# Presentation: 657108

## Runway Safety Status

**New Technology Update **** **

- FAA Southern Region
- Runway Safety Summit

- Jaime Figueroa, FAA/ATO Operations Planning

- June 11, 2008

## Topics

**Runway safety technology components**
**New Technology Program Status**
- Runway Status Lights (RWSL)
- Enhanced Final Approach Runway Occupancy Signal (FAROS)
- Low Cost Ground Surveillance (LCGS)
**Future Directions – FY2010 and beyond**
**Technology development challenges**

## Runway Incursion Prevention Systems

**System Elements**

**Detect and track traffic in and around airport environment**
**Source input for status and conflict alerting**

**Alert controller of potential conflicts & hazards **
**Direct warning to pilots entering or approaching active runways**

**Compute and predict future state of targets on airport surface  **
**Generate warning signals for output devices **

**Data Processing**
**Safety Logic**

## Runway Status Lights Program Update 

**RWSL systems provide safety back-up to alert pilots and vehicle operator that it is unsafe to enter or begin takeoff on a runway**
- Visual alerting is provided by functional and physical variations of in-pavement red lights (RELs, THLs, RILs) installed at selected locations in and around the runway
- Lights are either illuminated red or off but never convey clearance
**RWSL system is fully automated and has proven compatible with high tempo ATC operations at a complex airport **
- Test systems operational at Dallas and San Diego
- Operational benefit being realized during test program
- New test beds to be established at LAX and BOS – 2009/2010

## RWSL Configurations

**Takeoff Hold Lights (THLs)**

**Runway Entrance Lights (RELs)**

## Runway Status Lights Program Update (cont’d)

**RWSL national deployment approved by ATO EC**
- Deployment to 22 ASDE-X sites in 2011 timeframe
**MOA with City of LA and MASSPORT to install interim test systems in at LAX and BOS**
- BOS system will serve as test bed for RIL function
**DFW test bed being expanded to cover east airfield runways during 2008**
- End state will have three runways fully configured with RWSL
**Coordination with international community underway**
- Technical interchange with Eurocontrol and JCAB is on going

## RWSL at work - Recent Events

- Feb 5, 2008
- 	ATCS cleared EGF301/SF34 for take of on Runway 36R from the intersection at Taxiway Bravo.  The ATCS believed EGF301 had been cleared into position and hold.  The ATCS then cleared AAL1116/MD80 to cross Runway 36R at Taxiway Yankee.  EGF301 then reported they had been cleared for takeoff but they “saw the red lights” (of the Runway Status Light System).  Closest Proximity 9275 feet.
- May 15, 2008
**	****One Line Summary:**  +t.o. abort due to rwy incursion
**	****Event Description: **after cleared for take-off, we began to roll and i noticed the rwsl lights turn red. i looked down the rwy and saw an aircraft crossing the rwy left to right (masaba r.j.) and aborted the t.o. max speed below 80 kts. The rwls worked awesome. I noticed that BEFORE I saw the intruding r.j.  - *Source: AAL Chief Pilot’s Office*

## FAROS Program Update

- Complete surface “picture” includes pilot on approach

- RWSL-FAROS System Concept

**Direct notification of occupied runway to pilots on approach**
- Potentially unsafe to land
- Pilot should increase vigilance
- Advisory only
**Advantages**
- Existing controller procedures unchanged
- No aircraft equipage required
**Under operational evaluation at Long Beach since 2006**
**Enhanced version to be tested at DFW in 2008**
- Shadow operations to begin June 16
- Initial OpEval September

## FAROS testing at Long Beach 

**Operational evaluation at LGB began August 2006 and is currently ongoing**
**System performs well-within required parameters**
**There have been no significant issues experienced with the system**
- No reported operational impact
- No reported degradation in glide-path guidance information
- No noticeable impact on PAPI lamp-life
- Minimal FAROS-related communications (approx 1 every 6 days)
- No FAROS-related go arounds
- Overall, comments have been very positive

## FAROS testing at DFW

**Baseline **
- Activates based on runway occupancy
- No sensitivity to approach corridor
**Enhanced **
- Activates based on runway occupancy AND presence of aircraft within activation distance (e.g. 1.5 nmi from threshold)
**Active  **
- Activates based on determination of potential conflict between arriving aircraft and surface traffic

## FAROS DFW System Overview

**FAROS DFW System Overview**

- RWSL Processor

**FAROS Light Processor**

- PAPI LHAs (4x)

**Flash Control Module**

- Tower/TRACON

- PAPI Locations (18R/36L, 17R/35L, 17C/35C)

- Black = Existing Equipment

- Blue/Shaded = New FAROS Equipment

- Comm Infrastructure

- Surveillance Inputs

## LCGS Program Update

- The Low Cost Ground Surveillance (LCGS) program is intended to  provide basic ground traffic surveillance capability at small and medium airports where cost-effective deployment of Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) technology is not possible.
- Current efforts aim to expand on the evaluation of commercial products conducted at Spokane through by implementing a pilot project at selected sites.
- The LCGS will provide the basic infrastructure upon which additional runway safety applications such as runway status lights and Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (SMGCS) can be built.

