Lebanon Municipal Airport (New Hampshire)
- Lihue Airport (Hawaii)
- Lincoln Airport (Nebraska)
- Long Island MacArthur Airport (New York)
- Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (Puerto Rico)
- Martha's Vineyard Airport (Massachusetts)
- Midland International Air and Space Port Airport (Texas)
- Modesto City-County Airport-Harry Sham Field (California)
- Mojave Air & Space Port / Rutan Field (California)
- Molokai Airport (Hawaii)
- Monroe County Airport (Indiana)
- Monterey Regional Airport (California)
- Morristown Municipal Airport (New Jersey)
- Niagara Falls International Airport (New York)
- Norfolk International Airport (Virginia)
- North Central West Virginia Airport
- Northwest Arkansas National Airport
- Orlando Sanford International Airport (Florida)
- Palm Springs International Airport (California)
- Palo Alto Airport (California)
- Quad Cities International Airport (Illinois)
- Rafeal Hernandez Airport (Puerto Rico)
- Reading Regional Airport/Carl A Spaatz Field (Pennsylvania)
- Renton Municipal Airport (Washington)
- Republic Airport (New York)
- Richmond International Airport (Virginia)
- Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (Texas)
- Rogers Executive Airport - Carter Field (Arkansas)
- Sacramento Executive Airport (California)
- Sacramento Mather Airport (California)
- Shreveport Regional Airport (Louisiana)
- Springfield-Branson National Airport (Missouri)
- St. Cloud Regional Airport (Minnesota)
- Terre Haute Regional Airport (Indiana)
- Trenton Mercer Airport (New Jersey)
- Tri-State Airport/Milton J. Ferguson Field (West Virginia)
- TSTC Waco Airport (Texas)
- Tweed/New Haven Airport (Connecticut)
- Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (Texas)
- Waukesha County Airport (Wisconsin)
- Westchester County Airport (New York)
- Wichita Dwight D Eisenhower National Airport (Kansas)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (Pennsylvania)
- Worcester Regional Airport (Massachusetts)
08/14/2023 Citation Overflies 737 On Runway At San Diego - "The FAA is investigating a runway incursion at San Diego Airport involving a Citation that overflew a Southwest aircraft just after noon on Friday. The FAA says the Citation was cleared to land after the 737 had moved onto the runway to line up and wait. Reuters said the Citation cleared the Southwest plane by about 100 feet, surface detection equipment...." Continue Here.
07/13/2023 ForeFlight Adds ‘Runway Alert’ Deconfliction Feature - From AVweb - "...runway incursions, now there’s an app for that. The latest ForeFlight release includes a feature that warns the crew of an aircraft on final approach if there’s an airplane on the runway to which they are headed. It also warns the crew of the airplane on the runway that another one is headed their way. Aircraft have to be connected to an ADS-B or FLARM receiver for the Airplane on Runway Alert feature to work. - Last winter saw an uptick in potentially serious incursions in which aircraft were cleared to take off and land on the same runway at roughly the same time. In one case..." Finish reading Here.
07/10/2023 DOT Watchdog Agency to Audit FAA Safety Protocols - The OIG will review the aviation agency’s methodology for data analysis, risk identification, and measures to mitigate runway incursions. - "A U.S. government watchdog agency will audit the FAA’s efforts to prevent runway incursions following a string of close calls at some airports in recent months.
On July 6, the Transportation Department’s (DOT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced its intent to review the FAA’s methodology for data analysis, risk identification, and measures to mitigate runway incursions.
The audit comes as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating six incursion events since the beginning of the year. While the number of runway incursions has remained relatively stable, the industry has seen an increase in the most serious ones in which disaster was narrowly avoided. More Here.
03/24/2023 Critical Runway Lighting Upgrades Key to Electrical Improvements Planned at Long Beach Airport - Temporary Runway Closures Planned - Due to the safety setback requirements of the construction work, there will be temporary runway closures between March 29 and mid-July: Runway 12-30 will be CLOSED NIGHTLY, Sundays through Thursdays, from March 29 to mid-July. In addition, Runway 12-30 will be CLOSED DAILY, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from April 18 to May 24. - info Here.
03/13/2023 New Radar Software Protects Against Taxiway Landings - FAA TAXIWAY NEWS - AINonline - "Wrong-surface landings are one of the FAA’s top-five safety hazards, and to help mitigate the threat of pilots lining up to land on taxiways the agency has completed its enhancement of ground radar systems at 43 airports with an ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction (ATAP) upgrade. These airports already had either ASDE-X or similar ASSC ground radar systems. The ATAP software analyzes the flight paths of arriving aircraft and anticipates..." Learn more here.
03/09/2023 MARCH 22 EVENT! - FROM THE FLIGHT DECK - A GA PILOT WORKSHOP - The FAA invites General Aviation pilots to join this Spring workshop so everyone feels prepared to take to the skies after spending time away from the flight deck. The event will cover surface safety and operational concerns associated with General Aviation. WINGS credit will be offered. March 22 @ 12:30 p.m. Eastern
During this event, FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen, Jamal Wilson, GA industry reps, pilots, air traffic controllers, labor, meteorologists and others will discuss safety and operational concerns associated with General Aviation. The workshop panels will remind pilots about runway procedures, provide information to preempt airfield errors, and ultimately focus on lowering the potential for accidents. Topics presented and discussed will include:
- Wrong Surface Risk and Mitigation
- Human Factors
- Markings, Signage and Lighting
- Nighttime Operations
- Preparing for Weather Challenges
- //And more
Watch on YouTube
Go to YouTube now to set a reminder notification. Live chat will be available.
