Frangible Cables, Ladders and other Accessories for"ILS/GS Structures and other Non-visual Aids"

ABSTRACT: Select Engineering Services (SES) is a leader in developing, testing, and implementing frangible structures for airfield use worldwide. We have developed a large range of composite structures to improve the performance and quality of Air Force assets while decreasing costs to maintain these structures. Military and commercial aviation rely heavily on Navigation Aids (NAVAIDS) for positional awareness, landing aids, and meteorological information. NAVAID instrumentation is almost exclusively attached to towers located within the frangible zone of an airfield. NAVAIDS such as Instrument Landing System (ILS) / Glide-Slope (GS) towers are located in close proximity to a runway and are required to be frangible (ability to break away) when struck by a wayward aircraft. SES has recently demonstrated (through full-scale impact testing) that frangibility can be designed into large airfield structures such as ILS/GS towers. SES is uniquely positioned to extend frangibility concepts to cabling, ladders, and accessories associated with such structures. SES will conduct a rigorous requirements analysis, market survey, and feasibility analysis of commercially available cabling, ladder, and accessories to be used to develop a complete frangible ILS/GS solution. Results of Phase I are expected to integrate naturally with ongoing development and qualification of a complete frangible ILS/GS solution. BENEFIT: Every major airport has mission specific equipment located within the frangible zone. Frangibility requirements extend to both military and commercial environments. Frangibility requirements for Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) / Glide-Slope (GS) towers are often waived due to non-existent solutions. Results of Phase I will naturally integrate with ongoing development and qualification of a complete frangible ILS/GS solution. SES has recently conducted full-scale frangibility testing of an ILS/GS towers indicating that frangibility can be designed into these large airfield structures. Currently there are no known frangible solutions for necessary cables, ladders, or accessories that are attached to these structures. Following qualification of frangible cables, ladders, and accessories, these necessary components can then be integrated with other qualified frangible structures to provide a complete frangible solution to both military and commercial environments.