From 25 January to 26 April, Schiphol Amsterdam Airport will carry out major maintenance work on the Polderbaan runway (18R-36L). During the activities, the runway will not be available for air traffic.
An area of 600.000 square meters is being renovated. 150.000 tons of asphalt will be supplied and processed for the maintenance of the track and the surrounding roads. 60% of the asphalt that is removed and recycled in the same batch of maintenance work will be reused.
In addition to surface renewal, other activities include installing 70 kilometers of cables and replacing 2 track lights with a more durable LED variant. The activities will be carried out in collaboration with Heijmans.
The Dutch Air Traffic Control (LVNL) will also take advantage of this major maintenance period on runway 18R-36L to replace the runway's ILS system. An "instrument landing system" helps aircraft land on the runway under a controlled regime and special conditions.
During the maintenance period, the Polderbaan runway will not be available for air traffic. The Zwanenburgbaan runway (18C-36C) will be used more in a southerly direction (for the landing of aircraft from the north).
During the day, in the case of a northerly wind, air traffic will take off from the Zwanenburgbaan runway, if possible, depending on the circumstances (such as air traffic, traffic composition and weather), or from the Buitenveldertbaan runway (09-27). . For night flights, an exemption for take-off from the Zwanenburgbaan runway was requested. Occasionally, in case of strong northeasterly winds, the Kaagbaan runway (06-24) can be used for take-off in direction 06.