RCFC Toronto Geotextile Runway Proposal

Tuesday, September 24, 2013
RCFC Toronto Geotextile Runway
Proposal
André Laurent & Richard Staron
GEOTEXTILE RUNWAY
This proposal defines the requirements for a Geotextile Runway at the Radio Control Flying Club of
Toronto’s Tapscott & Passmore location. This runway will benefit all member who fly aircraft which use
landing gear with wheels & is highly immune to propeller strikes & turbine heat. The proposal outlines
the following details;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Geotextile Runway material
Advantages & disadvantages
Installation Requirements
Cost estimate
Maintenance requirements
Operating Requirements
1 GEOTEXTILE RUNWAY MATERIAL
A Geotextile runway is a takeoff & landing strip that consists of a fabric called Geotextile fixed to a
specified location with a specified dimension on the existing field. The Geotextile shall be placed over
prepared ground in a direction that is the primary existing runway direction with taxiways as necessary.
Woven Geotextiles are used in the construction industry where tough separation media are required to
manage soil stability.
1.1 WOVEN GEOTEXTILES
Woven Geotextiles are often used for separation and stabilization in the construction of roads. The
woven geotextile’s separation action prevents the mixing of dissimilar soils allowing each soil layer in
the road structure to function as intended. The high tensile strength and low elongation properties of
woven geotextiles impart stability into the road section reducing rutting and extending roadway life.
Woven geotextiles are also used in filtering and reinforcement applications. Woven Geotextiles are
woven from durable, high-modulus polypropylene yarns into competent, robust, dimensionally stable
geotextiles. Woven geotextiles are available in varying tensile strengths and hydraulic properties to suit
particular project demands.
Exposure to sunlight & warm temperatures will shrink the material to a drum tight surface. Typical roll
sizes are 15 feet x 300 feet. This application shall require a 6mm thickness Geotextile for best wear and
tear resistance.
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Figure 1 6mm Woven Geotextile
Applications
Roads
Erosion Control
Mechanically Stabilized Earth
Drainage
2 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
1) Advantages
a) Flat, smooth surface reduces damage to landing gear & cost of repairs to modelers
b) Highly visible & does not disappear into the grass like paint or chalk would
c) Provides target for pilots & students to aim for on landing approach
d) Encourages proper takeoff & landing technique
e) Easy to remove, roll up and store in the container
f) Increased membership with smaller electric model owners able to use the field.
g) Increased variation in models which need smooth surface for takeoff & landings
h) Easy to maintain & repair, does not increase field maintenance duties
i) Very strong, material not affected by foot traffic in any season.
j) Less grass to cut, reduce required field size
k) 10+ year life expectancy.
l) All weather resistant, animal & critter resistant
2) Disadvantages
a) Vandalism
b) Removal in the event of new field acquisition
c) Required occasional repair due to crash, major prop strike or fire
d) Requires weed killer to remove occasional plant intrusion through spike holes.
3 INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
The standard Nilex 2002, 2006 (optionally 2016 & 2019 material) 6mil thick Woven Geotextile roll is 15 x
300 feet. This would facilitate a runway surface that is approximately 30 feet wide by 150 feet long.
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Additional items required will be a box of 1000, 6 inch staples, cutting tools, staple driving tools, surface
preparation equipment, string lines, tape measures, appropriate weather & ground conditions and work
parties.
3) Runway Length & location
Initial considerations shall be the size of the runway surface, 30 feet wide appears to be a standard
width and the lengths range from 150 to 250 feet. Lengths over 150 feet will require additional
Geotextile & staples.
The location should be determined by a review of the field to decide the optimum distance from the
pilot stations.
4) Tools
The tools necessary to install the runway are:
1. Sod cutter to scalp the defined runway area.
2. Roller to flatten the defined area and roll the runway surface initially every week & as
required thereafter.
3. Hand held cement saw to cut a shallow groove around the runway perimeter in order to
fasten the runway edge to prevent win lift.
4. Knives & heavy duty scissors to cut the Geotextile runway material as required to fit the
defined area.
