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Airports Airplanes Aviation Related Questions

Why do most runways have grass on the sides? If it was Why do Airbus pilots say “80 knots” at the time of
concrete instead, wouldn't it be safer (if the aircraft landing and “100 knots” at the time of takeoff?

skids off the runway while landing)? What happens if a large aircraft emergency lands
on a small airstrip with no damage and the runway
Answer Follow · 8 Request
is not long enough for a take off?

10 Answers How do pilots ensure, after taxiing to the start of

the runway, that the aircraft is perfectly aligned
Ed Post, Private pilot, with over 1000 hours in gliders and single-engine with runway and it won't go off before ...
aircraft.
Answered Oct 9, 2017 How does a landing plane 'miss' the runway?

If you’re the government, you can just damn the expense and put down three times How do airplanes hold the centerline during
as much concrete as you need. For safety, you understand. Here’s the runway at takeoff and landing, without veering off to one
Ellsworth AFB where B1 bombers are stationed. They just concreted over a strip 300 side?
feet wide and 13500 feet long, then painted a standard 100-foot-wide runway on it
Can you climb up the landing gear on a plane
(corrected: 150 foot wide). Added 1000-foot overruns on both ends just for taking off and get into the plane?
completeness.
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It is, however, a matter of pride for those Air Force jocks to only use the center third
of the runway anyway. Doesn’t look professional to put your skid marks very far from
the center...(more)

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Sameer Shaikh, Co-Pilot, Air India Express

Answered May 5, 2015

Originally Answered: Why do most runways have grass on the sides? If it was concrete instead, wont it be
safer (if the aircraft skids off the runway while landing)?
If airport designers were to be believed, the most expensive part of an aerodrome is
the runway. The runway is constructed in a layered form, then given a classification
number known as PAVEMENT CLASSIFICATION NUMBER (PCN). This number defines
the load bearing capacity of that surface i.e. the runway. Higher the PCN, more
expensive the surface is. The aircrafts on the otherhand have AIRCRAFT
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER (ACN). The ACN should be less than the PCN for safe load
bearing on the surface the aircraft is moving on. It will be much more expensive to
cover the unwanted surface with concret...(more)

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Bruno Gilissen, A330/350 pilot

Updated Dec 25, 2015
Originally Answered: Why do most runways have grass on the sides? If it was concrete
1 instead, wont it be
safer (if the aircraftHome Answer
skids off the runway Spaces
while landing)? Notifications Search Quora Add Question

Good answers already here.

Cost is definitely a factor.  And it's indeed not safer to have concrete all around the
runway as Chandan Chatterjee pointed out.

I can also add that in case of precipitation the water has to go somewhere.  So if you
put concrete everywhere, the water won't flow off unless you also have some kind of
expensive draining system.

It's more efficient and cheaper to built the runway a bit convex, higher at the
centerline and lower near the edges, so the water can run off and flow onto the grass
where it gets dissipated and absorbed before it can be further drained.
3.9k views · View Upvoters · Answer requested by Jyothir

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Related Questions Answer Spaces Notifications Search Quora Add Question

Why do Airbus pilots say “80 knots” at the time of landing and “100 knots” at the time of
takeoff?

What happens if a large aircraft emergency lands on a small airstrip with no damage and
the runway is not long enough for a take off?

How do pilots ensure, after taxiing to the start of the runway, that the aircraft is perfectly
aligned with runway and it won't go off before ...

Frank Lee Bored

Answered Jun 7, 2017

Another thing to consider: Alongside the runway, running parallel is a Runway Safety
Area. This is the grass. Everything in this area is frangible ( will snap off when hit). The
underground utility systems may need to be accessed. Easier to dig up dirt, than
break up asphalt or concrete. Concrete vaults for the airfield lighting are flush with
the ground, and lidded with a cover strong enough to withstand the anticipated
aircraft.

Airports have a lot of open space around the runway to accommodate an aircraft in
distress. There are also FAA rules regarding Obstacles To Air Navigation, such as...
(more)

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1 more comment from Robin Brown

Flight Cadet Shailaja, Trainee Pilot at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi
(2017-present)
Answered May 5, 2015
Originally Answered: Why do most runways have grass on the sides? If it was concrete
1 instead, wont it be
safer (if the aircraftHome Answer
skids off the runway Spaces
while landing)? Notifications Search Quora Add Question

If you are a pilot, you are trained to land over a specified touch down zone on the
central line. Why is it said so? There are some reason. One can not make a runway of
unlimited length and width. Moreover, making the runway is not cheap. You have to
take care of ACN PCN and so many other things things. Sometimes grass landing
may be necessary . There are so many things to write. Better u see www.copilot.asia
694 views · View Upvoters · Answer requested by Jyothir

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Related Questions

Why do Airbus pilots say “80 knots” at the time of landing and “100 knots” at the time of
takeoff?

What happens if a large aircraft emergency lands on a small airstrip with no damage and
the runway is not long enough for a take off?

How do pilots ensure, after taxiing to the start of the runway, that the aircraft is perfectly
aligned with runway and it won't go off before ...

How does a landing plane 'miss' the runway?

How do airplanes hold the centerline during takeoff and landing, without veering off to
one side?

Can you climb up the landing gear on a plane taking off and get into the plane?
Is it better for a plane to crash land on a runway or the grass next to it? 1
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