Join Zoom Webinar for WINGS Credit
Use passcode 236113 to join only if you are requesting WINGS credit.
02/28/2023 Serious U.S. Airport Runway Incursions are Declining, FAA Says - From Flying - "FAA data shows a drop in ‘serious’ close calls over the last 20 years. - Despite a series of narrowly avoided accidents at U.S. airports in recent months, FAA data shows the most serious close calls have declined over the last 20 years.
According to the agency, serious close calls involve situations where a collision was “narrowly avoided” or in which there is “significant potential for a collision.” In 2022, there were 18 serious runway incursions in the U.S.—up from a low of five reported in 2010 but down from a high of 32 reported in 2007." More Here.
02/15/2023 FAAST Blast – R.I.M 3038
This Notice describes the Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS) construction, a multiple-phase project. Taxiways F, E, D, W, and Y will be updated from incandescent to LED taxiway lights. This project will also include pavement rehabilitation for Taxiway high-speed Y. The project will be divided into 5 phases, during which multiple paved areas will be closed for specific periods. The approximate timeframe for Phase 3 completion is February 14th, 2023. Phase 2 that was the taxiway whiskey closure between Runways 19R and 19L is estimating to open on February 14th, 2023.
This Notice is for Phase 3 starting on 2/14/23:
Phase 3A Effective February 14th, Taxiway B between Runways 19L and 19R will be closed for approximately 60 days. Barricades are located on Taxiway E between Runway 26R and Taxiway W. The haul route for this phase will take north/southbound on Taxiway E from the APCH End of Runways 19L and 19R to the closed portion of the taxiway. Phase 3B, which includes the daily closure at night for Runway 19L, will commence on February 16th from 2200 until 0600L, Sunday night to Friday morning every week during this phase. NOTAMs associated with the construction and closures have been issued. Taxi instructions will be detailed and likely contain specific hold-short instructions to mitigate conflicts and lessen delays.
Pilots are reminded to write down complex taxi instructions and provide a complete read-back to ATC. If unfamiliar, pilots may request "Progressive Taxi Instructions."
01/27/2023 $4.6M runway rehab to begin next year at Neb. airport - From Freemont Tribune - "A runway rehabilitation project at Fremont Municipal Airport probably won’t take place until 2024. Members of the Fremont Municipal Airport’s advisory committee talked about the project during their recent meeting. The airport’s runway needs to have approximately 1,700 feet of the 5,400-foot pavement replaced. The project, which is still in the design phase, will involve tearing out concrete and replacing it." More Here.
01/24/2023 Mojave runway rehab is due to begin - From Valley Press - "The Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, Calif., will soon begin a project to rehabilitate the main runway, now that a $9.6 million contract with Granite Construction has been approved by the airport's board of directors. Construction, which is expected to take 68 days, will be primarily funded by Federal Aviation Administration grants." Read the News Here.
01/17/2023 The JFK Incursion Tragedy That Wasn’t - "The controller instructed AA Flight 106, the Boeing 777, to taxi out of their ramp area at Taxiway Tango Alpha with a left on Bravo, hold short of Taxiway Kilo. The first part of the controller’s instruction included 4L as the departure runway. Although the copilot read back the taxi instructions and the requirement to hold short of Taxiway Kilo,..." Continue.
01/17/2023 Close Call at JFK International Airport - The Boeing 737 and 777 came within 1,000 feet of a collision on the ground. "The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating an incident at John F. Kennedy International Airport that happened Friday night when a Boeing 777 taxied in front of a departing Boeing 737-900. The 737 was operated by Delta Air Lines, the 777 by American Airlines. According to the FAA, air traffic controllers “noticed another aircraft crossing the runway in front of the departing jetliner” and canceled the aircraft’s takeoff clearance. - The statement continues, “Delta Air Lines Flight 1943 stopped..." Continue Here.
01/09/2023 Aftermath: Vectors to ZMB - The emergency was real, but the runway was only a memory. - "The engine failure took place at approximately 0738:40 local time, a few seconds after the JFK Departure controller who had cleared 46C into the New York Class B handed the flight off to La Guardia Departure. At that moment, the Bonanza’s heading was 282 degrees, and it was making a 142-knot groundspeed against a headwind of 20 to 25 knots. - About 80 seconds after the engine failure, at 0739:58, the controller gave 46C a right turn to 360. At that point, the Bonanza had lost 1,000 feet in altitude and its groundspeed had slowed to 62 knots, circumstances that, oddly, did not elicit comment from the controller. The pilot only now revealed his situation:..." A runway on the controller's radar contributed to a fatality. Read it Here.
12/20/2022 New Runway Safety Resources for California Pilots - California Pilots:
The FAA's From the Flight Deck video series features videos for 20 airports throughout California, with more to come. This series uses aircraft mounted cameras to capture runway and taxiway footage and combines this with diagrams and visual graphics to clearly identify hot spots and other safety-sensitive items.
Find the airports you frequent in our video playlist of California airports, and share this resource with your fellow pilots. You can also help get the word out to your friends and family on social media using sample posts from our toolkit.
Learn more about the From the Flight Deck series, go to our video playlist of California airports, or browse videos of airports throughout the United States.
