FEATURE SPONSOR
SPECIALIST LIGHTING
AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEMS
Aircraft detection lighting systems continuously monitor the airspace around an obstruction or group of obstructions for aircraft and when the detection system detects an aircraft in its airspace, the system sends an electronic signal to the lighting control unit, which turns on the lights. Once the aircraft clears the obstruction area and there are no longer any safety concerns, the detection system turns off the lights and the system returns to standby mode. Other companies have also been
approached by OCAS, which has now been acquired by Vestas North America. According to Jim Patterson, manager of the FAA’s airport safety R&D section at the William J Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J., that caused a lot of problems for projects considering OCAS because, “OCAS had not yet demonstrated to the FAA that their technology was even worthy of performing the task.”
CAPABILITY – MEETING STANDARDS
Several companies have proposed radar solutions to detect aircraft and control the lights, but to date, the FAA has only certified two companies as being able to effectively detect aircraft within three miles of one of the turbines.
“With that 3-mile distance in mind, we worked with a company called Laufer Wind Group, out of New York City, and we were able to facilitate an evaluation of their technology with the Department of Energy at the National Renewable Energy Lab, or NREL, in Boulder, Colorado. Laufer was able to install their sensors on some prototype wind turbines out in Boulder, and we used an aircraft to fly and validate their system to prove that it met the standards that we had put down. We published that report on our website,” Patterson said. “We also started working with a company called Terma on their obstruction lighting control, or OLC. The company has very heavy ties to military and their technology is quite proven for port and harbor protection in its ability to find small vessels, ships and any type of movement that might be on a body of water.” continued Patterson.
KINGDOM COMMUNITY
WIND MAY BE THE FIRST OPERATING WINDFARM TO ADOPT OBSTRUCTION LIGHTING CONTROL
“It’s a longer-range sensor, and a little bit bigger than the Laufer system as far as the sensor requirements. But all-in-all, we were able to facilitate a demonstration of that out in Mojave, California. That solution has been approved, and that report is now published and available on our website, as well. So as of right now, we’ve got two technologies out there: the Laufer system and the Terma system that we have finished our research reports and have those available on our website.”
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Patterson says radar lighting control has additional benefits. “It prevents birds from being attracted to our FAA obstruction lighting, so it’s got a very positive impact on wildlife. And it helps the nearby communities be more accepting of renewable energy. “We’ve proven that it still needs the range we need to keep aircraft safe and let pilots still see the same lighting configuration they would see with or without the technology. It could be considered a more expensive ‘switch’ to turn the aircraft warning lights on and off, and that’s true, but it seems to be a solution that’s really helping all parties involved.”
Terma AS
SCAN/CLICK
MORE INFO
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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