With all eyes on thenation's airports, federal regulations have flagged locations across the country as possible risk spots for collisions or confusion on the runway.
The report from the Federal Aviation Administration comes as recent events in aviation pile on the TSA chaos. An Air Canada flightcollided with a firetruckin New York City on March 22, a passenger made averbal bomb threatSunday night while taxiing on a Frontier flight in Atlanta and theRaleigh airportwas evacuated after an anonymous threat Monday morning.
The FAA identified "hot spots," or locations "with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion, and where heightened attention by pilots/drivers is necessary," according to the report.
Five airports in Georgia made the list, including the second busiest airport in the world.
Atlanta DeKalb-Peachtree (PDK)
DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, located in Chamblee off Buford Highway, had three hotspots on the property.
Southbound traffic on taxiway B missed the turn on taxiway A coming from two runways
Pilots on one runway, 03R, often fail to hold at another runway, 03L
Aircraft that are on a taxiway heading toward a runway are instructed to hold short, but officials say they "often enter the runway without authorization"
DeKalb-Peachtree may seem like a smaller airport compared to the beast that is Hartsfield-Jackson, but it remains thesecond busiest airport in the state. The airport averages 228,000 take-offs and landings each year, and takes on passenger crafts like business jets, aircraft charters, training aircraft, helicopters, and personal planes.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
The Atlanta airport has been the center of passenger chaos as wait times hit well over four hours at the beginning of last week. In the days since, the times have gone down significantly, and as of Monday airport officials were back to recommending travelers arrive at the airport two hours before their flight.
There are two "hot spots" at the airport that the FAA flagged:
Between two taxiways, there is a relatively short distance to the hold line for aircraft, and the hold bar is tilted
Officials note the same issue in the intersection on the other side, and urge pilots to "caution transitioning between the parallel runways"
While other airports may land more flights, Hartsfield-Jackson moves the most passengers by far, and a collision between planes would throw a significantly sized wrench in domestic travel across the country.
Advertisement
Augusta Regional at Bush Field (AGS)
The Augusta Regional airport just has one "hot spot."
Federal officials note the intersection between taxiway E and Runway 17-35 as a possible collision location.
Augusta Regional hosts flights from Delta and American Airlines, and is a major hub during the Masters golf tournament where hundreds of private planes make their way to Georgia with golf patrons.
Columbus Airport (CSG)
Columbus Airport, another small, regional airport, also takes flights from Delta and American Airlines and made the FAA watch list.
Pilots should "remain vigilant converging (taxiway) geometry"
Pilots should "remain vigilant" by checking signage and pavement markings in the area of the airport
CSG acts as the primary airport for Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) located about 30 miles away.
Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV)
While shared between Savannah and Hilton Head, South Carolina, this coastal airport is the second international airport to make the list in Georgia.
FAA officials noted two potential areas of issue:
There is a section along taxiway E that is not visible from the air traffic control tower
There is a section on taxiway A coming from runway 1 that is not visible from the air traffic control tower
The airport has regularly been voted one of the best airport experiences in the country, where rocking chairs and a layout that mimics the historic town it shares make it a unique travel experience.
Irene Wright is following the partial government shutdown's impact on TSA at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Find the Atlanta Connect reporter on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Georgia airports flagged by FAA as 'hot spots' for collision risk