Airport gets started on $23m runway safety project

In a Kiwi-Aussie first, Queenstown Airport is installing at both ends of its main runway specialists 'beds' designed to slow an aircraft to a safe stop with little damage in the event it overshoots the runway.

The innovative tech is known as an engineered materials arresting system or EMAS and no airport in New Zealand or Australia has it yet.

It will cost $23 million to put in place.

That first ceremonial sod has been turned and contractors are not onsite installing the system.

Simply, it involves the placement of prefabricated cellular blocks that will crush under the weight of an aircraft, causing any aircraft needing help to sink into the material and rapidly decelerate as it rolls through the bed.

In a statement announcing the beginning of construction, airport chief executive Glen Sowry says such incidents are rare, but the airport wants to minimise the risk if an overrun did occur at Queenstown.

“EMAS technology has proven its worth in the northern hemisphere, and we are proud to be leading its introduction in this part of the world. It’s the gold standard and will substantially increase the margin of safety for those landing here.”

Major airports using the technology include John F. Kennedy International Airport, London City Airport, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

To date, similar beds have safely stopped 22 aircraft, ranging in size from business jets to a Boeing 747, with a 100 percent success rate, all in the United States.

The Queenstown versions will be 73 metres long at the Frankton end of the runway and 70 metres long at the opposite end, while the cellular blocks being used are 1.2 metres square.

While Queenstown Airport operates with a runway end safety area (RESA) of 90 metres, the EMAS will provide the same protection as a 240-metre RESA.

A sod-turning ceremony was held to mark the start of the project, with representatives of the airport company and head contractor Downer wielding the spades.

More substantial earthworks are now underway at the Shotover end of the runway to prepare for the construction of new pavement, on which the EMAS bed will be laid.

Work is being done at night, starting after the last scheduled flight has landed. No work is planned for Friday or Saturday nights.

There will be no disruption to flight schedules and no change to the types of aircraft that may land at Queenstown Airport once the EMAS is installed.

Main image (Supplied/QAC): Downer project manager Greg Levett, Downer regional manager Central Otago and Southland Chris Hasler, Queenstown Airport chief executive Glen Sowry, and Queenstown Airport project manager Lydia Hartshorne mark the start of a major airfield safety project with a sod-turning ceremony at the Frankton end of the main runway.

Note: This story was updated at 11am, Thursday, October 31.