After around fifty years of use, it was time for a safety upgrade. Along with renovations to the asphalt surface, the runway was widened from 20m to 25m. Not a step out of place: 2,800 tonnes of hot asphalt were delivered by almost 100 articulated lorries. Three pavers worked in parallel to process the asphalt, and then it was compacted by twenty rollers. The 60 tonnes of crushed stone give tyres a better grip on the renovated, wider runway – all in all, it’s much safer, particularly when there are side winds.
A steady supply of materials was the key to achieving the tight schedule. It took a logistical tour de force to meet the project’s demanding deadlines, as the construction site was supplied from asphalt mixing plants in Bottrop, Munster and Werl, all working in parallel.
Once the construction work had been completed and signed off, it was a matter of mere days before the aeroplanes were flying to their normal schedule again.
