New Zealand’s Queenstown Airport invests in runway safety with more jets set to land

Queenstown Airport is investing in new technology to mitigate the risk of runway overshoots as it prepares for more aircraft to descend on New Zealand’s notoriously difficult landing strip. The airfield said Wednesday it will begin installation of an Engineered Materials Arresting System at each end of its single runway later this year. EMAS uses energy-absorbing cellular cement blocks that are designed to crush under the weight of an aircraft, slowing it to a stop if it exceeds the landing tarmac. Queenstown ranks as one of the most difficult airports in the world to land at due to its short runway and swirling winds between the jagged mountains surrounding it. The South Island resort town, famous for adventure tourism, is nestled at the head of a lake and jetliners approach the airport either over the water or by descending down a narrow valley. The runway offers a 90-meter (295 feet) end safety area, which meets regulations for the aircraft that currently use it. Deploying the EMAS will effectively give it a 240-meter safety area, Acting CE Todd Grace said. “Runway overruns are rare, but the consequences can be catastrophic, so we want to do everything possible to mitigate that risk here,” he said. Queenstown will be the first airport in New Zealand or Australia to deploy the system, which has been developed by Runway Safe and is used in the US — including at John F. Kennedy International — as well as in the UK, Spain, Saudi Arabia and China, Grace said. So far, the EMAS beds have successfully stopped 22 aircraft with 100% success, he said.<br/>