Aircraft stopping distances on wet runways are accurately predicted by measurements taken with a conventional automobile equipped with diagonal braking system and simple instrumentation for recording stopping distances

Horne, W. B.

Yager, T. J.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

December 1970	 Brief 70-10712 
NASA TECH BRIEF H 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage commercial 
application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, 
Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief progam may be directed to the Tech-
nology Utilization Division, NASA, Code UT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
A New Method for Measuring Slipperiness of Airport Runways

and Other Paved Surfaces 
The problem: 
With the advent of larger and faster jets in com-
mercial and military aviation, a method of accurately 
predicting aircraft stopping distances on wet runways 
is necessary and desirable in preventing major disas-
ters and improving safety. 
The solution: 
Aircraft stopping distances on wet runways can be 
accurately predicted by measurements taken with a 
conventional automobile equipped with a diagonal 
braking system and simple instrumentation for record-
ing stopping distances. 
How it's done: 
The test automobile is driven down the runway at 
a speed of 60 miles per hour. The stopping distance 
of the automobile, using the diagonal braking system, 
is measured for locked wheel skids under both wet and
dry runway conditions. The ratio of measured wet-to-
dry stopping distances shows good correlation to the 
wet-to-dry stopping distance ratios experienced by 
several representative aircraft during extensive com-
parative testing on a wide variety of runway sur-
faces and surface conditions. 
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed 
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Langley Research Center 
Hampton, Virginia 23365 
Reference: TSP70-10712 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: W. B. I-tome and T. J. Yager 
Langley Research Center 
(LAR-10795) 
Category 06 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned-rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700000683 2020-03-17T01:07:22+00:00Z


A new method for measuring slipperiness of airport runways and other paved surfaces

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