AIRPORT SURFACE DETECTION EQUIPMENT (ASDE) OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS WITH AND WITHOUT BRIGHT DISPLAY.

Airport Surface Detection Equipment ASDE radar provides controllers with a means to observe surface traffic movement. In extremely low visibility controllers cant see all of a field. ASDE can then increase safety and help expedite traffic flow. The kinds of accidents which ASDE can help prevent have not occurred. For important types of runway combinations, its contribution to expediting flow appears to be very small, except where intersecting runways are used. As minimums are lowered and low visibility flow rates increase, ASDEs contribution to safety and expediting flow will also increase. Major recommendations are brightdaylight ASDE displays should not be developed and installed unless ASDE will remain in tower cabs for a long time plans to survey dispose of some ASDEs suggests this is unlikely. Bright ASR displays should be provided for tower cabs before bright ASDE displays. Consideration should be given to turning off some ASDEs and maintaining them in a moth-ball status. Author