Taking Flight with Confidence: Austin-Bergstrom Gets Cutting-Edge Safety Tech

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is soaring to new heights of safety thanks to a groundbreaking partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  We're one of the first airports in the entire nation to receive the FAA’s new Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) system, a game changer for air traffic control.

Using a surface situational awareness system from uAvionix, air traffic controllers now have a real-time, bird's-eye view of everything happening on the ground on AUS runways, taxiways and other parts of the airfield. This system uses clever tech called Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) to paint a clear picture of airfield activity by sending out an aircraft’s location, altitude and ground speed every second through satellite signals. This gives FAA controllers the power to make informed decisions and keep everyone safe, no matter the weather.

An AUS FAA employee monitors the SAI system from the AUS FAA Tower

A big thank you goes out to the FAA leadership team, our local Austin Air Traffic Control Tower team, and our congressional champions for advocating for this incredible technology. At AUS, safety is our top priority. We work closely with over 100 federal agencies, businesses, and partners every single day to make sure our facilities and the skies above are as safe as possible.

So, the next time you jet out of Austin, know you're in the best hands. With cutting-edge tech and an unwavering commitment to safety, AUS is taking flight towards a future of worry-free travel.