Abstract:

ESDU 96024 presents as an illustration of the use of the Bivariate Normal Distribution an analysis of data for the length and width of a sample of paved runways from two regions of the United States. The distribution of runways in terms of lengths and widths is of relevance to the operators of aircraft, for example in assessing the validity of airworthiness assumptions with respect to the probability of finding any particular width of runway. This can be relevant to the definition of minimum control speeds on the ground or the acceptable cross-wind limit. Transforms of the distributions of the length and width are found that are Normally distributed and simply correlated. The sample is then treated as a Bivariate Normal Distribution. The results are used, as an example, to assess the probabilities of runways being less than a particular length or width, or the probability that a runway of a particular width will be less than a particular length, or that a runway will be less than a particular width and length.