Evaluation of a Heliport Lighting Design during Operation Heli-STAR

摘要

The FAA is evaluating the lighting requirements for support of differential GPSapproaches to heliports. Previous lighting systems developed by the FAA to support insutrument approaches to heliports are the Heliport Instrument Lighting System (HILS) and the Heliport Approach Lighting System (HALS). As a part of the requirements evaluation, a prototype lighting system was developed and tested by the University of Tennessee Space Institute. After a limited evaluation in Tennessee, the FAA conducted further evaluation as part of Operation Heli-STAR, a demonstration helicopter transportaion system established in Atlanta, GA during the 1996 Olympic Games. The prototype system used a 20-foot light pipe, green cold-cathode lights, and electroluminescent panels. A semipermanent installation was built, improvements were made, and many parameters were identified for further evaluation in simulation and flight testing. The lighting system has been moved to Washington, DC for further evaluation.