“We made the investment, and we saved lives.” ESCO's EMAS Safely Stops Regional Jet

Jan. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- Yeager Airport, Charleston, West VA – On Tuesday afternoon, January 19th, just after 4:20 PM, US Airways Express Flight 2495, a Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jet with 34 passengers and crew onboard aborted takeoff at the very last second and was safely stopped by an ESCO EMAS (Engineered Material Arresting System) arrestor bed installed in the runway safety area.

The aircraft had travelled at a high rate of speed, leaving skid marks on the runway before penetrating a substantial distance into the length of the EMAS bed, safely stopping short of a steep drop at the end of the airport runway, which overlooks a valley near the Kanawha River and the city of Charleston. The cause is under NTSB investigation.

Like the five previous aircraft engagements involving ESCO’s EMAS, the aircraft sustained no significant damage and none of the passengers were injured. After a brief shutdown, the airport was back in service by 10:15 PM.

ESCO’s EMAS arrestor beds are composed of blocks of lightweight, crushable concrete designed to safely stop airplanes that overshoot runways. Yeager Airport officials and the FAA had the foresight to install an EMAS system as part of an overall airport safety upgrade in April-May 2007. The positive outcome of this event validated that decision, as evidenced by comments from officials and passengers afterward.

Kanawha County Commission President Ken Carper commented: “If it hadn’t been for the EMAS, I’m convinced a catastrophe would have occurred.” Carper further commented to Charleston radio station WCHS: “This is what is important. The Board of Yeager Airport, Senator Byrd, Senator Rockefeller, Governor Manchin, and others felt that we had to do this. We made the investment, and we saved lives.”

ESCO’s EMAS systems are installed at 48 airport runways at 32 airports worldwide, including Juizhai-Huanglong Airport in China and Barajas International Airport in Madrid Spain. Last week, ESCO received a commitment to install an EMASMAX system (the latest, most durable version of ESCO's EMAS) at Songshan Airport, in the center of Taipei City, Taiwan in fall, 2010.

ESCO is a member of Zodiac Aerospace’s Emergency Arresting Systems Division (EASD) and is widely recognized as the world’s leading authority on energy absorption, particularly in the area of military and commercial aircraft arresting systems. The company has diversified its business philosophy of “Mastering Safety in Motion” to include urban security and unmanned systems launch and recovery.

More information about ESCO’s EMAS: http://www.emasmax.com
Email Inquiries: emasmax@zodiacaerospace.com

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ESCO-Zodiac Aerospace is recognized as the world’s leading manufacturer of military/commercial aircraft arresting systems. ESCO’s FAA-approved EMAS (Engineered Material Arresting System)/EMASMAX® safely stops aircraft in overrun situations.