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I was watching the following video, showing a 757 landing on Skiathos, Greece.

If you take a look at the 8:26 mark, you'll clearly see that all jet blast fences are positioned with their support toward the apron.

Can someone who knows better than I do confirm for me that this is the wrong way to position jet blast fences?

Here's an image, for those who can't/won't watch the video: enter image description here

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2 Answers 2

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They're being used in a different way than normal in that case. That's just a taxiway, not an engine run-up pad, so they aren't there to deflect max thrust jet blast. They've been arrayed "backwards" to kind of trap debris that gets blown toward the building as aircraft taxi by. That's my guess anyway.

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    $\begingroup$ I'd have to agree with u/John K here, since its only a taxi way they don't want debris blown into the building. Imagine a small rock gets blown while a plane is moving it hits the fences and is directed at the ground, if they were angled towards the building it would act as a ramp and ricochet it right into the windows. $\endgroup$
    – Alex
    Dec 13, 2018 at 14:51
  • $\begingroup$ Interesting! I could've sworn somebody messed up and installed them wrong way around. You live, you learn... $\endgroup$
    – user12873
    Dec 13, 2018 at 18:12
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As a designer and supplier of these products I would suggest that the fences in question are not a solid face and are either a mesh or slatted louvre type design. This would be for low power, taxiing or breakaway thrust and the design allows the airflow through the fence and the louvre or mesh turns the airflow vertically thus creating and aerodynamic protection to the buildings behind. The combination of louvre shape and angle of the installation into the airflow promotes a vertical airflow efflux.

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