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DOCKING GUIDANCE SYSTEMS | FEATURE
efficiency and performance, especially in poor weather conditions such as snow, heavy rain, fog or low sunset. More recently, a cooperation agreement with Swedish FMT, a techno- logical leader in docking guidance, has been agreed and it is noteworthy that at last year’s Dubai Air Show, FMT provided guest speakers, at ADB’s invitation, to demonstrate their Visual Docking Guidance Systems. With more than 40 years’ experience of the technology, Swedish- based, FMT first produced their Aircraft Parking and Information (APIS) system based on azimuth guidance by range target, incorporating two bars and ground sensors to detect the nosewheel position confirming distance to go and where to stop.
The second stage of development, patented by FMT used Moiré (optic) technology for azimuth guidance and microwave technology for assess- ing distance. The third step was to use a laser to replace the microwave and this has since become the most common standard to measure dis- tance to go and STOP information for aircraft on the stand. This system was named APIS++ and more than 1,000 of these units have been deliv- ered worldwide.
In another FMT patented technology, APIS++ may be integrated with the FMT Passenger Boarding Bridge to provide control and safety of the boarding bridge by passing coordinates to its computer, which guides it semi-automatically to the aircraft door. FMT’s automatic Passenger Boarding Bridges, together with its own Aircraft Parking and Informa- tion System, APIS++, interfaced to ATLANTIS, Apron Management Sys- tem, provide a unique integrated system. This integration is said to be the key to safety, flexibility and speed for efficient turnaround of large aircraft.
By providing integrated and automatic boarding bridge systems, in- cluding over-the-wing configuration, aircraft like the A380 can be turned around within 30 minutes, using three boarding bridges, of which one is upper deck, one to the front door and one over the wing. The Company has also developed the FMT Airpark System, designed to be a robust and reliable aircraft parking aid, that is in full compliance with the ICAO Annex 14 regulations. Airpark is based on Moiré technol- ogy for real-time and unambiguous lateral aircraft guidance, in combina- tion with a manually controlled stopping position indicator. The system comprises different components that can be combined into several different configurations, as required by local, operational
“A single JB1900 hand-held controller can manage multiple aircraft parking via a selector switch”
conditions. These elements are azimuth guidance unit, traffic lights, control panel and stand number sign.
Another video-based system is the VDGS from Honeywell Airport Sys- tems GmbH that guides the pilot providing continuous data, register- ing ONBLOCK/OFFBLOCK times and monitoring the gate area. This lat- ter function can be crucial in day-to-day activity, as it is only too often demonstrated that “stray” equipment can be easily overlooked under the pressures of an operational arrival. This is achieved using a high dynamic range video sensor unit and an image processing system based on 3D aircraft models.
The computer-assisted VDGS calculates information on an aircraft’s location and transforms it into precise guidance information for both pilot and copilot. Its video sensor and 3D model-based processing system are able to recognise the outline of an approaching aircraft at distances of up to 100 metres.
In addition to specific docking guidance instructions, the Pilot Dis-
play Unit (PDU) can also provide information to ground crews before, during and after on blocks. The PDU can be integrated into the facade of a terminal gate or mounted independent of the terminal structure. In the United States, J & B Aviation Services, has developed the JB1900 Gate Park System, a simple to operate fail-safe system to pro- vide parking guidance, using both human and mechanical components for guidance.
The automatic element comprises aircraft alignment and a fail-safe feature to stop the aircraft in case of emergency. The human input al- lows the handling agent to control the parking of the aircraft via a hand held controller. Because the JB1900 signal can be quickly returned to red, by release of the hand-held controller, the handling agent can alert the pilot to any emergency that would require the aircraft to come to a rapid stop.
A single JB1900 hand-held controller can manage multiple aircraft parking via a selector switch. This is particularly effective at gate posi- tions where many types of aircraft are positioned with different cen- trelines of cockpit viewing area. Mirror technology offers a low-cost, fail-safe method for the precision parking of aircraft that has been developed in conjunction with the UK’s Gatwick Airport. This initiative represents the simpler approach to the problem providing accurate positional guidance with lower costs and less
MARCH 2012 | AIRSIDE INTERNATIONAL 19