Arizona Airport Boosts Runway Safety With New Tech

Mesa’s Falcon Field adopts Saab's Aerobahn system, giving ATC real-time ground movement insight.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Falcon Field Airport in Mesa, Arizona [Credit: Falcon Field Airport]

Key Takeaways:

Falcon Field (KFFZ) in Mesa, Arizona, is among the first airports to implement Saab’s Aerobahn Runway and Surface Safety service.
This new technology provides air traffic controllers with real-time, on-screen visibility of aircraft and vehicle movement on the ground, significantly enhancing safety and efficiency.
The initiative is part of the FAA’s Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI), a nationwide effort launched in response to the 2023 FAA Safety Call to Action to strengthen runway safety at airports without Airport Surface Detection Equipment.
Fully funded by the FAA, this project aims to reduce ground risks and establish Falcon Field as one of the safest airports in the U.S.

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Falcon Field (KFFZ) in Mesa, Arizona, may soon be recognized as one of the safest airports in the U.S. as it is among the first to obtain new technology that will allow air traffic control to see aircraft and vehicle movement on the ground through a control tower monitoring system.

The airport, located in Class D airspace, will be utilizing Saab’s Aerobahn Runway and Surface Safety service to detect and monitor ground traffic. Instead of having to shift focus from computer monitors to outside, air traffic controllers (ATCs) will have the information presented on screen in real time.