MIT Lincoln LaboratoryRWSL OpEval PilotTraining, page 1Aug 2006 MPK

Pilot Training for Continued Operational Evaluationof Runway Status Lights (RWSL) at SAN

Jason Coon and Peter Hwoschinsky, FAA

Maria Picardi Kuffner, MIT/LL

San Diego (SAN) Runway Status Lights (RWSL)

This work is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration under Air Force Contract #FA8721-05-C-0002.Opinions, interpretations, recommendations and conclusions are those of the author and are not necessarily

endorsed by the United States Government.

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Outline

• Runway Incursion Problem

• Runway Status Lights (RWSL) Solution

– RWSL Operational Concept

– RWSL Operational Requirements

– RWSL Operational Evaluation at SAN

• Summary

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Definition of Runway Incursion

“Any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the

landing and take-off of aircraft.” – Source: FAA Runway Safety Office

Pilot deviations are the largest cause of runway incursions

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Overview of RWSL

• Runway Status Lights Purpose

– Reduce frequency and severity of runway incursions

– Prevent runway accidents

• How do lights do this? By increasing pilots’ and vehicle operators’ situational awareness

– Direct indication via runway entrance lights (RELs) that a runway is unsafe to enter or cross

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RWSL Operational Concept

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REL Operational Requirements

• RELs must not interfere with normal safe operations

• RELs must operate automatically for each landing and departure

• RELs must accurately depict runway is unsafe to enter/cross

– Red if runway not safe

– Otherwise off (no illumination)

Runway Guard Lights (yellow)

Runway Entrance Lights (red)

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RWSL System Architecture

Airport Surface Surveillance

Primary Radar

Transponder Multilateration

ASR-9

Terminal Area Surveillance

Fusion

State Machine

Light Activation Logic

ATC Displays

Field Lighting System

Prediction Engine

LAX

DFW

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Operational Evaluation at SAN

• RELs installed on RWY 09/27

– North side: TXYs C1, C2, C6

– South side: TXYs B1, B6, B10

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Configuration of Runway Entrance Lights (RELs )

RELs are red when it is unsafe to enter the runway

Red RELs always aligned with taxiway centerlines and directed toward taxiway hold line

– Including one REL placed on runway centerline

– SAN taxiway centerlines are both straight and curved

Runway Entrance Lights ConceptRunway Entrance Lights Concept

RELS

New RELs

LAX

Existing RGLs

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REL Logic

• RELs turn ON when high-speed traffic exists or is predicted to be on the runway

– Departures turn on all RELs downfield during takeoff roll at or above a site adaptable speed parameter

– Arrivals turn on all RELs on the projected runway at a site adjustable distance parameter from the threshold (usually 3/4 nmi)

• All RELs turn OFF when:

– Departures are declared airborne by RWSL logic (usually 100’)

– Arrivals have landed and slowed to taxi speed (usually below 35 kts)

• RELs at specific intersections:

– Individual RELs turn off just prior to the intersection being cleared to reduce interference with ATC use of anticipated separation

– Individual RELs may be on at intersections just ahead of aircraft in landing roll-out

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Protocol for Pilots Viewing Red RELs

• When RELs illuminate red, the runway is unsafe to enter or cross and the pilots should stop immediately

• When the lights are off, pilots/vehicle operators may not enter or cross the runway without ATC clearance

– In some instances (anticipated separation), RELs may be illuminated while the clearance is being given, but should be turned off by the time the controller has finished issuing the clearance

RELs indicate runway status only; they do not indicate clearance!

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Proposed Phraseology

• Flight crew members and air traffic controllers should follow these procedures with installed RELs:

– When cleared to either “cross the runway”, “position and hold”, or “immediate takeoff”, and RELs are illuminated; stop the aircraft and indicate to Air Traffic “Transair 123 stopped with red lights” and then wait for further clearance.

– When RELs illuminate normally due to crossing, landing or departing traffic without any proximate hazard, the flight crew should remain clear of the runway or stopped short of the runway and wait for further clearance.

– When controllers issue clearances that result in aircraft stopping due to red lights at runway/taxiway intersections, Air Traffic should reevaluate the traffic and issue further clearances accordingly.

– When no clearance was given or the clearance was to “hold short of the runway” but the aircraft continued across the hold line and flight crews observed illuminated red lights, the flight crew should tell Air Traffic that “Transair 123 is stopped with red lights.”

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• Phase 1: Engineering Development (Completed Dec 05)

– Recorded surveillance data

– Laboratory (controlled) environment

– Engineering assessment

• Phase 2: Shadow Operations (Completed May 06)

– Live surveillance data

– Simulated RWSL operation on display in tower

– Controller evaluation

• Phase 3: Extended Operational Evaluation (06-09)

– Live surveillance data

– RWSL system operating in real time

– User Group (controllers and pilots) evaluation

• Current: Continued Operational Evaluation with new airport surveillance (ASDE-X)

RWSL Development Phases

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Pilot information sources

• Media planned for training pilots

– Website available on-line www.RWSL.net

– FAA Notices to Airmen (NOTAM)

– Jeppesen/LIDO Chart Inserts

– Posters/training cards distributed to pilots by airlines and unions

– Powerpoint presentations and animations

• ATIS (example)

– “Runway status lights operational evaluation in progress”

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Summary

• RWSL Goal

– reduce frequency and severity of runway incursions

• RWSL Concept

– improve safety via increased pilots’ situational awareness

• RWSL Method

– provide automatic depiction that a runway is unsafe to enter via status lights on airport for pilots

• RWSL Requirements

– controller acceptance: no impact on normal safe operations

– pilot acceptance: operational suitability of lights