FAA Eyes Cost-Effective Runway Safety Lights Nationwide

The FAA is seeking new information on the potential viability of installing a new cost-effective runway safety lighting system at airports across the U.S.

In a Request for Information (RFI) released last Thursday, the agency announced that it’s looking to learn more about new technologies related to the deployment of runway lighting solutions and if such solutions could be rapidly deployed at 40-50 airports around the country over the next 2-3 years. 

“We want to make sure pilots and air traffic controllers across the country have the tools they need to keep planes moving safely and efficiently,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “A new runway safety lighting system will reduce the number of close calls and hazards on runways at numerous airports. Situational awareness provided by this system is vital in maintaining the safety of the National Airspace System.”

According to the FAA, the current Runway Status Lights (RWSL) system is a fully autonomous  setup that is operational at 20 airports across the country. The system provides signals on the ground to pilots when it is unsafe to enter, cross, or takeoff from a runway. The existing system is a series of lights embedded in the pavement of runways and taxiways, and while the agency considers the technology an important part of runway safety, the system is expensive to install and requires runways to close during construction. 

The agency said in its request that due to the complexity and scale of installation that it is “impractical” to install RWSL at a large number of airports. The implementation of a more affordable, less labor intensive system would allow the FAA to install safety lighting capabilities at a greater number of medium- and large-sized airports. 

Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the informational request no later than September 25 at 4 pm EST.