AAI to extend runway safety area at airports

In a major move aimed at enhancing aviation safety at airports across the country and preventing accidents such as the Mangalore crash, the state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to extend the runway end safety area (RESA) beyond runways at its airports from the current 90 metres to 240 metres. The initial focus will be on elongation of the RESA at the 11 “critical” airports in the country, including Mangalore and Kozhikode. Top AAI sources told this newspaper that the elongation of RESA could cost about `30 crores per airport.
The AAI is consulting aviation experts in the United States currently and is assessing the type of material that should be used for elongation of the RESA. The RESA essentially comprises of soft ground arresters (SGAs) — a special type of sand-like material with gravel — that is capable of stopping the movement of aircraft at high speed within 30 metres. The SGAs are capable of arresting the aircraft movement effectively since the aircraft tyres sink into the SGAs, bringing the aircraft to a rapid halt without damage to the airframe of the aircraft.
31/07/11 Sridhar Kumaraswami/Deccan Chronicle

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Categories: Airports Jul 2011, New Jul 2011, Safety Jul 2011