PERIMETER TAXIWAY

Jason Whitely reports

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D/FW AIRPORT – While it can sometimes seem to take forever to actually get to a gate after landing at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, a new taxiway is expected to speed up the process.

In December, hundreds of flights landing at D/FW Airport will touchdown and taxi to the terminal a lot faster on the airport’s first perimeter taxiway.

"Runways are going to be used now for just takeoffs and landings, not for runway crossings,” said Jim Crites, the executive vice president of operations at D/FW Airport. “From a customer's perspective, you're going to save time. Pilots are going to save fuel, and no waiting now to cross runways."

Currently, time is eaten away as pilots are forced to wait for air traffic controllers to give the green light to cross a runway. There is also the danger aspect of actually crossing an active runway, or two. But, construction is almost complete on the taxiway. That mean when planes land on the southeast side of D/FW Airport, they will now taxi down and around the active runways, taking a non-stop route to the terminal.

"It's kind of like if you're stuck in traffic in your car it seems like it's taking longer if you're crawling along versus taking a longer route, but at least you're making progress," said Scott Shankland, Allied Pilots Association.

While many pilots like the idea, in the case of an aircraft overrunning the runway in an aborted take-off, some have expressed concern about aircrafts driving under planes during take-offs. But D/FW Airport said it has built in enough extra space to accommodate for a problem; and the FAA said D/FW Airport's design is safe.

At this time, Atlanta is one of the few airports using a perimeter taxiway. While no one has disputed that it has greatly increased safety, local air traffic controllers with NATCA, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said currently, passengers might not find perimeter taxiways very efficient.

With airlines flying fewer planes in a slower economy, controllers said there is now more of an opportunity to let jets cross runways rather than having to ride the extra two miles around the perimeter taxiway.

But the FAA expects air traffic to increase in the coming years; and the extra concrete is expected to be a lifesaver while reducing wait times and getting planes safely to the terminal.

E-mail jwhitely@wfaa.com