How Airports Made The Switch To LED FAA Lighting

By Helen Nelson


On the 19th of December, a law that implemented light bulb efficiency was approved by George W. Bush. After the implementation of this law, multiple American business and establishments swapped to LED lights, not because incandescent bulbs were made illegal, but because LEDs are simply the eco friendlier option. Airports, in particular, have experienced the challenges of making this swap. Slowly, they adjusted to LED FAA lighting so as to adhere to the conditions included in the law.

Contrary to popular belief, the law does not require the total ban of incandescent light bulbs. LED lights are just simply the better option when it comes to many factors. In comparison to most incandescent bulbs that release more heat than energy, LED lighting emits very little heat. It also lasts much longer than other light sources.

Research states that LED can last up a hundred thousand hours or at least forty times longer compared to incandescent bulbs. This entails long term benefits like fewer replacements, increased savings, and decreased manual labor. Since LED also emits less warmth, they are much safer than their other counterparts.

They function well with low voltage systems, allowing them to be the more secure option in emergencies involving power complications. Since they are also smaller in size compared to the rest, they can are easily adaptable to multiple other functions. However, despite the fact that they are better for the health of the environment, many still choose to buy inefficient incandescent lights rather than LEDs which are obviously the better option.

A primary reason for this is because incandescents are significantly cheaper than LEDs during the initial purchase. What most people do not realize is that light emitting diodes will ultimately lessen your electricity bill in the long run because they are able to run on low voltage systems. Additionally, those who opt for LEDs will require fewer replacements and have light sources that are not only much brighter but also last longer.

To manage environmental concerns, airports have joined the efforts in switching to LEDs, beginning with runways. However, the initial switch was not exactly smooth sailing for them. A surprising problem for them was the sheer concentration of the light.

In fact, they encountered a number of issues. A surprising problem that they did not expect was the brightness intensity of the new LED lighting systems. This brightness caused visibility issues for pilots landing on the airstrip. The brightness of light emitting diodes could not match with the other systems, even on the dimmest setting. The increased illumination impaired the perception and vision of the pilots, blinding them whenever they landed for touchdowns.

To provide a solution, the FAA introduced five step regulators to replace three step regulators. With this change, airline personnel was allowed to have better navigation of the brightness manual. Coupled with feedback from the pilots, the lights were adjusted to the most optimal setting that allowed safer landings and better visibility.

Currently, airports have widely expanded the switch to tarmacs, jetways, hangars, and other areas. Issues that arose along with the switch were also noted and used to develop better illuminating systems that are approved by pilots and are more cost efficient for airports. Passenger safety and nighttime visibility issues have also been addressed and airports are now using a fraction less energy than they used to with the previous incandescent systems. This goes to show that if airlines can manage more eco friendly solutions, then the rest of the world can too.




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