Chicago O'Hare International Airport Receives Runway Safety Award From the Federal Aviation Administration
O'Hare Airport's Surface Incident Prevention Team is Recognized for Proactive Approach
Chicago- July 24, 2002 B O'Hare International Airport has recently been presented with the Great Lakes Region Partnership in Runway Safety Award by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Safety Team Recognition is given for actions taken to prevent runway incursions. Members of the Surface Incident Prevention Team include the Chicago Department of Aviation, the FAA, and airlines at O'Hare.
"This is a tremendous honor for O'Hare and our operations team who are committed to the highest standards of safety," said Aviation Commissioner Thomas R. Walker. "With our runway safety and awareness program, capital investments, and deployment of next generation technologies, we continue to find workable solutions to improve the runway and airfield environment for pilots, airport and airfield operations, and air traffic controllers."
The Safety Awards Program, developed by the FAA's Great Lakes Region Airport Division, recognizes airports for the exceptional achievements of a multi-disciplinary team of internal and external specialists and managers with measurable safety improvements.
Components of airfield safety and training include use of a standard call sign system for maintenance taxi, and development of coded taxi routes for use by mechanics taxiing aircraft.
In addition, the Department of Aviation has invested heavily in airport perimeter roads to reduce runway incursions. The FAA recognizes the Department of Aviation's proactive approach and cooperation in recurrent training for airfield vehicle drivers.
The airport is evaluating new and emerging technologies that could prove useful in tracking vehicles on airport movement areas, which is expected to reduce the possibility of runway incursions.
