Projects Archives - Airfield Lighting Systems

Blackbushe Airport installs new ALCMS Control System.

IAVNA has completed a major upgrade of the AGL lighting at Blackbushe Airport in Surrey. The installation consisted of super bright LED light fittings from ALS for the Runway Edge, Guard lights, Signs, Wind Cones and a complete customised ALCMS control system. The Pathfinder control system is PLC based has an Arcal radio control interface and can be used out of hours by the air ambulance service. Also installed were ALS LED PAPI units, with a power consumption of 57W, the ALS PAPI is significantly more economical than similar products. This allows the pilot to establish and maintain an exact glide path to the runway for the final landing approach phase, right to the touchdown point during daytime and night

London Heliport gets a Birthday makeover

The London Heliport is celebrating its 65th birthday this month. It has just completed works to improve its FATO (final approach and take off) with new lighting and safety netting. Fresh fuel tanks are also in the pipeline. The work was completed by L.G. Electrical who chose ALS LED lighting for the project. Some 40 ALS Heliport FATO lights were chosen along with a new control system.

Mathew Rice, Heliport Manager said “To say I am pleased with the results is an understatement! 30+ years the lights and netting had been there, hopefully these ones will be there for many more”.

Southampton Goes Smart

Southampton Airport completes major lighting upgrade.

The first Runway in the UK to install SmartBolts.

Southampton International Airport (SOU) has just completed an extension to its main runway and upgrade of its airfield lighting to new LED fittings from Airfield Lighting Systems UK Limited (ALS) in Wickford, Essex.

The 164m extension to the northern end of Southampton’s runway will allow the airport to attract new airlines and offer new routes, creating exciting opportunities for business and leisure, while guaranteeing the airport’s viability.

The upgrade makes history as the airport chose to install SmartBolts from ALS on the Runway making it the first airport in the UK to do so. 140 SmartBolts were used to secure the Runway Centerline fittings in a new initiative to reduce FOD and reduce maintenance time by utilising the visual identification system on the bolt.

SmartBolts have a colour indicator built in that works on tension and when the bolts are at the correct setting the SmartBolt indicator turns black. If during a routine inspection, the bolts appear red then the engineer knows action is required.

The project also saw 126 x ALS LED Inset Runway Centerline installed, 59 x LED Approach lights, 56 x LED Elevated Runway Edge Lights, 20 x LED Threshold Wing Bars, 5 x LED Runway End, 10 x LED Inset Runway Edge lights and all were installed using our high precision sighting device. Alongside this were all the necessary adaptor rings, transformers, cables, and connector kits.

The project was handled by Volker Fitzpatrick who worked closely with ALS to ensure the meticulous planning of the project was completed smoothly.

Keith Spicer said, ”We were delighted to work closely with the team at Volker Fitzpatrick on this project and thrilled that Southampton chose to be the first runway in the UK to utilise the SmartBolts safety product in its runway centreline lights.”

A brighter future at the Mount.

June 2023, The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has just completed work at the Mount Pleasant Airfield in the Falkland Islands with Mitie and Gatwick Construction to install new LED lighting and Signs from Airfield Lighting Systems UK Limited (ALS) in Wickford, Essex.

An RAF A400M is recovered to a hangar at Mount Pleasant Complex in the Falkland Islands. (Crown Copyright, MOD 2019)

Work has concluded on an almost £7 million Defence Infrastructure Organisation Project, to extend the lifespan of the runaway at the Mount Pleasant Complex (MPC).

This is particularly important given that it is used for the airbridge flights to and from the UK, for LATAM flights connecting the Falkland Islands to South America, and the Falkland Island Government Air Service (FIGAS) which connects MPC with the outlying islands of the Falklands.

The upgrade involved the installation of 80 LED internally Edge lit ALS signs installed on the airfield. ALS have been making signs since 2008 in the UK and have a unique design Innovative design of mounting poles that go through the sign itself to keep it stable during installation and operation. This design feature also facilitates easier installation.

