Rubber deposit removal keeps aircraft landing safely

Photo By Master Sgt. Staci Kasischke | An F-16 Fighting Falcon taxis over an area of the flightline with rubber deposits at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Every time an aircraft lands, it deposits thin layers of rubber on the runway. Over time the rubber builds up and poses a risk to landing aircraft, especially in wet conditions.  

UNITED STATES

12.29.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Luther Mitchell 

56th Fighter Wing

During a recent inspection of the flightline, the 56th OSS identified the build up of rubber deposits and completed a project to remove them, a step that keeps sorties in the air and aircraft landing safely.

“When an aircraft touches down, it leaves traces of rubber on the surface,” said Staff Sgt. Charles Giertz, 56th OSS airfield management operations supervisor. “When an excess amount of rubber builds up, the aircraft braking action is reduced, and this creates a hazard for landing aircraft, especially during the monsoon season.”

To prevent future hazards, visual inspections of the runway are performed daily to determine the need for rubber removal.

“It’s very easy to tell when it starts to become a problem, because all of the rubber deposits begin to obscure the runway center line, and runway designation markings,” said Master Sgt. Linda Sawyer, 56th OSS airfield manager.

Luke pilots experience the effects of the rubber build up at high speeds.

“It’s comparable to a car sliding all over the place in the rain,” said Maj. Brian Healy, 62nd Fighter Squadron F-35 Lightning II pilot. “Too much build up could potentially cause us to lose some traction while landing at 160 miles per hour. If the rubber build up isn’t properly monitored and maintained, the approach end of the runway would eventually become unusable.”

To maintain a clean runway, free of deposits, it’s important that rubber deposit removal is conducted on a consistent basis.

“We usually performed the process twice a year, and the process can vary based on the flying tempo of the base and the aircraft we support,” Sawyer said. “It’s a serious issue, and we work with Civil Engineering to make sure it gets done consistently and within our 6 month cycle.”

To remove the rubber deposits at Luke, contractors used a chemical treatment. The next time, Sawyer plans to use a high pressure water treatment.

“Alternating the methods allows us to prolong the life of the runway and keep the chemical buildup to a minimum,” Sawyer said.

Both runways at Luke were last completed in May

• Date Taken: 12.29.2016
• Date Posted: 01.23.2017 12:30
• Story ID: 218973
• Location: US