Airport 'Beltway' Will Reduce Incursion Risks, May Also Save
Time
Officials at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport can't do
very much to improve travel times between their airport and
others... but when passengers arrive on the ground at DFW, they may
find things are happening a little faster than before.
Last week, DFW unveiled its first "perimeter" taxiway, which
loops around the southeastern end of DFW's massive airfield
(for DFW aficionados, this is why the original Founders Plaza
was displaced -- Ed.)
The taxiway -- first of several planned for DFW, if early trials
meet expectations -- is intended to function much like a beltway
road does around a congested city. Planes will need to travel
farther, but they'll do so more quickly.
At least, that's the hope. The Dallas Morning News reports the
airport's infamous taxi times -- as long as 20 minutes at times --
may be cut in half through the use of the perimeter taxiway, as
airliners taxiing to the gate won't need to stop repeatedly to
cross intersecting runways. Besides the anticipated time savings,
the perimeter system will also cut the risk of runway
incursions.
"This first perimeter taxiway at DFW will go a long way in
solving one of our biggest passenger complaints -- departing the
gate or landing at DFW, then waiting to cross a runway," said
airport spokesman Ken Capps. "This makes it a straight shot, and we
passengers will definitely see the difference."
DFW now ranks fourth among large domestic airports for longest
taxi times, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
If early response is encouraging, DFW plans to create a continuous
perimeter taxiway around DFW's entire 18,000 acres, and seven
runways.
American Airlines, which calls DFW home and is by far the
airfield's largest tenant, offered mixed enthusiasm for that plan.
"If it helps decrease incursions, we're pleased with it," said
American spokesman Tim Wagner, before adding the airline estimates
its overall taxi times may actually increase slightly, due to the
added distances.
DFW has been a testbed for a number
of initiatives suggested by the FAA to eliminate runway incursions.
Before the perimeter taxiway opened, DFW installed the Runway
Status Light system, which uses a series of red lights embedded in
the pavement at the hold short line to warn pilots if it is unsafe
to cross over or enter a runway. Similar systems have since been
installed at San Diego International, and Los Angeles
International.
The FAA has encouraged more perimeter taxiway projects, noting
similar programs have paid off at Boston's Logan International
Airport and Atlanta-Hartsfield.
DFW officials note the addition of perimeter taxiways should not
only reduce ground congestion, but it's also far cheaper and
quicker than the traditional solution -- building more runways. The
first set of perimeter runways will cost about $68 million, most of
which was funded by the FAA. It will cost another $250 million to
complete the system.
That's not cheap... but compared with the $1 billion it would
cost to build an eighth runway at DFW, it is a bargain.