Air traffic controllers at Newark Liberty International Airport have a new tool for keeping track of what is moving across the airport’s busy runways and taxiways. The new radar is replacing equipment that had been in service for roughly 30 years.
On Aug. 11, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) unveiled Newark’s new Surface Movement Radar Model 4, or SMR-4. The system allows controllers to track aircraft and ground vehicles, regardless of weather and visibility conditions.
That becomes especially important at night, in the fog, or during poor weather, when conditions may be poor enough that controllers cannot clearly see everything happening on the airport surface from the tower. The FAA is implementing this new technology in hopes that it will ease those fears with confidence and security.
The Radar Helps Controllers See Potential Conflicts
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