SERIES 3 LED PAPI: ANOTHER CHOICE IN GLIDESLOPE GUIDANCE

Tara Stewart is the President of Sealite Americas. She is responsible for the product sales, marketing and customer relationships for Avlite, Sealite and Star2M products for the Americas. Ms. Stewart holds a BSEE in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Clarkson University.

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PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicators) 

The primary function of a PAPI is to assist the pilot by providing visual glide slope guidance for non-precision approaches. PAPI systems have an effective visual range of at least 3 miles during the day and up to 20 miles at night. The PAPI light units (2 or 4) are normally in a row on the left side of the runway. The glide path indications (4 units) are displayed as two red and two white lights when on the glide path angle of approach. The other light combinations indicate when slightly low (3 red, 1 white), significantly low (4 red), slightly high (3 white, 1 red) and significantly high (4 white). A two-unit system provides glide path indications (1 red, 1 white) for on the glide angle, too high (2 white) and too low (2 red).

LED vs. Halogen

Over the last decade, airports started installing PAPIs with LED technology. The benefits of LED include lower power, reduced maintenance and a better user experience. LEDs use one-fifth the power of its halogen equivalent. LEDs boast a 100,000 hours life cycle, more than sixty times longer than a halogen lamp. LEDs provide better clarity than halogen when viewed by the pilot. The FAA has published side-by-side comparisons demonstrating the increased clarity.

Our Solution

Laser Guidance Inc., acquired by Avlite Systems in 2018, had previously produced and installed PAPI systems worldwide based on LED technology since 2008. Today, Avlite is proud to announce the release of its Series 3 LED PAPI L-880/L-881, which is Intertek certified to FAA AC 150/5345-28H Style A Class I (certification pending for Style B); along with ICAO photometric and chromaticity third party testing. Our Series 3 PAPI meets both FAA and ICAO requirements in the same compact, lightweight version. Patented LED optics achieve lowest power consumption, highest intensity, and sharpest red-white transition definition to provide critically accurate approach slope information to the pilot. In addition, like all our PAPI versions, the Series 3 production is in the USA and has an approved FAA National Buy American Waiver.

Quality, safety and cutting-edge technology

Avlite airfield lighting delivers maximum light intensity and uniformity for enhanced aviation safety. Avlite are leaders in LED technology. We have dedicated research and development teams working with engineers to produce leading edge airfield lights with almost maintenance-free operation and reliable service.

Read our Madagascar Case Study to learn how our Series 3 PAPI (as part of a total airfield lighting solution) helped increase safety for larger aircraft, stimulating economic growth.

Customer Excellence. Always.

Tara Stewart
President, Sealite USA t/a Avlite Systems