HEBRON — The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport introduced a new radar system Thursday that should better track ground traffic and alert air traffic controllers of potential deadly collisions.

Air traffic controller Mike Wiethorn monitors ground traffic at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        The system is one of 18 in the country and is part of a Federal Aviation Administration program to increase safety.

        Local airport officials said air travelers will not notice a difference, but said it should reduce the number of “incursions” — a term used when a plane gets too close to another object on the ground while landing or taking off.

        The Enquirer reported in May that the airport had five incursions from May 1, 2000, to May 1 of this year. Before 2000, the airport had four incursions over the previous three years.

        “While vigilance and keen awareness by air traffic controllers, pilots and vehicle drivers continues to be the most important way to maintain runway safety, tools like (this) are a crucial aid in that mission,” said Darryl Collins, air traffic manager in the airport's main tower.

        Cincinnati's airport was chosen for the system because of the ever-increasing air traffic and complexity of its operations, said Christopher White, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

        The FAA is spending $160 million to install the Airport Movement Area Safety System at the nation's 40 busiest airports.

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New radar system to warn of incursions