Arora Helps DTW See Success with LED Airfield Lighting

The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has been working towards transitioning their airfield lighting from an incandescent to an LED system since 2006. Their successful efforts were recently profiled in the April 2018 issue of Airport Improvement Magazine.

Arora was recognized for providing electrical engineering services for the pavement rehabilitation of Runway 4L-22R and associated taxiways, which included the installation of 245 LED centerline lights and 180 touchdown zone lights. Arora’s additional design elements included a pavement surface sensor system, inpavement runway guard lighting, all new series circuit distribution to Airfield Lighting Vault No. 1, and new constant current regulators for the majority of the modified circuits.

The 10,000-foot runway is now 100% LED, which earned the 4L-22R and associated taxiways project an Envision Silver Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. According to Dave Garrett, the electrical department manager, the LED taxiway and runway lights have saved the airport over $270,000 in annual maintenance and energy costs. Garrett noted, “We view this as mission-critical work that has an impact on all airport users,” and that his long-term goal is to make DTW’s entire airfield 100% LED.

The full article can be read in the April 2018 edition of Airport Improvement Magazine.