SmartControl - Airfield Lighting Control and Monitoring System

Airfield Lighting control systems allow for the operators to control and monitor the various ground lighting applications in use at an airport.

The services that can be controlled, and monitored include, runway applications, approach lighting, taxiway routing, stop bars and holding positions, along with apron lighting systems. The lighting, in particular on the taxiway, can be operated individually or in groups, all of which contribute to the efficient and safe manoeuvring of the ground traffic at an airfield.

To reduce the impact on airport operations, the control system also includes a monitoring facility for equipment associated with the lighting equipment, individual lamps, generators, fibre optic networks and other critical service.

SmartControl is an airfield lighting control and monitoring system that is designed to meet all airports requirements now and in the future. The system offers the flexibility for the operation of a CAT I system up to a CAT IIIb A-SMGCS requirement.

System Standardisation

Modular in design, the SmartControl system is expandable and includes useful tools necessary to configuration the operator screens and system database.

SmartControl is configured to use either PLC’s (SmartPLC) or PC’s (SmartPC) as the backbone of the system. However, the standard architecture of these systems include multiple redundant workstations, substation PLCs, and safety critical software.

Communications Network

The backbone of the communications is created around a TCP/IP 100M LAN network that provides the connections between the workstations and PLC’s at multiple locations. The simplest configuration is a link from the control tower to the substation, but in a multi-location configuration the network equipment provides a self-healing ring functionality providing a multiple redundant architecture.

Flexibility

Airports are expanding at an ever-increasing pace which calls for upgrades to the airfield infrastructure and its relevant systems. The simplicity at which system expansion can be completed is a feature that makes the SmartControl system an important part of many airports around the world. As a result of the arrangement of the database, changes to the system can be made with confidence by the user. Additional lighting circuits for taxiway routes and airfield signs, new runways, or the incorporations of a new constant current regulator can all be added by the maintenance engineering team without any changes to the core system software.

In an ever-advancing world, the needs for an airport are constantly changing; reliability, configurability, peace of mind, flexibility and support is key when investing in hardware systems; SmartControl offers this!