NTSB: ’Technology’ Is Answer to Reducing Incursions

NTSB chairman Mark Rosenker said he believes runway incursions are still a major safety issue. In a speech to a group of airport executives and FAA representatives at an airport technology seminar in Atlantic City last Tuesday, he emphasized that while aircraft separation in the air is measured in miles (horizontally), on the ground it is measured in feet. Rosenker also noted that many recent incursions have been avoided “through flight crew actions sometimes bordering on the heroic–along with a lot of luck.” The chairman stressed that technology unique to the size of the airport in question was the answer to reducing accidents and incidents. Runway incursions are such a major issue for the Board that they hold the unfortunate distinction of being on its Most Wanted List of safety improvements since the list’s inception in 1990.