Runway incursions—and their inherent risk of catastrophe—are on the rise, and legislators are taking a hard look at what is, isn’t, and should be done to minimize this growing safety threat.

The Feb. 13 House aviation subcommittee panel followed up on findings of the General Accountability Office (GAO) report on Aviation Runway and Ramp Safety. The report, issued in December 2007, found that last year’s total runway incursions were up 12% compared with 2006, to 6.05 incidents per one million operations—and the highest rate recorded since 2001, with 6.1 incursions per one million operations.

Now couple that layer of frequency with a forecast for passenger traffic to reach the one billion mark by 2015 and 2‑3 million by 2025. The result is a deepening concern for safe surface operations as more aircraft jockey for position on the runways. U.S. towers alone handled about 63.1 million flights in 2007, and operations are expected to grow about 2% annually, according to the GAO.

Reducing risk of incursions has been on the NTSB’s “Most Wanted” list of safety improvements since it was first compiled in 1990. An incursion’s potential for disaster can be measured in feet. For example, on Aug. 16, 2007, at Los Angeles International Airport, a departing Northwest Airlines Airbus A320 came within only 37 ft. of a collision with a Westjet Boeing 737 about to cross the same runway, compromising the safety of 296 people.

The GAO found that FAA’s lack of leadership, its inadequate budgeting and the challenges of implementing technology have hindered progress in eliminating the risk of incursions, as did a lack of reliable runway and ramp safety data, and human factors-related issues.

There are no silver-bullet solutions to the runway incursion problem, noted Rep. Thomas E. Petri (R-Wis.). Testimony illuminated the various long- and short-term suggestions on the technology side and dug deeper into safety’s relationship to human factors issues, specifically, fatigue. The FAA has taken steps to address runway safety such as ordering changes in markings and signage, and it has provided training for pilots and controllers. But the agency could go further, noted Gerald L. Dillingham, GAO director of Physical Infrastructure Issues. He reiterated GAO report recommendations, including having the FAA draw up a new national runway safety plan and exploring controller overtime and fatigue solutions.

Hank Krakowski, COO of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization, explained that the agency’s “aggressive and effective” runway safety program has helped reduce the number of “serious” or Category A and B incursions (which have the greatest risk of collision) by 55% since 2001. Serious runway incursions dropped 25% in 2007 compared with 2006, with 24 Cat. A and B incursions per 61 million aircraft operations, compared with 31 incursions in 2006 and 53 in 2001.

The FAA in August 2007 held a Call to Action Task Force meeting with 40 participants from a cross section of industry, including pilots and controllers. They drew up a list of short- and long-term proactive initiatives aimed at reducing the number of incursions.

Within 60 days, according to Krakowski, they had completed significant short-term actions and are now working on mid- and long-term goals.

The GAO charges that cost increases and delays have plagued deployment of runway safety technology. In response, the FAA says it had accelerated installation of Airport Surface Detection Equipment-Model X (ASDE-X) by one year, to September 2010. The system alerts controllers of a potential collision. They in turn must alert the flight deck. The agency has committed more than $806 million over a 30-year period on equipment, installation, operations and maintenance of 35 ASDE-X systems.