PORTABLE WIND SHEAR DETECTION AND WARNING SYSTEM FOR AERONAUTICAL MISSIONS

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PORTABLE WIND SHEAR DETECTION AND WARNING SYSTEM (WSDWS) IS PROPOSED FOR IMPROVING THE SAFETY OF AERONAUTICAL MISSIONS DURING TAKEOFF AND LANDING. THE WSDWS WILL BE AN UPGRADED VERSION OF AN EXISTING PATENTED SYSTEM WITH EMPHASIS ON RAPID DEPLOYMENT FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS. THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WILL INCLUDE 10 TO 15 STATIONS INSTALLED ALONGSIDE THE RUNWAY AT SMA11 OR LARGE AIRFIELDS. EACH STATION WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH CUP/VANE OR PROPELLER/VANE ANEMOMETERS FOR WIND MEASUREMENTS, AT A MINIMUM OF 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE WIND PATTERN NEAR THE GROUND WILL BE DERIVED FROM THE MEASUREMENTS AND DISPLAYED ON VIDEO SCREENS IN AIRCRAFT COCKPITS AND IN THE CONTROL TOWER. A VISUAL DISPLAY CONSISTING A SET OF COLOR-CODED LIGHTS MAY BE INSTALLED ON EACH STATION AS A BACKUP SYSTEM OR FOR USE IN SMALL OR PRIVATE AIRFIELDS. THE DISPLAYED WIND INFORMATION WILL INCLUDE DIRECTION, SPEED, AND WIND SHEAR. THE HEART OF THE WSDWS WILL BE A MICROPROCESSOR-BASED DATA ACQUISITION AND CONTROL SYSTEM. THE WSDWS WITH THE ON-BOARD DISPLAY WOULD PROVIDE ALL-WEATHER WIND SHEAR INFORMATION TO AIRCRAFT FOR SAFE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. DURING PHASE I, WE WILL FABRICATE TWO SCALE MODELS OF WSDWS STATIONS AND CONDUCT A SERIEE OF FIELD TESTS TO DEMONSTRATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE WSDWS.