The grip tester is used for surface friction testing of airport, highway and other paved surfaces and have been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA – United States Department of Transportation) for US airports. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) approval exists and procedures are now included in the third edition of the ICAO airport service manual. The grip tester offers agencies or consultants rapid and accurate friction data collection on a routine basis.
The grip with over 100 units in service worldwide, is economy by design supported by low cost, ease of operation, simple caliber and small size. Full Calibration is accomplished easily within fifteen minutes and operation is carried out by one operator. The grip tester works on the braked wheel principle. Drag and load are measured continuously and their quotient the friction coefficient – is calculated and displayed on a hand-held computer or a PC. Calibration is simple and effective.
In 1992, the grip tester participated very successfully in the PIARC “International experiment to compare and harmonize friction testing”. The grip tester has been ‘Received’ by the French department of transport and is used on the French highway, in Canada Australia and Romania.
The agency agreement was signed recently in Scotland between Findlay Irvine (Delia Harveson Sales Director) and Allied Trading & Engineering (Pvt) Ltd (Rajah Abeyasinghe JT Managing Director).
The Airport Aviation and Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd., placed orders for one grip tester to be used at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.
