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Jul. 07, 1969 - Joint Mintech/NASA/US Air Force Runway Friction Trials: In an effort to increased aircraft safety during landing on a wet runway, both the Ministry of Technology and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the USA have been actively conducting research ever the past decade into various factors which effect friction between aircraft tyres and a wet runway. The main conclusion, reached by both countries, is that the greatest single factor which can increased friction is a rough surface texture. This conclusion was, in fact, anticipated by British civil engineers some years ago so, when NASA began to investigate the most practical ways of improving runways, they sought British advise and decided that cutting transverse greeves, a method long used in this country, presented the best solution. To investigate the full scale effect of this method, NASA prepared a special runway with eight different surfaces, both greeved and ungreeved. Tests, in which Mintech took part, using aircraft and ground vehicles, demonstrated conclusively that dry-landing performance could be achieved on a wet greeved surface and that the possibility of aqua-planning could be reduced to negligible proportions. They also investigated the possibility of predicting aircraft stopping distance by using ground vehicles. Now, in continuance of the programme, the Ministry of Technology has invited NASA and the US Air Force to participate in another series of test on selected high friction runways in this country. The first tests were held today at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. Photo shows a car carrying out breaking tests with a trailer carrying testing devices- at the R.A.E. Farnborough today

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Achieved Actively Advise Anticipated Conclusion Conclusively Conducting Continuance Decade Decided Demonstrated Devices Effect Establishment Fact Factor Factors Farnborough Friction Greeves Improving Increased Investigate Investigated Invited Joint Method Nasa Participate Possibility Practical Predicting Prepared Proportions R.a.e Reached Reduced Runway Runways Selected Solution Sought Stopping Surfaces Tests Texture Trailer Transverse Tyres Ways

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