Regulations & Safety
Collins Aerospace Deploys Software to Prevent Wrong-Surface Landings
Collins Aerospace’s STARS ARV software alerts controllers to wrong-surface landings using FAA radar, now active at 13 US airports.
This article is based on an official press release from Collins Aerospace (RTX) and supplementary data regarding FAA safety initiatives.
In an effort to mitigate one of aviation’s most persistent safety risks, Collins Aerospace (an RTX business) has deployed a software-based solution designed to alert air traffic controllers when an aircraft lines up to land on the wrong runway, a taxiway, or even the wrong airport. The system, known as STARS Approach Runway Verification (ARV), is now operational at 13 airports across the United States.
According to Collins Aerospace, the technology integrates directly into the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) existing Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS), the primary platform used by controllers to manage air traffic in terminal areas. By utilizing existing surveillance data rather than requiring new ground hardware, the system aims to provide a rapid, scalable safety net for the National Airspace System.
The FAA has classified “wrong-surface landings” as one of the top five hazards in commercial and general aviation. These incidents occur when a pilot inadvertently aligns their aircraft with a surface other than their assigned runway. While often corrected before touchdown, the potential for catastrophe remains high, particularly if the mistaken surface is a taxiway occupied by other aircraft.
Data cited in safety reports indicates the scale of the issue. Between 2016 and 2018 alone, there were 596 wrong-surface events recorded in the U.S. National Airspace System. While 85% of these involved general aviation aircraft, commercial carriers are not immune. The development of technologies like ARV was accelerated following high-profile “close calls,” such as the July 2017 incident at San Francisco International Airport where an Air Canada jet nearly landed on a taxiway occupied by four fully loaded passenger planes.
Unlike systems that rely on new sensors installed on the airfield, STARS ARV is a software modification. It utilizes the radar and ADS-B data already feeding into the control tower. The system creates a geometric “capture box” or cone extending from the runway threshold.
If an approaching aircraft’s track falls outside this safe zone, indicating alignment with a taxiway or a closed runway, for a specific duration, the algorithm triggers a visual and audible alert for the controller. This allows the controller to issue immediate corrective instructions to the pilot.
“Any airport that has STARS can easily adapt and utilize ARV with no additional equipment.”
, Chris Rogers, Director of Automation at Collins Aerospace
The system has already demonstrated its efficacy in live operations. In the fall of 2023 at Lincoln Airport (LNK) in Nebraska, STARS ARV detected a private jet aligned with the wrong runway while the aircraft was still five miles out from the airport.
According to reports on the incident, the system triggered an alert in the tower, allowing the controller to radio the pilot well before the aircraft reached a critical point. Collins Aerospace executives described the event as a “point of pride,” noting that the early warning converted a potential accident into a routine course correction.
As of 2024, the FAA has deployed the STARS ARV system to 13 locations. These facilities range from major commercial hubs to smaller regional airports where visual confusion, often caused by parallel runways or complex taxiway layouts, can be a significant risk factor.
Confirmed Operational Locations:
The FAA has included this technology in its broader “Surface Safety Portfolio,” which also includes the Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) and Runway Incursion Devices (RID). Plans are reportedly in place to expand ARV deployment to dozens of additional facilities throughout 2025.
The deployment of STARS ARV represents a significant shift in aviation infrastructure strategy: the move toward software-defined safety. Historically, improving runway safety required pouring concrete, installing physical lights, or deploying expensive ground radar arrays (like ASDE-X).
By leveraging the existing STARS hardware footprint, the FAA and Collins Aerospace are demonstrating that legacy systems can be modernized with algorithmic upgrades. This approach is critical for regional and general aviation airports (like many on the current deployment list), which often lack the budget for heavy infrastructure projects but face the same human-factor risks, such as expectation bias, that plague larger hubs. We expect this “software-first” approach to become the standard for future airspace modernization efforts, allowing safety improvements to roll out months or years faster than traditional hardware projects.
New Software Upgrade Targets “Wrong-Surface” Landings at U.S. Airports
Addressing a Top 5 Aviation Hazard
How STARS ARV Works
Real-World Success: The Lincoln Airport Incident
Current Deployment and Future Plans
AirPro News Analysis
Photo Credit: RTX