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COVER STORY May 2014 airportbusiness 13 airport, it's critical to know what's taking place on the ground." The ATC-grade video platform is coupled with IntelliDAR or I-DAR technology, which consists of high-end FLIR cameras that look out onto the airfield. "The thermal cameras are used for low-visibility conditions, nighttime conditions, and inclement weather conditions so that we are reliably and consistently providing track data on all of the aircraft," Ghourani says. "We're filling in the gap left by ASDE-X coverage with the thermal imaging cameras, so we're providing a real-time view of everything that's happening on the ground all the way to the gate." Searidge employed a rigorous site survey process to determine where to place its sensors and cameras, so that they are located in areas that leave a minimal footprint on existing infrastructure and are positioned at vantage points that make sense to controllers. "This makes the captured footage intuitive and easy to understand," he says. Project engineers originally considered extend- ing ASDE-X coverage into non-movement areas but that required more antennas. The ASDE-X system requires triangulation, meaning an aircraft has to see three antennas at all times to provide data. However, as aircraft move closer to buildings, there is more reflection off of the aircraft creating a need for more and more antennas. "That just gets cost prohibitive," says Shull. "And based on the layout of Fort Lauderdale's airfield, it really didn't make sense." Not only that but with Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) cooperative surveillance technology for tracking aircraft coming online in the near future, investing in older ASDE-X technology in non-movement areas was an expense with a shortened shelf life. "The advantage of what we're doing with I-Dar and high-definition video is that in the ADS-B world of the future, this system will still have value because it has the ability to augment the ADS-B feed," says Shull. BENEFITS OF INTEGRATION The modular platform of AirIT's technology enables airports to add pieces over time, though AirIT can also integrate its technology with third-party products. The hallmark of the Fort Lauderdale project is its extensive integration. "We can now literally follow an aircraft from one point to another," says Shull. This has a lot of value inside the airport from an airport intelligence standpoint, adds Shull. "The data helps airports make informed decisions," he says. Airports can utilize this data to program concessions offerings near a gate so that they make sense for the passenger demographics and the destination of the flights. VAMS integration with Fort Lauderdale's AIMS gives the airport many capabilities that didn't exist before. For example, there's a module in PROPworks called Carrier Activity Tracking, or CAT. This helps airports track carrier traffic; a benefit because most carriers self-report their activity, meaning the airline basically tells the airport how much they've used the runway and its facilities. Traditionally airports lacked a reliable way to check airline reports for accuracy's sake and just collected payment without question. By integrating this module with VAMS, the airport can track aircraft in real time, review gate utili- zation and hard stand, and then automate the invoicing function. "Self reporting and that sort of thing won't be necessary once the system's fully operational," says Shull. "The whole idea is to provide irrefutable data in those areas so that the airport can invoice without self reporting." The system is also scalable, meaning airports can cover as little or as much of the airfield as they want. An airport might only want coverage in the cargo area, for example. "VAMS is scalable, so we can cover certain areas of an operation; we don't have to cover the whole airfield like we do in Fort Lauderdale," says Shull. VAMS also can be expanded to track every vehicle on the airfield. By tracking vehicles with GPS, airports can use the software to provide a holistic picture of what's happening across the airfield, in both the movement and non-movement areas. "We can track anything that's moving out there inside VAMS software," says Shull. Integration is key to making a project like this work, adds Shull. "You really can't overstate the value of integration," he says. "It doesn't matter if an airport is a 50-million-passenger airport like Frankfort or a 1-million-passenger airport like Myrtle Beach International, there is a lot of value in data-level integration. I think going forward you're going to see more and more ancillary value created out of that." BUILDING A BETTER AIRPORT THERE'S a lot going on at Fort Lauderdale International Airport as it takes on $2.3 billion in airport improvement projects. Here's how the $2.3 billion being spent on these projects stacks up: Capital Improvement Approximate Costs Estimated Project (Millions) Completion South Runway Expansion $791 September 2014 West 2015 Terminal 4 Redevelopment and Expansion $450 East 2017 Totally Complete 2018 Terminal 1 Concourse A $150 Early 2017 Terminal Renovation Program $300 Early 2017 for Terminals 1, 2, and 3 In-Line Baggage System $100 Terminal 1 Complete Terminal 2 Early 2014 Terminal 3 2015 Terminal 4 TBD Noise Mitigation Program $175 Ongoing In-Progress Projects $334 Ongoing Total $2.3 billion airb_10-13_CoverStory.indd 13 5/2/14 9:37 AM