Reubens take on RAF in dogfight over Northolt

[HTB]

RP

The requirement for RESA may apper to you to be stupid, but it does demonstrate the different levels of acceptable risk between civil and military safety mentality.

The RESA has been a civil requirement for many years, and its current (or soon to be) form is probably the most flexible it has been.

Definition from the EASA regulation 139/2014:

‘Runway end safety area (RESA)’ means an area symmetrical about the extended runway centre line and adjacent to the end of the strip primarily intended to reducethe risk of damage to an aeroplane undershooting or overrunning the runway.

It is there for good reasons: Mangalore 22 May 2010, B738 overran runway end, 158 killed, 7 serious injuries, 1 minor injuries; one of several reports of similar severity resulting from inadequate RESA that have crossed my desk in the past four years.

Here is the EASA requirement (which pretty much accords with ICAO Annex 14 and CAP 168); note the addition for provision of an arresting system to allow flexibility in reducing the RESA length:

CS ADR-DSN.C.215 Dimensions of runway end safety areas

(a) Length of RESA

A runway end safety areashould extend from the end of a runway strip to a distance of at least 90 mwhere:

(1) the code number is 3 or 4; and

(2) thecode number is 1 or 2 and the runway is an instrument one

If an arresting system is installed,the above length may be reduced, based on the design specifications of thesystem, subject to acceptance by the State.


(b) Notwithstanding the provisions in (a)above, the length of the runway end safety area may be reduced where an arresting system is installed, based on the design specifications of the system.

A runway end safety area should, as far as practicable, extend from the end of a runway strip to a distance of at least:

(a) 240 m where the code number is 3 or 4; and or a reduced length when an arresting system is installed;

(b) 120 m where the code number is 1 or 2 and the runway is an instrument one; or a reduced length when an arresting system is installed; and

(c) 30m where the code number is 1 or 2 and the runway is a non-instrument one

Width of RESA

The width of a runway end safety area should be at least twice that ofthe associated runway.


Your first observation is valid, though...

Mister B