Their range of LED internally lit ICAO/EASA/CAP168 compliant guidance signs, single or double sided are at the forefront of new technology, ALS have designed their LED Taxiway signs to be both energy efficient and require minimal maintenance. The construction utilises the robustly designed ALS cabinet and uses stainless steel fixings throughout which ensures optimal performance despite the arduous weather conditions experienced in the Falkland’s.

The Project also included the provision of 29 ALS Runway Guard Lights, necessary primary AGL cables and 13 non-illuminated signs.

The installation of the products was carried out by Gatwick Construction Limited a partner of ALS, who were present on-site alongside MITIE to supervise the installation process. They were both satisfied with the service provided and by the performance of the lights. The order was delivered on schedule to allow for transport by sea.

Kruger ups its game.

Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport in South Africa has just completed the installation of 20 x MCR400 units from ALS in the UK at its prestigious airport in the heart of South Africa.

Airfield Lighting Systems microprocessor controlled CCR was chosen as a highly reliable, user friendly, extremely low life-cycle cost product. It is widely used by civilian and military airports all over the world.

The constant current regulator MCR400 is the “most popular” in a line of regulators specifically intended for the supply of series circuits for use on airfield lighting circuits.

Planning for the future.

Leeds Bradford International Airport has just completed an upgrade of its airfield lighting system infrastructure from Airfield Lighting Systems UK Limited (ALS) in Wickford, Essex.

Leeds Bradford International Airport is seeing passenger numbers increase and more flight movements and is expecting to see this increase further following Covid restrictions lifting.

The upgrade saw 18 MCR400 Constant Current Regulators installed at the Airport to provide more versatility and control options for the various lighting circuits on the airfield operations.

ALS have been manufacturing CCR’s for many years and have a close working relationship with Leeds Bradford. The CCR’s were specified and a full training program was provided recently by the company’s technical experts on site.

Constant Current Regulator MCR400

The constant current regulator MCR400 is the “most popular” in a line of regulators specifically intended for the supply of series circuits for use on airfield lighting circuits.

To comply with statutory regulations, the CCR cabinet housing is divided into three areas, electronic control, low voltage area and main high voltage area.

The electronic control area is situated behind a hinged panel at the front of the cabinet with no access to the other areas.

The constant current regulator MCR400 is supplied as a free-standing unit, with or without castors. Requiring minimum floor space, it is available in ratings from 1.5kW to 30kW.

With the standard high speed built in serial data communications, the Constant Current Regulator (CCR) can communicate with most PC or PLC control systems

National Air Police Service (NPAS) goes green.

ALS has recently supplied a number of special Helipad portable light fittings to the National Air Police Service (NPAS).

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) provides borderless air support to the police forces across England and Wales 24/7/365 from a national network of bases.

The PLB500 portable light has been designed to be compact and robust, with a weight kept to a minimum to facilitate easy handling during transportation and use. The Helipad model comes complete with a green lens.

It is easily charged by simply plugging in a cable to the socket located on the top section of the housing.

Larger chargers that hold 5, 10 or 20 units can be ordered as can a mobile trailer for easy storage and deployment.

Brize Norton upgrade completed!

June 2021, RAF Brize Norton has just undertaken a major upgrade of its airfield runway lighting system from Airfield Lighting Systems UK Limited (ALS). The RAF commissioned extensive works at its largest UK base to provide new LED Lighting, Cabling and Signs for this important hub.

RAF Brize Norton is located in Oxfordshire, and is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It has approximately 5,800 Service Personnel, 1,200 contractors and 300 civilian staff based on site.

The Station is home to the C-130 Hercules aircraft, the RAF’s Strategic and Tactical Air Transport (AT) and Air-to-Air Re-fueling (AAR) forces, as well as host to many others.

The upgrade was designed using ALS Fittings and included over 90 LED elevated Approach Lights, 100 inset Approach Lights, Threshold Wing bars and Uni-directional Fittings. The LED lighting is universal and operates on the existing CCR’s on site to provide a low energy, low running cost solution.

