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FAA opens audit into runway incursion threats at 45 busiest US airports

The Federal Air travel Administration said Tuesday it is opening an audit into runway attack dangers at the 45 busiest U.S. airports after a series of unpleasant near miss out on incidents.

Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board stated air-traffic controllers cleared an Alaska Airlines jet last month to remove at Tennessee's Nashville International Airport on the very same runway where a Southwest Airlines airplane had been cleared to cross.

The runway attack audit will consist of a risk profile for each airport, together with recognizing possible spaces in procedures, equipment, and processes, and suggestions to improve safety and is anticipated to be concluded in early 2025.

The FAA Air Traffic Security Oversight Service is performing the evaluation and the agency included it is devoted to recognizing and mitigating danger at every level.

Over the last two years, a series of near-miss occurrences have raised issues about U.S. air travel security and the pressure on understaffed air-traffic-control operations. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker stated last month the number of major runway-incursion incidents had fallen by over 50%.

The FAA said in April it would install new surface-awareness innovation at 4 airports including Nashville's by July. The FAA formerly declined to talk about whether the technology was operating.

The runway study responds in part to suggestions made in November 2023 by an independent U.S. air travel evaluation group that called for urgent action to boost safety after a series of close calls involving traveler jets, the FAA said.

President Joe Biden desires moneying to hire 2,000 brand-new controllers and a number of reports have warned of the security effects of shortages.

In June, the FAA again extended cuts to minimum flight requirements at busy New york city City-area airports through October 2025, pointing out air traffic controller staffing shortages.

In June, the NTSB found that inaccurate assumptions by an air traffic controller led to a February 2023 near-collision between a FedEx airplane and a Southwest aircraft in Austin, Texas.

A federal government guard dog report stated in June 2023 critical air traffic facilities face considerable staffing obstacles, positioning dangers to air traffic operations. At lots of centers, controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day work weeks to cover shortages.

(source: Reuters)