NATCA Runway Safety Representative Participates in NTSB Panel on Runway Incursions

On May 23, NATCA Runway Safety Representative Bridget Singratanakul (Dallas/Fort Worth ATCT, DFW) participated in a roundtable discussion held by the National Transportation Board (NTSB) at its Washington, D.C. offices.

The discussion, entitled “State of Runway Incursions: A Path Forward,” brought together more than 30 experts from labor, the aviation industry, and government agencies. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy ran the meeting, asking participants to offer their insight into what must be done to prevent future runway incursions.

“We all may have different views on the path forward to prevent such tragedies, but we all want progress,” Homendy said. “How we maintain our gold standard of safety amid all these challenges by preventing runway incursions – that is today’s mandate.”

The participants spoke at length about the areas that needed to be addressed to help avoid future runway incursions including air traffic controller (ATC) staffing, ATC training, and the use of technology like surface surveillance. Singrantanakul stressed the importance of widespread implementation of surface surveillance across the national airspace system in which only 43 of more than 500 airports have the critical equipment available.

“Technology has been proven to be the most effective tool in the reduction of severe runway incursions,” Singratanakul said. “In FY2022 there were 16 A and B runway incursions – your closest proximity events – of that, four occurred at surface surveillance facilities. The other 12 occurred at airports that did not have surface surveillance. By giving flight crews and the controllers those extra tools so they can immediately assess and grab that information that they need, that is important.”

PHOTO (left to right): Homendy and Singratanakul