NextGen Irony

The modern-day traffic light traces its roots back to 1912. Too bad it wasn’t in 1908. I like nice, round numbers and “100-year-old technology” just has a better “ring” to it than “96-year-old technology.”

Regardless, traffic lights are what the FAA is going with.

F.A.A. Wants Stoplights Added to Runways


”The system will use a computer to determine when a runway is in use, and then turn on red lights embedded in the pavement at each intersection. Thus it would help to counter errors by pilots and controllers at the 20 airports, which include Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International, but not La Guardia.“

I’ll wait and see what my Tower friends have to say about all this before I pass judgment. Airport surface operations are not my area of expertise. I just enjoy the irony of it all -- a “space-based” air traffic control system installing lowly traffic lights.

Don Brown
March 26, 2008