Interesting meteorology technology

Meteorology technology exists at the heart of an airport’s day-to-day operations. No matter what the season, whether an airport is in the heat of summer or the depths of winter, getting a thorough understanding of weather conditions can give pilots a better idea of what they might deal with and any mitigating actions that might need to be taken. Read on to find more about the advanced systems and technologies used to keep planes, pilots, and passengers safe from the elements.

Weather RADAR and LIDAR

Weather radar is a very specifically designed technology, with the goal of finding clouds and precipitation in the air. This can be used to establish the structure of storms, helping pilots to find the safest routes possible to their destination. By combining this with LIDAR, a system that uses light pulses to establish wind patterns, pilots can have a safe way mapped through any dangerous weather conditions that could emerge. Lightning detectors are also useful for this and can help to keep planes out of electrical storms.

Runway Visual Range

Runway Visual Range, or RVR, isn’t a system for helping to establish what the weather is, but it can be a great tool in a pilot’s arsenal. The RVR is the range at which a pilot can see runway markings from the centreline of the runway. A shorter RVR can mean that precipitation or clouds are affecting a pilot’s vision, or in the case of Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, they may be dealing with issues such as sandstorms. Navigation technologies such as Instrument Landing Systems can be vital when RVR is minimal.

Cloud seeding

Cloud seeding is one of the most advanced and helpful tools an airport can use. Rather than simply keeping an eye on what the weather is doing, you can get some level of control over it by using cloud seeding. This is the process of leaving substances in the air to form part of a cloud’s condensation, helping you to change the amount and even type of precipitation coming out of the cloud. This can help you to clear the way for pilots by making it rain elsewhere, and can help you to make the process of landing significantly easier for all of the planes on the way in.

Weather Decision Support Systems

Initially created to help in the launching of rockets for orbital missions, weather decision support systems are designed to offer advice to air traffic controllers in the case of adverse weather. They can account for swathes of data and help to reach a decision that can protect not only the people in the air but the airport itself in the case of an accident. By using these advanced systems, airports can be assured of better-advised decision-making and pilot safety in the long run.

Find out more

Bayanat Engineering is proud to design and build a range of weather detection and protection technologies in Qatar, helping airlines and airports to keep their passengers and pilots as safe as possible. Get in touch with the Bayanat team to find out more about our range of airport technologies.

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