- Learn more about the From the Flight Deck Video series https://www.faa.gov/flight_deck
- Video Playlist of California Airports https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vHkqHi51DRm7Nf36lcQyEJwPFu_TwXh
- Social Media Toolkit for California Pilots https://socialpresskit.com/fromtheflightdeck
- From the Flight Deck Video Playlist of airports throughout the U.S. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vHkqHi51DSNpsBC8nb8Q8gFcGVmWhGA
12/02/2022 Six Ways to Improve Your Ground Game - With an average of three runway incursions each day in the United States, along with the occasional change to taxi clearances and airport markings, it’s always a good idea to review airport surface operations and hold them in same regard as any other phase of flight. With that in mind, we’ve put together some tips that can help improve your ground game http://bit.ly/3AF8vc9. For more tips and best practices that help pilots avoid the “danger zones” where accidents can occur, check out the Nov/Dec 2022 FAA Safety Briefing here.
11/25/2022 Let it Snow: Airports Across U.S. Receive FAA Funding to Tackle Winter Weather - WASHINGTON – As winter approaches, 85 airports in 28 states will be better prepared to keep airport operations running safely and smoothly. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has awarded more than $76.2 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 for snowplows, de-icing equipment, and new or upgraded buildings to store this equipment.
“We can’t let winter weather stop aircraft from safely landing and taking off. This funding will help keep airports operating this winter and get passengers and cargo to their work, families and vacations safely,” said Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta Griffin, P.E.
The funding is from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program. The program pays for a variety of projects including construction of new and improved airport facilities, repairs to runways and taxiways, maintenance of airfield elements such as lighting or signage, and the purchase of equipment needed to operate and maintain airports. IN CALIFORNIA: Mammoth Yosemite (Mammoth Yosemite) - Mammoth Lakes, California - Project Description: Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building - $936.625.
11/21/2022 DISASTROUS COURSE OF ACTION - A MERIDIAN LANDS ON THE WRONG RUNWAY - Mid Air Collision at North Las Vegas - AOPA Early Analysis - "People knew them as a friendly couple, a chatty team in the cockpit, with her often working the radios when he flew the left seat of their Piper Malibu Meridian. Inbound from the north, they were cleared to land Runway 30L, flew overhead the field, and began a fast, swooping, left 240-degree descending turn to final.
Meanwhile, on Runway 30R, an instructor worked out a pilot in a Cessna 172, executing multiple touch-and-go landings, staying in a right pattern. The 172 requested and was cleared a short approach for 30R. Pilots report this as typical operations for VGT: local pattern work on Runway 30R with transient operations on the longer Runway 30L. VIDEO and STORY Here.
10/28/2022 Is This the Right Runway? - RUNWAY SAFETY INFO - From Flying - "Weather, fatigue, last-minute ATC requests and many more in-cockpit distractions can contribute to touching down in the wrong spot. - It was in the news: Noted actor and aviation proponent Harrison Ford, while arriving at an airport on the west coast, reportedly landed on a taxiway, not the assigned runway. Oops! Dissecting that event is not this article’s purpose. But it did get me to wonder: How often does this happen? Why does it happen? What can we as pilots do to minimize the opportunities for this type of event to happen to us?" Read About it Here.
10/26/2022 "Surface Safety Symposium for General Aviation" - WEBINAR - Discuss Surface Safety and Operational Concerns Associated with General Aviation. On Monday, November 7, 2022 at 10:00 Eastern Standard Time (07:00 PST; 08:00 MST; 09:00 CST; 05:00 HST; 06:00 AKST; 08:00 Arizona; 15:00 GMT) - Description: During this event, FAA, pilots and industry experts will discuss safety and operational concerns associated with General Aviation with a focus on flight training. Topics presented and discussed will include:
- Wrong Surface, Risk of Wrong Surface Alignments Presentation (to include both towered and non-towered)
- Wrong Surface, Risk of Wrong Surface Alignments Panel
- Surface Event Trends Presentation
- Prescribed Phraseology: Roger is not a Clearance Panel
- Surface Safety in Primary Flight Training Environment Organization Panel
To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.
10/07/2022 RUNWAY / COMPASS ROSE FACELIFT - Sonoma Skypark in California has completed a runway repair project that included filling cracks, seal coating the surface and repainting lines. In addition, a compass rose was painted on the runway by local Scout troops to help pilots with navigation, and the new design has "become a little bit of an attraction," said Darrel Jones, vice president of the airport's Experimental Aircraft Association chapter.
Full Story: The Sonoma Index-Tribune (Calif.)
09/02/2022 "The City of Porterville announced Friday it has been awarded $4.44 million in federal grant money to go toward the rehabilitation of the Porterville Municipal Airport taxiway. - Awarded by the US Department of Transportation through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), the grant will pay for 90% of the project to rehabilitate the parallel taxiway." Continue Here.
08/12/2022 From the Flight Deck Video Series Covers Complex Airfield Geometry - FAA - Every flight is different. Airfield conditions and pilot perspective are always changing. One of those conditions, if you are not aware and well prepared, can lead to runway incursions or worse, an accident.
The FAA identified 7 airfield geometry configurations that most frequently lead to pilot challenges resulting in runway incursion, and developed videos on these challenges. This series of 7 short videos on Complex Airfield Geometry is part of the FAA's From the Flight Deck video series. From the Flight Deck uses aircraft mounted cameras to capture runway and taxiway footage and combines them with diagrams and visual graphics to clearly identify hot spots and other safety-sensitive items. Learn more at faa.gov/go/FromTheFlightDeck or see the playlist here.
07/22/2022 Marshalling signal basics - VIDEO - INSTRUCTION -ASI - Watch this Safety Tip video from the AOPA Air Safety Institute to brush up on marshalling signal basics.
