Hi again Bob and Richard,

This is another question I got wrong, due to data I could not find. Not that its the end of the world, but it can be the end of an exam question.

I am trying to find whether the runway is grass (long wet or short wet / long dry ) and I get shown that the 14/32 Runway as 20 c (Unrated). From the legend I can see its "unsealed", but from that alone I can't differentiate if its gravel, grass (short wet, dry, or long wet).

In this case its Cooma Airport, and the Runway in use is 14/32, which is show in the ERSA (also scanned and attached) as 20 c. Its also interesting to note that in ERSA (also scanned as the second attachment) that the c type runway says (ALWAYS to be qualified with a note). Am I to assume that in this case (Cooma / Snowy Mountains that Air Services failed to qualify the secondary RWY with a note, coz I can't find that note anywhere, so am still in the dark as to the RWY SFC.

Thanks

Brook

Hi Brook
Unrated is a term used when the surface has not been rated for weight.
I would assume the note would be issued via NOTAM as to the surface condition, and would change depending on weather.
If I were asked a question in regards to this in an exam, I would go with short dry grass unless otherwise stated.
cheers
Ben

Excerpt from CASR 1998 Part 139

14. UNRATED PAVEMENTS
14.1 Where the aerodrome pavements consists of a natural surface or a gravel surface of
low bearing capacity and a pavement strength rating cannot realistically be assigned to the
pavement, the entry in the AIP-ERSA has traditionally been reported as ‘unrated’. The
unrated pavement fills the gap where the strength of the pavement has never been determined
using either a technical evaluation or from aircraft usage. This is normally applicable to noncertified
or non-registered aerodromes where testing for soft wet surfaces is the simplified
method of assessing the suitability of the runway pavement.

Thanks Ben - good call the NOTAM (I just would have thought it would have been ERSA or DAP due to specific airstrip). I used short dry grass but still managed that one wrong. Passing the main exam was good though!
Thanks for your help!