STATEMENT: LAX NORTH AIRFIELD SAFETY STUDY

            Following the public release today of a preliminary report entitled “Los Angeles International Airport North Airfield Safety Study” by an academic panel of aviation experts, Los Angeles World Airports Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey said:

            “The safety and security of the traveling public, airport employees and visitors to LAX is our highest priority.  We applaud the comprehensive efforts of the Academic Panel of eminent aviation experts on their study of the level of safety of LAX’s north airfield and their conclusion that the north airfield is ‘extremely safe’ even under aircraft operation levels projected for 2020.

             “We also appreciate the significant efforts of the North Airfield Safety Advisory Committee and the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners to ensure the independence of the study.

            “The study assumes high effectiveness for new technologies installed during recent years at LAX by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) , including Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS), Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model-X (ASDE-X) ground radar, and Runway Status Lights (RWSL).  The south airfield of LAX is one of very few U.S. airports to have all three technologies.  On February 16, 2010, Los AngelesWorldAirports and the FAA entered into a Memorandum of Agreement for the FAA to install a full complement of Runway Status Lights to augment an existing prototype system installed June 2009. The installation of this final phase of status lights will mark another milestone in our efforts to make LAX the safest airport in the nation.

            “This report, while narrowing the focus on the subject of incursions, also helps expand the scope of our on-going work to increase safety along the full spectrum of aviation safety.“

Background

            NASA Ames Research Center supported the North Airfield project by working with an academic panel of experts to identify potential alternatives for the North Airfield.  NASA developed real-time airport operation scenarios for each of the alternatives.  The experiments were conducted in NASA Ames’ simulation facilities located at Moffett Field, California.  All results from the simulations were presented to the academic panel.  the Academic panel then analyzed the results and made its recommendations.

North Airfield Safety Study Documents

            The preliminary "LAX North Airfield Safety Study" and appendices are available on the LAWA website at http://www.lawa.aero/welcome_lax.aspx?id=1180.