New sensors at TPA designed to help prevent runway incidents

New safety technology at TPA

Tampa International Airport is among the first airports in the U.S. using a new safety device that helps prevent close calls on runways. FOX 13's Kailey Tracy explains.

TAMPA, Fla. - The FAA is implementing a new piece of technology at some airports across the country, including Tampa International, with the goal of reducing close calls on runways.

TPA is one of about 18 so far that have been chosen. The system went live there a couple of weeks ago.

The Surface Awareness Initiative system uses sensors that are spread across the airfield and correspond with monitors in the air traffic control towers. Airplanes and other vehicles show up as icons on an airport map that details runways, taxiways and other areas. It gives air traffic controllers real time data, showing traffic on the ground, so they can communicate any potential hazards to pilots.

"I just think it's a really neat opportunity to help air traffic control increase their safety through situational awareness tools and aides that, you know, make the visual scan of the runway easier," Craig Lowenstein, the Service Awareness Initiative Project Lead for the FAA, said.

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Lowenstein said the technology is an added tool for air traffic controllers that can come in handy, especially during bad weather or when something is obstructing their view.

According to Lowenstein, the number of close calls on runways at the beginning of last year led the FAA to call a safety summit where they came up with a plan for the new technology.

"At the beginning of 2023, there were a bunch of major surface incidents, including a situation in Austin, and there were some other things that happened which led to the FAA conducting a safety summit, and a surface safety summit in the first quarter of the calendar year 2023. This led us to do some market research on what the industry was capable of," he said.

"We wanted to figure out what technology could we use to help air traffic control increase their capability to scan the field and enhance their situational awareness on the surface and through requirements, determination and looking at, you know, what capabilities were out there, we put together this system so that we could rapidly deploy it and get more tools into air traffic controllers’ hands," Lowenstein said.

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The FAA looks at several factors, including volume of traffic at an airport, the number of runway close calls, weather and other things when deciding what airports get the new technology, Lowenstein said.

TPA was chosen mainly based on the volume, he said, making it a top candidate.

The FAA installed the technology at the first four airports across the country in June. TPA is part of the second block of installments that includes an additional 14 airports.

Lowenstein said it’s a straightforward tool that’s easy to use, which allows the FAA to rapidly deploy it and "address issues that have national attention."

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"The people in the other technology fields, or the other parts of air traffic, are really excited because this is something that fills a need and solves a problem and gives the air traffic controllers a tool that they can use quickly," Lowenstein said.

The technology will soon be deployed at airports in Palm Beach, Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Daytona Beach.

According to the FAA, in the first nine months of 2024, the rate of serious runway incursions decreased by 72% compared to the same time period in 2023.

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"We do have some success stories that we are collecting from the first four that have gone live. And we have anecdotal evidence in little instances where the pilots were headed down the wrong path or a place where there was construction going on, and because the Surface Awareness Initiative display could highlight that that field was off limits, air traffic control was able to catch it early and redirect them. So, they didn't, you know, go on bumpy ground or places where they would have, you know, potential mechanical issues if they continue down the taxiways or ramps," Lowenstein said.

By early 2025, Surface Awareness Initiative systems will be deployed at a total of 18 airports nationwide, the FAA says.

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