System To Be Deployed At Major U.S. Airports To Improve Runway Safety

FreeFlight Systems has reached a long-term agreement with Exelis to supply the FreeFlight Systems FDL-978-TX RANGR-G ADS-B transponder for airport ground vehicles as part of Symphony VMAT (Vehicle Movement Area Transponder) airport operations system developed by Exelis.

Part of a broader FAA program to improve runway safety, the system enables precise tracking of maintenance and aircraft service trucks, snow removal, firefighting and rescue equipment, wildlife patrols, construction and other vehicles operating on or near airport runways, taxiways and other areas.

FreeFlight Systems will supply RANGR-G units exclusively to Exelis as Exelis deploys the Symphony VMAT system at the nation’s 35 Airport Surveillance Detection Equipment (ASDE-X) airports.  The system also is available for deployment at  Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) airports in the United States.

About the size of a consumer GPS unit, the RANGR-G is installed in airport vehicles and can be moved between vehicles seasonally. The location and identity of each vehicle is displayed in real-time on air traffic control (ATC) displays, on aircraft cockpit displays and on portable smartphone and tablet displays using the Exelis Symphony MobileVue application.  The system operates with such precision that it can discriminate between vehicles on taxiways or runways and those on adjacent access roads. This can significantly enhance safety and increase runway availability during periods of low visibility. It can also be used to coordinate emergency response teams and assist in the overall management of surface vehicle fleets.

The RANGR-G system is the first and currently only FAA-certified UAT for ground vehicle installation. The system was tested and deployed at Boston (BOS) Logan Airport in 2011. It is based on the FreeFlight Systems RANGR ADS-B datalink radio, the first rule-compliant 978 MHz Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) ADS-B Out system certified by the FAA for airborne use.

"RANGER-G combined with Symphony MobileVue for mobile devices by Exelis enables true common situational awareness on the airfield for FAA air traffic control, aircraft cockpit and vehicle operators," said Ted Carniol, general manager for commercial aviation solutions at Exelis. “Airports gain a powerful tool for runway safety as well as for improved asset coordination of all airport ground vehicles."

“Runway safety is a top priority for the FAA, for pilots, controllers and airport ground personnel,” said Tim Taylor, President and CEO of FreeFlight Systems. “RANGR-G as part of the Exelis solution will be an integral tool for safety and for overall management of surface vehicles at airports across the country. The system also is a great example of the wide-ranging benefits from ADS-B and other NextGen technologies to come.”

FMI: www.freeflightsystems.com