The Federal Aviation Administration, created the Runway Incursion Mitigation
or “RIM” Program
resulting from F-A-A research that identified a relationship
between non-standard runway/taxiway intersection geometry
and the prevalence of runway incursions.
Fifty airfield locations have been mitigated
or have mitigation projects underway
since the program’s start in 2015.
A runway incursion is “Any occurrence at an aerodrome
involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person
on the protected area of a surface designated for the
landing and takeoff of aircraft.”
The F-A-A’s RIM program is built on
more than ten years’ worth of runway incursion data.
A Geographic Information System Database incorporates these data
and, where applicable, associates runway incursions
with currently designated hot spots and non-standard taxiway geometry locations
for over 500 airports with air traffic control towers.
A total of 19 different geocodes were developed
to help define the various non-standard taxiway geometry elements
that may be present at a given runway/taxiway intersection.
Two examples include geocode 8,
Direct taxiing access to runways from ramp areas
and geocode 3,
wide expanses of taxiway pavement along a runway.
These data provide the foundation for a risk based
decision-making approach for determining mitigations.
Taxiway intersections with 3 or more runway incursions in one year
or an average of one or more incursions over the life of the study period
become “RIM Locations” after a validation process.
These RIM locations are a mitigation priority.
The F-A-A works with airport sponsors and industry
to plan and implement projects to mitigate a RIM Location.
Options are site specific and can be deployed individually
or in combination and may include :
Taxiway reconfiguration
Improvements to lighting, signage and marking
Changes to airfield operational procedures or
Education and outreach to airport users
to enhance situational awareness.
It is not unusual for airport sponsors to phase an improvement
by implementing a non-pavement related option first,
followed at a later date by a taxiway reconfiguration project.
Partnerships between the F-A-A and Airport Sponsors to mitigate RIM Locations
have many success stories.
Corpus Christi International Airport had a non-standard taxiway intersection
between Runways 31 and 35.
Applicable geocodes included #18 unexpected holding position marking
along a taxiway
and # 6 two runway thresholds in close proximity
This area was a RIM location because fifteen runway incursions
occurred between 2008 and 2014.
After analysis, the airport and the F-A-A agreed to reconfigure
the taxiway and runway geometry,
producing an alignment designed to current standards.
No runway incursions have occurred within this area
since its mitigation in 2015.
At Santa Barbara Municipal Airport the ends of Runways 15L and 15R
are connected by taxiway pavement that is over 200 feet wide.
While the runway hold bars within this area included enhanced centerline markings
and surface painted holding position signs,
there were no hold bar lighting systems in place.
Applicable geocodes included:
# 3 Wide expanses of taxi pavements along a runway
#6 Two runway thresholds in close proximity
#7 Short taxiway stubs between runways
#10 Non-standard markings and/or signage placement
This location was a RIM location because 9 runway incursions
occurred within this area between 2008 and 2015.
After planning and analysis the airport and FAA staff agreed
to install in pavement runway guard lights at all hold bars within this area.
Since this area was mitigated in 2016 no runway incursions have occurred.
These are just two examples of the many projects underway
in a program that the F-A-A expects to run for the next fifteen to twenty years.
The FAA has assessed and georeferenced over 10,000 runway incursions,
and more than 6,000 non-standard runway/taxiway intersections
at more than 500 airports.
Over 30 RIM Locations have been Mitigated
While RIM mitigation projects constantly evolve,
at any one time approximately 60% of locations are in the planning stage,
25% in design or construction
and the remainder in preparation for planning or finalization of mitigation.
The RIM Program has made significant progress in a short period of time.
A major factor in this success has been the strong support received from airports
and other industry partners, highlighting the importance of this issue to the aviation community.
With this level of assistance the FAA is confident
in making sustained progress for many years to come.