The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced the next installation of transponders in emergency vehicles that operate at the main airports in the region to reinforce security after the tragic accident that occurred in March at the airport LaGuardia.
As reported Spectrum News, These devices will allow improve the accuracy with which air traffic controllers identify the location of vehicles on the ground, reducing the risk of collisions on the track.
The transponders, which will be installed on fire trucks and other rescue units, emit constant signals towards the watch tower, facilitating real-time monitoring.
This technology is integrated with advanced systems such as ASDE-X, which combines radar data and signals from aircraft and vehicles to offer a detailed visible representation of surface movement, in addition to activating alerts in case of possible conflicts.
The decision follows the preliminary report of the National Transportation Safety Board, which stated the absence of these devices as a relevant ingredient in the accident on March 22.
That day, An Air Canada Relate plane collided with a fire truck on the LaGuardia runway, causing the death of the two pilots and leaving dozens injured.
According to information from the agency Linked Pressthe fire truck He had received clearance to cross the runway just seconds before Flight 8646 landed. However, the vehicle moved forward while the red warning lights, which indicate stopping, were still on.
Although The air traffic controller issued repeated “stop” orders, It was initially not clear to the driver that the instruction was directed at his unit.
The report also reveals that the surveillance system in the tower could not accurately detect the position of the truck due to the lack of a transponder, which prevented timely alerts from being generated. Added to this were conditions of high operational load.
That night, The airport was experiencing unusually heavy air traffic. and controllers were simultaneously managing another emergency involving a United Airways plane.
Federal investigators indicated there were multiple opportunities to prevent the tragedy. In addition to the truck driver and controllers, The pilots could have also reacted, although they were probably focused on the landing maneuver.
The plane impacted at high speed, about 167 km/h, against the vehicle, which was traveling at approximately forty eight km/h.
The accident involved an emergency convoy made up of several fire trucks and other vehicles heading to attend a medical incident on board another aircraft. In total, 39 people were injured, six of them seriously.
Despite the magnitude of the crash, some crew members They survived in extreme circumstances, like a flight attendant who was ejected from the plane but remained restrained in her seat.
James Allen, director of communications for the organization, said – as reported Spectrum News— that these investments seek improve situational awareness of operators and add an additional layer of safety to existing systems.
The Federal Aviation Administration has recommended the implementation of these devices at airports across the country, even offering financial support for their adoption. Many airfields have already begun to integrate them into their operations.
Keep reading:
• Air Canada steward must learn to walk again after tragedy at New York’s LaGuardia Airport
• The last two air tragedies in LaGuardia, New York happened on the same day in March: deadly coincidence
• They reveal what caused the collision between a plane and a fire truck in LaGuardia