Story ID: 
FAA: 'Serious' Runway Incursion Rate Down
By: AIN Staff
Caption: The FAA said yesterday that it exceeded its goal for reducing the 'most serious' runway incursions by 25 percent in Fiscal Year 2007, which ended September
Word Count: 170
The FAA said yesterday that it exceeded its goal for reducing the 'most serious' runway incursions by 25 percent in Fiscal Year 2007, which ended September 30. According to the agency, there were 24 serious runway incursions this past year out of more than 61 million operations, or one for every 2.545 million operations, exceeding the agency's goal of no more than one incursion for every two million surface movements. Serious runway incursions are defined as having "measurable risk of collision," meaning participants must take extreme action to narrowly avoid a collision or the event results in a collision. "The agency’s focus on better training, clearer signs and new procedures has made our runways safer," said FAA Air Traffic Organization COO Hank Krakowski. "However, there is still much more we can and will do." Several short-term steps–including improved procedures; increased training for airport and airline personnel; and enhanced airport signs and markings–will be implemented within 60 days, he said. According to the FAA, serious runway incursion rates have dropped by about 55 percent since FY01.