Portable runway matting

[compressor stall]

Hi,

Any leads on manufacturers of portable runway matting? Something to create a 1000m runway on soft marshy type ground.

Thanks in advance

CS

[Old Smokey]

Buy yourself a ticket to the Philippines where the scrap metal dealers still have about 100,000 tonnes of war surplus Marsden Matting on sale. Still pretty much in the condition it was delivered in in 1944/45.

It's used primarily as fencing material, strong enough to stop a runaway truck!:ok:

Regards,

Old Smokey

[OzExpat]

The noise it makes when you land on it really wakes you up on those early morning sorties!:eek:

[Old Smokey]

OzExpat, Jeez, you're making me all nostalgic. You still using that stuff in New Guinea?

Memories of landing a DC3 on the parallel at Moresby, Strewth! I thought it was a good landing, then the aircraft proceeds to shake itself to bits on the roll-out:}

(Nothing a Greenie or two or three couldn't settle later):ok:

Regards,

Old Smokey

[OzExpat]

There was a time when it was known as "RWY CENTRE" OS!:}

So now yer tellin me that you usta work here... somewhere in a previous life? We need to to talk about that over a Tiger or two some day!:ok:

I've never landed on the Marsden at Moresby but have had the, errrm, pleasure :eek: of the Marsden at Kikori on many occasions. One such occasion that sticks in my mind was when I made a last minute decision to land 12 rather than 30. This action, as it later transpired, prevented a rather serious accident - had I landed RWY 30, my wheels would've been caught by a chunk of matting that had ridden up over another chunk, making a very sharp protruding edge that would really have ruined my day - and my aircraft!

I've always reckoned the stuff was a bloody poor excuse for a runway surface!

[chevvron]

Have you tried google? If you input 'runway membranes', you get lots of listings.

[TruBlu351]

Call the Marines! They'll bulldoze and lay an 8000ft matting runway for you :ok: Real expeditionary stuff!

I've operated on these quite a bit and they're fine. They did seem to allow some sand and small rocks to come up through the joins though - nice for FOD.....could probably find something to underlay it.

[Brian Abraham]

bloody poor excuse for a runway surface

Use to watch the Caribou and C-123 drivers with some admiration landing on the stuff. Particularly early morning with dew. Have a photo of a line of Hueys parked alongside the runway which got cleaned up when a 123 failed to get reverse (they were short runways) on one side on one such morning.

[compressor stall]

Chevvron, thanks for the hint. Tried Marsden matting etc, but not runway membranes.

If anyone has any leads on exactly where in the Phillipines (or elsewhere) this could be purchased, that would be great.

Thanks :ok:

[chevvron]

I only knew about referring to it as a membrane due to work with temporary VTOL pads for Harriers!
As far as I remember, they were long lightweight alloy strips which slotted together and held to the surface with 'staples' similar to tent pegs.

[Old Smokey]

compressor stall, send me a PM of just how much (in area) that you need, and I'll check it out.

Regards,

Old Smokey

[Sheep Guts]

Theres still alot of Russian Matting or Soviet style in Afghanistan, I bet you could try the Russians they may sell some to you. That is to say the new stuff.

Also the US MILITARY now, use this very nice alluminium sheeting boards that lock together painted with non-slip paint very similair to the stuff painted onto Tennis courts .Impressive stuff, no rough edges, seamless joins etc.

Sheep