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Coastal Environmental Systems, Inc. ON Field AVIATION Weather Data to Meet YOUR Needs. Who relies on a Coastal Weather Station?. The United States President Air Force One is based at Andrews Air Force base which is THREE air fields at once: The official Presidential field
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Coastal Environmental Systems, Inc. ON Field AVIATION Weather Data to Meet YOUR Needs
Who relies on a Coastal Weather Station? • The United States President • Air Force One is based at Andrews Air Force base which is THREE air fields at once: • The official Presidential field • Air Force base • Civilian airfield. • Coastal’s FMQ-19 is used for the official weather station.
Who relies on a Coastal Weather Station? • The Space Shuttle • NASA had Coastal create a “SUPER” aviation weather station which has a completely redundant back-up system operating in tandem with the primary system to assist in guiding the Space Shuttle in for a safe landing.
Who relies on a Coastal Weather Station? • Hurricane Katrina Survivors • Coastal had the only surviving operating weather stations in the Katrina impact area. • Coastal Environmental weather stations guided relief flights landing at Keesler Air Base for Hurricane Katrina relief.
Who relies on a Coastal Weather Station? • THE South Pole Pilots • Working with the U.S. Navy and the NSF (National Science Foundation) Coastal was able to modify our system to be the first ever aviation weather station to survive and operate at The South Pole Station. • It was the first time that automated weather for aviation support and safety was ever available there. (It gets as cold as -90 degrees!)
Who relies on a Coastal Weather Station? • The United States Air Force • The U.S. Air Force has over 100 aviation weather stations built, installed and maintained by Coastal. • U.S. Air Bases are located around the world: USA, England, Germany, Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Middle East, South America and other locations.
Who relies on a Coastal Weather Station? • The FAA • (Federal Aviation Administration) • The FAA purchased 289 Aviation Weather Stations for All Class C airports in the USA • The stations measure: Winds (all parameters), Pressure/Altimeter, Temperature, Humidity/Dew Point, and have room for expansion 7
AWOS – What is it?Aviation Weather Observing System • AWOS systems consist of 1, 2 or 3 groups of sensors per runway • Whether you choose 1, 2 or 3 is based on the level of service and size of your airfield • Typically there is one Primary sensor group at the primary touchdown end of the runway • If two groups, then a smaller set of sensors at the roll-out end • If three groups, then an even smaller set of sensors at centerfield • Multiple runways may require multiple 2nd and 3rd groups, but not another primary group
AWOS – Primary Group • A primary group can consist of some or all of the following: • FDCU: Field Data Collection Unit. These electronics ingest all the data from the sensors and communicate that data to the Server in the tower or weather office. • Wind Speed and Direction • Temperature and Humidity (DEW POINT is calculated) • Pressure/Altimeter – usually 1,2 or 3 sensors for redundancy (QFE, QFF and QNH are calculated) • Visibility and RVR (Runway Visual Range; the field should have lights) • Cloud Height (sky coverage calculated) • Precipitation Identification (sometimes called “Present Weather”) • Lightning/Thunderstorm Detection • Precipitation Amount • Freezing Rain • Ambient Light Sensor (if calculating RVR) • RLIM (Runway Light Intensity Monitor – for RVR) This sensor is located in the lighting vault where the runway lights get their power.
AWOS – Secondary Group • A secondary group can consist of some or all of the following: • FDCU: Field Data Collection Unit. These electronics ingest all the data from the sensors and communicate that data to the Server in the tower or weather office. • Wind Speed and Direction • Visibility/RVR • Cloud Height(sky coverage calculated) • The other sensors are not duplicated in this group because it is assumed that their measurements will be the same as the Primary group.
AWOS – Mid-Field Group • A mid-field group can consist of some or all of the following: • FDCU: Field Data Collection Unit. These electronics ingest all the data from the sensors and communicate that data to the Server in the tower or weather office. • Wind Speed and Direction • Visibility/RVR • The other sensors are not duplicated in this group because it is assumed that their measurements will be the same as the Primary group.
