Wellington International Airport Limited Trial
Wellington International Airport Limited (WIAL) which serves the capital city of New Zealand is seeking alternatives to its current method of docking aircraft.
The current system employed is non-compliant under the changes to ICAO regulation Annex 14. Management from WIAL selected the DuraVisionTM ADGM for a prolonged trial for use on it's B737/B767 gates because of its economical benefits and simplicity over more complex and expensive alternatives.
WIAL currently employ sight boards for determining the final stopping position, aided by a centre line indicator for centre guidance or azimuth. WIAL have had reported that aircraft sometimes overran the stop position (B737 example) and because of the type of aerobridge used, this overrun would prevent the front door of the aircraft from locking open and interfere with passenger movements.
More over, serious damage can be caused to vital instrument vanes fitted close to the front door if struck by the aerobridge. Sight boards apart from being non-compliant are inherently inaccurate as they rely on a 'relative' pilot seat position.
If the pilot is tall the seat is adjusted back, or if the pilot is short then the seat will be adjusted forward. This change will cause a direct and substantial shift in the actual stopping position of the aircraft. The DuraVisionTM ADGM prevents this occurring and is far more accurate overall.
Mirror docking systems are quite common in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe but WIAL have had no previous experience with mirror docking systems nor had most pilots flying into Wellington.
Therefore for the trial, a 1500x1200 ADGM was supplied and set up on a semi-mobile stand. This method allows for relocation of the ADGM to various positions and configurations providing a comprehensive evaluation of its performance.
The manoeuvrability allow WIAL to evaluate and establish the optimum apron position of the DuraVisionTM ADGM taking into account the variability of individual gates.
The trial began on July 23, 2001 and will continue for several months. The results thus far have been exceptional. Pilot and ground crew feedback has been extremely positive with pilots commenting on the fact that they can see the nose wheel directly (along with under fuselage). They know exactly where the aircraft is in relation to the centre line and the stop bar - a feature inherent and unique to the DuraVisionTM ADGM. As one pilot commented, "The mirror doesn't lie".
Gate 16
Pre-trial
ADGM
Installed at Gate 16
The following letter was received from the Airside Services Manager in relation to the trial:
Testimonial
Wellington International Airport is located on a thin coastal strip of land with Wellington Harbour on one side and the Cook Strait on the other. It is an open and exposed location which experiences extreme weather. The trial has seen wind speeds of over 70 knots. Even during these conditions the DuraVisionTM ADGM performed perfectly; not only proving it's technical and practical ability, but also its strength and robust construction. Click on the images to read news article on the Wellington Storm.
Weather 1
Weather 2
Wellington International
Airport Limited;
Auckland International Airport
Limited;
Guarulhos International
Airport;
Afonso Penna International
Airport.
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