The Precision Runway Monitor System (PRM) is an advanced automated radar system that tracks airplanes in final approach to airports. PRM tracks aircraft with great accuracy and refreshes information rapidly, allowing aircraft to conduct simultaneous, independent approaches to closely spaced parallel runways during periods of low visibility. In the absence of PRM, safety concerns prohibit these operations unless the runways are spaced at least 4,300 ft apart. SRI’s Envirotechnical Program prepared a National Environmental Policy Act environmental assessment in conformance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 1050.1D for PRM to serve Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Pennsylvania, and photosimulations for PRM to serve John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York. The environmental analysis for the PRM to serve PHL required modeling of aircraft noise levels that would result if the PRM was installed and aircraft operations intensify during low visibility weather conditions. That analysis was performed in conformance with FAA regulations at 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 150.

PRM tower and antenna		Photo simulation of PRM to serve PHL