The stand turns
or the departure slips
Heat stress measurement for ramp crews and condition, level and position sensing on ground support equipment, so a failure happens in the workshop rather than against an aircraft on a stand.
Everything on the ramp happens against a clock
A stand turnaround is a sequence of dependent tasks with an aircraft at the end of it, and there is no slack designed into any of them. Equipment that fails on the stand does not cost a repair, it costs a departure.
The crews doing the work are outside through the hottest and coldest parts of the day, in high-visibility clothing, next to running engines and hot surfaces. Air temperature does not describe what they are exposed to, which is why heat stress is assessed as WBGT.
The equipment itself wears in ways that are visible well before they are disruptive. Oil picks up ferrous debris, fluid levels fall, and actuator positions drift, all of it measurable and most of it currently found at a service interval.
Every airfield decision starts at a measurement point
An airport measures across the whole estate. Surface wind along the runway. Temperature, humidity and precipitation for approach and de-icing. Heat stress and machinery condition on the apron.
Runway threshold and touchdown zone
Surface wind at the threshold is the number the crew acts on, and it is reported continuously whether or not anyone can reach the mast.
- WindObserver 70 FAA and CAA accepted for AWOS use, heated head, 0 to 70 m/s
- WindObserver 75 316 stainless open head where site winds run higher
- WindSonic 60 lighter 2-axis for a secondary reference
Runway midpoint reporting
Wind can differ along the length of a runway, so mid-point sensors give the tower a truer picture than a single threshold reading.
- WindObserver 70 1 to 4 Hz output, RS422 and RS485
- WindSonic 75 0 to 75 m/s, 0.5 kg, low-cost additional reporting point
- MetConnect THP adds temperature, humidity and pressure at the same location
Runway stop-end and secondary masts
Stop-end and secondary masts fill in the picture the threshold sensor cannot see, and they sit where access needs a runway closure.
- WindObserver 70 no moving parts to seize between inspections
- WindObserver 90 0 to 90 m/s where exposure demands the wider range
- WindSonic M heated aluminium body, operating to -40 degrees C
Approach and departure path
Approach decisions depend on wind, visibility and precipitation reported from the ground, at the rate the procedure needs.
- WindObserver 70 the model that carries FAA and CAA acceptance
- MaxiMet GMX501 wind, temperature, humidity, pressure and solar in one unit
- TruMet PW100 optical rainfall, 0 to 200 mm/hr, no moving parts
Control tower and ATIS reference
The tower display and the automated broadcast both trace back to one set of sensors, so the output format matters as much as the accuracy.
- WindObserver 70 RS422 and RS485, full or half duplex, 1200 to 38400 baud
- MetConnect One ASCII, Modbus RTU and ASCII, NMEA 0183 and SDI-12 v1.3
- MetConnect THP pairs with a heated remote anemometer for cold sites
AWOS and automatic weather station enclosure
The field station is where the parameters come together, and WMO siting wants them separated by height rather than stacked in one housing.
- MetConnect THP separates sensors by height, accepts Pt100 and analogue inputs
- WindObserver 70 the remote anemometer feeding the station
- TruMet PW100 contact-closure rainfall input, 0.1 mm resolution
Airfield wind reference and sensor siting
A wind sensor is only as good as where it sits. Obstructions, buildings and mast height all change what the instrument reports.
- WindObserver 75 open head holds accuracy as the flow angle increases
- WindSonic 60 0 to 360 degrees with no dead band
- MetConnect One integrated WindSonic with T, H and P in one hub
Helipad and HEMS operations
Rotary wing operations turn round fast and often at night, and the wind limit is checked at the pad rather than the main met station.
- WindObserver 70 heated, IP66, 316 stainless, icing tested to MIL-STD-810F
- MaxiMet GMX501 compact station where pad space and cabling are tight
- WindSonic M heated, 0.9 kg, for a lightweight pad-side reference
De-icing pad and winter operations
De-icing is scheduled against temperature, humidity and precipitation, and the holdover time depends on getting those three right.
- MetConnect THP temperature to 0.2 degrees C, humidity to 1.5 percent RH
- MaxiMet GMX550 wind, T, H, P and rainfall, optional heating to -40 degrees C
- WindSonic M heated wind sensor for the pad itself
Aircraft stands and ground handling
Ramp crews work through the hottest part of the day in high-visibility clothing, and heat stress is measured as WBGT rather than air temperature.
- MaxiMet GMX552 WBGT heat stress with wind, T, H and P, 1.29 kg, IP66
- MaxiMet GMX500 wind, temperature, humidity and pressure for the apron
- MetConnect One where the stand needs third-party sensor inputs too
Hangar doors and maintenance areas
Large hangar doors carry a wind limit, and the interlock needs a measurement it can act on rather than a forecast.
