DID YOU KNOW: REMOVING RUBBER FROM EGLIN'S RUNWAY

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio, Oct. 22 -- Eglin Air Force Base issued the following news release:

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 96th Test Wing began its annual rubber removal of the Eglin and Duke Field runways.

The work requires two to three weeks of weekday, night, and weekend labor to complete.The rubber builds up on specific areas of the runway when an aircraft lands and its tires are stationary until touchdown. The brief "drag" before the tires catch up to the aircraft's speed creates extreme friction and heat, leaving behind a layer of polymerized, hardened rubber.If left unmanaged, this accumulation poses severe operational risks, primarily loss of braking friction, hydroplaning, and obscured runway markings, according ...