Several popular general aviation airports, as well as a number of other airfields across the country, may participate in a new FAA program that will provide funding for the mitigation of runway incursions at facilities that have complex or potentially confusing runway-taxiway geometry, according to a report from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
In June, the FAA established its Runway Incursion Mitigation (RIM) program to identify specific locations on airports with higher risk for potential runway incursions.
Complex or confusing airfield geometry has been identified as a primary contributing factor for runway incursions.
Over the next 10 to 15 years, the FAA, working with airport officials, will alleviate these risks through improved signs, pavement markings, or construction programs.
Airport participation in the RIM program is voluntary, and the FAA is providing Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for the mitigation efforts.
The agency compiled its initial inventory of RIM airports by analyzing incursion data collected between 2007 and 2013. There are 77 airports in the inventory, several with more than one frequent point of incursion.
The inventory includes 28 general aviation reliever airports, including:
- Teterboro (TEB), New Jersey;
- Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE), Florida;
- Addison (ADS), Texas;
- Santa Monica Municipal (SMO) and Van Nuys (VNY), Calif.;
- Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT), Arizona;
- DeKalb-Peachtree (PDK), Georgia;
- Centennial Airport (APA), Colorado;
- Flying Cloud (FCM), Minnesota.
Other airports on the list include:
- 13 large-hub airports, such as Chicago Midway International (MDW) and Philadelphia International (PHL);
- 11 medium-hub airports, such as Palm Beach International (PBI), Memphis International (MEM), Dallas Love Field (DAL) and John Wayne Orange County (SNA);
- A dozen small-hub airports, such as Fairbanks International (FAI) and Orlando Sanford International (SFB);
- 12 non-hub primary airports, such as Juneau International (JNU) and Waco Regional (ACT);
- One non-primary commercial airport, Ernest A. Love Field (PRC) in Arizona.
The FAA provided $11 million in AIP funding to eight RIM airports in September to enable them to begin their mitigation efforts this fiscal year.