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Frankfurt's runway: New surface causes tire chaos and runway problems!
Frankfurt Airport is investigating damage to the new surface of the northwest runway, which is causing tire problems on aircraft.
Frankfurt's runway: New surface causes tire chaos and runway problems!
A new surface on the northwest runway at Frankfurt Airport, which was supposed to ensure more safety, has turned out to be catastrophic! Pilots report broken tires and even pieces of runway coming off! The airport operator Fraport is faced with a conundrum and must now act to ensure the safety of passengers.
The promising anti-slip coating was applied in May 2023 to improve aircraft braking performance and extend maintenance intervals. But problems arose soon after installation: the runway had to be closed to remove the rubber abrasion. Now, just a few months later, parts of the surface in the landing zone have broken off! An absolute fiasco!
Damage to the anti-slip surface
The runway was closed again on Tuesday to remove the defective surface. Fraport emphasizes that passenger safety is the top priority. The manufacturer of the surface, Possehl Spezialbau, which also operates on military airfields, cannot currently provide an explanation for the problems. The certified coating, which cost 3.5 million euros, was actually intended to increase braking performance and reduce the use of de-icing agents. Instead we are now experiencing a disaster!
In the coming days, the runway will be closed again briefly so that the surface can also be removed in the opposite direction. In total, the defective parts are removed over a length of around 500 meters on each side of the 2,800 meter long runway. The situation remains tense and the question remains: How could this expensive mishap happen?