US FAA to Equip Its Airport Vehicles With Transponders
Source: US News & World Report/Reuters
May 13, 2026, at 3:59 p.m
WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it will spend $16.5 million to install transponders on its airport vehicles after a fatal collision in March at New York's LaGuardia airport between an Air Canada Express jet and a fire truck. The fire truck did not have a transponder that would have transmitted its location to air traffic control.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees LaGuardia and other area airports, said last month it would add transponders to its vehicles that operate around runways.
The FAA plans to immediately begin equipping its approximately 1,900 vehicles at 264 airports that have or will have surface awareness technology. Transponders help air traffic controllers identify and track vehicles on runways and taxiways.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the devices "help prevent dangerous runway incidents and by accelerating the deployment of this technology, we’re closing critical visibility gaps on our nation’s runways and taxiways."
Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2026-05-13/faa-to-equip-its-airport-vehicles-with-transponders
REFERENCES
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143637196
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143637441
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143655566
= new reply since forum marked as read
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.