07/22/2022 Early Analysis: Deadly mistake in the North Las Vegas pattern - SAFETY INSTRUCTION - VIDEO - ASI - "On July 17, 2022, a Piper PA-46 Malibu and a Cessna 172 Skyhawk collided during landing at North Las Vegas Airport in Nevada. Each aircraft had two persons on board and sadly all four occupants were killed in the tragic collision." Webmaster: Good Video to watch to learn Great Lessons from. SA, Bias, Visual Cues. Watch it Here.
07/19/2022 Record UK Heat Wave Causes Runway Damage At London Luton Airport - NEWS - AVweb - "Record heat is impacting air travel in the U.K., along with other travel infrastructure. On Monday, London Luton Airport, 30 miles north of the nation’s capital, was closed for several hours when 95-degree Fahrenheit (35 degrees Centigrade) temperatures caused a “surface defect” and a section of runway separated." More.'
07/08/2022 Notice Number: NOTC2472 - Subject: SNS RUNWAY 31 MALSR Construction Project - Cancellation: 09/13/2022 1200 (UTC)
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Salinas Tower
1645 Moffett St.
Salinas, CA 93905
• From July 11 to September 13 the RWY 31 MALSR will be out of service.
• Pilots should be aware of construction in the vicinity of the approach end of RWY 31.
• Pilots should use extreme caution due to increased approach minimums while the MALSR is out of service.
• Practice approaches to RWY 13/31 will not be approved while the RWY31 MALSR construction project is active.
RWY 13/31 will be closed at night at various times. See NOTAMS for details.
NOTAMs at https://notams.aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/disclaimer.html.
06/27/2022 The runways and taxiways at Long Beach Airport soon will be brighter and conserve more energy with the installation of more than 500 new LEDs as part of the Runway 12-30 electrical project. The new lights, to be installed this summer, are expected to save approximately 20KW per night, conserving energy and cutting the electricity bill by about $3,800 per year. Maintenance costs also are expected to be less since the bulbs have a longer life expectancy
06/22/2022 FAA tests solar-power airfield lighting at Penn Yan Airport - NEWS - From CNYCENTRAL - "Penn Yan, N.Y. — Penn Yan Airport is carrying a major study, potentially changing the future of lighting for runways. - At Penn Yan Airport, 23 safety systems, including runway and taxiway edge lights, obstruction lights, elevated runway guard lights, windsocks and signs, are lit with their own solar panels and battery supplies, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The FAA is gathering performance data for a year." Story Here.
06/17/2022 FAA Awards $518 Million to Improve Critical Airport Infrastructure - FAA PR - In the second round of the 2022 Airport Improvement Program (AIP)?awards, the FAA awarded $518?million to build safer, more accessible airports across the country. This includes 416 grants to?airports across the U.S. to fund a variety of projects such as the construction of new and improved airport facilities, repairs to runways and taxiways, maintenance of airfield elements like lighting or signage, and purchasing equipment needed to operate and maintain airports.
Examples of grants include $7 million to reconfigure three intersecting runways at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Ill.; $5.3 million to improve drainage at Savanah/Hilton Head International Airport in Savanah, Ga.; and $431,680 to rehabilitate airport lighting, including the installation of LED runway and taxiway lights at Faribault Municipal-Liz Wall Strohfus Field Airport in Faribault, Minn.
The FAA has awarded a total of $1.1 billion of the $3.2 billion total funding available in Fiscal Year 2022. A complete listing of grants is on the?FAA website. You can also view an interactive map here with all the awards.
06/13/2022 Citrus County's Tom Davis Airport gets green light for runway expansion - NEWS - From Spectrum News 9 - "CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Tom Davis Airport in Crystal River has been allocated $7.1 million in the state budget for a runway expansion. The airport is a staple in the city and brings in millions of dollars to the economy, but the runway needs to be extended to allow for safer flights." Story Here.
06/10/2022 Smoother sailing: Arlington (Washington) airport gets grant to fix runway - NEWS - "ARLINGTON — The main runway at Arlington Municipal Airport will have a new look and feel — and no bumps — thanks to a $2.3 million federal grant. - The Federal Aviation Administration awarded $518 million in federal airport improvement grants this year to airfields around the nation. The grants can only be used for airport infrastructure projects." Nearby airport news as well. Read it Here.
06/06/2022 Craig Field To Get U.S.’s First Remote Tower ATC Center - ATC NEWS - From AVweb - "The Selma Economic Development Authority has announced plans to set up a Remote Tower Air Traffic Control Center at Craig Field (SEM) in Selma, Alabama. The project will be led by Valdosta, Georgia-based air traffic control academy Advanced ATC Inc. and conducted in partnership with Spain’s Indra Corp., which will provide staffing, software and logistics support. The center is expected to be the first of its kind in operation in the U.S. and is designed to allow air traffic controllers to “perform all the functions of a traditional control tower from a different location through the extensive use of cameras, real-time video and other advances.” Read About it Here.
06/06/2022 New Animation Added to Runway Safety Simulator - FAA - The Runway Safety Pilot Simulator online at www.RunwaySafetySimulator.com has a new animation. “Non-Towered Operations: Communications” is the first in a three-part series focusing on surface operations in the non-towered environment. This first part covers basic radio communications. Future parts will dive deeper into VFR operations and cover mixed VFR and IFR operations at non-towered airports.
More than half of GA operations are conducted at non-towered airports, which includes when an airport's control tower is closed, and air traffic services are not provided. As the pilot-in-command, you must know and understand operations at these airports. For more information, see AC 90-66, Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations, which was added to the site’s resources tab.
