FAA Approves New Alert System to Help Prevent Runway Accidents

WASHINGTON- After extensive testing, the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) announced today that it will begin using an
alert warning system at the country's 34 busiest airports to help
prevent runway accidents. Already in use at San Francisco and
Detroit, the Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS)
provides air traffic controllers with visual and aural alerts of
potential runway accidents caused by runway incursions.

"This new tool provides passengers an extra margin of safety on
the runway," said Administrator Jane F. Garvey. "While
technology like AMASS is crucial, the FAA believes that
heightening and maintaining the awareness of pilots, controllers,
and airport vehicle operators through education is the best way to
improve runway safety."

The AMASS is an enhancement to the Airport Surface Detection
Equipment Model 3 (ASDE-3) radar. The system works by
processing surveillance data from the ASDE-3, the airport
surveillance radar, and the terminal automation system. It then
determines conflicts based on the position, velocity and
acceleration of airborne arrival aircraft with ground-based aircraft
and vehicles. Currently, 33 major airports have commissioned
the ASDE-3, which enables controllers to observe airport surface
movements, particularly at night and when visual observation is
impaired by bad weather.

Maintenance and oversight of the AMASS will be transferred from
Washington headquarters to FAA facilities in San Francisco and
Detroit in June. The remaining 32 airports are scheduled to have
the system in operation by the end of 2002. Developing AMASS
into a useful, reliable warning system to meet user requirements
has been an extremely complex technical challenge. The AMASS
is comprised of two subsystems, one built by Northrop Grumman
Systems Corp. Norden Systems, and the other built by
Dimensions International, Inc.

In its continuing effort to improve runway safety, the FAA is
working closely with the aviation community to promote and
support increased education, training and awareness for pilots,
controllers, airport personnel, and vehicle operators.