Today’s invention is an airport runway which consists of a bed of tightly packed rollers. Each of these can be rotated at a variable speed and is provided with a controllable, vertical spring and damper.
This arrangement, although more expensive than tarmac, has certain advantages.
It allows planes to do without heavy, complicated, fuel-sapping undercarriages (using reinforced fuselage skid strips instead.
It maintains the runway free of debris and ice
It provides a much safer and smoother landing (including a surface profile and springiness tailored to each individual plane)
It can help power take-off, in either direction, thus reducing noise
Any fuel spillage is drained away rapidly.
