SubscribeFor almost exactly 30 years Stonefield Systems have been providing innovative control and monitoring systems to industry. Today Stonefield's activities are centred on three main aviation areas:
1. The provision of an advanced and integrated suite of data management systems for air traffic control towers.
This is typified by the recent installation in the New Control Tower at Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Air traffic controllers at Liverpool John Lennon Airport benefit from the most integrated ATC flight data management system available: Stonefield’s Airport Information Management System (AIMS), which provides a single multi-function PC display for each ATC workstation.
Management commended the flexible and integrated nature of the system, commenting, "We particularly like the way that our Air Traffic Controllers have all their required information on one display at a work position and the functionality of the system that allows Assistants to spread their workload between operational positions. The automated flight strip printing facility is a real time saver too".
The package includes:
AFTN messaging,
ATIS;
and meteorological data displays (with improved content and layout including a new high visibility colour scheme);
plus a flight movements database, which handles flight strip printing, SSR code to radio call-sign conversion for the radar displays and provides flight data updates for the passenger information displays and noise monitoring systems.
Stonefield Systems supplied the complete package of computer hardware, Stonefield’s AIMS software, commissioning and training. There are three workstations for the VCR and three more in approach control with a dual server configuration to ensure minimum downtime.
2. Airfield and National Airspace Remote Control and Monitoring
Examples are:
(a) Remote Maintenance Monitoring & Control System for Addis Ababa Airport
Stonefield Systems have just completed the first phase of a £0.5million contract for Siemens AG of Germany to provide a comprehensive remote maintenance monitoring and control system for Bole International Airport, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The contract involves the design, manufacture, supply, commissioning, training and documentation including essential liaison with the numerous diverse equipment manufacturers of the system at Bole Airport.
The system provides air traffic control with essential meteorological data displays, consolidated equipment alarm indication and a computerised notice board. Engineering users of the system also have supervisory maintenance monitoring and remote control of all airfield equipment including airfield ground lighting, navigational and landing aids (DVOR, DME, ILS), power distribution systems, diesel generators, fire alarms and terminal building facilities.
A 12-way fibre-optic redundant loop data highway, laid around the runway over a distance of almost 10 kilometres, connects all the major equipment locations on the airfield. This includes the main power house and ancillary sub-stations, navaid cabins, met masts, the new international terminal building, fire station, and control towers.
A UHF microwave link is used to connect the remote Gwassa radio and DVOR/NDB sites, which are located some 30 kilometres from the airport. The system is served by 13 PCs comprising 11 client PCs, and a dual server PC providing a high level of redundancy in the event of failure. In total there are around 60 screen displays showing essential status alarms. The site installation and commissioning is currently underway.
(b) The Navigation Aid Remote Indication and Control System (NARIC) in use by UK NATS to monitor and control all navigation aids in the UK national route structure.
NARIC was installed in the UK 17 years ago and has delivered its objectives of increasing reliability, reducing downtime and cutting maintenance spend. Some 108 navigation aids were included in the original specification and the system is extremely flexible allowing navigation aids of differing types to be added and configured with minimum effort.
Stonefield will shortly propose an updated version to incorporate additional airport monitoring functions such as those implemented in Ethiopia and a web-enabled interface. This will provide a system, which is likely to be extremely attractive to many countries with navigational facilities positioned in inhospitable terrain.
Stonefield Systems believe that, in addition to offering a technically superior and more reliable solution, significant cost benefits will be achievable for most installations in comparison with conventional technology.
About Stonefield Systems
Stonefield Systems Ltd is a leading provider of remote control and monitoring systems. Additionally, Stonefield supplies Air Traffic Control Tower Data Management systems and displays, which are installed worldwide.
Stonefield maintains a local office in Washington DC and offers its remote control and monitoring capability and Data Display Systems to the US market.
Please contact us on:
Tel +44 (0) 1403 787666
Fax +44 (0) 1403 787660
Rosier Business Park
Billingshurst
West Sussex
RH14 9DE
United Kingdom
