Unique System FZE, a Unique Maritime Group Company, which is one of the world’s leading integrated turnkey subsea and offshore solutions provider, along with its partner MicroStep-MIS, is pleased to announce its involvement in a noteworthy project to supply an AWOS (Automated Weather Observation System) and ATIS (Airport Traffic Information Service) on an international airport in the UAE.
MicroStep-MIS operates worldwide and is specialised in the development and manufacturing of monitoring and information systems, processing of acquired data, research and numerical modelling. The company’s key field activities cover meteorology, aviation weather observation systems, road weather information systems, marine systems, seismology, radiation monitoring systems, crisis information systems among many others.
Unique System FZE was tasked with purchasing, installing and commissioning the AWOS and ATIS according to international (ICAO) and UAE (GCAA) regulations. The system comprised of:
• Automatic Weather Stations near RWY thresholds serving as Wind Measurement Systems contain sensors with accessories and data logger mounted on ten metre high fully frangible pole masts located by TDZ and Stop End of the runway.
• RVR Measurement System based on forward-scatter meters equipped with background luminance (ambient light) sensor. RVR instruments are mounted on 2.5m high mast located near TDZ, MID and Stop END points of the runway.
• Cloud Base Measurement System includes laser ceilometer located close to the DVOR site for precision approach runway direction.
• AWOS Central Computing System: Dual main servers in hot-failover (master / hot standby) high availability configuration collecting data from data-logger, RVR sensors, wind transmitters and ceilometer, processing and archiving data.
• MET Observer’s and Forecaster’s Workstations: PCs equipped with the software supporting METAR, SPECI and SYNOP messages (creation, receiving, sorting, archiving and utilization) installed in the meteorological office.
• Aviation Weather Displays: 5 PCs in total were delivered – PCs are dedicated for receiving and displaying all aviation related local weather data coming from the measurement and Observer’s workstation. Installed at TWR, APP/Radar and other ATC operation positions.
• ATIS (Airport Traffic Information Service) Voice Reporting System: Server grade PC Workstation equipped with text-to-speech voice synthesizer engine and software for processing MET and ATC/ATM input data and outputting the voice audio signal to VHF ground-to-air radio transmitter to provide pilots of the approaching aircraft with actual MET and ATC/ATM information in 24/7 automatic operation.
All needed measuring devices (visibility meters, ceilometer, automatic weather stations / data loggers) are connected to the Central Computing IMS (Integrated Meteorological System) System. Calculations for RVR and Cloud base are performed by the Central system. The other meteorological values (QFE, QFF, QNH, Ta, Td…) are calculated by the Central system as well. Measured and calculated values are displayed on the screens specially designed for this purpose.
On this occasion, Ian Huggins, General Manager @ Unique System FZE asserted, “Unique has again proven how flexible we are as an installation and commissioning partner, and that the depth of our resources, in particular the ability of our engineers to easily transfer their capabilities into the aviation sector from the marine, survey and remote meteorological scopes of work we do on a daily basis. The rigour in which we measure and manage our safety management systems as a normal part of our daily operations allowed us to operate confidently when we were airside of an international airport, I am very proud of the efforts of Unique’s Project and Engineering team in completing this airfield installation in the height of summer in the UAE, furthermore the strategic partnership we share with MicroStep-MIS is critical in enabling us to provide these types of services. The quality of their engineers and technical proficiency provides us with great confidence when tackling these types of projects”.
Additional Coverage:
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20. Oil Review Middle East [April 2nd, 2014]