Coastal AWOS PRIMARY SENSOR GROUP
Coastal AWOS Secondary SENSOR GROUP
Coastal AWOS Mid-Field SENSOR GROUP
Coastal AWOSSub-Systems – Meteorology Primary Group Mid-Field Group Roll Out or Secondary Sensor Group Winds, Dew Point, Temperature, Visibility/RVR, Present Weather, Clouds, Lightning, Rain, Freezing Rain Visibility/RVR Winds - Optional Winds, Visibility/RVR, Clouds
Coastal AWOSMultiple Runways Mid-Field Group Primary Group Secondary Group Secondary Group Mid-Field Group
Coastal AWOSSub-Systems – RVR Primary Group Mid-Field Group Secondary Group Ambient Light Sensor Runway Light Intensity Monitor (RLIM)
Coastal does not manufacture ANY sensors – so we are free to: • Choose the best in all the WORLD • Choose any sensors you WISH to use • Select the BEST VALUE sensors for you Best Value considers: accuracy, reliability (MTBF) durability, ease of use and maintenance (MTTR), lifetime performance AND price
Coastal AWOS • Primary sensor group with economical tower • Each customer’s installation is tailored to meet their needs and to minimize costs and maintenance
The following sensors are Coastal’s current Best Value recommendations. Feel free to ask for other sensors for ANY reason!
Coastal AWOSSub-Systems – Data Distribution • Web-Based USER INTERFACE • Voice to Dial-In Telephone • Remote Maintenance Monitor • LAN/WAN Other • Web Services • Ethernet • Radio Broadcast Out (GTA) TDAU(Terminal Data Acquisition Unit) Processes and sends data to:
Field ElectronicsOutside Equipment ZENO®- 3200 Back-up Power Pressure Sensors Power Supply SSEM
Field ElectronicsOutside Equipment Every input and output is protected by transient protection to MIL-STD-461E
Field ElectronicsOutside Equipment • All sensors are connected with MIL-Std connectors • Each pressure sensor has an independent port • Sensor only fits intended connector
Getting Data from Field to User • Direct cable up to 300 meters (RS-485) • Cable with cable drivers up to 4 or 10 KM • Radio – license free spread spectrum (900Ghz, 1.2 or 2.4 Mhz) • Radio – other frequencies • Fiber Optic up to 4 or 10 KM • Combination of above
Inside Equipment and Software • The TDAU is composed of: • the main server • communications processor subsystem • telephony voice processor subsystem • 19-inch rack cabinet
User Interface Software • Full METAR and SPECI report • RVR screen • Thunderstorm Lightning screen • Edit screens for METAR and SPECI
User Interface Software • Night view screen • Can be viewed with only an INTERNET browser • Many built-in self diagnostics • Remote Maintenance Monitoring
User Interface Software • The RVR display screen shows the runway designators, the Touchdown, Midpoint, and Rollout readings, as well as the Edge and Center runway light step settings
User Interface Software • Thunderstorm Screen • The most recent strike has the most intense color; as the strike ages, it will fade away
User Interface Software • Diagnostic and troubleshooting information for each LRU • Troubleshoot, disable or enable sensors, and pass-through to directly chat with the sensors • Direct data viewing from the serial ports Simple to see – Easy to understand!
User Interface Software • View the status and latest message at each external interface • View raw sensor data • View historical record of errors • View and print log files • Drop down menu for viewing and setting the System Configurations and Site Initialization Parameters and backup and restore of all site parameters
Inside Equipment and Software • Fixed display option • Stand alone – no PC • Fixed fields (basic data only)
Reliability – ZENO® records from fielded systems (over 400 shown here)
Real-life reliability – the numbers(U.S. Air Bases – worldwide)This shows the percentage of UP-time for Coastal’s Aviation Weather Stations located at U.S. Air Bases