Thiruvananthapuram Airport gets advanced runway rubber removal machine

A state-of-the-art Runway Rubber Removal Machine has been put into service at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, prioritizing the safety of both aircraft and passengers. This advanced machine not only clears rubber deposits from the runway but also handles tasks like removing foreign objects and old markings, TIAL said in a release here on Thursday.

Why is Runway Rubber Removal Important?

When planes land or take off, a layer of rubber from their tires gets left behind on the runway. The Transport Research Board has estimated that an average Aircraft landing leaves 1.4lb 700g of rubber forming a thin layer on the runway surface, whereas a Jumbo Jet drops down 1.5 kg of rubber deposit. Repeated touchdowns of various types of Aircraft spread Rubber deposits all over the landing zone of the runway leading to reduce the friction coefficient of the runway.

Rubber deposits on the runways can be dangerous, they reduce the friction with aircraft tires and impact the breaking and control of the aircraft and the risk would multiply in wet conditions, the release said.

DGCA Guidelines

There is a guideline from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation that this rubber deposited should be removed at regular intervals proportionate to the use of the runway.

Environment Friendly and Efficient

Until now, this task was carried out by bringing the machine from Chennai airport. The machine uses plain water, thus is very environment friendly and also is a very efficient machine that cleans both sides of the landing zone of the runway and restores friction within 10 hours of operation time, the release added.

The Runway Rubber Removal Machine is a welcome addition to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and will help to improve the safety of both aircraft and passengers. The machine is environment friendly and efficient, and will help to keep the runway in good condition.