New runway lights being installed at Haneda Airport after fatal plane collision in January

Following a fatal collision between a Japan Airlines jetliner and a Japan coast guard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in January, construction began Oct 2 on new runway status lights at the C5 taxiway near the accident site. These are red lights embedded in a runway and taxiway that illuminate to alert pilots when two aircraft are taking off and landing on the same runway, or when two aircraft might be entering a runway at the same time. The system is already installed in parts of New Chitose, Itami, Fukuoka and Naha airports. Based on discussions by a committee of outside experts for accident countermeasures, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry decided to install and expand the system at these and four other major airports: Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai. The work on Oct 2 began just before 1am (Singapore time 12am), during the two-day period in which Runway C is closed at night each week. Workers dug out part of taxiway C5 to a depth of about 30cm and installed three bases for the lights, about 20cm in diameter, as well as piping.<br/>