Engineered Materials Arrestor System
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS) is a bed of lightweight, crushable concrete built at the end of a runway. The purpose of an EMAS is to stop an overrun aircraft with no human injury and minimul aircraft damage (usually none). The aircraft is slowed by the loss of energy required to crush the concrete blocks. An EMAS is similar in concept to the runaway truck ramp made of gravel. An EMAS is intended to stop aircraft that have overshot a runway when there is an insufficient free space for a standard runway safety area (RSA). The EMAS installed at JFK in 1999 has successfully stopped three aircraft, including one Boeing 747. The December 8, 2005 accident of Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 has brought up questions in the media about the need for EMAS at Chicago Midway International Airport which is located in a heavily congested area. On October 13, 2006, New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez's private jet was brought to a halt safely by EMAS at Burbank Airport. Currently the only FAA approved producer of EMAS is Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation (ESCO). ESCO designs the EMAS beds and manufactures the concrete blocks at a facility in Logan Township, New Jersey.
[edit] External links
- EMAS at The FAA website
- Test 727 used for EMAS Testing
- 747 stopped by EMAS at JFK Airport NYC.
- Gulfstream II stopped by EMAS at Burbank
 |
This airport-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
