NAV Portugal handed over Madeira Airport’s new wind detection system at the end of last year, marking a milestone for the safety and efficiency of operations in the region.
Involving a €3.5 million investment from NAV Portugal, the MADeira Winds system (MAD Winds) consists of an X-band radar, a LIDAR system and a processing system that analyses meteorological data with high precision and in near real time.
Located on a plateau on the east coast of the island of Madeira, the wind limit at the airport is approximately 36 miles per hour for most commercial flights, with flight operations often impacted by strong winds. The airport is currently one of the few in the world to benefit from this new cutting-edge technology to mitigate adverse wind conditions, with airports including Hong Kong and Palermo already benefiting from similar infrastructure.
According to NAV Portugal’s CEO, Pedro Angelo, the investment reflects the air navigation services provider’s (ANSP’s) commitment to operational safety and the efficiency of air operations, “and guarantees robust technical support for controllers, pilots and airport operators.”
With the main objective of improving the analysis and forecasting of critical meteorological phenomena affecting airport operations, such as windshear, turbulence and microbursts, the system enables effective knowledge of wind conditions in the short term, particularly during the most critical phases of flight – approach, landing and take-off.
MAD Winds, which covers a range of more than 10km around the airport, automatically generates alerts based on accurate weather data that are transmitted by air traffic control to aircraft, empowering crew to make better informed decisions about the weather conditions they face. Additionally, the system contributes to greater efficiency in air traffic management, airport management and airline operations.
Currently, around 80% of wind-driven divergences are only up to 3 knots above the limits, however the MAD Winds system could in future support a possible revision of the wind limits in force based on the highly accurate data it gathers in near real time.
The system at Madeira is now undergoing a year-long pre-operation period during which it will be continuously evaluated and subjected to adjustments in its configuration in relation to the physical and operational characteristics of its island location.
Image source: NAV Portugal
