Stop bars for safer airfield operation

On average, every airport experiences at least one runway incursion every year and it is just coincidence whether it remains an incident or becomes a fatal accident. Statistics from Eurocontrol show that Runway incursions are as regular during good weather conditions as they are during bad conditions.

 

ICAO, Eurocontrol and other organisations single out Stop Bars as one of the most effective factors in preventing Runway Incursions in both good and low visibility. Despite the clear statistics most airports continue to operate without stop bars in good weather conditions.

 

Installation

Arguments such as that installation will disturb daily operation are not valid when installing the ASP system. As the system provides individual lamp control by communicating over the power circuit, the installation requires no civil works or separate cabling. This offers the airport the most cost efficient and reliable solution for both new installations as well as retro fitting to existing systems.

 

Incursion alarm

If an airplane, vehicle etc is passing a lit stop-bar and generating a runway incursion, an incursion alarm can be communicated to the Tower. To facilitate this, sensors are installed at the stop-bar for monitoring of the taxiway, using the light series circuit to communicate any alarm. A sensor solution can be a fully automatic alternative with the sensors controlling the relighting of the stop bar and the lead on lights, or a complementary solution, with manual control or time-out control for stop-bars and lead on segments.

 

Requirements and standards

• As described in FAA AC 150/5340-28 the ASP system is the ultimate solution for the combination of in-pavement RGL (IPRGL) and stop bar lights installed together in a single location. RGL lights are used for operation in RVR >1200 feet and stop bar lights in RVR < 1200 feet. Both the RGL and stop bar can be realized using an addressable light system ICAO Annex 14 / Visual aids / 5.3.19 Stop bars
• ICAO Annex 14 / Aerodrome Maintenance / 10.4.8 Visual aids
• ICAO Annex 14 / Electrical systems / 8.3 Monitoring
• ICAO Annex 14/ 9.8 SMGCS
• ICAO A-SMGCS Manual/ 2.5.4 Control
• FAA AC 150/5348-28 Low visibility Taxiway Lighting systems

 

Stop-bar and lead on light control sequence

 

Stop bar lights on Lead on lights off Aircraft on hold	Stop bar lights off Lead on lights on Aircraft proceeds	Stop bar lights on Lead on lights 1st segment off Aircraft proceeds	Stop bar lights on All lead on lights off Next aircraft on hold

 

 

ASP system - principal layout

 

Taxi centre line and lead on lights, Stop bar, Runway Guard lights and Sensors

 

Example:

Current supply to the taxi centre line, stop bars and lead on lights are supplied from 2 series circuits (total 4 CCRs in the example) All stop bars, lead on segments and RGL are separately controllable Individual lamp monitoring of all lights including the Runway Guard Lights! Adjacent lamp failure monitoring! Sensors connected to the series circuit! Synchronized flashing of Runway Guard Lights!

 

For further information and technical details of the ASP system please refer to the ASP Product leaflet.

 

References

 

Safegate has delivered stop bars solutions using ASP technology to

 

Austria:	Vienna
Brunei:	Bandar Seri Begawan
Canada:	Halifax
China:	Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok, Xian, Hangzhou, Shanghai/Pudong, Urumqi
Denmark:	Copenhagen-Kastrup
Finland:	Helsinki-Vantaa
France:	Bordeaux, Nantes, Pau, Marseilles, Balê-Mulhouse, Toulouse, Clermont Ferrand, Lyon, Lille, Strasbourg, Metz/Nancy, Brest
Singapore:	Changi
Sweden:	Stockholm-Arlanda, Gothenburg-Landvetter, Malmö-Sturup
Qatar:	Al Udeid, Doha