## Near Term LCGS Program Goals

**FY 2008 **
- Relocate current LCGS equipment to new GEG ATCT facility
- Conduct ATC user evaluation
- Obtain Investment Analysis Readiness Decision
- LCGS Pilot Program Contract Award
**FY 2009**
- Complete data collection activities at GEG
- Install First Article systems at up to 6 airports
- Obtain Final Investment Decision
**FY 2010 **
- Integrate and test LCGS with safety applications (e.g. RWSL)

## Pilot Sites Implementation Potential Locations

- I

**MHT**

**LGB**

**PBI**

**RSW**

**TEB**

**Not Selected**

**4**

**Pending**

**3**

**Selected**

**3**

**SJC**

**SFB**

**BNA**

**RNO**

**TPA**

**CMH**

**ASE**

**GEG**

**Current Eval**

**1**

**To Be Consider**

**4**

**SJU**

**BUF**

## LCGS – Procurement Plan

|   | FY09 | FY10 | FY11 | FY12 | FY13 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Contract Yrs | Base period  
Yr 1 | Base period 
Yr 2 | Base period  
Yr 3 | Option 1 
Yr 4 | Option 2  
Yr 5 |
| Contract
Phases | First Article Phase  | First Article Phase | Transition Phase =               FA & Production | Production Phase | Production Phase |
| Site Installations | 6 sites | - | 4 sites | 4 sites | 4 sites |
| First Article Effort |  |  |  |  |  |
| Production  Effort |  |  |  |  |  |

**100%**
**50%**
**0%**

**Continuing Evaluations**

## Future Directions - Small Airport RWSL

**Proposed project: **
- Design RWSL package scaled for small airports – (i.e. LC-RWSL?)
- Limit to REL and elevated lighting fixtures for cost reduction
- Integrate and test with selected LCGS product
**Proposed benefits**
- Makes proven RI technology concept more widely available
- Leverages LCGS pilot project investment
- May result in AIP-eligible design package
**Schedule**
- Assess suitability of LCGS product – FY10/Q1
- Develop/adapt RWSL prototype software – FY10/Q3
- Develop design package

## Future Directions - A-SMGCS Taxiway Guidance

**Proposed project: **
- Develop and evaluate taxiway guidance concept
- Determine automation/human-in-the-loop trade off
**Proposed benefits**
- Taxi route prediction/estimation is precursor to conformance monitoring
- Next layer of runway conflict prevention
- Addresses Lexington & Milan scenarios
**Schedule**
- Develop TG CONOPS  – FY10/Q2
- Initial algorithm design – FY10/Q4
- Simulation Analysis Plan – FY10/Q4

## Future Directions - Airport Wireless Data Comm.

**Proposed project: **
- Develop and evaluate alternatives for a airport wireless data communication system
- Prototype one or more designs and conduct field evaluation
**Proposed benefits**
- Reduced cost to implement RS technology at small airports
- Trenching and conduit lay-in for copper wired communication lines is major implementation cost driver
- May result in AIP-eligible design package
**Schedule**
- Conduct market survey – FY10/Q2
- Down select to most viable alternatives – FY10/Q3
- Initiate prototype design effort – FY10/Q4

## Technology Implementation Challenges

**Real world assessment of solution effectiveness**
- How many incursions/accidents will it avoid?
**Calculating technology investment benefits**
- Traditional BCA approach is not appropriate for safety systems
- Allocation of benefits on an airport by airport basis using requires other approaches – e.g. SME panel with direct knowledge of local operational environment
**Evaluating solutions in the operational environment**
- Operating systems without national support structure

## Summary

**FAA continues to emphasize and invest in runway safety technology research and development**
**Prototyping and field testing proposed solutions to reduce implementation risk will remain a key part of the Runway Incursion Reduction Program (RIRP)**
**Implementation of mature technologies is being expedited when possible**
**Future technology thrusts aimed at designing cost-effective solutions for small-medium airports**
**Operational stakeholder input is needed to assess technology needs, solution effectiveness and implementation priorities**