5. Staples to secure the runway every 18 inches & staple rivers to push the staples into the
ground without bending them.
6. Appropriate weather is required, usually spring when the ground is still soft for sod removal
with a sod cutter and rolling is most effective.
7. Work parties for assignment to the different tasks required to complete the installation.
5) Process
The installation process shall be as follows. A date for installation shall be selected based on a best
guess at weather condition. The runway location shall be defined. The material should be installed
when the weather is cool and the sun is not directly overhead, early morning is best. Plan for 4 to
six hours depending on the length of the runway.
The required material purchased & tools should be rented or borrowed as required for the
scheduled installation date and be onsite prior to the day of installation. Club volunteers solicited
and confirmed as necessary.
On the day of the installation the work should start between 7 & 8 am . The runway area shall be
identified, marked with string lines & spray paint as necessary then the sod removed using a power
sod cutter. The sod shall be disposed of around the edge of the field.
Once the sod is removed the area shall require rolling until the surface soil is as smooth as possible.
Any surface imperfections shall be levelled or filled as necessary.
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A groove shall be cut around the edge of the runway approximately 2 inches deep with a concrete
saw. This shall serve as the groove where the edge of the runway is tucked in to prevent wind lift.
The Geotextile material shall then be placed along the sides of the prepared soil with equal lengths
measured and cut as required to fit the length of the defined area. The staples should be divided
between three groups on either side & the middle seam of the runway. A centerline string shall be
placed to keep the center of the runway straight.
Stapling shall start at one end of the runway with each 15 foot width of material being secured at
the center and pulled out tightly to the grove at the edge. A fold of 1 inch shall be made at the
edges in order to provide strength for the material at each staple point. The staples are driven into
the ground until they are flush and the material is pulled tight with the next staple being installed
18 inched from the last one. The centerline is stapled using the same manner. The entire centerline
can be stapled with the perimeter being stapled after.
The staples are driven in every 18 inches using either a 2 lb hammer or a dead blow hammer.
Staples that bend should be replaced while the bent staples are straightened and used further
down the line. Staples should be placed at a 45 degree angle to the edge they are being inserted on
and alternated (/ \ / \ / \ / \) along the edge.
4 COST ESTIMATE
The following list itemizes the material and tools required with costs:
1. Runway items:
a. Geotextile Roll, Nylex woven 2006, 15 x 300 ft________________$376.74
b. 1 Box, 6 inch staples, 2000 pieces (included)__________________$0.00
c. Delivery charge to Markham & Passmore 1 ____________________$80.00
2. Tools
a. Sod cutter………………………………………………………..…………………………..$98/day
b. Roller…………………………..…………………………………………………….………..$164/day
c. Concrete Saw………………………………………………………………………………..$70
d. String line….………………………………………………………………………..………..$20
e. Spray Paint…………………………………………………..………………………….…..$30.00
f. Center Line stripe………………………………………………………………………….$30
g. Heavy Equipment delivery & pickup 2 ……………………………………………..$440
3. Food & Drink
a. Refreshments for the work party……………………………………….………..$50
TOTAL (approx.) ………………………… $1000 to $1500
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2
Avoided if the club can arrange transportation to pickup the product.
Avoided if the club has access to a trailer to pickup & return the equipment.
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5 MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
The following should be considered as maintenance tasks;
1. Mowing
Mowing with riding or push mowers using normal cutting blades does not affect the textile
runway. A mulching blade should not be used. Mowing the grass at the edge of the runway
is normally accomplished with the mower deck overlapping the runway by a couple of
inches.
The runway should be rolled in the normal way during the normal field rolling activities. Any
lifts that occur under the runway during the course of the flying season should be rolled to
remove them. These occur as worms rise to the surface or during soil movement that occurs
with very heavy rains or as sub-surface plant material decomposes.
Weeds will inevitably grow through the staples, these should be killed using a “Kill All”
herbicide.
At the beginning of each season the staples should be inspected and reinserted as
necessary.
