Philadelphia Airport is the latest to install EMAS to stop runaway aircraft: Here’s how it works
August 28, 2025
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has just completed its first Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS), a high-tech, crushable surface designed to stop aircraft that overrun the runway.
Installed at the end of Runway 8-26, the system can bring a plane travelling at up to 80 miles per hour to a controlled stop, dramatically increasing safety margins for pilots and passengers alike.
The project was funded by an $8.5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and forms part of a broader upgrade under the Airport Capital Improvement Program.
Excited to join @PhillyMayor, @PhiladelphiaGov’s Department of Aviation and @PHLAirport on their groundbreaking installation of EMAS. This critical runway safety system is one more vital resource that helps keep travelers, flight crews and aircraft safe on the ground.… pic.twitter.com/zCc0wWnXFL
— Bryan Bedford (@FAA_Bryan) August 26, 2025
With over 117 such systems now installed at more than 60 airports across the United States, EMAS is fast becoming a standard defence against one of aviation’s most dangerous yet often overlooked threats: runway excursions.
“Like the airbags in our car, we never want to use them, but we’re glad they’re there,” said Atif Saeed, CEO of the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Aviation.
Runway excursions can be halted with EMAS
Runway excursions, when aircraft either overshoot or veer off the runway, are among the most frequent and hazardous incidents in commercial aviation.
A notable example occurred in December 2023, when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 in South Korea skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport during a belly landing.
The aircraft struck a wall and burst into flames, killing 179 people on board. Investigations later raised serious questions about the airport’s lack of overrun protection systems like EMAS.
But South Korea isn’t alone. Across the world, airports constrained by surrounding terrain or urban development often lack the space to install full-length Runway Safety Areas (RSAs), the standard 1,000-foot buffer zones mandated by the FAA. In such locations, EMAS provides a proven alternative.
Which airport was first to install EMAS?
The first EMAS was installed at New York’s JFK Airport in 1996, following years of research by the FAA, the University of Dayton, and industry partners. Since then, EMAS systems have successfully stopped more than 24 aircraft, including large jets and smaller business planes, without a single failure.
One of the most widely cited successes took place in 2018 at Hollywood Burbank Airport, when a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 overran a rain-slicked runway. The aircraft came to rest in the EMAS bed with no injuries and minimal damage, a clear testament to the system’s effectiveness.
#OTD in 2018: Southwest Airlines Flight WN278, a B-737, overruns the runway in Burbank (California, US). All 117 aboard survive. On landing, jet slid and was unable to stop until arrest by EMAS system. Factors: crew actions on the maneuver and airline´s operational issues. pic.twitter.com/sGUn3RWccv
— Air Safety #OTD by Francisco Cunha (@OnDisasters) December 6, 2023
“To date, EMAS has safely stopped more than 20 overrunning aircraft carrying over 430 crew and passengers,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said. “This critical runway safety system is one more vital resource that helps keep travellers, flight crew and aircraft safe on the ground.”
EMAS: Crushable concrete that saves lives
The Philadelphia EMAS installation, completed in June 2025, involved placing over 2,100 engineered tiles at the eastern end of Runway 8-26. These tiles are made of a specially designed, crushable material that sits three inches below the surface.
When an aircraft enters the EMAS bed, the landing gear compresses the material, reducing the plane’s speed in a controlled deceleration, much like sand traps used in emergency vehicle lanes.
“It looks destructive, but it’s designed to absorb the energy of the aircraft,” said Trip Thomas of Runway Safe, the system’s manufacturer.
The installation was part of a wider overhaul of Runway 8-26, which serves commuter and general aviation traffic at PHL.
The upgrades included stormwater management systems, lighting restoration, utility relocation, and a full resurface and regrading of the overrun area. Despite its complexity, the project was completed ahead of schedule, following its September 2024 launch.
“The recent placement of the EMAS bed on the runway is a planned safety enhancement. It’s a proven system used at airports around the country to enhance safety for passengers and crews,” said Airport Engineering Assistant Manager Lee Sutanto.
Runway safety solutions for growing aviation demand
Philadelphia International Airport handled over 31 million passengers last year, making it the 21st busiest airport in the United States.
As aviation traffic grows, the need for enhanced runway safety systems becomes more urgent, particularly at legacy airports in densely built-up regions where space is at a premium.
“With the EMAS system, we can satisfy our strict safety standards and build additional capacity,” said Bedford.
EMAS not only prevents accidents; it also allows airports to unlock otherwise unusable runway length. In Philadelphia’s case, it enables the 5,000-foot-long Runway 8-26 to accommodate business jets and small commercial aircraft, boosting operational flexibility without compromising safety.
“It’s an expensive upgrade,” Bedford admitted, “but it takes essentially unusable capacity and adds incremental capacity. This is an absolute win-win.”
As aircraft become more advanced and skies more crowded, runway excursions remain one of the last stubborn threats to aviation safety.
But with systems like EMAS, airports are gaining a critical layer of defence, one that passengers may never notice, but that could one day save their lives.
