Re: Ask The Pilot.
It looked interesting in the video, but I haven't taken the time to read that much into it.
My first thought was that the banked circles would surely lead to wings hitting the surface, or engines, as gravity is pulling a (slightly) different direction. But I'm not flash hot on physics either (screwed up simple maths in a thread the other day). With autoland and the current level of control the computer has over flying, perhaps some of the obstacles will be taken out of the mix, but at the end of the day you still need pilots able to train to land the plane if something goes wrong. As we've already had one (major) pilot here brush it off, perhaps it is too far fetched right now, but then again, I doubt 50 years ago anyone would have taken you seriously if you suggested there'd be a double-decker plane able to fly for 15 hours, with an onboard shower!
If the theory is sound, I don't see why a smaller diameter circle couldn't be constructed and tested with light planes, gradually increasing in size to perhaps medium/heavy depending on how you choose to define the weight... ICAO/FAA. If they built the smaller circle on the site that the bigger circle could one day go then if all goes to plan the ground works wouldn't be for nothing, at least in the centre.
I guess, provided there is good drainage at the bottom of the bank, it certainly eliminates excess water buildup on the runway. But new ideas will have to be thought of for ILS.