Levertech Aviation Services, Manchester was the main contractor for the project; they found the fittings easy to install and fast to commission.

RAF Odiham installs new LED lighting

August 2021, RAF Odiham in Hampshire has completed the upgrade of its airfield runway lighting system from Airfield Lighting Systems UK Limited (ALS) in Wickford, Essex.

RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force’s heavy-lift helicopter, the Chinook. The RAF has been on the site since 1925 and it was upgraded to a permanent airfield in 1937.

A total of 156 new ALS DTS approach lights were installed for the runway upgrade to LED. These are powered by 16 new MCR405 CCR controllers to provide the 6.6A output required. This was topped off with over 50Km of new cabling to provide a long-term framework solution for the airbase.

Several new signs, runway edge fittings, transformers and IRDM (LED Runway Distance Markers) were also installed for the project by specialist contractor Levertech Aviation Services.

Commenting on the new installation Mr Neil Smith, AGL Project Manager at Levertech said “ALS provided a first-class service with the project. They hold a significant amount of stock, so we were able to install it much faster and the client was delighted.”

Mr Keith Spicer Managing Director of ALS commented “This type of varied project is exactly what IAVNA has done well for over 40 years. Our project experience and stock holding meant everything ran smoothly.”

NEW LED’s are out of this world!

Cornwall Airport Newquay (CAN) which is also the home of Virgin Orbit Spaceport has just completed the upgrade of its airfield lighting ahead of the next G7 summit, which was held in the UK this month, from Airfield Lighting Systems UK Limited (ALS) in Wickford, Essex.

Flights have operated from Newquay since 1939 under the banner of RAF Mawgan, in 1962 it officially opened a civilian terminal and began commercial flights. The airport has expanded over the years with a new terminal building opened in 2008, and with one of the longest runways in the UK.

New ALS DTS LED inset taxiway lights, LED Stop Bar lights and all new transformers were installed for the upgrade complete with bases and adaptor rings among other fittings. In addition, several new high performance, long life LED signs were also commissioned and installed by specialist contractor Dyer & Butler Electrical.

Moving to LED will dramatically reduce operating costs and extend the maintenance cycle due to the lifetime of the LED’s. They are more environmentally friendly and recyclable at the end of life.

The project was designed and specified by Robert Walker at AECOM one of the industry’s most respected consulting firms.

Commenting on the new installation Mr Steven Brown, Airfield Manager at Dyer & Butler said “We successfully handed over the project to the Airport on Friday and this could not have been achieved without you and your teams’ substantial efforts to ensure we received all the materials on time. We would like to thank every one of you for your conscientious determination in helping us reach this goal through a variety of changes over the past couple of months. This successful delivery reinforces our decision to use IAVNA and ALS products on this project”

Mr Keith Spicer Managing Director of ALS commented “This is a landmark project for Newquay, and we were delighted to be able to help with the G7 summit being held nearby as well, the team really pulled out all the stops to help make it happen on time, this was much easier to handle due to the extensive stocks we hold.”

The first radio-controlled runway in Antrim

Slemish Airfield, a private landing strip near Ballymena, County Antrim has recently installed a new airfield lighting system supplied by Airfield Lighting Systems UK Limited (ALS) in Wickford, Essex.

The new lighting covers the 765m long runway and apron.

Slemish Airfield lies in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) and the lighting installation which is environmentally friendly and considerate compliments this.

The VISTA System from ALS that was installed as a complete package consisting of lights, control gear, cable and all components required to provide a turnkey solution.

The new LED lights can be remotely activated from the approaching aircraft when five miles distant from the picturesque landing strip and these will continue to operate for 15 minutes before automatically switching off. The signal to activate the lights can be sent by VHF from the aircraft radio (the frequency is adjustable for use in other countries), by mobile phone or an APP on a tablet.

The Vista System is a standalone system and was designed to provide the benefits of LED lighting to visual approach aerodromes such as regional airports, airstrips and military air bases. It is a reliable and flexible product, being easy to fit in any kind of infrastructure.

