Tue, Jan 26, 2010
On July 30th, 2009, Randy Babbitt took to the podium for the
first time as the FAA Administrator, addressing EAA AirVenture
attendees in the Honda Pavilion. With nearly 70,000 operations
every day, and over 753 million people transported each year,
Babbitt explained that the overall system is unquestionably the
safest, most efficient system in the world.
In his first year, Babbitt placed substantial focus on
addressing general aviation safety concerns; the reduction in the
number and severity of runway incursions continues to be one of
Babbitt's top priorities. Though serious runway incursions
(those deemed to be in the "A" and "B" categories of severity)
dropped 50 percent from fiscal year 2008 to fiscal year 2009, the
FAA remains committed to improving runway safety.
Working in conjunction with the AOPA, for example, the agency
created two online educational courses on runway safety, one for
commercial aviation pilots and the other for general aviation
pilots.
In addition to the increase in training and awareness
initiatives, the FAA continues to push technological advancements
such as AMASS, a radar-based system that tracks ground movements
and provides automatic alerts when it detects potential collisions,
and LCGS Systems; developed for small to medium-sized airports, Low
Cost Ground Surveillance (LCGS) systems would help reduce the risk
of runway incursions by providing ASDE-X/AMASS-like
capabilities.
Testing of such systems continues today.
More News
Takeoff Roll The process whereby an aircraft is aligned with the runway centerline and the aircraft is moving with the intent to take off. For helicopters, this pertains to the act>[...]
“We’re proud of the hard work that went into receiving this validation, and it will be a welcome relief to our customers in the European Union. We couldn’t be mor>[...]
"Aircraft Spruce is pleased to announce the acquisition of the parts distribution operations of Wag-Aero. Wag-Aero was founded in the 1960’s by Dick and Bobbie Wagner in the >[...]
IDENT Feature The special feature in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) equipment. It is used to immediately distinguish one displayed beacon target from other be>[...]
Aero Linx: Pararescue Air Force Pararescuemen, also known as PJs, are the only DoD elite combat forces specifically organized, trained, equipped, and postured to conduct full spect>[...]