05/10/2022 KSLC Runway Safety Video - Salt Lake City Int’l (SLC) Runway Safety Video Released
This From the Flight Deck video gives GA pilots a heads up on potential surface safety risks at SLC, including:
- Hot Spots
- Wrong surface landing risks
- Wrong surface take off risks
- Potentially confusing taxiway/runway configurations
The video is at: https://youtu.be/97TdBQsKcG0
05/04/2022 WEBINAR Event on 05/19 - "From The Flight Deck LIVE - A Spring Training Workshop for GA Pilots" - WEBINAR - Runway Safety Best Practices and Discussion with GA Pilots and FAA Officials On Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 13:30 Eastern Daylight Time (10:30 PDT, 11:30 MDT, 12:30 CDT, 07:30 HST, 09:30 AKDT, 10:30 Arizona, 17:30 GMT) - As the weather starts to turn from cold gray skies to sunny cloudless blue ones, we know more pilots will want to take off to the runways. The FAA invites general aviation pilots to join the spring training session so that everyone feels refreshed and prepared to take to the skies after taking time away from the cockpit. Panels will remind pilots on runway procedures and work to preempt any airfield errors.
The focus of the From the Flight Deck LIVE is to help pilots reduce the risk of airfield errors and lower the potential for accidents. Discussion topics by pilots and air traffic experts will include knowledge of runway geometry and signage, Hot Spot Standardization, Arrival Alert Notices and more. - To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.
05/03/2022 CHARTING NOTICE - Subject: Arrival Alert Notice (AAN) and Airport Diagram Symbols for WrongSurface Hot Spots - Background: Numerous wrong-surface events have occurred which present a possible safety risk to the aviation industry and the flying public. Wrong-surface alignment has risen to the level of a Top 5 Safety Issue for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Organization (ATO). Currently, wrong-surface hot spots are depicted graphically on the airport diagram with multiple shapes. The FAA, aviation industry, and safety panels have recommended the adoption of three standardized shapes for both surface-based and wrong-surface hot spots. These standardized shapes are:
1. Cylinders to represent wrong-surface hot spots (landing surface).
2. Circles or Ellipses to represent surface-based hot spots, depending on the size of the hot spot.
Discussion: Beginning in May of 2022, the FAA will begin a test period to evaluate the concept of using AANs to help create situational awareness for pilots during their preflight planning. The AAN has been created to provide a visual graphic of the wrong surface landing hot spots and will be published in the Chart Supplement. The test is a result of the feedback received from a working group and safety panel and is intended to mitigate safety concerns and standardize symbology on airport diagrams. Eleven airports with existing wrong-surface/landing hot spots will have an AAN with a standardized wrong-surface hotspot symbol in the form of a racetrack cylinder to depict potential runway confusion during approach and landing. Additionally, the Wrong Surface hot spot cylinder symbol will be charted on the applicable airport diagrams as part of this test. The cylinder symbol will be charted at the runway ends associated with the hot spot and labeled with "HS" followed by a number, correlating with the information located in the Chart Supplement Hot Spot tabulation section.
The test and evaluation airports are:
1. Tucson, AZ, Tucson Intl (TUS)
2. Reno, NV, Reno/Tahoe Intl (RNO)
3. Palm Springs, CA, Palm Springs Intl (PSP)
4. San Jose, CA, Reid-Hillview of Santa Clara County (RHV)
5. Rochester, NY, Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester Intl (ROC)
6. Honolulu, HI, Daniel K Inouye Intl (HNL)
7. Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl (IDA)
8. Atlanta, GA, DeKalb-Peachtree (PDK)
9. Dallas, TX, McKinney Ntl (TKI)
10. Minneapolis, MN, Flying Cloud (FCM)
11. Lincoln, NE, Lincoln (LNK)
Publication Information: This change will be effective on May 19th 2022. The airports listed above will have a Chart Supplement Special Notice(s) containing the AAN. Please visit https://www.faa.gov/airports/runway_safety/hotspots/hotspots_list/aan/ for more information on the AAN. Published by the May 2022 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CS 22-02 CN Federal Aviation Administration.
04/211/2022 DARPA Project Seeks Self-Healing Concrete for Infrastructure, Runway Repair - From Flying - "If successful, the strategy for repairing aging concrete by mimicking biological systems could extend the life of critical military airfields and runways. - If a new Defense Department program is successful, cracks in aging concrete could one day fix themselves on the inside before their destruction reaches the surface, extending the life space of critical military infrastructure, such as runways and airfield pavement." Read about this Here.
04/20/2022 Did You Know? 11 Fun Facts About Runways - FUN SAFETY ARTICLE - From Flying - "Here are some weird things you need to know to geek out about this humble piece of infrastructure." Read it Here.
04/04/2022 FAA Updates Airport Design Guidance - FAA - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration updated its advisory circular on Airport Design that provides guidance to airport sponsors and airport consultants designing and developing airports around the country.
“The advisory circular provides a critical roadmap for the aviation industry when planning, designing and developing the nation’s airports,” said FAA Associate Administrator of Airports Shannetta R. Griffin. “This update contains the latest information the industry needs as we work collaboratively to build safe, sustainable and accessible airport infrastructure to safely transport passengers, goods and services.”
This advisory circular outlines the FAA’s recommended standards for an acceptable level of safety, efficiency and capacity when designing and implementing projects at airports to meet the requirements of Federal Aviation Regulation, Part 139 Certification of Airports. Airport sponsors that receive federal funding from the Airport Improvement Program and the Passenger Facility Charge Program are required to fully comply with the advisory circular.
