Published in Hernando Today
BROOKSVILLE - If a pilot in Panama receives detailed information about slippery runway conditions that spares him from disaster minutes before his tires hit the concrete, there's a chance the credit rests with a small company outside of Brooksville.
The size of Tim Neubert's company and facility doesn't matter – it's all about the number of those who benefit.
Neubert Aero assembles dynamic friction testers, which accurately measures the wear and tear of runways as well as conditions caused by inclement weather.
Each year, Neubert hosts an annual three-day workshop that offers the chance for pilots, airport employees and contractors to earn a certification from the International Friction Pavement Association (IFPA).
A group of more than 50 students across North and Central America participated in the three-day event, during which attendees received hands-on training at the Brooksville Friction Test Facility in the Airport Industrial Park.
Some of the participants traveled from Oakland, Calif., as well as Mexico and Panama.
"You'd be surprised how many airports and military bases don't standardize for friction values," said Neubert, who emphasized the importance of his machines and the workshop he helped host.
John Gadzinski, an accident investigator and safety consultant for fellow airline pilots, said incidences of planes overrunning landing strips because of poor weather conditions occur far too often.
The devices assembled at Neubert's facility off Flight Path Drive measure the friction readings of a runway and send the data to pilots in the air.
News lately has focused on the industrial side of the airport facility — namely which companies are moving in, relocating or expanding — but Hernando County Manager of Economic Development Mike McHugh said it offers a lot for aviation junkies.
"It's nice to have something like this in Brooksville," said McHugh of the IFPA-sponsored workshop. "To be able to offer knowledge of friction (readings) and airport safety here … It's a neat niche."
Specifically, the annual workshop provides required knowledge to the likes of airfield managers, engineers, consultants, airport-pavement design professionals, aviation-accident professionals, pilots and anyone else whose job is directly connected to landing airplanes.
James Wambold, professor emeritus at Penn State University whose specialty is vehicle systems and safety, said the Brooksville workshop provides information that ought to be relayed to thousands of people around the world.
"It focuses on teaching the fundamentals," said Wambold. "It's a well-designed course."
