Seen a few pages back (pg4 in post by BigHitDH)
On another note, just how effective are the arrestor beds seen at some thresholds at stopping a several hundred tonne airliner going 160kts plus?
That question itself brings up the contrary aspect:
<<arrestor beds>>
If there had been an
arrestor bed in situ on the 21R overrun at JNB, would the extra drag on the aircraft (albeit fairly light on its wheels but still with some degree of oleo compression) have altogether precluded the aircraft getting airborne at all?
I think that the answer might be YES (so maybe gravel arrester beds should be overlaid by a shallow supportive surface - in order that such an outcome might be avoided.
Otherwise I could see a nice overrun equipped with a gravel arrester bed someday leading to a "sticky" end for someone....not just a noteworthy audible "rumble"