Orlando Upgrades Its ARINC Lightning Warning System

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority recently upgraded its lighting warning system at Orlando International to ARINC's latest ForeWarn product, which shows ground personnel the actual locations of lightning strikes as a storm enters pre-defined warning areas so managers can use their judgment on how and when to react.

ARINC believes the best way to respond to storm threats, without unnecessarily interrupting ground support operations is to more accurately detect when a risk of lightning exists, take appropriate action, and confirm when the risk has passed.

To accomplish this, ARINC's ForeWarn begins by monitoring data from EFMs (electric-field mills (EFMs) installed on the airport grounds, and combines this local data with regional lightning information from ARINC's partner Vaisala.

The enhanced ForeWarn TWX1200 has an improved map display, configurable warning areas, individual timers for warning areas and EFM, and a status window to show alert conditions at each location.  It can automatically send local and remote warnings to strategic local operations, airlines, and airfield users via colored RADS (remote alarm displays) and 90-decibel alarms. It also has wireless alarm broadcast capabilities.

The Vaisala lightning data is now delivered over the airport's high-speed LAN (local area network) instead of a satellite feed. The LAN also carries the local alarm and EFM data, which reduces the need for leased phone lines and improves troubleshooting capability, ARINC says.  10-15-2007.

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