The updates to the advisory circular include restructuring the document, explaining the meaning of terms used, expanding information in certain chapters and adding graphics to support information in the circular. - This advisory circular takes effect immediately and cancels the prior version, dated September 28, 2012.
03/21/2022 Safety aspects of flying into the Sedona Airport (KSEZ). Produced by the Aviation Safety Advisory Group of Arizona. Webmaster: A Great New Airport Safety Video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWrb-xCK1rA
03/21/2022 Arrival Alert Notices (AAN) are new graphics produced by the FAA that visually depict an approach at specific airports to help mitigate wrong surface misalignment risks for pilots.
What is happening?
To address wrong surface events where an aircraft lines up to, lands on, or departs from the incorrect runway, taxiway, or airport, the FAA is releasing Arrival Alert Notices at several airports with a history of misalignment risk. AANs provide a graphic visually depicting the approach to a particular airport with a history of misalignment risk. There is also language describing the misalignment risk area.
AANs will incorporate the new standardized hot spot symbology.
Which airports will have AANs?
The FAA will initially release AANs for the following airports and will continue to monitor wrong surface events at these locations to determine whether to create additional AANs.
- Lincoln Airport; Lincoln, Nebraska
- Flying Cloud Airport; Flying Cloud, Minnesota
- Tucson International Airport; Tucson, Arizona
- Reno-Tahoe International Airport; Reno, Nevada
- Palm Springs International Airport; Palm Springs, California
- Reid-Hillview Airport; Reid-Hillview, San Jose, California
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport; Honolulu, Hawaii
- Idaho Falls Regional Airport; Idaho Falls, Idaho
- McKinney National Airport; McKinney, Texas
- Greater Rochester International Airport; Rochester, New York
- DeKalb-Peachtree Airport; Chamblee, Georgia
When will the AANs be available?
The AANs will be released in the May 19, 2022 charting cycle. Access digital aeronautical charts here.
For inquiries or feedback and comments contact 9-awa-RunwaySafety@faa.gov
02/11/2022 Regardless of where the SuperBowl is held, it's always happening in Las Vegas - Notice Number: NOTC2258 - Pilots should anticipate a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in the Los Angeles area on Sunday, February 13, 2022.
Flights into and out of Las Vegas area increase during major sporting events.
Pilots are encouraged to check NOTAMs frequently to confirm they have the most current information.
Below are links to the FAA's Superbowl page:
HND, PSP and VGT runway safety videos have been posted to the [http://FAA Safety Plan for Super Bowl LVI website.]http://FAA Safety Plan for Super Bowl LVI website.
HND: https://youtu.be/9czJjRMnARA
PSP: https://youtu.be/saHE-KPqu3Y
VGT: https://youtu.be/HCzEuarMA9A
https://www.runwaysafetysimulator.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5II-s_j35cI&t=13s
Attention Pilots flying into the Las Vegas Valley. Avoid a Pilot Deviation Report: Las Vegas Bravo (Class B) Airspace--be sure to receive those magic words "Cleared into the Bravo Airspace." Copy and readback your clearances, verify the proper runway for which you've been cleared to land (Left or Right). IFR Departures be sure to read, study, and understand your clearance and the associated Departure Procedure. Expect to fly it until/unless you receive ATC instructions to do something else.
2/01/2022 North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) Wrong Surface Landing (WSL) Risk - Notice Number: NOTC2239 - [https://Visit the Runway Safety Simulator]VGT has one set of staggered (at both ends) parallel runways (12/30 L/R) and one crosswind runway (7/25) that intersects runway 12R/30L. It is primarily used by general aviation aircraft for flight training. The entire movement area to include runways and infields are one color and blend in very well with the desert terrain making it very difficult for pilots to identify the parallel runways, which are less than 700 feet apart. There are mountain ridges surrounding the airport and when aircraft drop below the ridgeline they are visually lost in ground clutter; combine that with the optical restraints associated with the angle air traffic controllers (ATC) have, and it is very difficult for ATC to identify when an aircraft is lined up with the wrong runway.
Since Jan 28, 2017, until the last week, VGT experienced a total of nine reported wrong surface events. Between Jan 20, 2022, and Jan 24, 2022, three additional wrong surface landings (WSL) have occurred at the airport. This rash of WSL events, along with the anticipated increase of transient traffic expected to begin Feb 4, 2022 for the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl, brings concern and desire for additional mitigations to be put in to place to restrain WSLs. We recommend all pilots that plan to fly into VGT watch the following short YouTube videos and review the VGT airport diagram in detail before departing to avoid making this costly mistake.
From the Flight Deck - North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) - YouTube
From the Flight Deck - Wrong Surface Landings - YouTube
12/06/2021 New NOTAM (Notice to AIR MISSIONS) name change. The updated NOTAMs also reflect some ICAO terminology changes. Per AVweb: "The term “good” as a criterion for braking action has been removed and the agency has added more detail to describe the operation of runway alignment lights to replace the single term “unserviceable” because it “did not accurately describe the reduced condition of the ALS.”
12/01/2021 OXNARD Airport, Oxnard, CA - The runway is NOW OPEN after a lengthy improvement process, and it is truly beautiful!
