AMASS for US-NATCA friends

[Moorsel]

Hello American Friends,

I see that in NATCA website:

AMASS is a software enhancement to the Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model 3 (ASDE-3) that provides controllers with aural and visual alerts to potential collisions on the runway. It processes data from the ASDE-3 and ARTS systems to predict aircraft movement for arriving and departing aircraft, as well as aircraft and/or vehicles that infringe on the runway surface. It does so by correlating speed, time and distance algorithms to assess potential collision situations. This system will be deployed at the 34 airports that currently have ASDE-3. There is no plan to install AMASS beyond these sites, but the basic safety logic concept will be incorporated in to future ground radar systems such as ASDE-X (see below). The AMASS project team also has agreed to commonality in displays, keyboards, and the visual specification with ASDE-X.

Does AMASS help reducing runway incursions? How many airports have it installed?

Many Thanks
Francesco Moorsel

[Scott Voigt]

Hi Francesco;

I don't think that it stops runway incursions as it is hard to apply brakes from the tower <G>, however, it helps avert accidents as we see quickly when someone blunders onto the runway with the equipment even in low visibility conditions.

The system is not perfect but is being worked on to improve. As to how many systems are deployed at this time, I don't know the exact number, but you could probably contact our national office to find out. The e-mail site is on our website that you saw and I am sure that they would get it to our representative who is responsible for the system...

regards

Scott