25th October 2007

Manston gets new airfield wind system after devastating lightning storms

MetEngUK today completed the installation and commissioning of a new airfield wind system at Kent International Airport.

The Vaisala WD50-based system replaces an ageing and obsolete WAD21M-based system that had served the airport well for many years. However, a violent electrical storm in July 2007 destroyed one of the two data transmitters and all three display units. MetEngUK was able to restore the system to full serviceability by replacement of the damaged units, but that exercise exhausted the remaining stock of serviceable WAD21Ms.

Another violent electrical storm at Manston, about a month later, did similar damage to the July incident, but this time no spares were available, and the new wind system was ordered!

The new wind system uses Vaisala's WT521 wind data transmitters, fitted with surge-protected modem modules. Further surge protection against lightning and mains-borne 'spikes' is incorporated in the WD50 display units, and MetEngUK provides even further protection with surge protectors installed in its 'MetBox1000' power and termination unit.