11/15/2021 San Luis Obispo Runway Improvement Finished - From AINonline - California Airport Completes Runway Rehab | Aerospace News: Aviation International News (ainonline.com)
05/26/2021 FAA Issues Policy on Solar Projects on Airports - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a final policy aimed at ensuring that airport solar projects don’t create hazardous glare. The policy requires airports to measure the visual impact of such projects on pilots and air traffic control personnel. - The policy applies to proposed solar energy systems at federally obligated airports with control towers. Federally obligated airports are public airports that have accepted federal assistance either in the form of grants of property conveyances. As more airports invests in this technology for environmental and economic benefits, the FAA wants to make sure that the reflection from the systems’ glass surfaces do not create a glare that poses a safety hazard for pilots and air traffic controllers.
Under the final policy, airports are no longer required to submit the results of an ocular analysis to FAA. Instead, the airport must file a Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration Form 7460-1 that includes a statement that the project will not cause any visual impact. The airport submits the form to the FAA for review and approval.
The FAA relies on the airport to confirm via the form that it has sufficiently analyzed the potential for glint and glare and determined there is no potential for ocular impact to the airport traffic control tower cab. If any impacts are discovered after construction, the airport must mitigate the impact at its expense. The airport may also face compliance action for failure to address visual impacts that create aviation safety hazards. As such, the agency encourages an airport to conduct sufficient analysis before installing a solar energy system.
The FAA is also withdrawing the recommended tool for measuring the ocular impact of potential glint and glare effects on pilots and air traffic controllers. This final policy supersedes the interim policy published in 2013.
05/13/2021 FAA Awards $898.9 Million in Airport Improvement Grants - (INCLUDES VAN NUYS)
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the award of more than $898.9 million in infrastructure and safety projects through the FY2021 Airport Improvement Program (AIP). This total includes $113.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to award all grants at a 100-percent federal share.
“Investing in our nation’s infrastructure is how our country helped spark an aviation industry that now supports millions of jobs,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “These Airport Improvement Program grants will help modernize America’s airports and ensure that our air transportation system remains the safest and most efficient in the world.”
Grant projects funded through the Airport Improvement Program promote safety, efficiency, environmental stewardship, infrastructure, and security at the nation’s airports. Today’s announcement includes 488 grants to 447 airports in 49 states and American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico. Today also marks the 75th anniversary of the legislation that established federal investment in our Nation’s airport infrastructure.
“These grants represent the legacy and vital role of airport infrastructure grant programs in helping the air transportation system operate safely,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “Investing in our nation’s infrastructure through AIP grants is a cornerstone of our commitment to safety.”
Examples of airports receiving grants for projects in this round include:
Glendale Municipal, Glendale, Arizona, $1.4 million – To rehabilitate 3,500 feet of the existing southern portion of Taxiway A pavement to extend its useful life and enhance safety by minimizing foreign object debris.
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, more than $18.9 million – To resurface and seal the pavement for the airport’s primary Runway 16R/34L. This project will extend the useful life of the runway pavement. Van Nuys airport is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the United States in terms of aircraft operations. Work is scheduled to begin in February 2022 and be completed in November 2022.
Bradley International, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, almost $11.3 million – For reconstructing the Taxiway S and to bring the connector taxiways to current federal design standards.
Denver International, Denver Colorado, nearly $26.7 million – To rehabilitate the pavement and lighting systems on Runway 16L/34R to enhance safe airfield operations during low-visibility conditions and to rehabilitate a taxiway.
Valdosta Regional, Valdosta, Georgia, nearly $5.7 million – To rehabilitate 8,000 feet of Runway 17/35 maintaining the structural integrity of the pavement and minimize foreign object debris. Additionally, this project enhances safety by removing vegetation obstructions from the Runway 35 approach and departure paths.
Scott AFB/MidAmerica, Belleville, Illinois, more than $12.6 million – For expanding the terminal building to accommodate existing passenger demand and meet security and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The airport has seen an increase in enplanements from 20,000 in 2015 to more than 150,000 in 2018. The security checkpoint is being relocated to the first floor of the terminal and expanded by an additional lane to meet Transportation Security Administration design requirements.
Frederick Municipal, Frederick, Maryland, more than $4.8 million – For extending Runway 05/23 to meet the operational needs of the airport. Additionally, this project relocates the parallel taxiway to meet federal design standards for separation between runways and taxiways.
President Harry Truman established the first program to provide federal investment for airport infrastructure and development of the nation's civil airports when he signed the Federal Airport Act of 1946. The first grant was awarded to Twin Falls, Idaho, to help construct an airport. Since 1946, the FAA has issued more than 89,000 grants totaling $96 billion.
The Airport Improvement Program receives approximately $3.2 billion in congressional funding each year. The FAA will award more than 1,500 grants this year. A complete listing of grants (PDF) and an interactive map of airport recipients is maintained on the FAA website.
05/02/2021 AINsight: Runway Excursions and Crosswind Landings - Safety - From AINonline - "Runway excursions have become one of the most common types of aircraft accidents worldwide. Most of them occur during landing with lateral excursions and are becoming a growing concern. -Typically, poor pilot technique or aircraft handling errors combined with environmental factors such as weather contribute to these events. Crosswinds in particular have proven to be a challenge. While these events are rarely deadly, lateral runway excursions, or veer-offs, often result in a hull loss.
Last month’s blog focused on runway excursions and crosswind takeoffs..." Visit the entire story Here.
04/18/2021 Finding new ways to repel wildlife at airports - PR / RUNWAY SAFETY - From General Aviation News - "Collisions between wildlife and aircraft have increased in the past 30 years because of an increase in both hazardous wildlife species populations and aircraft movements. To help reduce the risk of these potentially dangerous interactions, biologists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services (WS) provide airports across the nation with advice and recommendations on how to keep runways and flight paths clear of wildlife." Read the Story Here.
