TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Aircraft are not the only things that have to be careful on the runways and taxiways. Soon Tucson International will have new safety equipment installed in vehicles to boost protection from runway collisions.
Fire trucks may need to move quickly anywhere on the airport grounds. All sorts of other vehicles required to help the airport run smoothly may need to share the tarmac with airliners landing or taxiing to and from their gates.
In March, at LaGuardia in New York, an air traffic controller accidentally gave a fire truck clearance to cross a runway—-as an airline was touching down.
The controller called on the radio to stop the truck but it was too late. The airliner slammed into the truck. The pilot and copilot died.
Now Tucson International has a quarter million dollar grant from the Federal Aviation Administration radio transmitters in vehicles that will show air traffic controllers the position of vehicles that could cross paths with an aircraft.
TIA Chief Operating Office Bruce Goetz says in a busy airport it can be hard for controllers in the tower to always have a good fix on every truck on the tarmac.
“Because when it's dark at night and low visibility, it is harder to see those vehicles when you think of such a large area that they have to scan. So now they have a monitor up there that can not only see the exact location of the airplane, but also that vehicle when it's low light or hard to see outside.”
Goetz says Tucson International was working to get the safety transmitters even before the LaGuardia accident prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to speed up the safety grants.
Airline passenger Annette Wellington is visiting from South Florida. She’s pleased to hear safety upgrades are on the way for Tucson International . She says her brother is a firefighter so she understands how better vehicle tracking can help save lives.
“I mean it could have been one of my family members on the tarmac, so having the additional measures put in place, I know that at least I can say it's safer for the workers.”
It’ll take some time to buy and install the equipment but it should be coming on line by the end of the year.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
