Further LED Developments from ATG Airports
24 September 2008
atg airports have now supplied 100 of their new ZA216L taxiway edge lights, which utilise light emitting diode (LED) technology and will provide a 'quantum leap' in performance.
The atg airports ZA216L exhibits many new features and concepts when compared to the existing incandescent based technology. The three high power 'luxeon' light emitting diodes, developed by Lumidrives Ltd, can produce enough light from 3W, whereas the existing technology would need at least 30W per light. For airport operators, a 90% reduction in power will provide considerable savings in infrastructure and operating costs for their visual aid lighting.
The projected life of the ZA216L is expected to be in excess of 50,000 hours, thus increasing the interval between maintenance from one to eight years. When compared to the existing technology, the LED product will provide the airport operator with considerable savings in resources. atg airports’ ZA216L project also represents a partnership between a number of different suppliers. Converteam Kidsgrove has devised a dedicated power converter that will enable the LED airfield light to operate from the airfield circuit power infrastructure. The ZA216L will match the response performance of the existing technology and create different intensity levels that are specified by international airfield standards.
The technology also has the potential to be introduced in inset fixtures embedded in the taxiway structure, such as the ZA280LED fixture. As a stop bar fixture, which provides an essential light barrier between the taxiway and a live runway, the additional life of the LED's provide additional re-assurance to the airfield maintenance teams, who are mandated to keep adjacent lights operational at all times.
The power converters also feature an external 'inhibit-enable' function, which, when inter-locked with other lights, provide a fail-safe method for ensuring operations about the stop bar, without needing to control the complete power circuit. It is envisaged that the electronic power converter will provide functions and applications that are not currently feasible with the existing technology.
The component suppliers have developed a number of unique innovations within the product. Gillinder Glass Inc, the US technical glass specialist, has devised a refractor mix that will match the wavelength of the LED's and reduce the thermal absorption of the airfield light. Also, to aid airfield inspectors, the glass colour will exhibit the colour of the airfield light when the circuit is not operating.
The release of the ZA216L is well-timed, considering the Civil Aviation Authority has recently issued a 'NOTAL' that will allow UK Airports to implement LED technology on their taxiways after consultation and trials with industry working groups.
The ZA216L taxiway edge light created significant interest from an international customer base when exhibited at the InterAirport trade show in Munich. This is in addition to the attention it received at the FAA Airport Conference Hershey in Pennsylvania, when it was exhibited by atg airports' US partner, FlightLight Inc, earlier this year.
Manchester International Airport and Oxford (Kidlington) Airport have installed 80 of the new ZA216L taxiway edge lights, with pilots already reporting an improvement. Due to the initial success of the ZA216L taxiway edge LED fixture, atg airports will offer more products towards the end of the year, and are currently finalising approvals for taxiway products for the US market, where there has been significant up-take of this technology.
The atg airports ZA216L airfield taxiway edge light is already proving to be a success and shows that by working with the licensing authorities, combined with design innovation and the co-ordination of an international supplier base, a UK firm can market a successful product for both home and international markets.
