Warning System Provides Flight Crews With Air-To-Ground Incursion Coverage

Honeywell International and Sensis Corporation, in coordination with the FAA, recently demonstrated a technology that can detect and communicate potential runway incursions directly to an aircraft cockpit, alerting the flight crew of a potential incident and addressing a concern that has been on the NTSB's most wanted list since 1990.

The cockpit advisory technology sends potential ground, arrival or departure conflicts directly to pilots as an audible alert using a Mode-S data link and an existing modified TCAS unit in the aircraft. The audible alert in the cockpit is generated by Sensis' Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) Safety Logic, and is provided to pilots at the same time that ASDE- X transmits the information to air traffic controllers. The runway incursion cockpit advisory technology uses existing ground and avionics systems, limiting the likely equipment changes to only software modifications.

Currently, surveillance detection equipment notifies air traffic controllers of potential incursions and then controllers must relay the information to pilots via voice, resulting in less than optimal response time.

"The cockpit advisory will ensure that pilots are aware of possible conflicts with the safe operation of their aircraft in the airport vicinity much quicker than current procedures and technology allows," said Rick Berckefeldt, Honeywell Product Marketing Manager for Safety and Surveillance Systems. "Only the pilots that may be involved in a potential conflict receive the audible cockpit warning, and advisories are only provided if a potential conflict is detected," Berckefeldt said. "With the audible alerts, no heads down time is required for the pilots during critical approach, taxi and departure phases, helping to ensure a safe flight."

Through the use of ASDE-X -- which fuses multilateration, primary radar and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) reports -- controller situational awareness is increased with the frequent update of positions of all planes in the vicinity of the airport and on the surface. Leveraging this rich data, ASDE-X Safety Logic provides detection of potential and actual runway incursions and simultaneously transmits alerts to controllers and the pilots of the potentially affected aircraft.

"The functionality and performance of this demonstration -- which leverages currently deployed systems -- proves that the technology exists to help address runway incursions," said Tony Lo Brutto, Vice President and General Manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. "With the adoption of an open standard, FAA commitment for signal in space, test and certification, and approved procedures, this capability can be made available at the 35 high traffic density airports where ASDE-X is currently being installed, as well as future installations."

The runway incursion cockpit advisory technology is being demonstrated August 27-29 at the FAA Interim Contractor Depot Level Support facility at Syracuse Hancock International Airport, leveraging an ASDE-X test system and Honeywell test aircraft. The FAA is in the process of installing 35 ASDE-X systems at some of the busiest airports across the country.

Currently, nine are operational... and as ANN recently reported, systems at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport are scheduled to be operational in September.

FMI: www.honeywell.com, www.sensis.com