Are you Receiving Pilot and Passenger Complaints for Runway Roughness?

While pilot and passenger complaints are important feedback on runway conditions, by the time they arise, excessive loading on the pavement and structural fatigue damage may already be affecting aircraft operating on that runway. APR's Aircraft Simulation technology helps you address this issue proactively.

Runway roughness is generally caused by a series of bumps and dips in succession or other pavement distresses that can trigger significant dynamic responses from the aircraft. These surface inconsistencies not only generate complaints from pilots and passengers but also contribute to aircraft fatigue damage and create loading conditions beyond the pavement’s design specifications. Detecting and accurately quantifying runway roughness can be challenging, as traditional pavement evaluation methods like BBI, Profilograph, or IRI often fall short in pinpointing and assessing its impact on aircraft performance.

APR offers a proven solution: Aircraft Simulation. Unlike other methods such as IRI or the Profilograph, APR’s simulation technology effectively detects and quantifies runway roughness by predicting an aircraft's response to the measured pavement profile. This technology calculates accelerations (g-forces) and pavement loads, offering meaningful information on how the aircraft will respond to the areas of roughness.

This figure illustrates a Boeing 737-800 simulating a takeoff operation on a runway with known roughness.  The roughness event is caused by an area of settlement located 3,100 feet (945 m) down the runway. The simulation predicts that the cockpit will experience approximately 1.0g of acceleration, while the center of gravity will encounter about 0.60g of acceleration as it traverses this area. APR's Aircraft Simulation technology accurately identifies the roughness locations and precisely predicts its severity.

If runway roughness is affecting your operations, reach out to APR. Our aircraft simulation capabilities can provide the clarity needed to resolve your runway challenges efficiently and accurately.