Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport Apron Lighting
Minneapolis, MinnesotaMany of the Airline Companies at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport expressed concern that the existing lighting on the aprons where the baggage handlers are servicing the planes is inadequate. HGA was hired to evaluate the existing lighting conditions and levels and make recommendations regarding improvement. We began by accessing the existing lighting. Field measurements were taken, lighting standards from the FAA and the Illuminating Engineering Society were reviewed and the lighting was compared to other airports with similar traffic. Several computer models were created to assist in the evaluation. Some models showed existing conditions and other models tested various options for improvement. An option was selected and a test site was installed. Field measurements showed an increase in light levels of approximately 30%25. The computer models and the field installation also indicated that increasing the lighting from the building mounted lights would only solve part of the problem. The wings of the parked airplanes also created shadows that could not be eliminated by the building mounted lighting system. HGA recommended the use of portable lights mounted to the baggage tugs to eliminated the shadows and assist the baggage handlers in their work.