Monday, October 18, 2010  Taxi via Delta, Juliet ...  The main
goal of any runway or taxiway safety initiative is simple:
Prevent aircraft from running into each other whether they are
taxiing, taking off, or landing. The FAA announced there were
just 12 runway incursions for the 2010 fiscal year (ending in
October), a 50% reduction from the previous year. The FAA's
press release attributes the drop in runway incursions to new
technology at airports, improved signage and markings, and
improved pilot training on runway conflict scenarios. Surely all
those capital improvements and increased pilot training helped
reduce runway incursions, but there are low-cost improvements,
too. There have also been FAA safety initiatives that may
actually decrease safety as well as some widely used procedures
that need to be changed.  Who's in Charge?  The dominant
paradigm in aviation is to have an air traffic controller be the
authority that manages conflicts, prevents collisions, and keeps
the big picture. The ground contro