Acquisition Distance of LED Based Runway Closure Lighting

This project will evaluate the pilot acquisition distance of light emitting diodes LED-based runway closure lighting to ascertain if such lighting is comparable or greater than traditional incandescent (L-893) runway closure lighting. Evaluation will be completed at three airports with varying light pollution, during day and night Visual Flight Rules. This project proposes a series of controlled field experiments to be conducted at three test airports using traditional runway closure lighting (incandescent) and LED-based closure lighting. Pilots will fly approaches to a closed runway and report the distance at which the lighted Xs of each type are first observed as well as when the pilots detect the actual X and color displayed. This statement of work proposes the field experiments be conducted at the Purdue University Airport, the Ohio State University Airport, and the Orlando Melbourne International Airport. Partnering in this study will be: (1) The Federal Aviaton Administration (FAA) who will supply the LED test equipment, (2) Purdue University, Ohio State University, and Florida Institute of Technology who will supply research staff, airport technicians, and a specified location on their respective airports to administer the study, (3) Pilots and students from the respective universities who will evaluate the lighting acquisition distances and (4) The Purdue University Airport, the Ohio State University Airport, and the Orlando Melbourne International Airport.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Centers of Excellence - Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $131,099.34
• Contract Numbers:

  12-C-GA-PU-034

  12-C-GA-OSU-020

  12-C-GA-FIT-009

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City International Airport
  Atlantic City, NJ  United States  08405
• Project Managers:

  Bassey, Robert

• Performing Organizations:

  Ohio State University, Center for Aviation Studies

  2036 Neil Avenue
  Bolz Hall, Suite 228
  Columbus, OH  United States  43210

  Florida Institute of Technology

  150 W. University Boulevard
  Melbourne, FL  United States  32901

  Purdue University, Polytechnic

  401 N. Grant Street
  West Lafayette, IN  United States  47907
• Principal Investigators:

  Winter, Scott

  Young, Seth

  Fanjoy, Richard

• Start Date: 20151208
• Expected Completion Date: 20160831
• Actual Completion Date: 20160831
• Source Data: PEGASAS Project 18

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air traffic control; Aircraft pilotage; Airport operations; Airport runways; Aviation safety; Light emitting diodes; Lighting systems; Visual flight
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01587290
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability
• Contract Numbers: 12-C-GA-PU-034, 12-C-GA-OSU-020, 12-C-GA-FIT-009
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 19 2016 4:02PM