Sydney Airport will be the first venue in the Southern Hemisphere to trial a new runway debris detection radar system.
The ‘groundbreaking’ Tarsier system will be demonstrated to the management of the major airports in the region today.
The system could replace the current manual approach that involves inspection by airport safety staff.
The system has the potential to save lives and reduce damage to aircraft caused by runway debris.
It is estimated that debris damage and delays cost the international airline industry US$4 billion last year. It is also believed that runway debris was a major contributing factor to the crash of the Concorde flight in Paris in July 2000.
The Tarsier system is already being installed at Vancouver Airport and has undergone successful trials at London’s Heathrow.
