A new method for testing and evaluating grassy airfields and its effects upon flying safety

The paper contains a review of methods and technologies developed during a research project entitled “Methods of testing and evaluation of grassy airfields”, conducted at the Lublin University of Technology between 2011 and 2014. Based on the terramechanical studies of wheel-soil interactions, the authors have developed a method for the determination of wheel-grass friction and rolling resistance coefficients, which are of critical importance for the ground performance of an airplane. Moreover, a mobile application has been created for use by pilots, controllers or airfield administration crew. The application connects online with a weather service to gather atmospheric data as inputs for a mathematical model that produces a real-time cone index (CI) value for a given airfield. The paper also discusses the applicability of the method within the air transportation system, as well as possible effects of the described technology upon the safety of flight operations on grassy airfields.