FAA Convenes First International Runway Safety Conference

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation John Porcari, NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman and Capt. Robert Bragg the last surviving flight crew member involved in the1977 runway collision of two jumbo jets at Tenerife will headline the conference. Capt. Bragg, the first officer and last living crew member from the Pan Am jet involved in the Tenerife accident, will offer his unique, real-world perspective at the summit. Special keynote talks by Administrator Babbitt and Chairman Hersmann will emphasize runway safetys prominent role in the U.S. safety agenda. The agenda also includes discussions and reviews of runway safetys most critical issues, including human factors, airport layouts, technology, cockpit and air traffic control procedures and safety management systems. Panels will assess runway safety progress to date, initiatives underway, and plans being made for future environments both in the U.S. and around the world. Industry and stakeholder groups expected to attend are: Air Line Pilots Association, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, the Air Transport Association, and Eurocontrol.

Nearly 500 people are expected to attend Taxiing Toward Tomorrow which will focus on the reduction and eventual elimination of runway incursions and excursions. The event will bring together members of the safety community and a cross-section of key industry stakeholders to work towards solving one of aviations most serious problems.

While the vast majority of runway incursions do not result in accidents, they point to a risk in the system that needs to be addressed immediately. During Fiscal Year 2009 serious runway incursions dropped 50 percent. This is a positive development but more needs to be done. The FAA and the aviation industry are committed to finding the most effective ways to eliminate these incidents.