How long should Runway End Safety Areas (RESAs) extend?

Runway End Safety Areas (RESAs) are designed to enhance the safety of aircraft during landing and takeoff by providing a buffer zone beyond the runway. The correct extension of RESAs is 300 feet. This distance is established to minimize the risk of damage to aircraft and injury to occupants in the event of an overrun, undershoot, or landing incident.

Having a 300-foot extension provides ample area for an aircraft to come to a stop safely, especially in cases where an aircraft may not fully land on the runway or may experience a failure during takeoff. This safety feature is crucial in mitigating the potential for accidents and ensuring a higher level of safety at airports.

Other options reflect distances that do not meet the established safety standards for RESAs. For instance, 200 feet would not provide enough buffer, while both 400 feet and 500 feet exceed the minimum requirements, which may not always be practical or feasible for every runway layout. Thus, the standard 300-foot extension strikes the right balance between safety needs and operational efficiency.