Air Traffic Control Entities

 

The use of equipment to detect and avoid other aircraft is a very important part of modern aviation. The most common form of this equipment is the radar, which detects objects by sending out radio waves and detecting the reflected signals. Radar can detect objects from a great distance away, but it cannot see through clouds or fog. Another form of detection equipment is called an “ultrasonic” system. Ultrasonic systems use high-frequency sound waves to detect objects that are in front of them (such as another aircraft). These systems cannot see through clouds or fog, so they must be used in conjunction with radar systems.

The Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE) program was created to improve airport surface detection capabilities for general aviation airports around the world. This program has two main components: ground-based equipment and airborne equipment. The ground-based system consists of three major subsystems: ASDE-1, ASDE-2, and ASDE-3/4/5/6A/B (the last five being airborne subsystems). Each subsystem has several different models that can be used at different airports around the world depending on their specific needs and terrain characteristics (elevation changes).

With all the information above I want to highlight a recent incident that happened on Friday the 13 at JFK airport where we almost had a collision between an American Airlines Boeing 777 and a Delta Boeing 737. What happened with this incident is that AA (American Airlines) Pilots have been undergoing a new preflight procedures. These procedures have recently been the cause of delays on previous flights. While these pilots were taxing for takeoff, they didn’t not hear the command of ATC telling them to hold short on the taxiway while the delta 777 was about to take off which almost caused a major collision, because of ASDE, ATC was able to catch the possible collision and had just enough time to tell the Delta Flight 777 to cancel their takeoff which prevented a possible collision.

The reason why I chose to highlight this is because I feel that this new technology can better help aid Air Traffic Controllers when it comes to controlling the flightline. Its almost as if they have an extra eye watching what goes on out on the flightline.


Note: the link from the NY POST article has the actually audio from the event.



Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) | Federal Aviation Administration. (2022). Faa.gov. https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/technology/asde-x

Farberov, S. (2023, January 16). Delta passenger recalls panic after “split second” near-miss at JFK Airport. NY Post. https://nypost.com/2023/01/16/passenger-recalls-panic-after-near-miss-at-jfk-airport/

Farrell, P. (2023, January 17). The sophisticated radar that averted near crash on JFK runway. Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11644467/Investigation-caused-American-Airlines-plane-nearly-collide-Delta-jet-continues.html

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