The U.S. aviation system is the safest 

in the world, but one close call is one 

too many. 

In February 2023 the FAA moved swiftly to 

address concerns and issued a Safety Call to 

Action to take a critical look at the U.S. aerospace 

system’s structure, culture, processes, systems, 

and integration of safety efforts. 

The FAA and the aviation community are pursuing 

a goal of zero serious close calls by examining a 

combination of technical and human factors. An 

independent safety review team is also examining 

ways to enhance safety and reliability in the nation’s 

air traffic system. This same approach was used for 

U.S. commercial airlines, and it virtually eliminated 

the risk of fatalities aboard U.S. carriers. Since 

2009, U.S. carriers have transported more than the 

world’s population with no fatal crashes.

The Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) will deliver 

capabilities to improve controller situational awareness and 

reduce runway incursions. 

The challenge with surface awareness is ensuring the controllers 

have vision of all the activity on that surface. The SAI provides 

timely and accurate depictions of both aircraft and vehicles on the 

surface movement areas of an airport in all weather conditions.

Currently there are airports where tower controllers do not have 

visibility of all areas of the airport surface. By deploying the SAI 

capability to the tower cab, controllers will have the awareness 

necessary to proactively address any potential safety concerns. 

The FAA issued a Request for Information (RFI) to survey the 

technology that currently exists in the marketplace.. Based on 

this feedback, the FAA is currently pursuing formal acquisition of 

solutions by releasing a Screening Information Request (SIR) in 

December 2023. The purpose of the SIR is to solicit proposals 

from industry to identify a list of best solutions and, from that list, 

select capabilities for deployment based on the operational 

uniqueness of a given airport location. The SAI team is working 

to ensure the solutions proposed by industry meet requirements 

and needs of ATC to improve their surface situational awareness. 

The team’s objective is to have a solution deployed to select 

airports beginning June 2024.

There are also opportunities to improve the functionality of 

existing systems to address the challenge. 

The Approach Runway Verification (ARV) is a function 

within the FAA’s terminal automation system knows as STARS. 

When Aircraft are approaching the airport, the controller issues a 

landing clearance to a specific runway. The pilot may believe 

they are aligned with the proper runway, but could actually be 

lined up with an adjacent runway or even a taxiway The ARV will 

alert the Air Traffic Controller of an aircraft that is not aligned 

with the runway surface as instructed. 

The STARS software baseline that is now available for national 

deployment includes the underlying ARV functionality. Site 

specific adaptations based on runway configuration and 

procedures are developed before ARV can be utilized for a given 

airport. As of December 2023, ARV is fully adapted and 

operational at 9 airports (i.e. Air Traffic Control Towers), with 

more confirmed facilities planned for CY2024. A waterfall to 

develop and deploy ARV adaptations for additional airports is 

underway. The objective is for ARV to be available for all 

terminal and tower facilities with STARS (or over 400 air traffic 

control facilities). 

The Runway Incursion Device (RID) is a capability used 

by Air Traffic Control to provide additional situational awareness 

of occupied and closed runways. 

The RID provides an audible and visual alert to controllers when 

a runway is not available for departing or landing aircraft. This is 

yet another tool in the toolbox for controllers to use in order to 

continue to provide the safest surface environment.

In November 2023, the program received Joint Resource 

Council approval to proceed with implementation. RID devices 

will be installed at five (5) airports for an operational evaluation 

by November 2024, with deployments to 74 airports beginning 

in 2025.

Safer on the Surface

Surface Awareness Initiative Approach Runway Verification Runway Incursion Device

A Goal of Zero 

Close Calls

Federal Aviation Administration

Surface Safety Portfolio

In an effort to address specific safety concerns on the airport surface, the FAA has fast tracked 3 initiatives as part of its Surface Safety Portfolio:

Safety is not a static destination— it is the relentless pursuit that requires continuous improvement. 

These initiatives represent important improvements, but they are just a small part of a much larger and integrated effort and 

philosophy. The FAA will continue to analyze the data and make thoughtful and holistic recommendations to advance safety 

in the National Airspace System.