Abu Dhabi: New runway lighting system to allow pilots to land, take off under low visibility conditions

A new, cutting edge guidance system at Abu Dhabi International Airport will allow pilots to take off and land their planes under low visibility conditions, like fog.

Said to be the first and most progressive of its kind in the Middle East, the Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS) was revealed by Abu Dhabi Airports.

The airfield guidance and control systems are used to illuminate runways at night or during low visibility conditions. It allows pilots to easily identify the runway and also avoid any obstructions on the airfield.

The new A-SMGCS Level 4 system, designed by ADB SAFEGATE, enables conflict resolution and automatic planning and guidance under all weather conditions. It also improves situational awareness for tower control employees as well as pilots.

The new system will reduce plane taxi timings as well as reduce forced diversions due to bad weather, benefiting passengers and mitigating associated cost for airlines.

It further upscales the airport’s capacity whilst reducing power consumption and ensures minimal maintenance downtime.

The system is equipped with ‘Follow the Greens’ technology which enables intelligent and sustainable routing and guidance by automatically illuminating only the lights needed to guide a specific aircraft to its designated gate.

“Our goal is to ensure that all of our airports offer state-of-the art technology to power efficiency, growth and increase our contributions to the emirate’s economy,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Airports.

“This system does it all and we are thrilled to launch it today with our valued partners,” added Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Airports.

• Abu Dhabi