"Guiding lights" are needed along runways to guide airplanes safely. However, a large number of such lighting components on airfields these days means very high energy consumption and considerable maintenance expenditure for airports - a cost burden. Therefore, in the area of airport lighting HELLA is providing a product concept for in-pavement lights and elevated lights - efficient, durable and requiring little maintenance, thanks to state-of-the-art LED technology. The conversion to LED in-pavement lights pays off in many ways: It´s not only because with around 50,000 hours the service life of LEDs is many times longer than that of halogen light sources - their power consumption is up to 85% lower. The lower energy consumption also significantly reduces CO₂ emissions. In addition to this, LEDs are mercury-free, a feature that is increasingly important as we approach the EU-wide ban on mercury light sources as of 2015. Moreover, the significantly reduced maintenance costs, resulting from the long service life and simple replacement during operation, are another positive feature.

The lights meet the strictest requirements in terms of design, construction and installation height: the low installation height of just 6.3 millimeters reduces the contact surface for cleaning machines or snowplows, and the lights also collect less dirt. This also considerably reduces the likelihood of damage. The use of shatter-proof and scratch-proof glass as well as the high temperature resistance also guarantee a long service life beyond that of the LEDs. The performance can be infinitely regulated and there is a wide range of colors on offer.

HELLA has developed lights for four different applications: the Runway Centerline, the Taxiway Centerline, the Touchdown Zone as well as the Stopbar. The new LED in-pavement lights can be adapted with ease to fit existing airfield lighting structures. The decoupling of light module and housing makes an effortless replacement of the light source possible at any time - and also makes sure that the system is always up to date with the latest technical standard. All lights have been certified in accordance with international standards like ICAO Annex 14, the FAA and the IEC. Elevated lights, signs and heliports are also part of this product portfolio.