Honeywell Aerospace is testing a groundbreaking cockpit alert system designed to prevent runway collisions by providing pilots with timely warnings.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Engineers at Honeywell Aerospace are in the final stages of testing a new cockpit alert system that aims to enhance safety on runways. Known as the “Surface Alert System,” or “SURF-A,” this innovative technology is designed to detect unauthorized aircraft that may pose a collision risk to planes cleared for takeoff or landing.
The SURF-A system provides pilots with two aural alerts when an unauthorized aircraft enters the runway on a collision course. The first alert activates 30 seconds before a potential collision, followed by a second alert 15 seconds prior. Honeywell Test Pilot Doug Rybczynski emphasized the importance of these warnings, stating, “It sounds like such a small amount of time, but things happen so rapidly, and 15 to 30 seconds is actually a very, very large margin when you’re moving at the speeds that we’re moving in an aircraft like this.”
The aural alerts feature an automated voice that announces, “traffic on runway,” which Rybczynski describes as a direct and effective call-out. During a recent test flight from Kansas City Downtown Airport to Topeka, Kansas, the Honeywell crew demonstrated the system’s capabilities. A crew member parked a smaller Gulfstream aircraft at the end of the runway, triggering the SURF-A alerts. In response, the pilot executed a “go-around” maneuver to avoid a potential collision.
This demonstration was reminiscent of a close call that occurred in 2023 at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. In that incident, a FedEx B767 was cleared to land under poor conditions when the pilots spotted a Southwest Airlines B737 on the runway below them. Although the FedEx pilots managed to perform a last-second go-around, Honeywell asserts that the SURF-A system would have provided them with an additional 28 seconds of warning, potentially averting the dangerous situation.
The SURF-A system utilizes technology mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) called “Smart X,” which has been in use since 2008. This technology alerts pilots if they are taking off from a taxiway or approaching a landing too quickly or from too high an altitude. Honeywell began developing the SURF-A system in 2020, prompted by a rise in runway close calls within the aviation industry. By employing “ADS-B” Out technology, which utilizes GPS to broadcast an aircraft’s position to other pilots, engineers were able to track the trajectories of planes on a collision course.
In 2024, the FAA reported a total of 1,664 runway incursions, incidents where an aircraft enters a runway without proper clearance. Among these, seven involved two planes on a collision course. As of 2025, the FAA has recorded 657 runway incursions.
Thea Feyereisen, a Distinguished Technical Fellow at Honeywell Aerospace, highlighted a critical gap in current safety measures, stating, “Shockingly, I think for a lot of passengers, there’s not an alert system available today to let you know that you’re about ready to run into another aircraft on the runway.”
In response to the growing concern over runway safety, the FAA has advocated for improvements in airport infrastructure. This includes the installation of edge lights, pavement markers, and clearer signage, as well as simplifying taxiway layouts. Since 2021, the FAA has allocated nearly $12 billion to enhance airport infrastructure across the United States.
Despite these efforts, Feyereisen underscored the crucial role of pilots as the last line of defense in aviation safety. “Pilots have a shared destiny on the aircraft,” she noted. “The pilot can be doing everything correct, but on a path to disaster.”
Honeywell Aerospace is actively promoting the SURF-A prototype to major airlines and is optimistic about obtaining certification for the system by September. If successful, the technology could be integrated into commercial flights as early as 2026.
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