24 March 2025
A safety harness to catch fast jets as they land passed its test at this year's Australian International Airshow.
The tactical aircraft arrestor system (TAAS) was given the thumbs up after the trailing hook of a Royal Australian Air Force E/A-18G Growler locked onto a cable laid across the runway during touchdown, following upgrades to the concrete mounting pads at Avalon Airport.
Operated by a five-person team, the TAAS deploys to Defence bases across Australia and some regional civilian sites, including Avalon and Rockhampton.
The lifesaving system provides a rapid and controlled way to decelerate and stop military aircraft during take-off and landing in the event of an emergency.
Ground support equipment manager at the airshow, Flight Sergeant Anthony Ahchow, faced some unique challenges to get the system up and running.
“Avalon Airport is one of the few civilian airfield locations that can support this system and the first non-defence site to have the upgraded concrete pads," Flight Sergeant Ahchow said.
“During the fast jet displays, the system pendant cable remains rigged across the runway from when they take off and until they land.
“The team then need to de-rig the cable and complete a full runway clearance to permit all other aircraft to use the runway without risk of the cable being trampled, or unplanned hook-up of the cable.
“Ensuring the system is rigged and ready to go for the military aircraft, and removed for civilian passenger and cargo aircraft has taken considerable planning and work from the team deployed to support the Australian International Airshow.”
It takes an experienced crew less than four minutes to rig the cable across the runway in preparation to arrest an aircraft. The system can be rewound and reset for another arrest in five minutes.
“The TAAS has 3.5-tonne energy absorbers that can arrest aircraft that weigh up to 90,000 pounds, however, none of the aircraft the system is supporting at the airshow weigh that much,” Flight Sergeant Ahchow said.
“The TAAS is designed to be able to arrest an aircraft, be rewound, reset and arrest again. Repeated arresting will, however, put a strain on the system.
“We maintain a regime count that accounts for the weight and speed in which an aircraft hits the system. This ensures the system used is serviceable and maintained accordingly based upon the regime count.”
The deployable TAAS provides the same level of performance as a permanent aircraft arrestor system.
