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Every airport I have encountered has flat runways and taxiways.

Of course this is not exactly true, as some other questions picked up, and it is also possible that I just happened to visit mostly flat airports.

Is there any specification for maximum slope gradient an aircraft can safely taxi on?

A slope could be useful if an airport wanted to build an airplane bridge for example.

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  • $\begingroup$ I suspect you've visited a limited (and perhaps rather boring) selection of airports. Offhand, I recall Smiley Creek in Idaho and Alpine County in California as having noticable slopes. Then there was Nevada Flyers north of Reno, where you generally approached at a 45 degree angle over a gravel pit, touched down on a downslope, then climbed a noticable hill followed by another downslope. $\endgroup$ – jamesqf Feb 9 '16 at 5:12
  • $\begingroup$ I suspect it wasn't with an A380 right ? $\endgroup$ – Antzi Feb 9 '16 at 5:30
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    $\begingroup$ Nope, Piper Cherokee, mostly. If you want answers that are limited to commercial passenger aircraft (in which I have very little interest), you should say so in the question. $\endgroup$ – jamesqf Feb 9 '16 at 20:35
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Footnote: I hope this is the correct/ current regulation. Published date is 25 January 2015.

Your question is covered (for EASA regulations) in the document Certification Specifications and Guidance Material for Aerodromes Design (link) in two sections:

  • Taxiway Slope (CS ADR-DSN.D.265)
  • Taxiway Slope changes (CS ADR-DSN.D.270)

CS ADR-DSN.D.265 Longitudinal slopes on taxiways

(a) The safety objective of limiting the longitudinal taxiway slope is to enable stabilised safe use of taxiway by an aircraft.

(b) The longitudinal slope of a taxiway should not exceed:

  1. 1.5% where the code letter is C, D, E, or F; and
  2. 3% where the code letter is A or B.

CS ADR-DSN.D.270 Longitudinal slope changes on taxiways

(a) The safety objective of limiting the longitudinal taxiway slope changes is to avoid damage of aircraft and to enable safe use of taxiway by an aircraft.

(b) Where slope changes on a taxiway cannot be avoided, the transition from one slope to another slope should be accomplished by a curved surface with a rate of change not exceeding:

  1. 1% per 30m (minimum radius of curvature of 3000m) where the code letter is C, D, E,or F; and
  2. 1% per 25m (minimum radius of curvature of 2500m) where the code letter is A or B.

(c) Where slope changes in (b)(1) and (2) are not achieved and slopes on a taxiway cannot be avoided, the transition from one slope to another slope should be accomplished by a curved surface which should allow the safe operation of all aircraft in all weather conditions.

The letters refer to the airport categorization.

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    $\begingroup$ Good to see EASA being referenced! $\endgroup$ – molgar Jul 11 '16 at 13:25

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