WBRZ - Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE- Engineers are designing a new $11 million landing system for Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, one that officials hope will improve safety and help lure cargo carriers to the airport.

Ralph Hennessy, the airport's assistant director of aviation, tells The Advocate the new system will enable planes to descend farther before deciding whether to attempt to land or not.

With the current system, known in industry parlance as a Category I, Hennessy says pilots have to decide whether to abort a landing when the plane descends to about 200 fee. When the new system - a Category II - is installed, he says planes will be able to descend to about 100 feet before making a decision.

Hennessy says no major cargo carriers are using Baton Rouge's airport.