FAA Implements New Runway Safety Programme

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced it intends to increase its recent success with improving runway safety by working with airport sponsors on a risk-based decision-making strategy. Running over the next 10-15 years a new FAA national initiative known as the Runway Incursion Mitigation (RIM) programme will identify airport risk factors that might contribute to a runway incursion and develop strategies to help airport sponsors mitigate those risks.

The FAA says risk-based decision-making builds on safety management principles by using a consistent approach to proactively address emerging safety risks.

It has already collected and reviewed data to identify specific airport areas with risk factors that could contribute to a runway incursion and has developed a preliminary inventory of airport locations where runway incursions have occurred. The FAA says it will work with the airport sponsors to develop strategies to mitigate runway incursions at these locations.

The move comes as the FAA is wrapping up what it describes as an: “extremely successful” 15-year programme to improve and standardize runway safety areas at the US’ top commercial service airports.