Runway Friction Tester for Airport Safety - Measuring Skid Resistant on Airport Pavement Surfaces ↓
Designed to measure runway friction
characteristics for both pavement maintenance and operational purposes.
Airport surface safety and compliance testing
The Dynatest Runway Friction Tester (RFT) is designed to measure runway friction characteristics for both pavement maintenance and operational purposes. By simulating a rolling aircraft tire on a wet or dry runway, it collects continuous skid resistance data to ensure runway surfaces remain safe for aircraft operations. The RFT allows airport operators to make informed decisions on runway pavement condition, and complies with international aviation standards such as FAA Advisory Circular 150/5320 12C and ICAO guidelines.
The Dynatest Runway Friction Tester (RFT) is designed to measure runway friction characteristics for both pavement maintenance and operational purposes. By simulating a rolling aircraft tire on a wet or dry runway, it collects continuous skid resistance data to ensure runway surfaces remain safe for aircraft operations. The RFT allows airport operators to make informed decisions on runway pavement condition, and complies with international aviation standards such as FAA Advisory Circular 150/5320 12C and ICAO guidelines.
You need it when:
Monitoring runway surface contamination: Measuring friction loss due to rubber buildup, fuel/oil spills, or weathering on dry runway pavement surfaces, to plan timely rubber removal or surface treatment.
Assessing friction in adverse weather: Performing wet runway friction tests during heavy rain, ice, slush, or snow (within regulatory guidelines) to ensure safe landing/takeoff conditions.
Rapid, comprehensive runway surveys: When a full runway needs quick friction testing, the RFT’s high water capacity and integrated design allow efficient continuous friction measurement with minimal downtime, ensuring airports remain operational.
Runway Friction Tester
The Dynatest Runway Friction Tester (RFT) is an accurate and repeatable system that can measure the friction coefficients (μ) on airport runways.
The RFT moves at a constant speed along the runway, while a specialized wheel measures the friction between the runway surface and the wheel. The collected data is then used to calculate the friction coefficient.
The purpose of the RFT is to perform functional (maintenance) and operational testing to assess surface friction, including any changes due to weather conditions, contaminants, and rubber contamination. Operational friction testing can be carried out during adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain, ice, slush, or snow.
The Runway Friction Tester is a fully instrumented pickup truck available in either two-wheel or four-wheel drive. It uses a Dynatest Two-Axis Force Transducer mounted on a retractable fifth wheel assembly.
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The test assembly provides real-time vertical load and horizontal tractive force measurements. The Dynatest RFT meets all the FAA and ICAO specifications for friction measuring devices and is listed in both the FAA AC 150/5320-12 approved device list and the ICAO Airport Services Manual.
System electronics include a laptop computer and inkjet printer with user-friendly Windows® software, which allows the operator to control the test procedure including test speed, self-wetting or dry testing, test method (FAA or ICAO), test type (manual or automatic), and annotate airfield test conditions for later reference.
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Data
Data is presented in either (International Civil Aviation Organization) ICAO or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) format with all data being stored for further use in ASCII format. Data stored includes the raw load and traction data, speed, water flow, optionally GPS coordinates, air temperature, and pavement temperature and texture (Mean Profile Depth – MPD) data. Friction numbers can be printed at every foot, meter, or other desired interval. Mu (μ) data and speed are visible in real-time during the tests on both the laptop computer and the dash-mounted information display.
Key benefits
- Integrated Solution:
Our Runway Friction Tester offers an integrated solution, featuring a built-in 5th wheel within the RFT vehicle itself. Say goodbye to towable trailers and hello to a streamlined testing processes. - Innovative Water Tank Design:
Our 300-gallon special designed water tank equipped with internal baffles. This tank capacity allows for testing up to 44,000 feet (13,400m) of runway on a single fill, significantly reducing time. - Optimized Testing Time:
Thanks to our impressive tank capacity, you can test a 10,000 ft runway with one tank of water, completing the entire 4-test sequence on a runway in just 12 minutes depending on tower clearance increasing the testing time substantially. - Safety and Compliance Guaranteed:
Roll-Over Prevention – Our integrated solution with a properly baffled tank eliminates the potential for roll-over incidents, providing added safety assurance during emergency runway exits. - ASTM E1551 Test Tire:
Our ASTM E1551 test tire is only in contact with the pavement during the test raising when not needed. A new tire would test approximately 300,000 feet of runway before needing replaced. The tire also always has the required 1mm water film in front of it (except during winter operations testing which does not require water). - Global Accessibility:
With parts manufactured in both the US and Denmark, Dynatest ensures prompt availability and swift delivery to meet your operational needs. Most parts are readily stocked at our US facility, minimizing lead times and maximizing uptime for your testing operations.
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