Runway safety meetings scheduled at approximately 90 airports

Submitted by the Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration will hold runway safety meetings at approximately 90 airports between now and the end of September. One will take place at the Niagara Falls International Airport.

“Sharing information is critical to improving safety,” said Tim Arel, chief operating officer of the FAA’s air traffic organization. “These meetings, along with other efforts, will help us achieve our goal of zero close calls.”

During a runway safety action team meeting, airport stakeholders come together to identify unique risks to surface safety at that airport, and develop plans to mitigate or eliminate those risks. Representatives from the FAA’s air traffic organization, airlines, pilots, airport vehicle drivers and others participate. 

Major airports with upcoming runway safety meetings include Ronald Reagan Washington National, La Guardia New York, Dallas-Fort Worth International, Cleveland Hopkins International, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Reno/Tahoe International and Birmingham Shuttlesworth International.

The meetings, held annually at each airport with a control tower, are the primary forum for pinpointing and addressing airport-specific risk in the surface environment. The product of the meeting is a runway safety action plan where stakeholders document and agree to pursue specific actions to improve surface safety.

The FAA issued a “Safety Call to Action” in February following a string of incidents. Following the Safety Summit in March, the agency has undertaken a series of safety initiatives. The summit resulted in a commitment from the FAA and aviation community to pursue a goal of zero serious close calls. The same approach virtually eliminated the risk of fatalities aboard U.S. commercial airlines.

To learn more, read about the FAA’s runway safety program and runway safety fact sheet.