The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced plans to equip ground vehicles at three major regional airports with transponder technology. The decision follows recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board regarding a March 22 accident at LaGuardia Airport involving an Air Canada jet and a fire truck that resulted in two pilot fatalities and several injuries.
According to the NTSB’s preliminary report on the incident, transponders could have provided air traffic controllers with more precise location data for ground vehicles. The fire truck involved in the collision had crossed the runway despite red warning lights. Contributing factors included heavy air traffic volume at the time and an emergency situation involving another aircraft.
The transponder system works as part of Airport Surface Detection Systems, known as ASDE-X, which are currently installed at 35 airports nationwide. These systems combine radar information with transponder signals from both aircraft and ground vehicles to create a comprehensive display for controllers in the tower, along with collision-alert capabilities. The Federal Aviation Administration has recommended the technology for major airports and offers financial assistance for installation.
The Port Authority operates LaGuardia, Kennedy Airport in New York, and Newark Liberty Airport in northern New Jersey. Officials stated they have made targeted investments in airfield safety technology and view transponder installation as an additional safeguard to complement existing surface surveillance systems. The authority said it will continue coordinating with both the NTSB and FAA as it works to enhance safety protocols across its airfield operations.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI