The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to begin trials of runway debris sensors at Chicago's two airports - O'Hare International and Midway.

Recent studies have shown that Foreign Object Debris (FOD) on airport runways and taxiways is a growing problem, and as part of its wider efforts to bolster runway safety at airports in the US the FAA has decided to launch a trial to analyse whether technology such as radar surveillance and camera monitoring systems can be used to help improve safety.

FOD, which can range from dislodged fuel caps to ball bearings, poses a significant hazard to aircraft and FOD identification and clearance is an important issue to ensure safe ongoing operation of an airport.

A report in March by consultants Insight SRI estimated that FOD causes up to $1 billion of damage is caused to aircraft each year, with up to 70,000 individual incidents involving FOD affecting aircraft operations at the busiest 300 airports worldwide.

The importance of identifying and clearing FOD took on greater significance after the crash of the Air France Concorde in July 2000. The crash was caused by a stray strip of metal on the runway lodging itself in the Concorde's tyre as the aircraft took off.

The Chicago trials, which begin in July, will use newly-developed hi-tech solutions involving radar, GPS systems and computer software.

The FAA believes that deploying this new technology will enable more effective monitoring of runway debris, rather than relying on visual inspections by airport ground workers.

Runway Debris Detection Radar

The Chicago trials includes the use of a high-resolution camera system, developed by Statech Systems. This enables a virtual picture of an airport's runways, taxiways and ramp airports to be mapped - and anything which doesn't appear to belong or the airfield, shows up on a screen which then displays the exact location of the offending item using GPS software. An airport ground worker is then able to be dispatched to the precise location to investigate and remove the debris.

Stratech Systems say the camera is so sensitive that it can dismiss naturally-occurring items such as water puddles.

The debris trial also includes the use of a runway debris detection radar - which according to Jim Patterson Jr., the FAA representative managing the Chicago trials, is capable of finding a quarter-inch nut from 500 feet away. The radar being used is a highly-sensitive millimetre-wave radar.

"In our system the operator has a satellite image of the airfield and if FOD is detected, he gets an audible warning and a red dot on the screen indicates where the debris is located", said Grant Bishop from Trex Enterprises, the manufacturer of the debris radar being used in the trial.

The O'Hare and Midway trials will involve the use of the intelligent cameras being placed at strategic locations around runways and taxiways, with the debris detection radars mounted on trucks which can be moved around the airport.

Airport FOD Detection

Those involved with the FAA trials in Chicago say the research proves how important airport FOD detection is today.

Edwin Herricks from the University of Illinois, which is partnering with the FAA, commented: "As these continuous detection systems go online, we are learning much more about the hazardous conditions produced by FOD".

He added: "We haven't improved FOD detection since the Concorde crash until these technologies came along. If a worker found debris, it was thrown into the back of a pickup truck and that was it".

The FAA has said that if trials prove satisfactory, then approval of the new runway debris sensor systems could come in early 2009 with deployment following later in the year.

The FAA says that costs for the new systems could run from $250,000 for the mobile radar to about $1 million for a large camera system.

Source - Airport International's US Correspondent

Recent Related News Items:

US Airport Runway Safety -

Pilots: Runway Safety 'Needs Improvement'

Boston-Logan Airport First for Runway Safety Trials

'Improved' Runway Safety At US Airports

Ground Safety Work Progressing at US Airports

Runway Warning Lights 'Could Improve Safety'

Further Resources:

Products & Services -

Companies supplying Airport Surfacing

Companies supplying Airfield Runways

Companies supplying Radar

Companies supplying Runway Cleaning