Manufactured from high-quality polycarbonate and aluminium components the VISTA lights are fully IP66 certified, tough and durable.

Since the low energy LED light source is a low current device there is no need for traditional 6.6A circuits and more traditional CCR controls. Moreover, the LED being a direct current device, the power distribution circuit is greatly simplified using a DC constant current power supply.

This concept also eliminates the need for series circuit transformers with their losses and expense. A specific feature of the product includes a device to ensure the continuity of the circuit upon failure of any single light unit as part of the future proof design.

A total of 59 LED lights were installed for the runway, threshold/end, taxiway and PAPI fittings. Commenting on the new installation the Project Manager for the Project said that the Vista System was easy to install, and he was delighted with the results. The LED’s which look really impressive from the air, will be a great help to pilots using the airfield.

Mr Keith Spicer, Managing Director of ALS commented “We are delighted that Slemish Airfield chose the VISTA system, and that it has had such a positive reaction. We enjoyed working with the Project Manager and contractors involved on the project, who were professional throughout, and are sure it will be a terrific asset for many years to come”.

BAE Systems installs ALS DTS LED Fittings at Warton

BAE Systems Aerodrome in Warton have chosen new high performance LED DTS taxiway lights from ALS for their recent runway upgrade. They were selected for their long life and maintenance free, low power consumption. Size was important due the nature of Warton’s research and development activities and the ALS DTS has a low protrusion of less than 6.3 mm above ground level.

The uni-directional Elevated Approach lights and Inset Approach lights were also specified for their unique optical design and stable output, they are suitable for operation with 6.6A CCR’s. They have highly conductive aluminium mechanical components with a special coating treatment for various weather conditions and in addition a modalized driver and LED assembly means maintenance is quick and simple.

Warton Aerodrome is located in Warton village on the Fylde in Lancashire, England. The aerodrome is 6 NM
west of Preston, Lancashire, UK. Today the airfield is a major assembly and testing facility of BAE Systems Military Air & Information.

Warton continues in its involvement with the Typhoon, Hawk and F-35 Lightning being built at the site. The Tempest is the latest project to ensure the site remains at the forefront of global aviation technology.

Edinburgh Airport Signs Project

ALS supply environmentally friendly and sustainable LED signs and switching equipment to Edinburgh Airport. Working together for a brighter future.

1 June 2019, ALS announce it has successfully manufactured and supplied Airfield Lighting Equipment for a major contract awarded in 2018 to Dewhurst Airfield Services by Edinburgh Airport. The project was executed over 2 phases, spanning the last 12 months.

ALS are proud to have worked with Dewhurst Airfield Services by supplying an innovative range of our products to include: – ALS Edge Lit Taxiway Signs, ALS Edge Lit Stand Number Indicator Boards, ALS Non-Illuminated Aircraft Stand Column Signs, ALS AGL Transformers and Switching Units.

Edinburgh Airport is an airport located in the Ingliston area of the City of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. It was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2018, handling over 14.3 million passengers in that year. The airport has one 2557-meter runway and one passenger terminal and employs about 2,500 people.

“By selecting ALS for the supply of products, Dewhurst Airfield Services Ltd were able to accurately plan installation programmes around the guaranteed delivery dates to full client satisfaction. The quality of products, service, response times and project support from ALS is second-to-none”

Derek Calloway

Dewhurst Airfield Services Ltd

Dewhurst Airfield Services Ltd was originally formed as a division of Edward Dewhurst Ltd in 1999 following initial successful Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGL) projects at Blackpool and Warton airfields. Due to continued growth and success within the sector, the division became an independent company in 2018 and focusses on all airfield engineering projects but principally AGL. Projects range from small advisory services to total turnkey packages.

Established in 2008, Airfield Lighting Systems are a well-known and trusted innovator in the design and manufacturing of ground lighting equipment for commercial and military airports. We offer reliable, efficient & an extensive product range which are environmentally friendly and sustainable products as a leading light for Airfield Lighting Solutions.

Contact a member of the ALS team for more information on +44 (0) 1702 547 866