2. Cut repair
Cuts occur from severe blade strikes & crashes. These are repaired using leftover material
and “roof repair caulking”. The cut is covered with a piece of spare Geotextile material
sufficient to overlap by 2 inches and coated with the “roof repair caulking”. The caulking is
brushed flat and worked into the runway textile. The patch is then allowed to dry for two to
three hours for best results.
Propeller aircraft without landing gear or failed landing gear should not use the runway
under any circumstances. Turbine aircraft have been found to have no effect on the
Geotextile runway unless there is a fire.
6 OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Aircraft with landing gear shall operate from the runway as desired.
Aircraft without landing gear shall not use or traverse the runway while at ground level.
Aircraft which are experiencing control difficulty shall not use the runway.
The runway shall be inspected on a weekly basis during lawn maintenance to ensure it is
in suitable condition.
5. Any propeller strikes, impacts, crashes, or other events that are not normal takeoff,
landing or taxi related shall be reported to the field officer for inspection.
6. Winter operation shall not include any attempt to remove ice and snow to avoid
damage to the runway material.
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Appendix A
These pictures show geotextile runway examples:
Figure 2 Geotextile Runway with center stripe.
Figure 3 Geotextile Runway lengthwise view
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Figure 4 Runway Edge with staples visible
Figure 5 Runway Patch
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Figure 6 Runway Prop strike
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Figure 7 Runway incursion
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Email from Sun Parlour Flyers past president:
Andre:
We used a product from Thrace-LINQ (GTF 404) that was sourced from a local
underground supply house. It looks like the same product is sold by a number
of different manufacturers. This was the strongest of the products we looked
at. The key thing is that it is a monofilament weave with a high UV
resistance. We paid about $1100.00/per roll (15’x300’)(with taxes). The
staples were purchased from EBAY (about $100.00/2000 staples)(
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Sandbaggy-1000-6-SOD-Staples-Dog-Fence-LandscapeFabric-Pins-Turf-Electric/120895612145?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c25f0a4f1). We used 6” staples
about every 2-3” in the center and about every 6” along the edges. We also
purchased 100 12” staples that we put along the edges about every 10’ just to
be sure it didn’t lift with the wind(I don’t think they were needed). We had
the staples shipped to a American address since the shipping cost to Canada
was so high. I believe they can be sourced from any grower supply company.
We had a pretty level surface so all we did was spray the area with roundup
about a week before we put the surface down we also rolled our entire field
at the same time. The Geotex was rolled out and positioned to remove the
major wrinkles(we were advised not to stretch the material). Once it was down
it looked pretty bad. The sun was out and we could see the material begin to
stretch out. After a day or two most of the wrinkles were gone. We had one
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area with a few large wrinkles that we were beginning to think would have to
be fixed. A week or two later they were gone also. The runway is now drum
tight.
We have had 3 or 4 small prop cuts so far but they have been easily repaired
with a small patch of the same material and some trowel grade roofing tar.
We have some photos in our photo section of our website at:
http://imageevent.com/sunparlorflyers
Good luck
Dave Doyon
www.sunparlorflyers.ca
Additional Supporting Information
Thrace Geotextiles
http://www.midwestconstruct.com/images/products/geosynthetic_products/thracelinq/Thrace_LINQ_Woven_Monofilaments.pdf
US Airforce use of Geotextiles:
http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2011test/11662TuesdayEber.pdf
Implementation & installation references:
http://www.nest-rc.com/files/Storage/RunwayProcess.pdf
http://www.usfabricsinc.com/products/rcaircraftgeotextile
http://www.usfabricsinc.com/products/rcaircraftgeotextile
http://joplinrcclub.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=9850278 good pics here
http://www.usfabricsinc.com/products/us-230-aeromodeling-geotextile good specs to compare
http://www.laaeromodelers.org/laaero_geotex/laaero_geotex_runway_v14.html good article with lots
of pics
http://imageevent.com/sunparlorflyers/geotextilerunwayinstallation;jsessionid=0gftrfiyw4.eagle_s
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