- WindSonic 60 0 to 60 m/s, 0.5 kg, straightforward to mount on a door frame
- WindObserver 65 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 or 10 Hz output for faster interlocks
- Blade position sensors non-contact door and actuator position feedback
Fuel farm and hydrant system
Fuel storage is a certified hazardous area, so the wind sensor has to carry the certification before anything else about it matters.
- WindObserver IS ATEX, IECEx and UKEX certified, EN 60945:2002 for EMC
- LevelPro capacitive liquid level sensing with no moving parts
- LevelLite level measurement for smaller tanks and bowsers
Airfield construction and crane operations
Cranes working airside stop at a defined wind speed, and the reading has to hold up if the stoppage is ever questioned.
- WindSonic 75 0 to 75 m/s, full-range accuracy published
- WindObserver 90 0 to 90 m/s for exposed lifts
- MaxiMet GMX200 wind only, 0.5 kg, for a temporary works mast
UAV operations and airspace monitoring
Drone inspection and BVLOS work at an airfield runs to its own wind limits, on airframes where every gram counts.
- WindUltra compact 2-axis, IP69k, low power, built for mobile platforms
- WindSonic 60 0.5 kg ground reference for launch and recovery
- MaxiMet GMX200 portable wind reference for a temporary operating site
Environmental and air quality monitoring
Noise and emissions reporting is only as defensible as the meteorology recorded alongside it, and that record has to run for years.
- MetConnect THP WMO-compliant separation, two analogue inputs and a Pt100 input
- MaxiMet GMX551 wind, T, H, P, solar and rainfall in one compact station
- TruMet PW100 optical rainfall, 5 percent accuracy, no tipping bucket to clear
Ground support equipment condition
Tugs, loaders and steps fail on the stand rather than in the workshop, and oil tells you what is wearing before the failure does.
- WearDetect oil debris sensing for wear particles in lubricated equipment
- LevelLite fluid level in fuel, oil and hydraulic tanks
- Blade position sensors non-contact position feedback with no wearing parts
Calibration and verification
A reported wind speed is only defensible if it is traceable, and an accredited certificate is what closes the question.
- UKAS-accredited air velocity calibration traceable certification for anemometers and probes
- Multi-parameter calibration six parameters, equipment from any manufacturer
- Recalibration scheduling intervals, reminders and turnaround
Two different problems sharing one apron
Heat stress is a people problem measured environmentally. Wet bulb globe temperature combines air temperature, humidity, radiant heat and air movement into the single index that working limits are actually written against, and it can differ substantially from the air temperature on the same apron.
Radiant heat is the part that a thermometer misses entirely. An apron is a large area of dark surface next to aircraft that have just landed, and the globe temperature reflects that in a way a screen reading never will.
Ground support equipment is an engineering problem measured mechanically. Tugs, loaders, belt units, steps and de-icing rigs all carry oil-lubricated drives, hydraulic and fuel tanks, and actuators whose position matters to the machine and sometimes to the aircraft next to it.
Both are worth measuring for the same reason: the alternative is finding out on the stand, and the stand is the most expensive place on the airfield to find out anything.
WBGT is the index the limits are written against
Working limits, rest schedules and hydration guidance are written against wet bulb globe temperature rather than air temperature, because WBGT accounts for humidity, radiant heat and air movement as well.
MaxiMet provides WBGT measurement alongside the rest of the meteorological set, so the assessment comes from the apron the crews are working on rather than from a nearby reference station or a forecast.
Measured on the apron, not nearby
View heat stress measurementFind it in the workshop, not on the stand
Equipment that fails against an aircraft creates a delay, a recovery and a stand out of service. The same failure found during a scheduled check is a parts order.
WearDetect monitors ferrous debris in oil, reporting fine and coarse separately alongside water presence and oil temperature. Capacitive level sensing covers fuel, oil and hydraulic tanks with no float, and the Blade range provides non-contact position feedback sealed to IP67.
A scheduled swap beats a delayed departure
View WearDetectBoth of these get reviewed
Heat stress management is reviewed as a duty of care matter, and it is reviewed against what was measured rather than against what the forecast said. A local WBGT record is the difference between a policy and evidence that it was applied.
Equipment reliability is reviewed commercially. Delay attribution, fleet replacement cases and maintenance contracts all work from failure history, and condition data turns that history into something that can be acted on in advance.
Labcal is an independent UKAS-accredited laboratory operating to ISO/IEC 17025:2017, calibrating equipment from any manufacturer, which keeps the apron instruments and the workshop instruments on one schedule.
What the apron and its equipment measure
Heat stress and conditions for the crews, and condition, level and position sensing for the equipment that keeps stands turning.
Crew and conditions
MaxiMet
All-in-one weather station, no moving parts
WBGT alongside wind, temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation and rainfall, measured on the apron itself.
