Weather and ambient sensors now installed in 45 Chinese airports

Following the approval by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to use Biral sensors at aerodromes in 2016, 45 airports now use the VPF present weather sensors as part of their RVR (runway visual range) systems.

Biral’s VPF-730, VPF-710 present weather sensors and the ALS-2 ambient light sensors are the ideal choice for airport applications due to their efficiency, reliability and performance. The sensors are a compact and robust package which makes them perfect for aviation applications where strong winds and other damaging conditions are often present.

The CAAC certification means Biral’s sensors are approved for all airports in China for use in aviation weather monitoring systems (AWOS) and RVR systems.

One of the largest airports using the VPF-730 is the new Qingdao International airport, which currently has two runways with a further two planned for the airport's second phase. When the two phases are completed, the new Qingdao airport will be able to serve about 55 million passengers a year, allowing 452,000 landings and take offs, making it one of the country's largest airports alongside those in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Biral has also received an order from Tangshan airport, which is significant because it will be the first Chinese airport to also install a BTD-300 lightning warning system into the operation.