ForeWarn™

No doubt about it, lightning has a major impact on the aviation industry. In fact, during a typical summer, ramp activities around the country are often shut down for 30 minutes or more due to the threat of lightning.

Because all kinds of ground-support services—including aircraft refueling, baggage handling, catering, water and lavatory service, and aircraft and facility maintenance—are affected by impending or actual severe storm conditions, lightning is costly for the aviation industry and inconvenient for passengers. The key way to minimize these impacts is to be able to accurately detect when lightning might strike, notify ramp operators, and confirm when the risk has passed.

ARINC ForeWarn™ is a precision lightning warning system designed to accomplish precisely this goal—it provides the highest level of safety for ramp operators with the least amount of downtime.

By continuously monitoring lightning data and local conditions, ForeWarn provides an automated analysis of lightning threats in the area. The system constantly collects data from the National Lightning Detection Network via satellite, as well as from electric-field mills strategically placed at the airport. The data are then fed into ForeWarn's threat-evaluation program, triggering a series of automated warning signals to alert ground staff, followed by an "all clear" message when safe ground operations have been restored. This virtually eliminates random decision-making and translates into more efficient operations and increased safety.

Today, ARINC ForeWarn is used at major airports throughout North America and is tailored to meet the specified safety levels for each.