FAAST Blast — Week of June 24 - 30, 2024
Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update
Striving for Zero Serious Close Calls on the Nation’s Runways During One of the Busiest Summers in Years
As part of the comprehensive effort to end serious close calls, the FAA is working with airports across the nation to reduce the risk of vehicle and pedestrian deviations on the airfield as travel picks up this summer. The agency sent airport directors refreshed training materials on vehicle/pedestrian deviations, including this video (youtube.com/watch?v=6-_fWCpMdM4). The video emphasizes the need to improve procedures on the airfield and enhance situational awareness of critical airport changes, construction, safety-area boundaries, airport-specific hotspots, and to use clear and concise communication with the control tower or other aircraft and surface vehicles.
Here are some additional initiatives that help protect the traveling public:?
- The FAA has installed Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) or Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) at 44 of the nation’s busiest commercial airports, and installed Approach Runway Verification (ARV) in 13 control towers with more locations on the way.
- The FAA will install the Surface Awareness Initiative system at Austin-Bergstrom, Indianapolis, Nashville, and Dallas Love Field airports this summer and at scores of other airports by the end of 2025. Runway Incursion Devices will be installed at five airports for evaluation before the end of this year and be deployed to 74 airports in 2025.
- The FAA holds regular runway safety action team?meetings at airports across the country, and issues arrival alert notices?for pilots and controllers.
- The FAA is accelerating air traffic controller hiring and enhancing controller safety training with?modernized tower simulators.?
Learn more at https://www.faa.gov/closecalls.
New Pilot Minute Video: How Being Hot and Thirsty Can Affect Flying
In the latest episode of the FAA’s Pilot Minute video series, Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup explains the physiological impacts of dehydration on flying and suggestions for mitigation. See this and past Pilot Minute videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vHkqHi51DQvRjGJo1SuXyZpKl5HbzOI.
Into the Future
Flying skills, particularly instrument skills, decay if they are unused, and the essential resource to prevent that degradation is time spent exercising those skills. But finding that precious time can be challenging. Technology can play an important role in keeping pilots’ skills sharp, allowing them to practice skills like flight planning and briefing anywhere and anytime. To learn how to leverage technology to build proficiency in today’s busy world, read “Into the Future” at https://medium.com/faa/into-the-future-37f219d10415 in the May/Jun 2024 issue of the FAA Safety Briefing. See the entire IFR flying issue at www.faa.gov/safety_briefing.
Produced by the FAA Safety Briefing editors: www.faa.gov/safety_briefing
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