Statistics
Statistics at Plane Crash Info shows:
- 12% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during taxi and park (load/unload)
- 12% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during takeoffs
- 8% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during initial climb
- 10% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during final climb (flaps up)
- 8% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during mid-flight cruise
- 4% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during descent
- 10% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during initial approach
- 11% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during final approach
- 25% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during landing
The Problem
As the numbers shows, 46% of fatal aircraft accidents occurred during initial approach, final approach, and landing; 20% during takeoffs and initial climb, and 14% during final climb and initial approach. Mid-flight cruise only accounted for 8%. Thus, the statistic verifies that the majority of fatal accidents happens in the vicinity of the airport.
Among the data listed, runway incursions are responsible for the majority of issues. Runway incursions are incidents where a takeoff or landing aircraft is threatened by an unauthorized aircraft, vehicle, or person on a runway. In 2014, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported 1,264 runway incursions in the United States alone.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an United Nation Specialize Agency, list runway related issues as the highest among occurrence categories at nearly 57% and reported that runway incursions and excursions accounted for 19% of all accidents and serious incidents.
To make matters worse, some runways have areas called hotspots. The FAA defines a hot spot “as a location on an airport movement area with a history of potential risk of collision or runway incursion, and where heightened attention by pilots and drivers is necessary.”
The chief factor responsible for many of these accidents are human errors committed by pilots and air traffic control. During the 2000s, Plane Crash info statistic shows "Total Pilot Error" accounted for 57% of fatal aircraft accidents, while listing 6% for "Other Human Error."
ALTACAS is a groundbreaking patented innovation in aircraft crash avoidance technology primarily designed to target and provide an effective, practical solution to enhance runway safety during takeoffs and landings, while preventing collisions during climbs, mid-flights, and descents.
ALTACAS
Aerial, Landing, & Takeoff Aircraft Crash Avoidance System
The Solution
As shown, one of the challenges to effectively improve aviation safety involves eliminating runway incursions during takeoffs and landing, while enhancing overall safety among ascending and descending aircrafts. The existing crash avoidance system mainly targets mid-flight aircrafts.
ALTACAS was specifically designed to monitors runways and airways before takeoffs and landings. Its automated system reduces human errors caused by pilots and air traffic control while giving them additional reaction time to prevent collisions. Thirteen (13) special features allow automated systems to:
- monitor runways before takeoffs
- monitor airways of climb with sweeping up and down motions before takeoffs
- continue to monitor airways during ascent
- monitor runways and airways of descending aircrafts before landings
- monitor airways of mid-flight aircrafts with sweeping or lockdown modes
- pinpoint accuracy detects, warns, and tracks aircrafts of possible collision
- detect aircrafts up to several miles or more
- provide imagery, distance, speed, and direction of oncoming aircrafts
- warn aircrafts on intersecting runways before takeoffs
- automatically opens three-way line of communication between pilots and air traffic control during crisis
- employ sensor activated lightings alongside runways to identify usage
- electronically alerts inbound and outbound aircrafts of runways currently in use
- detect and identify non-aircraft vehicles on runways