Winter Runway Safety Study
In cooperation with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) and Transport Canada, NASA has initiated a new study of
winter runway friction. Langley Research Center manages the NASA
portion of the program. Several European aviation organizations
and equipment manufacturers are also participating.
NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada
are teaming on a five-year winter runway friction investigation
to enhance airport ground safety. Here NASA's instrumented 737
test aircraft is landing on a snow-covered runway at North Bay,
Ontario.
The five-year government/industry study, called the Joint
Winter Runway Friction Measurement Program, includes braking
tests with instrumented aircraft and ground vehicles in the U.S.
and Canada. The results are expected to enhance safety for all
ground operations and help relieve airport congestion during
bad weather. Additionally, the research will help industry develop
improved tire designs, better chemical treatments for snow and
ice, and runway surfaces that minimize bad weather effects.
A near-term program goal is improved flight crew recognition
of less-than-acceptable runway friction conditions prior to the
"go/no go" and "land/go around" decision
points.
An initial set of tests was conducted at Jack Garland Airport,
North Bay, Ontario using NASA's Boeing 737 Transport Systems
Research Vehicle (TSRV) and a Canadian National Research Council
Falcon-20. Surface conditions were artificially varied to expand
the range of data collected. Many different friction measuring
ground vehicles-vans, trailers and modified cars-took readings
with continuous and fixed slip devices under similar runway conditions
for comparison with each other and with the braking performance
of the instrumented aircraft. Further evaluations were planned
at Brunswick Naval Air Station, Maine; water contamination tests
were scheduled at NASA's Wallops (Virginia) Flight Facility and
the FAA Technical Center.
Data from the program will be used to qualify the degree of
improvement in measuring runway friction since NASA and FAA teamed
on similar tests in the mid-1980s. There is need to evaluate
improved measurement equipment, software and test procedures
developed since the earlier tests, and there is need for data
on new anti-icing and de-icing chemicals, water/slush drag effects
on new aircraft, and tire construction effects on hydroplaning.
In a spinoff application, much of the equipment being used
to monitor runways is being-or will be-used to measure highway
pavement friction performance. In areas with high accident rates,
pavement textures can be modified, on the basis of friction measurements,
to improve the safety of auto travel.
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