Description

Approach Runway Verification (ARV) is a surface safety tool for use in air traffic control towers that provides controllers with visual and audible alerts if an approaching aircraft is lined up to land on the wrong airport surface, such as on an adjacent runway or a taxiway, or on the wrong airport. ARV is intended to give controllers better situational awareness of the airport surface.

Surface Safety Portfolio

ARV is one of three surface situational awareness tools that comprise the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) surface safety portfolio. The tools were fast-tracked for development following a series of high-profile runway incursion events at U.S. airports in early 2023. The system is operational at dozens of U.S. airports and the FAA's objective is to make ARV available at more than 500 airports.

The other tools are the Runway Incursion Device (RID) and the the Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) system. 

The Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions (GAPPRI) recommends that air navigation service providers consider the implementation of runway safety nets and emerging technologies that can improve the situational awareness of of controllers and other front-line operators.

Further Reading

• Surface Safety Portfolio, FAA website, last updated 25 Jan. 2024
• Approach and Landing Misalignment, Joint Safety Analysis and Implementation Team Final Report, U.S. Commercial Aviation Safety Team, 02 Dec 2021.