Chennai airport runway surface in good shape

Chennai: A friction test conducted on the runway of the Chennai airport last week showed that its surface is in good condition.
During the test, conducted using a specially designed car, friction levels were found to be 0.56, allowing aircraft to land without undue directional control problems, say Airports Authority of India officials.
The test vehicle is a sophisticated measurement system of both operational and calibration measurement. It can transmit data to the Air Traffic Control within a short period of time. The vehicle has a small wheel attached to the rear side. The tyre of the wheel is made of the same material as a normal aircraft tyre and the shape and tread are similar.
When operated on the runway with the tyres touching the ground, it friction readings, which are correlated with true friction values obtained from aircraft operations.
AAI officials use the friction tester on a clean surface at speeds of 65, 95 or 130 kmph.
28/06/07 The Hindu

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Categories: Airports Jun 2007