SOLAR AIRPORT LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

Technologies in Solar, Led & IoT fields have made many advancements in the past decade and present a practical, economical alternative to high-cost electrical infrastructure for small, remote, and off-grid airports. DOUBLEWISE’s research and experience in this field have provided useful guidance for decentralized solar lighting in airports around the world since 2001.

In the past five years, DOUBLWISE has completed the provision of solar visual navaid lighting systems for 43 airports in 16 countries. From these services, we have also reaped solutions to major issues such as how to deal with emergencies, how to face bad weather, and how to make customers’ investment sustainable. These solar lighting systems are installed on the following two kinds of runways.

Solar Runway Guard Light
Solar Sign
Solar Airport Bird Repeller
Solar Windsock

NON-INSTRUMENT RUNWAYS

Visual flight rules (VFR) are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. The pilot must be able to operate the aircraft with visual reference to the ground, and by visually avoiding obstructions and other aircraft.

Night visual flight rules (NVFR) defined by ICAO are the visual flight rules under which a flight may be performed at night primarily by visual reference.
For non-instrument runways, the common lights under the rules of ICAO & FAA include:

· Low Intensity Runway Edge Lights(White/White, White/Yellow or Yellow/White) are installed along the edges of the runway.
· Runway Threshold/End Lights are installed at either end of a runway consisting of at least six lights equally spaced not more than three meters from the runway extremity. Bi-directional red/green lights must be used if the airport is used in both directions.
· A Simple Approach Lighting System should be provided to serve a non-instrument runway where the code number is 3 or 4, except when the runway is used only in conditions of good visibility or sufficient guidance is provided by other visual aids.
· Taxiway Lights(Blue) are installed along the edges of each taxiway. They define the lateral limits of the taxiway.

A typical case is the Brazil FREIJO Airport completed by DoubleWise in 2020. Other airstrips are similar to FREIJO Airport in the installation of solar visual lighting system.

Application:  Rural airstrip
Airport:  Freijo airport
Location:  Acre State, Brazil
Runway:  1,200 m x 24 m
Solution:  Solar Airfield Lighting System
Products:
Solar Runway Edge Lights,
Solar Threshold/End Lights,
Solar Airport Beacon,
Solar Taxiway Lights,
Wireless controller Unit
Year of Installation:  2020

NON-PRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAYS

Instrument runway means one equipped with visual and electronic navigational aids in order to meet the landing or take-off of aircraft under restricted visibility conditions. They are defined as precision or non-precision approach runways by ICAO.

Non-Precision Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) lighting systems include the Medium Intensity Runway lighting system and a Simple Approach Lighting system. For non-precision instrument runways, the common lights under the rules of ICAO & FAA show as follows:

· Medium Intensity Runway Edge Lights(White/White, White/Yellow or Yellow/White) are installed along the edges of the runway.
· Runway Threshold/End Lights are installed at either end of a runway consisting of at least six lights equally spaced not more than three meters from the runway extremity. Bi-directional red/green lights must be used if the airport is used in both directions.
· A Simple Approach Lighting System should be provided to serve a non-precision instrument runway.
· Taxiway Lights(Blue) are installed along the edges of each taxiway. They define the lateral limits of the taxiway.

The typical case for General Aviation Airport‘s solar visual lighting system is the Chinese ZHOUKOU Airport completed by DoubleWise in 2019. The airport has been in operation for more than three years, and its solar airfield lighting system has successfully completed its required 365 days/year night flight.

Application: General Aviation Airport
Airport: ZHOUKOU airport
Location: XIHUA County, Henan Province, China
Runway: 1,400 m x 30m
Solution: Solar Airport Lighting System
Products:

Solar Runway Edge Lights,
Solar Threshold/End Lights,
Solar Approach Lights
Solar Airport Beacon,
Solar Taxiway Lights,
Solar Runway Guard Lights
Wireless control Terminal
Year of Installation:  2019

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