The Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday, Sept. 15, that it is sending $1.1 billion in grants to airports nationwide for projects. These projects, ranging from runway reconstruction and terminal expansions to technology, are meant to help prevent runway accidents. This would mitigate accidents by improving how air traffic controllers track vehicles on the airfield.
Why The Funding Matters?
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy commented that the investment will support “critical airport infrastructure” and fund the installation of vehicle movement area transmitters, or VMATs, on airport vehicles. The FAA said VMATs are intended to help controllers track vehicles on runways and taxiways.
The FAA explained that it is delivering 280 grants to airports in 46 states and three territories through the Airport Improvement Program, a long-running federal program that helps fund airport capital improvements.
Among the projects highlighted by the FAA were $30.7 million for runway reconstruction at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, $18.9 million for a terminal expansion at Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) in Louisiana and $11.5 million for a new contract tower at Mankato Regional Airport in Minnesota (MKT).
The agency also said it is providing $43 million to 12 airports for noise mitigation projects.
Why Are VMATs Important In This Context?
A key piece included in the announcement is $10.9 million to equip 3,000 airport vehicles with VMATs across 61 airports, a move the FAA stated is designed to improve controllers’ awareness of activity on the airport surface.
Duffy indicated the money includes “critical safety tools” such as vehicle transmitters “to ensure our air traffic controllers have the best visibility possible.”
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the grants will help airports deploy VMATs and give controllers “greater situational awareness of aircraft and vehicles moving on the airport surface”, calling it a step toward giving controllers the tools needed to manage an increasingly complex national airspace system.
The FAA also pointed to separate funding it said it received under the Working Families Tax Cut Act to equip all FAA airport vehicles with the transmitters. Airports can use AIP funding for other safety-related infrastructure, including runways, taxiways, signage, lighting and markings, the agency announced.
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