Weather proofing Lahore Airport behind the scenes with ADB Safegate HD

Meet ADB Safegate’ s project manager Christian Bartölke and the team on site in Lahore, Pakistan, to follow the daily work of a complex airport project that is being done in record time. In Lahore we experience “real teamwork” towards weather proofing Allama Iqbal International Airport where more than 100 persons work together towards the same goal and the same deadlines when airport, agent, civil aviation and various departments at ADB Safegate are making sure the airport could land aircraft in low visibility.

Good planning & communication combined with executive sponsorship and strong team work towards a clear objective are keys to success for most projects. So is the case also in “the Lahore project” where ADB Safegate works together with the airport and our long-term partner and local agent, Imperial Electrical Company (IEC), to weather proof the airport in record time. One week ahead of schedule, CATIII B landing conditions were enabled for approach. The next step for the team is working with the airport to guarantee 25 movements per hour – during all weather conditions.

FOGGY WINTERS – PROBLEM TO LAHORE AIRPORT
A tricky winter climate with dense fog means disturbed airport operation and last winter, more than a hundred flights were cancelled due to low visibility. Cancellations and diversions brings costs for both airport, airline and society and of course create a lot of inconvenience for passengers flying in and out of Lahore.

THE CHALLENGE
The challenge was to weatherproof the airport in only 12 months. In June 2015 Safegate Group and Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport signed a contract to work together towards weather proofing the airport in only 12 months when normally a project as complex as this can take years.

FIRST PHASE – TO KEEP THE AIRPORT OPERATIONAL DURING LOW VISIBILITY
The first objective was to keep the airport open and operational also during fog and make sure the airport was able to land aircraft in low visibility already before the winter, guaranteeing 5 movements per hour. CAT III b landing conditions for approach was enabled with new Airfield Lighting Systems (AFL) and Instrument Landing System (ILS). 25th November, one week ahead of schedule, CATIII B landing conditions was enabled for approach. Examples of work that has been done:
• 110 kilometre of primary cable
• 15 kilometres of multiple cable layers trenches
• 180 new Touchdown lights
• 224 new Runway centre lights
• 98 Runway edge lights
• 174 Elevated and inset Approach lights
• 54 Supplementary elevated and inset approach lights
• 4 Kilometres Slot cuts
• 150 m3 concrete poured
• 404 core drillings executed
• New ILS CAT III b system including localizer, Glide, Fare field monitor and shelter
• DIFLIS and CONOPS Workshop executed

NEXT PHASE – TO INCREASE AIRCRAFT MOVEMENT FROM 5 TO 25 PER HOUR IN LOW VISIBILITY
The next objective is to secure the airport to be able to handle 25 aircraft movements per hour also during bad weather conditions. This phase of the project entails a completely new CONOPS, installation of A-SMGCS including SMR and MLATs, Advanced Visual Docking Guidance System and operational and technical training of CAA personnel to facilitate safe and secure movement at all times.

Видео Weather proofing Lahore Airport behind the scenes with ADB Safegate HD канала ADB SAFEGATE