The Region - News from Jan. 30, 1987

Concerned about increasingly crowded skies near major airports, federal authorities ordered a four-year speedup in regulations that would require additional safety equipment in planes operating out of San Diego’s Lindbergh Field and 13 other busy big-city airports. Aviation officials in San Diego hailed the announcement, but questioned whether the new requirements would significantly increase safety. Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole ordered all aircraft operating out of the 14 terminals to be equipped with altitude-reporting devices by Dec. 1. The requirements had been set to take effect by 1992. “. . . This new rule will give controllers a continuous read-out of aircraft altitude, a more complete view of traffic and improved control,” Dole said. Similar equipment is already required for aircraft operating out of several major airports including Los Angeles and San Francisco.