Honeywell Aerospace is finalizing its SURF-A cockpit alert system, aimed at runway collision prevention. The technology provides audible warnings to pilots, addressing a recent increase in dangerous runway incursions.
“Shockingly, I think for a lot of passengers, there’s not an alert system available today to let you know that you’re about ready to run into another aircraft on the runway,” said Thea Feyereisen, a Honeywell Aerospace Distinguished Technical Fellow.
She explained that without such cockpit aural alert technology, “The pilot can be doing everything correct, but on a path to disaster.“
How the Honeywell SURF-A System Works
The Honeywell SURF-A system provides pilots two aural alerts, with the first sounding 30 seconds before a potential collision and a second at 15 seconds. The automated voice simply announces, “traffic on runway.“
Honeywell Test Pilot Doug Rybczynski described the warning as “a very good, I would say direct, call out.”
He added, “It sounds like such a small amount of time, but things happen so rapidly, and 15 to 30 seconds is actually a very, very large margin when you’re moving at the speeds that we’re moving in an aircraft like this.“
Testing New Runway Collision Prevention Technology
Honeywell recently demonstrated the system on a flight from Kansas City, Missouri, to Topeka, Kansas. The test simulated the 2023 Austin airport close call, where a FedEx B767 nearly landed on a Southwest Airlines B737 cleared for takeoff.
In that incident, the FedEx pilots executed a last-second go-around to avoid a catastrophe. The SURF-A system would have given the pilots an additional 28 seconds of notice.
Runway Incursions and Existing Technology
Honeywell began developing the SURF-A system in 2020 after the industry noted a rise in close calls. The system relies on “ADS-B” Out GPS technology and builds on FAA-mandated “Smart X” technology, which has been available since 2008.
The latest FAA runway incursion data shows the ongoing risk, with 1,664 incidents reported in 2024. Of those, seven involved two planes on a potential collision course, and 657 incursions have been reported so far in 2025.
Certification and Future Implementation
Honeywell Aerospace is now pitching the prototype to major airlines and aims to have the system certified by September. Engineers expect the technology could be added to commercial flights as early as 2026.
Meanwhile, the FAA’s approach to eliminating incursions centers on improving airport infrastructure. Since 2021, the agency has provided nearly $12 billion to airports for improvements like better signage, lighting, and less complex taxiways.