03/13/2021 Ontario International Airport, FAA announce temporary change in contraflow operations during runway project - (Ontario, California – March 5, 2021) – Ontario International Airport (ONT) announced today it is working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding a temporary cease in contraflow flight times due to the Taxiway Sierra Rehabilitation Project.
Phase one of the Taxiway Sierra project began on March 2 and is expected to conclude in October. The six-phase project is a critical element in ensuring safe airport operations for years to come. - “ONT is in frequent communication with our FAA partners, and will continually seek opportunities to limit the impact on our surrounding communities by reintroducing contraflow whenever possible,” said Bruce Atlas, chief operating officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority.
ONT’s and FAA’s contraflow system redirects flight takeoffs to the east during the nighttime and early morning hours to reduce noise over residential neighborhoods. - “ONT understands that temporarily ceasing contraflow flight times might create additional noise over some neighborhoods and we appreciate the community’s support and understanding as this vital runway work is completed. We remain vigilant in our commitment to safeguarding nearby neighborhoods and being a strong community partner,” Atlas said. - For more information on contra-flow procedures, please visit the FAA’s Ontario Community Involvement page.
About Ontario International Airport
Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which, before the coronavirus pandemic, offered nonstop commercial jet service to 26 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com.Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)
The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).
03/07/2021 Enhancing Runway Safety - From FAA Safety Briefing - The March/April 2021 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on the many facets of airport surface safety. - Feature articles and departments provide a “road map” to the various tools, resources, and strategies airmen can use to steer clear of risk during the ramp-to-runway segment of their journey. We look at some technology advances, both inside and outside the cockpit, that are proving effective in the battle against runway incursions and surface safety events.
We also take a behind-the-scenes look at the FAA’s surface safety stewards, the men and women who manage the agency’s Runway Safety Program and who regularly depend on your feedback. - The following Six Topics are Featured. Just Click on the Topic link you might desire!
The Anatomy of a Wrong Surface Event
Right Stuff — Wrong Place, Wrong Time
02/27/2021 One LAX Arrival Runway To Temporarily Close For $17.3 Million Overhaul - NEWS - From MyNewsLA.com - "A runway and two taxiways on the south side of the LAX airfield are scheduled to undergo a $17.3 million renovation, but travelers are not expected to be impacted." Continue Here.
02/22/2021 Runway Mats via 3D Printing
From: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers - ARTICLE - "Purdue University and the U.S. Air Force are co-developing a portable, lightweight, 3D-printed runway mat. Using an engineered material called “Phase Transforming Cellular Material (PXCM),” the runway can adjust for varying loading..." Read More About This and More with 3D Printing advances Here.
02/19/2021
Airport Improvement Grants Awarded
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced three grants for infrastructure projects through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) FY2021 Airport Improvement Program. The grants, the first of approximately $3.2 billion in funding available through this program annually, will provide a total of $76 million to Chicago O’Hare International, Dallas-Fort Worth International and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airports.
“Modernizing our nation's infrastructure is a top priority for President Biden’s economic agenda, and the Airport Improvement Program allows airports nationwide to upgrade and improve the safety of their facilities,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “These improvements—at some of our nation's busiest airports—will serve our communities and the traveling public as we start to build our country back better.”
The three airports are receiving funds under the terms of Letters of Intent previously issued by the FAA, committing to a schedule of grant funding spread over multiple fiscal years. Grant awards include:
- Chicago O’Hare International will receive $25 million to reimburse the airport for the construction phase of Runway 9C/27C that includes site utilities, grading and pavement work. Runway 9C/27C was commissioned on November 5, 2020.
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Dallas-Fort Worth International will receive $31 million to construct 10,200 feet of the Northeast end around taxiway system to eliminate the need for aircraft to cross active runways. The taxiways are expected to be completed in September 2025.
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Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International will receive $20 million to reimburse the airport for the extension of Runway 10R/28L to 8,000 feet. The extension allows higher service volume of aircraft and reduce delay of the existing traffic. The Runway 10R/28L extension was completed and commissioned on September 18, 2014, and all related improvements were completed in September 2015.
“Each airport project provides a benefit to the National Airspace System through safety and capacity enhancement,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “As a former airline pilot, I can attest firsthand that the traveling public are best served when the system handles demand without unnecessary delays.”
The Airport Improvement Program grants fund airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, airport signage, airport lighting and airport markings. Annually, the grant program is funded for approximately $3.2 billion. These are the first three grants of more than 1,500 grants to hundreds of U.S. airports that the FAA will issue this year.
A complete listing of grants (PDF) and an interactive map of airports receiving funding is maintained on the FAA website.
02/06/2021
LAX Runway Closure Set for Feb. 26 Through May 5
"Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is set to close Runway 25L/7R from Feb. 26 – May 5 due to a continuing runway/taxiway rehabilitation project. The construction will take place in the several phases as outlined below." - NBAA Read More HERE.
01/04/2021
New From the Flight Deck Video Highlights Hold Short Instructions
Every airport is unique, and complex runway and taxiway configurations can lead pilots to make mistakes in the air and on the ground. The latest addition to the FAA’s From the Flight Deck video series helps pilots know when and where to hold short. The video combines runway and taxiway footage from cockpit mounted cameras with diagrams and visual graphics to clearly identify hot spots and other safety-sensitive items. Check out the video here https://youtu.be/hvmVmu4o470 and learn more at www.faa.gov/go/FromTheFlightDeck.