The FAA announced Monday it will hold runway safety meetings at 16 more airports in an attempt to quell what may be an unusual concentration of incursions. The call came a week after two business jets, one landing and one taking off, made contact at the intersection of two runways at Houston Hobby Airport. There were no injuries and the incident was quickly blamed on the departing pilot doing so without clearance. The agency held meetings at 90 airports over the summer on the topic. Those meetings included controllers, pilots, airlines and airport vehicle drivers.
The Monday announcement also came in advance of a Senate Commerce subcommittee meeting hearing on at least seven runway incidents that have occurred since January. Witnesses at the hearing include FAA Air Traffic Organization head Tim Arel, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Rich Santa, Air Line Pilots Association President Jason Ambrosi and former FAA administrator Randy Babbitt, according to Reuters.
