Aircraft

Alaska Airlines by the end of September says it will become the first US passenger carrier to install a Honeywell-built runway incursion preventative system into its entire fleet.

Called the Runway Awareness Advisory System (RAAS), the software-only augmentation to Honeywell's existing MkV and VII enhanced ground proximity warning systems (EGPWS), works by comparing the aircraft's actual satellite-derived position with a regularly updated database containing 1,700 runways.

The system provides pilots on the ground with audible alerts as they approach runways and taxiways and also announces runway identification for aircraft on the ground and on approach, enhancing situational awareness. RAAS also calls out the distance remaining to the end of the runway and issues an alert if the aircraft accelerates for takeoff while on a taxiway.

According to Flight's ACAS database, Alaska Airlines flies 109 Boeing 737 classic and next generation aircraft.

Alaska says it began equipping its fleet with the software upgrade in July and will be finished by the end of September.

Honeywell says there are about 1,600 RAAS units delivered, with FedEx the first to install the technology into its entire fleet. Air France is also currently installing RAAS in its fleet, Honeywell adds.

Alaska had originally planned to install RAAS in its fleet in 2004, but concerns from the pilots over the operation of the system halted the work, requiring the airline and Honeywell fine-tune the tool.

Honeywell says Alaska pilots ultimately turned off certain alarm features, including a runway announcement for aircraft on final approach, but FedEx is using all of the features.