Damp Runway is defined as not perfectly dry; for performance, it is considered to be which type of runway?

Damp Runway is defined as not perfectly dry; for performance, it is considered to be which type of runway?

• A. Dry runway
• B. Wet runway
• C. Contaminated runway
• D. Icy runway

Answer: (A)

Moisture changes how the tires grip the surface, which in turn affects takeoff and landing distances. When a runway is damp, there’s moisture present but not enough to create a slick surface or standing water. In performance data, such a surface is treated as dry because the friction is still close to dry and doesn’t meet the thresholds for wet or contaminated classifications. Therefore, the published performance figures for a dry runway are used. If there were significant water, slush, or ice, the surface would be categorized as wet or contaminated and the performance data would reflect longer distances and different braking behavior. Icy surfaces require even more caution due to drastically reduced friction. So damp is treated as a dry runway for performance purposes.

Moisture changes how the tires grip the surface, which in turn affects takeoff and landing distances. When a runway is damp, there’s moisture present but not enough to create a slick surface or standing water. In performance data, such a surface is treated as dry because the friction is still close to dry and doesn’t meet the thresholds for wet or contaminated classifications. Therefore, the published performance figures for a dry runway are used. If there were significant water, slush, or ice, the surface would be categorized as wet or contaminated and the performance data would reflect longer distances and different braking behavior. Icy surfaces require even more caution due to drastically reduced friction. So damp is treated as a dry runway for performance purposes.