Kansas is playing a big role in new airplane safety technology that could better alert pilots to potential collisions.

Why it matters: The software by tech conglomerate Honeywell, which has a facility in Olathe, could help reduce human error at a time when air travel is busier than ever and air traffic controllers are facing mounting pressure due to staffing shortages.

How it works: The in-flight software, called Surface Alert (SURF-A), uses the vector of an airplane along with positioning signals from other aircraft to detect if there's a plane on the runway during landing or takeoff.

• The alert comes directly to the cockpit as an audio and visual cue.

Driving the news: Honeywell performed a demonstration flight last month from Kansas City's downtown airport to Topeka and back.

• It's part of the company's bid to receive certification from the FAA, a multistep process required to introduce changes in airplane technology.
• I rode in the experimental aircraft — a custom Boeing 757-200 — to see the system in action firsthand.

Context: Honeywell, a multinational Fortune 500 company headquartered in Charlotte, makes tech for aerospace, building and industrial automation, and energy and sustainability.

• In 1975, Honeywell created the original terrain warning technology that became the FAA-mandated standard.

Threat level: Honeywell's chief test pilot, Kirk Vining, says most pilots and air traffic controllers rely heavily on visuals and conversations to warn of potential runway hazards.

• That poses serious issues when weather is bad, pilots are distracted, or communication lines are busy.
• "Seconds can literally be the difference between life and death," Thea Feyereisen, a runway safety tech expert with Honeywell, says.

Case in point: A cargo plane coming in for landing at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2023 narrowly avoided hitting a Southwest flight, likely by fewer than 100 feet.

• Another near-miss happened at John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2023 when an American Airlines flight taxied onto a runway while a Delta flight was taking off.
• In both cases, Honeywell representatives say SURF-A would have alerted pilots well in advance.

What we saw: It was hard to see another plane sitting on the runway as we made our descent into Topeka, even on a clear day. The warning system shouted "Traffic on runway" while I was still squinting.

• As for taking off, the view was even less clear without a bird's-eye vantage.

Context: Republican Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran coordinated the demonstration with Honeywell's chief executive, Vimal Kapur, according to the senator's communications director, Angela Lingg.

What they're saying: "The company's demonstration reflects progress toward delivering the advanced avionics systems necessary to maintain safe skies and runways," Moran said in a statement to Axios.

Zoom in: In the wake of the American Airlines flight from Wichita that crashed into a helicopter in D.C. earlier this year, Moran — who is chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation — introduced legislation to increase air safety.

What's next: Honeywell representatives say they expect to get SURF-A certified by the FAA in 2026.

Yes, but: Airline companies would still need to purchase the software, install it on all aircraft, and implement new training and procedures.

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Japanese restaurant Anjin fits only 20 people in the East Crossroads, and that's the point.

The big picture: Kansas City's restaurant scene has leaned toward big rooms and splashy openings. Anjin, from Antler Room chef Nick Goellner with Leslie Goellner and Drew Little, bets on intimacy.

• The name, which means "pilot" in Japanese, is a tribute to Goellner's grandfather, who married in Japan after WWII.

The vibe: Hibachi-style cooking anchors the izakaya experience; skewers char just feet away while cocktails and sake move across a short bar. In such a small space, nothing gets hidden in the back.

What to expect: A rotating menu that stretches beyond skewers: fried pork sandwiches, composed salads, desserts, and a sake list curated with the same attention as the grill.

• Cocktails are equally sharp. I had a spritz with Okinawa shochu and kumquat syrup, plus a cold brew martini that balanced coffee and sweetness without going heavy.

Dig in: The pork collar tonkatsu sandwich comes on soft shokupan with crisp fried pork, miso egg salad and shredded cabbage.

💭 Abbey's thought bubble: The pork collar tonkatsu is the best sandwich I've had in Kansas City.

• I tried three chicken skewers: thigh with shiso, ventricle with pickled ume and tsukune finished with scallions. Each showed a different side of the same bird.
• The Hiramasa and melon tataki pair a melon medley with chili oil, mint, red shiso, house furikake and ponzu. The dish is bright, cooling and layered.

• Dessert was pandan soft serve with Pocky. It was light, grassy and playful after the heat of the grill.

The bottom line: Anjin doesn't chase crowds. It stays tight, ingredient-focused and deliberate, in a tiny room where every dish has to pull its weight.

💰 Spire plans to raise natural gas rates by $210 million in October, impacting customers across the Kansas City area. (FOX4KC)

🏢 Four buildings in Midtown may be demolished despite efforts to gain them historic status. (Kansas City Star)

🍺 Crane Brewing is closing after 11 years, becoming the fourth Kansas City brewer to shutter this year. (The Business Journals)

KC's 63rd Greek Festival was this weekend — three days of gyros, wine, pastries, and dancing that drew a massive crowd.

💭 Abbey's thought bubble: Kansas City's cultural festivals are some of the best ways this city comes together.

• Also, baklava tastes even better when your parents pay for it.