Work’s due to start this spring on a $20million-plus runway safety project at Queenstown Airport.
Ours will become the first airport in Australasia to have engineering materials arresting system (Emas) beds installed at both ends of the main runway.
Arising from the airport’s masterplan, the beds are designed to safely bring an aircraft to a controlled stop with minimal damage in the event of a runway overshoot.
Acting airport CEO Todd Grace says at present the airport operates with a minimum runway end safety area (Resa) of 90 metres, which complies with civil aviation regulation — the Emas will provide the same protection as a 240m Resa.
The ‘EmasMax’ system chosen by the airport uses energy-absorbing cellular cement blocks, designed to crush under the weight of an aircraft, slowing it to a stop.
To date, 128 of those have been installed worldwide — they’ve safely stopped 22 aircraft, all in the United States, ranging in size from business jets to a Boeing 747, with a 100% success rate.
In Queenstown, global supplier Runway Safe’s been contracted to do the install.
Grace says work will be completed at night and should be finished by the end of summer — there’ll be no disruption to flight schedules and no changes to the types of aircraft that may land in Queenstown.
