Revere the Runway

Everyones sensitive about something-weight gain or receding hairlines, for instance, or the things you shouldnt talk about at family dinners, like religion and politics. Air traffic controls soft spot? Runways. You dont mess with the runways. They may have all kinds of shapes and surfaces-concrete, dirt, grass, even water-but theyre all sacred ground when aircraft are using them. The skys plenty big, but airport runways are quite finite. Bad things can happen quickly in those confined spaces, and runway incursion numbers have been steadily increasing. To stave off the unthinkable, air traffic controllers wield a constantly evolving arsenal of procedures, technology, and phraseology in their efforts to keep pilots safe and informed.

tkarmer

Monday, August 10, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Runways are critical, finite areas for air traffic control, where safety is paramount due to their sensitive nature and steadily increasing incursion risks.
Air traffic control continuously evolves its procedures, technology, and phraseology, learning valuable lessons from past accidents and incidents, to ensure runway protection.
Highly regulated procedures, such as "Line Up And Wait" (LUAW), demand extreme caution, extensive communication, and specific airport criteria to mitigate the inherent risks of managing aircraft on active runways.

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Everyone’s sensitive about something—weight gain or receding hairlines, for instance, or the things you shouldn’t talk about at family dinners, like religion and politics.

Air traffic control’s soft spot? Runways. You don’t mess with the runways. They may have all kinds of shapes and surfaces—concrete, dirt, grass, even water—but they’re all sacred ground when aircraft are using them.