A passive infrared (IR) method will be developed for detecting and monitoring wake vortices in the vicinity of runways. To establish a safe, fundamental method for detecting and monitoring wake vortices is crucial for increasing both flight safety and airport efficiency. The effort consists of modifying existing equipment for recording IR, weather conditions, and aircraft type at a commercial runway under a range of weather conditions; creating an analysis format and analyzing the data; and developing a method for wake vortex detection and monitoring. The anticipated results will show that IR is a capable tool for the measurement of vortices from commercial aircraft and that weather conditions will cause significant differences in wake-vortex behavior with modifications for aircraft type.
Potential Commercial Applications: Both airport efficiency and aircraft safety can be gained with this technology. All airports with moderate and heavy aircraft traffic could use the IR-based, wake-vortex system. Pilots will be able to optimize the flight path for interactions with wake vortices and to avoid dangerous runway situations.
