Southwest Airlines deploys Honeywell's Smalton Way and Smart Landing software across the Boeing 737 fleet, boosting the airline's runway safety system.
Honeywell disclosed the partnership at the Paris Air Show on June 16, revealing that more than 700 aircraft have been activated. Southwest operates all 737 bow fleets, more than 800.
The runway safety system builds Honeywell's enhanced ground proximity warning system already installed on Southwest aircraft. They are designed to increase situational awareness during taxis, and to increase takeoff and landing stages with auditory and visual alerts.
Honeywell says the pilot is being notified that “it will help you break a series of events that can cause runway accidents by moving too much, flying too much, or being directed at the wrong runway.”
“Today's pilots face challenges such as unpredictable weather and dense traffic in limited airspace, forcing them to make a momentary decision during takeoff and landing.” “Fortunately, as the challenges evolve, so will technology that will provide the information they need in real time.”
Honeywell Aerospace Technologies is currently developing its next-generation runway safety system known as Surface Alerts.