Today the Wall Street Journal published an article on Aviation Safety Technologies and its revolutionary ABARnet reporting technology that helps prevent airliners from rolling off slippery runways. It mentions that four U.S. airlines, including American and Delta, are currently testing the concept.

The article reports that AST “has developed a system to provide pilots with more accurate information about conditions on the tarmac, particularly for landings in bad weather. By automatically retrieving and analyzing data already collected by aircraft sensors and onboard flight-control computers, Aviation Safety Technologies LLC seeks to give pilots what they sorely lack: standardized, real-time measurements of local braking conditions right before touchdown.”

The article also quotes Patrick Doyle, the Federal Aviation Administration’s top runway-safety official as saying: “It’s a wonderful technology, and we are pushing this very hard.”

He called it superior to current methods, which can cause delays when specially equipped vehicles are sent to determine surface conditions. “You’re taking that runway out of service for a period of time,” Mr. Doyle says, maybe for as long as 20 minutes.

As the article says, “Early testing highlighted promising safety benefits, and the FAA is now planning a broader study to assess whether SafeLand could improve airlines’ on-time performance at busy airports. Mr. Dahl is confident it can.”

About ABARnet™

AST’s ABARnet™ braking measurement and reporting network utilizes approved data taken directly from landing aircraft. This approach is recognized by the FAA and Transport Canada as the most precise technology for measuring actual braking friction. Our technology complies with ASTM International Standard E3266, the official aircraft braking measurement standard.

Our ABARs are hull-agnostic so we can work with today's diverse fleets – Boeing, Airbus, and other manufacturers. And ABARnet is cloud-based for easy distribution and access by participants.

With over 23 million landings recorded, AST enables advanced analytics on runway friction for airlines and airports. Network participants can review past landings and access reports for any operating region, in any required format: FICONs, NOTAMs, RCAMs, and more. This information and flexibility not only help pilots make informed landing decisions but also support airports and the FAA in optimizing surface management strategies.

The result is safer, more efficient operations and more reliable flight schedules for passengers.

Learn more about ABARs here.

About Aviation Safety Technologies

Aviation Safety Technologies (AST) is the world’s leading provider of Aircraft Braking Action Reports, which have been recognized by the FAA and Transport Canada as the most precise methodology for measuring and reporting on real-time braking action and runway friction conditions. Our mission is to elevate aviation safety and operations through data-driven insights.

AST continues to innovate as an affiliate of the Dillon Kane Group (DKG), a technology collective with a 24-year track record of innovation and growth, driving impactful solutions across diverse industries.

For more information, contact:

Joe Vickers
Aviation Safety Technologies
joe.vickers@avsafetech.com
+1 708-882-6438