Press Release |
Award for Airport Light Monitoring Technology
TMS Photometric Wins ATC Maastricht 2006 Award for Its Mobile Airfield Light Monitoring System (MALMS).
Coventry UK, March 2006: TMS Photometrics has been awarded the ATC Maastricht 2006 Development Award for its MALMS (Mobile Airfield Light Monitoring System) technology. The accolade, which recognises excellence within the air traffic management industry and is designed to raise awareness of significant contributions to air traffic safety, capacity enhancements and increases in efficiency, was announced and presented at the awards ceremony during ATC Maastricht 2006.
MALMS has been specifically developed to accurately, rapidly and easily measure the photometric performance of inset and elevated aerodrome ground lighting (AGL) against the criteria for beam intensity and orientation defined by ICAO standards. The system is a prime example of the mobile photometric technology now recommended by the ICAO, UK CAA and FAA as the only effective means of determining the true performance of runway and taxi-way lighting services
Moreover, the increasing number of airports worldwide that are employing MALMS as part of a preventative maintenance strategy, whereby the system provides the in-field measurements to help determine when, where and what maintenance action is required, are consistently reporting significant improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of their maintenance activity. As a result, they are finding that their core AGL services are now constantly maintained to a verifiable performance level that is well in excess of the minimum standards, and that the new strategy offers significant potential for reducing material waste, and reducing whole life system costs.
TMS Photometrics' Managing Director Vernon Taylor who accepted the award, said, "We are proud to be honoured with this award, and the recognition of the research and development effort that has gone into creating a system that successfully addresses all the factors that can impact on accurate mobile photometric measurement and ease of use. However, I also see in this award the recognition by the Air Traffic Industry of the important role that ground lighting services - and their effective maintenance - play in the continuing effort to improve the safe and efficient operation of airports."
He continued, "There can be little doubt that over the past few years the performance of AGL installations, especially runway services, has come under much greater scrutiny. All the major regulatory authorities have established clear recommendations on the minimum operating criteria for these systems. But more to the point, research and experience has lead to the consensus view among these same authorities, that the traditional monitoring and maintenance practices still employed by many airports are not sufficient to maintain AGL systems within these standards. Therefore, it is now up to individual airports to accept that unmonitored and highly variable AGL performance, with associated operational and safety risks, should no longer be considered acceptable. As with every other aspect of their operation, they need to adopt the new technology and practices that are proven to deliver the AGL performance levels now required."
Taylor concluded, "Our next step, hopefully with the ongoing support of close customers and the
UK CAA is to not only continue the development of MALMS, but also investigate how the technology can be applied to further improve operational performance at airports."
For instance, Taylor believes that one area to be considered is the correlation of I RVR (Instrumented Runway Visual Range) value to actual AGL performance, instead of the present approach of applying an assumed level of light intensity. Such a change could mean that with an effectively maintained AGL system, delivering consistent and verified visual queues, an airport's optimum operational capacity would be available under all conditions, which may not be the current situation. This could result in potential gains in capacity for some airports.
The 2006 ATC Maastricht Conference and Awards were organised by Jane's Information Group and sponsored by Boeing. They are presented in recognition of the contribution to safe skies and efficient airspace management made by members of the industry. There are a number of different categories, with the development award aimed at small enterprises that have raised ATM performance. A panel of experienced judges, drawn from the Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), Eurocontrol, IATA, CANSO and Jane's Information Group selected the winners in each category.
Ends
Images
High Resolution Images of the Award Presentation and the MALMS system are available.
The ATC Maastricht Awards:
The ATC Maastricht Awards, 2006, attracted more nominations than ever, with the line up including major consortiums as well as relative newcomers to the airspace management industry. This year six accolades were presented, within the following categories ;
Enabling technology - award for contribution to enhanced capacity and safety.
Industry - award to reflect a significant contribution by equipment suppliers.
Development - award for small enterprises that have raised ATM performance.
Service provision - award for contribution to safe and efficient airspace management.
Future systems - award for the development of future solutions.
Contribution to European ATM award.
TMS Photometrics won the development award, beating of strong competition from three other nominations:
SkySoft ATM, Switzerland: Software solutions from SkySoft ATM, including SkyModule logic, are used successfully by Skyguide at its Geneva and Zurich control centres. The fast-deployment project logic supports deployment of ATM projects, optimising safety and productivity. For the past four years, SkySoft ATM has been part of Skyguide operational development.
Thruput UK: The TP2800 crystal-clear 2K by 2K LCD display, marketed by Terma of Denmark, is already used by air navigation service providers across the world. The unique TruePixel technology was developed by Thruput with input from the UK safety regulatory group to meet exacting safety needs. Each pixel from the graphic is mapped directly to a pixel on the display without data processing, thereby ensuring absolute accuracy.
Neosys, France: TimeLine combines updated flight-plan and real-radar data to predict the aircraft trajectory that is then shown on an analogue timeline to controllers to aid understanding of complex traffic situations. TimeLine applies to concepts including time-based sequencing and airborne separation assistance system monitoring.
TMS Photometrics
TMS Photometrics is a division of Tailor Made Systems Ltd, and is based in Coventry, UK. The Mobile Airfield Light Monitoring System (MALMS) is the result of an extensive research program commissioned by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and conducted in conjunction with the MOD and DERA.
This research firstly confirmed that due to a variety of factors (current variation, lamp aging, unpredictable contamination build up), traditional light performance monitoring (visual observation, spot readings with light meters and primary current measurement) and maintenance practices (such as block change and spot replacement approaches) are no longer sufficient to maintain systems within the new standards set by ICAO and advised by the FAA. It also proved (confirming ICAO and FAA recommendations) that to effectively meet performance level objectives, requires a combination of using a mobile measuring unit on a routine basis to analyse the characteristics of individual lights, and the adoption of new preventive maintenance approaches.
MALMS has been specifically developed as a mobile system that can easily, rapidly, accurately, and reliably, measure the photometric performance of both inset and elevated AGL runway services (Runway Centre Line, TDZ, Inset and Elevated Edge, Inset Approach) against the criteria for beam intensity and orientation defined in ICAO Annex 14, using the test methodology that Annex 14 specifies. It is therefore suitable to confirm compliance with National and International Standards. MALMS also produces routine reports and detailed graphical information for use by airfield engineering and maintenance staff.
However, while measurement can demonstrate compliance, or lack of it, it cannot ensure compliance. To effectively deliver this requires an integrated maintenance approach. Differential Maintenance, which has also been developed by TMS, in association with the UK CAA and supporting UK aerodromes, is now proven to provide such a regime. This approach enables serviceability levels to be maintained in an effective and efficient manner.
MALMS and the Differential Maintenance strategy are now being regularly employed in airports worldwide; from London Heathrow and throughout Europe, to the Middle East, Far East, Australia and North America.
For more information contact;
Vernon Taylor, Tailor Made Systems Ltd, Barclays Venture Centre, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry UK, CV4 7EZ, Tel +44 (0)24 7641 7421, Email: sales@tmsphotometrics.com
http://www.tmsphotometrics.com
or
Andrew Lee-Mortimer,
Tel 0161 740 6065, email; andrew@lee-mortimer.prestel.co.uk
