The standards-setting organization ASTM International is releasing the first global standard for terminology used in aircraft landing distance calculation methods and assessment. ASTM’s vehicle-pavement system committee (E17) approved the standard, which will soon be published and encompasses 20 terms. Some of the terms have long been in use, but others were introduced to increase accuracy in landing condition reports, ASTM said.

“For the first time in history, terms such as ‘pilot braking action report’ will be formally defined,” said John Gadzinski, president of Four Winds Aerospace Safety and chairman of the aircraft friction subcommittee. “While many of these terms have been in use for decades and are considered essential to commercial aircraft safety, this will be the first time their engineering principles and technical meanings will be precisely articulated.”

ASTM sees the standard benefiting everyone from pilots, operators, airports, to air traffic controllers. In addition, regulators such as the FAA, EASA, and ICAO could further benefit from the standardized safety reporting metric. “This standard will be key in creating professional training programs for pilots so that they will be able to provide reports on braking conditions using a standardized set of principles,” Gadzinski said.

The committee is further working on a standard for measurement and reporting on friction-limited aircraft braking.