The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the implementation of new airfield surveillance systems at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport starting June 30. These systems aim to enhance the situational awareness of air traffic controllers and reduce the risk of runway incidents.
The new technology will provide controllers with a display of surface traffic at airports that do not currently have a surface surveillance tool. Aircraft and ADS-B equipped vehicles will appear as icons on an airport map, showing runways, taxiways, hold ramps, and other relevant areas. This will enable controllers to monitor and manage traffic more effectively, leading to safer flights.
With the summer travel season of 2024 projected to be the busiest in almost 15 years, the FAA has put in place multiple safety measures to protect travelers. These new surveillance systems serve as an additional safety layer, ensuring that air traffic controllers are well-equipped to handle increased traffic during this peak season.
In May 2024, the Austin airport saw its busiest month ever in terms of passenger traffic, with almost 2.07 million passengers passing through. This marked the sixth month in the airport’s history to see over 2 million passengers, following July 2023, October 2023, May 2022, June 2023, and October 2022. With these new surveillance systems in place, we can expect even more passengers to choose Austin as their travel destination in the future.