WindSonic
Lightweight 2-axis ultrasonic anemometer
Lightweight wind measurement for stand and equipment operating limits, mounted without a structural conversation.
TruMet PW100
Infrared optical rain gauge
Optical rainfall measurement for ramp working conditions and surface decisions, with no mechanism to block.
Ground support equipment
WearDetect
Oil debris sensor
Ferrous debris in engine, transmission and hydraulic oil on tugs, loaders and belt units, reported while the component is still a component.
Level sensing
Capacitive liquid level sensors
Fuel, oil, hydraulic and coolant level with no float to jam on equipment that spends its day moving and vibrating.
Blade position sensors
Non-contact inductive position sensing
Non-contact position feedback for lift, boom and platform mechanisms working close to an aircraft.
Where apron and GSE measurement does the work
Heat stress management
WBGT measured on the apron, supporting working limits and the record that they were applied.
Drivetrain condition
Ferrous debris trending on the equipment whose failure blocks a stand.
Position and hydraulics
Non-contact position feedback and hydraulic level on equipment working against an aircraft.
Mechanism feedback
Position measurement on mechanisms that have to stop accurately and repeatably.
Seasonal availability
Condition and level monitoring on equipment that has to work on the first freezing morning.
Planned intervention
Condition data across a GSE fleet, so workshop time is booked against evidence.
UKAS-accredited calibration for six measurement parameters
Labcal is an independent UKAS-accredited calibration laboratory, Lab 0625, operating to ISO/IEC 17025:2017. It provides calibration across gas and air flow, air velocity, liquid flow, pressure, temperature and humidity.
For an apron estate carrying anemometers, thermal probes, pressure instruments, thermometers, temperature and humidity probes and data loggers, a single accredited laboratory keeps everything on one traceable schedule.
Gas meters · Mass flow controllers · Dispensing systems
Anemometers · Pitot tubes · Thermal probes
Flow meters and sensors · Process control equipment
Gauges · Transducers · Manometers · Transmitters
Thermometers · Probes · Thermocouples · Data loggers
Hygrometers · Probes · Transmitters
Getting both measurements where they are used
Heat stress information is acted on by supervisors on the apron, and equipment condition is acted on by a workshop planner. The same installation has to serve two different audiences.
Gill supports environmental monitoring, industrial sensing, embedded electronics and systems integration, so handling agents, airport operators and GSE manufacturers can bring both into existing systems.
Whether the requirement is CANbus into a vehicle network, Modbus into a fleet system, a serial string into an operational display, or a configurable sensor embedded into an OEM build, Gill engineers can support integration from specification through commissioning.
Outputs and options
- CANbus & RS232 : Vehicle networks and telematics
- Modbus RTU : Fleet and site systems
- 4-20 mA & 0-10 V : Existing analogue channels
- BladeCom : Travel, switch points and output limits set before fitting
What the specification looks like in practice
WBGT rather than air temperature
Heat stress limits are written against wet bulb globe temperature, which accounts for humidity, radiant heat and air movement.
Measured where the work happens
An apron reading describes the apron, which a nearby reference station and a forecast do not.
Wear found before the stand
Fine and coarse ferrous debris reported separately, so a failing component is visible while it is still a component.
No float in a moving tank
Capacitive level sensing has no mechanical float on equipment that spends its day accelerating, braking and turning.
Position without a wear item
Blade sensors measure across a gap to a passive activator, sealed to IP67 for temporary immersion (1 m for 30 min).
Into the systems already running
CANbus, Modbus, analogue and serial outputs reach vehicle networks, fleet systems and operational displays.
Questions about apron and ground support equipment
Because wet bulb globe temperature accounts for humidity, radiant heat and air movement as well as air temperature, and those are what actually determine heat strain on a working person.
On an apron the radiant component is significant, so WBGT and air temperature can differ substantially at the same moment.
It measures ferrous wear debris in the oil, reporting fine and coarse separately alongside water presence and oil temperature, so a failing drive is visible before it fails.
It fits as a smart sump-plug replacement or in a bypass circuit, with 0-10 V, 4-20 mA, CANbus or Modbus RTU output.
Because there is no float. Equipment that spends the day accelerating, braking and turning gives a float a reading that depends more on the movement than on the contents, and the float is another component to jam.
On lift, boom, platform and steering mechanisms. Blade sensors measure across a gap to a passive activator, so there is no mechanical contact to wear, and they are sealed to IP67 for temporary immersion (1 m for 30 min).
Generally yes. WearDetect fits as a sump-plug replacement or in a bypass circuit, and level and position sensors are selected against the tank and mechanism arrangement. The engineering team can advise on fittings and mounting.
Yes. Labcal is an independent UKAS-accredited calibration laboratory, Lab 0625, operating to ISO/IEC 17025:2017, calibrating equipment from any manufacturer across gas and air flow, air velocity, liquid flow, pressure, temperature and humidity.
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