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Boston Logan International Airport

April 30, 2008 | By Klag In Cheap flight |

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is one of those venerable airports built with intersecting runways. And where runways intersect, there’s room for error – and accidents.

To minimize those chances, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is installing Runway Status Lights at Logan’s intersecting runways. Boston will be the first airport in the country to get them.

The lights employ a combination of ground detection systems and lights embedded in the runways and taxiways to give pilots visual cues as to whether it’s safe to cross runways, taxiways or even to take off. Pilots still have to get clearance from air traffic control. The lights don’t change that. This just adds an extra margin of safety.

The system costs some $5 million, and is supposed to be installed in November 2009.

Massport, the entity that runs Logan, says runway incursions at BOS spiked at 14 in 2005. An incursion occurs when an airplane gets too close to another aircraft, or to a piece of ground equipment, such as a truck.

Incursions are very much on the National Transportation Safety Board’s radar screen. Cutting down on their frequency remains at the top of the NTSB’s list.