[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 17, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE ``AIRPORT SAFETY ACT''

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT, JR.

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 17, 1998

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, last week I introduced legislation, H.R. 
3463, to require U.S. airports to install enhanced vision technologies 
to replace or enhance conventional landing light systems over the next 
ten years. The ``Airport Safety Act'' will more than pay for itself 
because of the cost effectiveness of enhanced vision technologies and 
the reduction in airplane landing accidents and aborted landings. I 
urge all members to support this important legislation.
  H.R. 3463 defines enhanced vision technologies as laser guidance, 
ultraviolet guidance, and cold cathode technologies. The bill directs 
the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue regulations requiring 
airports to install these technologies to replace or enhance 
conventional landing light systems within ten years of enactment of the 
legislation. In addition, H.R. 3463 makes the installation of enhanced 
vision technologies eligible for funding under the airport improvement 
program.
  This bill will make use of a proven new technology to dramatically 
enhance aviation safety. According to the Flight Safety Foundation, 
loss of flight crew situational awareness is the primary cause of most 
airplane accidents. Situational awareness is best defined as an 
accurate perception of the factors and conditions affecting the safe 
operation of an aircraft.
  Enhanced vision technologies represent a dramatic breakthrough in 
improving flight crew situational awareness during airplane landings--
especially in low visibility situations. The U.S. military has already 
thoroughly deployed and tested these technologies--with excellent 
results. Laser guidance systems provide pilots with a visual navigation 
flight path from as far as 20 miles from the runway, with the precision 
of an advanced instrument landing system. Best of all, the installation 
of enhanced vision technologies to replace or enhance conventional 
landing light systems will require no additional aircraft equipment.
  In addition to dramatically improving the ability of commercial 
pilots to land aircraft during night time, fog and other foul weather 
conditions, these technologies also will dramatically reduce the 
likelihood of traffic collisions at airports with parallel runways.
  Enhanced vision technologies provide the U.S. aviation system with an 
unlimited amount of applications. They can be built and installed at 
high or low density airports, airports located in mountainous terrain, 
unprepared and unlit airports, vertical landing zones, confined areas 
such as hospitals, law enforcement agencies, oil rig platforms and 
remote islands.
  Perhaps the most dramatic aspect of enhanced vision technologies are 
their ability to penetrate most weather conditions--including dense 
fog. For example, ultraviolet electro-optical guidance systems (UVEOGS) 
are specifically designed to penetrate dense fog. In tests structured 
by the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Air Force, UVEOGS 
were visible up to a half a mile under 700 feet visibility conditions. 
These tests indicated that when visibility conditions are 700 feet, an 
aircraft pilot can detect a UVEOGS cue on the heads-up display and 
transfer to actual visual approach guidance at a distance of at least 
2,400 feet from the runway. UVEOGS technology will allow pilots to 
acquire runway visibility much earlier than with conventional systems--
even under adverse weather conditions. This, in turn, will provide 
pilots with additional reaction time during landing approaches to make 
flight path corrections.
  UVEOGS is also compatible with the enhance ground proximity warning 
system (EGPWS). The actual location and image of a runway, anchored to 
earth, can be displayed in concert with the EGPWS ground contour 
display. The combination of UVEOGS and EGPWS would mark a significant 
advance in preventing controlled flight into terrain accidents.
  Cold cathode technology produces a more uniform light output than a 
typical incandescent light. As a result, cold cathode lights leave no 
after image on the retina, even after looking directly into the light. 
This is important in aviation applications, especially helicopter 
operations, because cold cathode lights allow a pilot to see around the 
light, not just the light itself, thereby increasing the pilot's 
situational awareness and spatial orientation.
  One final note about enhanced vision technologies. Yes, there will be 
a cost to airports associated with replacing or enhancing conventional 
landing light system with enhanced vision technologies. However, 
because enhanced vision technologies generally use less electricity 
than conventional lighting landing light systems, and are less 
expensive to maintain, in the long run they will pay for themselves. In 
addition, the ``Airport Safety Act'' gives airports ten years to 
install this technology. Finally, the bill allows airports to use AIP 
money to finance the installation of the new technology.
  There exist today technologies to reduce the threat to aviation 
safety posed by adverse weather. Enhanced vision technologies have been 
tested by the U.S. military. They work, and they work well. The time 
has come for Congress to step up to the plate and require that this 
proven safety-enhancing technology be installed at all U.S. airports. 
If Congress is truly concerned about aviation safety, it will pass H.R. 
3463.

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