A runway-sweeping radar that seeks out potentially dangerous debris is to be installed at Vancouver International Airport in Canada next year.
In July 2000 an Air France Concorde caught fire and crashed shortly after take-off, killing 113 people and speeding the aircraft’s retirement. Metal debris that had fallen onto the runway from another aircraft shredded the Concorde’s tyres, and chunks of hot tyre rubber punctured the fuel tanks, igniting the fuel.
To prevent such accidents, defence technology firm Qinetiq of Farnborough, UK, has developed the runway radar. It can detect smaller objects than normal radar because it uses radio waves…
