alt Hacker NewsHere's the one-minute version from the FAA.[1]
Runway overrun areas marked with diagonal stripes have an Engineered Materials Arresting System. There are several different materials used. One is pumice embedded in styrofoam, with a thin concrete layer on top. Large aircraft weigh enough to break through, and the pumice is crushed to powder, absorbing energy. This yields a surprisingly short stopping distance. The aircraft landing gear will be damaged, but the rest of the aircraft is usually intact. The overrun material comes in prebuilt blocks, and after an overrun, only the ones damaged need to be replaced.
It gets a lot of use. The FAA has logged 25 overruns stopped by EMAS, out of 161 runway ends so equipped. That's surprisingly high.
It's a simple, clever system.
Replies
That’s pretty cool. I’d assumed there would be something similar to the run-away truck ramps you see on steep grades — basically a deep gravel pit. However, actually thinking about it, something along the lines of a gravel pit would likely cause significant damage to engines (not to mention risks created by engine damage) but also seriously impede emergency services.
Hah, I guess this is the same then as in formula 1 (and possibly other motorsports). After the end of a straight (speeding) section, just before the curve they have 150/100/50 (m?) distance indicators. Sans the concrete block at the top. That would obviously shave the driver's head off.
When a driver hits these, they evaporate as dust.
That's only a small portion of what the video is about.