Airport Business

FEB-MAR 2016

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RUNWAY TECHNOLOGY 32 airportbusiness February/March 2016 To eliminate inefficient and time-consuming false alerts that vex runway personnel and close down runways for no good reason. "The idea is that the system corroborates itself, if you will, by using two different kinds of detection technology," Thuemling said. "With this system, if a camera shows something on a runway and the radar doesn't, it won't send an alert. It can also sense density, so it won't alert on, say, a wrapper from a Snickers bar. So it eliminates false alerts." The system's algorithms are programmed to detect only stationary objects. When the system does detect a foreign object, it sends an alert via a fiber-optic line. The system can be fine- tuned as sensitive as airport officials require, Thuemling says. "We've actually alerted on an ant," he notes. "During the first couple months of operation, each airport needs to determine a tolerable level for an alert." The system uses GPS to locate a foreign object within one meter of its actual location. At night, the sensor that detects an object sends out a laser light beam that shows airport per- sonnel exactly where the object is located, so they don't have to aimlessly search hundreds of square feet of runway to find, say, a small bolt, Thuemling says. "If you can redirect just one or two airplanes to an adjoining runway while you deploy someone in a truck to run out to pick up a foreign object, they can do it in very little time," Thuemling notes. "It's a much more efficient method of FOD control." In addition, SEA officials opted for a web application instead of standard workstation configuration. The latter relies on a dedicated network, with a server linked to specific work- stations. "But with a web application, anyone with access to the airport's network can down- load an app that allows them access, at work stations or on iPads, to any information our sys- tem provides," Thuemling explained. Moreover, the system automatically dis- tinguishes birds from FOD and then alerts the airport's wildlife team in real time, day and night. The BirdWise technology can detect and identify wildlife within a 400-foot swath along the runway – up to 200 feet on each side, as measured from the center of the runway, Thuemling says. "When we started looking at it, we realized it could assist us in bird detection," Ehl explains. "We identified it as a supplement to our exist- ing bird radar, which detects birds 20 feet and higher. This system mitigates the risk between ground level and 20 feet up." MORE FUNCTIONALITY THAN EXPECTED The system also gives SEA officials the ability to visually examine aircraft upon touchdown or departure in emergency situations, instead of relying on a visual examination with binoc- ulars during a low fly-by, Ehl notes. "It may not prevent an outcome, but it can help inform us DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE OKLAHOMA CITY AIR LOGISTICS COMPLEX (AFMC) TINKERAIRFORCE BASE OKLAHOMA MEMORANDUM FOR: AFSC/PZIMA FROM: OC-ALC/OBWK for 567 AMXS SUBJECT: Sole Source Justification Memo 8 Oct 2015 l. 567AMXS request the purchase ofone(1) each TFB-22FOD BOSS Triplex system withtowring forpintle hook, produced by Aerosweep plus six(6)additional FB-0 mats. The FOD BOSS is used to cleardebris from the runway and taxi route prior to a Bl-B aircraft taxi or launch. The FOD BOSS is also used to cl ear the taxi route prior to landing of a B1-B. The FOD BOSS isapatented designand there is not another comparable pieceofequipment that will ensurethecleanliness of ourramparea. Thesetowed friction mat sweepers are used forremoving foreignobjects on airfield operating surfaces. Thisactivity reducesthe possibility ofinjuryto personnelandforeignobjectdamageto aircraftenginesandtires. 2. By using the FOD BOSS system, the potential is minimized for foreign object damage. While using similar versions of the FOD Boss over the last year, the B1-B has had seven (7) reportable FOD incidents. These incidents involved FOD damage to the B-1 Engine costing $230,750.00. Investigation into the matter at the Group level revealed that the use of different versions of the sweepers was not a sufficient to remove FOD from the taxi route and runway. A test was performed between the FOD Control Corporations "FOD Buster" sweeper system and the Aerosweep Speed Sweeping FOD BOSS TFB-22 Triplex system. The findings wer mats removed more foreign objects (FO) than the FOD Buster FOD Removal units. 3. Market Research was conducted and it was determined after searching known markets that there is only one company, The Chelshua Corporation, which can meet the requirements of this contract. The Chelshua Corporation is the sole distributor of the FOD BOSS System. The Government will continue to research 4 Th i l di t ib t f th FOD BOSS S t th f it i t d th t th t t i ( 7 ) r e p o r t a b l e F O D m a g e t o t h e B - 1 E n g i n e c o s t i n g $ 2 3 0 , 7 5 0 . 0 0 . i n t o t h e m a t t e r a t t h e G r o u p l e v e l r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e u s e o f d i f f e r e n t v e r s i o n s o f t h e s w e e p e r s w a s n o t a s u f f i c i e n t t o r e m o v e F O D f r o m t h e t a x i r o u t e a n d r u n w a y . A t e s t w a s p e r f o r m e d b e t w e e n t h e F O D C o n t r o l C o r p o r a t i o n s " F O D B u s t e r " s w e e p e r s y s t e m a n d t h e A e r o s w e e p S p e e d S w e e p i n g F O D B O S S T F B - 2 2 T r i p l e x s y s t e m . T h e f i n d i n g s w e r e t h a t t h e F O D B O S S f r i c t i o n m a t s r e m o v e d m o r e f o r e i g n o b j e c t s ( F O ) t h a n t h e F O D B u s t e r F O D R e m o v a l u n i t s . 3 . M a r k e t R e s e a r c h w a s c o n d u c t e d a n d i t w a s d e t e r m i n e d a f t e r s e a r c h i n g k n o w n m a r k e t s t h a t t h e r e i s o n l y o n e c o m p a n y , T h e C h e l s h u a C o r p o r a t i o n , w h i c h c a n m e e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h i s c o n t r a c t . T h e C h e l s h u a C o r p o r a t i o n i s t h e s o l e d i s t r i b u t o r o f t h e F O D B O S S S y s t e m . T h e G o v e r n m e n t w i l l c o n t i n u e t o r e s e a r c h a n d t e s t n e w e q u i p m e n t o n t h e m a r k e t f o r f u t u r e p u r c h a s e s . 4 T h i l d i t i b t f t h F O D B O S S S t t h f i t i t d t h t t h t t i Department of the Air Force Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (AFMC) Tinker Air Force Base Oklahoma has sole sourced the . Shouldn't You? DISTRIBUTED IN THE U.S. BY MYSLIK, INC. 303.697.9692 | WWW.MYSLIKINC.COM | bmyslik@myslikinc.com fodboss@aerosweep.com or visit www.fodboss.com This product is subject to one or more of the patents and/or patents pending as listed at www.fodboss.com/patents Has Proven Once Again It's the Ultimate FOD Sweeper or Your Money Back www.aviationpros.com/10287496 The system can pick up valid alerts without shutting down a runway due to a false alert brought on by a non-hazardous material on the runway. Port of Seattle

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