Direction générale de l'aviation civile (DGAC)

Service technique de l'aviation civile

The movement area of an aerodrome includes all infrastructure facilities required for safe aircraft takeoff, landing and movements on the ground. We distinguish the maneuvering area, which includes the runways and the taxiways , and the ramp to park and handle aircraft during turnaround operations; the ramp includes service roads and parking aprons. Those infrastructures have the characteristic, contrary to road pavement, to receive traffic moderate in volume but with much more stressing wheel loads.
 
The STAC operates in this area in several ways:
 
  • It participates in international programs to develop a new structural design method for aircraft pavement and coordinates the actions of French organizations involved in this project (IFSTTAR, Aéroports de Paris, etc.);
  • It participates in experimental test programs aimed at better understanding pavement behaviour under the load of very large aircraft;
  • It conducts general studies and publishes their conclusions;
  • It animates the technical network that carries out the monitoring of airport pavement in France using its non destructive testing methods and equipment (pavement service index, plate bearing test, HWD).
  • It develops specific methods and tools to assess the skid resistance of aircraft pavement. An automatic apparatus (IMAG) designed by the STAC and developed in collaboration with Aéroports de Paris was selected as the reference for the definition of the international friction index IRFI. The STAC carries out friction tests at airport runways and licenses the IRFI measuring equipment for use at French aerodromes.
  • It participates in experts working groups and contributes to the elaboration of guidance and best practices in line with the evolution of ICAO and EASA standards and regulations.

Updated on November 27 2022