It happened only last night at Edinburgh due to a runway break up. At least one Jet2 flight diverted to Glasgow ( the one where passengers complained to the papers) but no doubt there were others.
Or an airport that is in constant use and has therefore suffered the sort of wear and tear that a lesser used airport doesn’t have the ‘benefit’ of? What a silly remark.
It was underway when I was watching at 3.45 but couldn't see what they were doing. But as above, the same thing happened last night at EDI. Although the runway was built in 1964/5, the replacement of the concrete blocks together with drainage etc over recent years means that actually the runway is being replaced on a gradual basis . Obviously there are still blocks to replace. Whether this is one of them or not we dont know but if the airport are intending to tarmac over the blocks in due course, they are obviously not going to do that until all blocks are replaced and the runway has effectively been full renewed..
Yes, Ryanair turning on to approach and Sun Express behind. Wizz and Aer Lingus still in the hold waiting their turn.
They better watch those potholes now haha
There are no plans to 'tarmac over' the existing blocks. Last I saw the favoured plan was to dig out the existing block, crush it, and then use that crush as a hard core bas for the tarmac. Do that bit by bit along the runway.
There are according to the airport CEO. He mentioned it at the 27th March Consultative Meeting and I reported it at the time. Just checked. He said nothing about digging up and crushing the existing blocks, many of which will have been replaced in recent years. You may be correct but he was talking about overlaying .Seems ridiculous to replace the blocks at huge cost to then dig em all up and crush them a few years later. If they were doing that, then it seems a bit pointless spending millions replacing the blocks each winter.
It was also explained to me that they would be replacing ‘in blocks’ in an airside meeting not too long ago. It wasn’t explained in any technical detail however.
So what would be the point of replacing the blocks with new ones now only to crush them in the near future?
I guess we will find out in a few years. Must admit overlaying isn't what I expected because as it's done it will result in the surface that's been overlaid, being higher than the concrete surface and that would never do. Planes don't like ramps! Perhaps the CEO had misunderstood the methodology but I write down my notes as he speaks and it says overlaid.
If you look on FR24 or Google Maps and zoom in, you can see that there are whole blocks that are new in places. The overnight repairs in winter were, we were told, to dig up old blocks and replace them - at significant cost for each one.
That's what they are saying, at work we have a big concrete yard which over the years has started to deteriorate with the lorries turning on it….we wanted it to be resurfaced but we were told you can't just resurface over concrete so they took up big slabs, crushed it up and used it as hardcore then fresh concrete on top….it took quite a while as the weather has to be dry etc…can’t see how they can do that with a busy runway.
Perhaps by 'Overlay' he really meant digging up and relaying with crush and tarmac. I've seen a few times now where what the CEO says to the CC is slightly different to what he says in public and different again to what he says to staff. Not ridiculous at all, the existing concrete runway needs regular maintenance and blocks are replaced to repair any deterioration (mostly in the winter). I think this will be ongoing until a decision is made about the timeline for a new surface. I believe Bristol used a similar method when laying their tarmac surface. It's a huge project whichever way they do it and a complex undertaking to keep the airport open.
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