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Researchers Get a Grip on Runaway Runways

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington, DC                   January 29, 1998
(Phone:  202/358-1726)

Keith Henry
Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
(Phone:  804/864-6120)

Les Dorr
FAA Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone:  202/267-8521)

Angelo Boccanfuso
Transport Canada
(Phone:  514/283-0862)

RELEASE:  98-18

RESEARCHERS GET A GRIP ON RUNAWAY RUNWAYS

     NASA is leading an international effort, beginning this week, 
to help prevent accidents by aircraft losing traction on icy 
runways.  Ice or snow on a runway was a factor in approximately 30 
airplane accidents between 1983 and 1995, according to reports 
from the National Transportation Safety Board.

     A research team is in Canada proving technology concepts for 
better understanding of runway friction, improved tire designs, 
better chemical treatments for snow and ice, and new types of 
runway surfaces that minimize bad weather effects.  

     Inaccurate, incomplete or confusing runway surface 
information has been a contributing factor in a number of cases 
where airliners have slid off the end of the runway upon takeoff 
or landing -- or have been dangerously slow in reaching liftoff 
speed due to the slowing effect of snow, ice or rain.

     In response, the team has developed an international runway 
friction indexing method being tested on wintry runways at the 
Jack Garland Airport in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, about 200 
miles north of Toronto.  Researchers are comparing friction 
measurements from ground friction measuring vehicles and research 
aircraft in different winter runway conditions.  

     Once confident in the new indexing method, the research team 
will focus on relating it to different aircraft types and sizes.

     "The index will be a single, accurate and easy-to-use tool to 
help both pilots and airport operators worldwide quickly assess 
winter runway conditions," said Thomas Yager, lead NASA engineer, 
based at the Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA.

     The index -- probably in the form of a simple chart -- will 
help pilots with 'go/no-go' runway decisions based on readings 
taken by a ground-friction measurement vehicle on the same runway.  
The index will help airport operators determine if their runways 
are suitable for aircraft operations and when maintenance is required.  

     In spite of advances in technology and operational 
procedures, safe winter operations remain a challenge for airport 
operators, air traffic controllers, airlines and pilots who must 
coordinate their efforts under rapidly changing weather 
conditions.  Complicating the winter weather picture is that 
criteria for safe operations on a given runway snow condition 
differ from airport to airport, due to differences in grooving and 
pavements.

     At North Bay, the new indexing method has successfully 
"harmonized" runway traction measurements from 13 different ground 
vehicles on ice-, snow- and slush-covered runways.  A Dassault 
Falcon-20 and a deHavilland Dash-8 aircraft -- both commuter-sized 
-- are taking complementary traction data from actual takeoffs and 
landings on the same runways at each surface condition.

     Getting a grip on runaway runways is a joint effort led by 
NASA and Transport Canada with support from the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), the Canadian National Research Council and 
several airframe manufacturers.   Also participating are 
organizations and equipment manufacturers from Europe and several 
Scandinavian countries.  The team is midway through a five-year 
study called the Joint Winter Runway Friction Measurement Program.

     The program is also expected to help relieve airport 
congestion during bad weather.

     The study contributes to NASA's recently established effort 
to reduce the U.S. aircraft accident rate by a factor of five 
within ten years and, while maintaining safety, triple airline 
system capacity in all weather conditions within ten years.  

                      - end -

Editor's Note:  Broadcast media organizations are invited to 
conduct live remote interviews via satellite with NASA research 
engineer Tom Yager.  Live shots will be available from North Bay, 
Feb. 5, from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST.  
To book an interview, please call Ivelisse Gilman at 757/864-5036 
or 705/474-8831 after Feb. 3.