Project Profiles

Incursions by aircraft and by other surface vehicles on active runways continue to be one of the most pressing safety problems across the NAS. Making operations on the airport surface safer is a necessary precursor to accommodating growth in air travel. An objective of the Test Bed is to contribute in a significant way to the solution of this problem. The Test Bed's surveillance system is functionally similar to that of the Advanced Surface Detection, Model X Program (ASDE-X) capability Sensis is deploying for the FAA at many of the nation's busiest airports.

Sensis, in conjunction with Honeywell International, has developed a Real-Time Runway Incursion Cockpit Advisory Flight Test Program, which is an enhancement of the basic ASDE-X conflict warning capability provided to the air traffic controller. The program sends automated advisories of potential runway incursions, delays or other surface flight related information directly to pilots in the cockpit, simultaneous to air traffic controllers receiving the information. The purpose for this enhancement is to streamline air-ground communications, reducing the likelihood of potential incursions and allowing flight crews and traffic controllers to act in a more timely and cost effective manner. Currently, alerts of potential runway incursions are generated by surveillance detection equipment and presented to air traffic controllers on display systems within the tower location at ASDE-X equipped airports. In worst case scenarios, the process is performed manually by visual contact from flight crews or air traffic controllers. Not only must the controller process this information and decipher the specific aircraft(s) of interest, but the controller must also provide a warning, or recommended resolution to the aircrew via voice communication. These manual intervention techniques result in reduced margin of safety in time critical incursion scenarios which could be greatly reduced or eliminated with automated cockpit safety alerts.