Will circular runway airports ever take off?

AMSTERDAM — Scientists in the Netherlands are working at the country’s aerospace center to develop circular airport runways.

After several years of research, scientist Henk Hesselink believes that circular runways could have several benefits, including being more environmentally friendly and less noisy, the BBC reported.

The European Commission funded the research project called the Endless Runway, on which Hesselink and five European institutes collaborated together, the NL Times reported.

The group proposed constructing a 3.5-km-wide circular runway with banked sides divided into 18 runway segments, with the airport terminal in the center of the circle.

The length of the runway would be equal to three straight runways, while being able to handle the air traffic of four.

Circular runways would allow planes to land and take off at any point in the circle, according to Hesselink.

Pilots would be able to land in directions with the most favorable weather conditions, while avoiding difficult maneuvers in situations such as strong crosswinds.

The circular design would also mean aircraft would have to circle the airport less, thus using less fuel.

The design allows for three planes to land and take off at the same time.

Because of centrifugal forces, planes would automatically go slower, and move towards the center of the runway, Hesselink said.

Circular runways could also limit noise pollution by spreading it out more evenly around the airport.

The U.S. military conducted tests in the 1960s with circular runways, but commercial circular runways have never been built.