On June 12, the Department of Aviation completed the city’s first Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) on Runway 8-26 at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). EMAS is a safety feature installed at the end of runways to stop overrunning aircraft. The project falls under the Airports Capital Development Program and aims to bring the Runway Safety Area (RSA) to compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards.
In the 1990s, the FAA began to conduct research alongside the University of Dayton, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation (Runway Safe Inc., of Logan Township, New Jersey), on how to improve airport safety when the full RSA can not be obtained. Six years later the first EMAS was built at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport. Today there are 118 EMAS systems installed at over 69 airports in the United States.
EMAS is designed to stop an overrunning aircraft traveling at up to 80 miles per hour by using crushable material installed within the overrun area. When an aircraft enters the EMAS, its landing gear compresses the material, which is installed approximately three inches below grade level. This process decelerates and safely stops the aircraft.
“At the FAA, safety is always our top priority,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “To date, EMAS has safely stopped more than 20 overrunning aircraft carrying over 430 crew and passengers. It is one more tool that helps us keep travelers, crews and aircraft safe – and we’re glad to see it in place here. Thanks again to the Philadelphia International Airport team, our industry partners, and everyone else who helped make this project a reality.”
Runway 8-26 is located on the east side of PHL and operates as a commuter runway for general aviation. The 5,000 ft.- by-150 ft. runway was designed initially to separate commuter traffic activity from larger aircraft activity. Runway 26 provides precision instrument approach in low-visibility conditions, equipped with a Category 1 (CAT I) instrument landing system (ILS), high-intensity runway lights (HIRL), centerline lighting, and Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (MALSR). The EMAS is located beyond the end of Runway 26 and centered on the extended runway centerline. It is setback from the runway end at a distance of 389 ft to avoid damage due to jet blast and undershoots. The 211 ft EMAS bed consists of 2,184 crushable cellular concrete blocks constructed on a paved base. The installation was designed to support critical aircraft as well as withstand all local weather, temperature, and soil conditions.
Construction for the EMAS began in September 2024 and was completed ahead of schedule in partnership with J.J. Anderson. The project also received an $8,547,648 Airport Infrastructure Grant from the FAA.
The scope of work included:
- Demolishing Vehicle Service Road and electrical (cables, junction boxes, ductbanks)
- Dismantling and restoring MALSR
- Installing stormwater management measures
- Installing proposed utilities
- Grading project site
- Monitoring settlement of proposed fill
- Constructing proposed pavement
- Installing EMAS bed
- Creating pavement markings and grooving
- Restoring site
“The recent placement of the EMAS bed on the runway is a planned safety enhancement. It’s a proven system used at airports around the country to enhance safety for passengers and crews," said Airport Engineering Assistant Manager Lee Sutanto. This project reflects our ongoing commitment to meeting FAA safety standards and best practices.”
Congratulations to the entire project team, including the Department of Aviation's Engineering team, its consultants and contractors:
Design teams: ADCI, RunwaySafe, AtkinsRealis, RS&H, Hunt Engineering, C&S, Urban Engineers, AGES- Construction Management: JMT
- General Contractor teams: James J. Anderson Construction Company (JJA), Delta Line Construction, RunwaySafe, BillyBoy Contracting, Vann Organization, SJA Construction, RAM-T, MPatterson Services, Flynn, AKM, Compliance Plus
