Jet Blast Deflectors

The on and off airfield safety of personnel, equipment and facilities are every operator’s prime responsibility. Additionally, leveraging  operational efficiency and maximising the use of assets are vital for delivering economic performance.   Airports have a legislative duty of care to protect people, vehicles, aircraft and buildings from the dangerous high velocity thrust from aircraft.

The IAC Aviation range of jet blast deflectors solutions offers tangible financial benefits through the operational efficiency of aircraft movement, while maximising the use of space by enabling access airfield wide, through to the boundary.  We deliver cost-effective, aesthetic, long life jet blast protection solutions that safely deflect and/or diffuse the high velocity wake from aircraft.  Our range covers applications of jet, propeller or helicopter, across taxiing, taking off or power assurance checks.

IAC Aviation has for over 70 years been at the global forefront of jet blast protection solutions, with industry leading engineering design innovation combined with high performance, quality, manufacture and installation.  This facilitates the specification of jet blast deflector protection systems throughout the world’s airport facilities.

Our capabilities extend to a comprehensive design and engineering service, including adaptation or enhancement of existing designs to create a bespoke barrier, where requirements extend beyond standard specifications.

Please contact our Aviation team for advice relating to your new project.

Jay Owen

+61 (0) 3 5521 1994
+61 (0) 418 833 469

Jet Blast Deflector Application

The specification and application of jet blast deflectors is a vital element for the success of any airport and airfield environment.  The safety and protection of assets through jet blast barriers is paramount to managing risk;

 

CAA Airside Safety Management, CAP642 (ICAO Annex 14)

“Where possible, blast screens should be provided to protect buildings, installations and vehicle and staff areas that are vulnerable to blast”

 

For typical airfield operations, there are two main levels of ‘blast’ that would be considered to require a level of protection:

  • High Power / Take-Off thrust
  • Taxi / Break-away thrust

 

High power / take –off thrust should be considered for end of runway barrier locations and specialist maintenance areas on the airfield, where high power engine testing may occur. Taxi and break-away thrust duty should be considered for all other areas of the airfield, such as terminal and aircraft stand areas, alongside service road protection.  In particular where aircraft operate in close proximity to buildings, vehicles, fixed or mobile assets or personnel.

Taxi & Breakaway Duty Deflectors

Vertical Mesh Barrier [VMB]

The VMB jet blast deflector system is designed in accordance with guidelines from Boeing. It is able to withstand loading from site wind conditions and the jet wake velocities distributed by taxiing aircraft in accordance with BS6399-2.

Our design team compared common aircraft jet wake profiles from the major manufacturers to establish a solution to suit the majority of deflection applications globally.  This index enabled us to model a common jet wake velocity design speed of 45m/s.  An aircraft average proximity limitation of 10m from the aircraft tail to the barrier, was used to complete the reference calculations .

Beyond the aircraft data, our team also reviewed various local wind assessment standards to determine a high reliable level of confidence in the standard design loading criteria.

 

 

 

 

The VMB deflects the jet blast upwards at approximately 60°, while diffusing the airflow, providing a protection zone in the shadow of the barrier.

The vertical design profile minimises footprint and maximises space utilisation –  vital in many busy operational airfields. The safety and protection of personnel and buildings is enhanced with a line of sight through the mesh deflector.  Additionally this jet blast deflector is commonly utilised as a service road protection system and as a perimeter to Heli-pad landing areas

Combining standard Eurocode design theories and computational fluid dynamic modelling, we can visualise the protection zone created by the barrier installation while supporting your engineering requirements on the foundation design. A full foundation design service is available for the VMB or alternatively we can provide duty loading requirements for the foundations, to be designed by others.

  • Standard Height: 3m, 4m, 5m, 6m

 

  • Standard Width: 2m

 

  • Modular – Relocate or Extend
  • East Midlands, UK
  • London Luton, UK
  • Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • Al Ain, UAE
  • Dubai, UAE
  • Dublin, Ireland
  • Philippines
  • Hot-dip Galvanised

 

  • Painted Options

 

  • Foundation Design

 

  • Mesh or Full screen

 

  • Frangible Design

Taxi  & Breakaway Duty Deflectors

Angled Mesh Barrier [AMB]

The AMB jet blast deflector system utilises the same mesh configuration as the VMB, installed into an ‘A’ Frame construction.  In application the deflector is designed to ‘lean into’ the aircraft jet wake at approximately 30°.

Naturally the AMB has a larger footprint but provides a greater degree of deflection of the jet wake. Turning the wake through approximately 90 degrees enabling it to exit vertically. This provides enhanced personnel and equipment protection to the area behind the barrier, as demonstrated through wind tunnel testing, whilst retaining a line of sight through the barrier.

The AMB jet blast deflector is also available as a modular mobile system.  The barrier structure is mounted to a specially designed concrete pallet base, for loading via forklift.  This allows flexible use via the fast and simple deployment of blast deflection barriers to temporary locations.

  • Standard Height: 2.7m, 3.6m, 4.5m, 5.3m

 

  • Palletised Height: 3m, 3.8m

 

  • Standard Width 2m

 

  • Flexible Positioning
  • Manchester, UK
  • Exeter,UK
  • London City, UK
  • Dublin, Ireland
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Middle East
  • Khazakstan
  • China

 

  • Hot-dip Galvanised

 

  • Painted Options

 

  • Mobile Palletised option

 

  • Chemical Resin Anchors

High Thrust Duty Deflectors

Curved Solid Barrier [CSB]

The CSB jet blast deflector system can be used for high thrust duty and break-away thrust applications, where the preference is not to use an aerodynamically and visually permeable barrier. The difference in specification between the two duty ratings is the support frame spacing.

Typically a 4m high CSB break-away / taxi duty barrier can be provided with steel support frames at 2.5m standard pitch (End sections pitch reduced to 1.25m). Where utilised for higher power thrust requirements, this frame spacing is reduced to 0.834m (End sections reduced to 0.417m) All other aspects of the design remain the same. The higher power duty barrier is designed for full engine ground running applications.

As a full barrier installation the CSB jet blast deflector can provide additional acoustic benefit with enhancement option of IAC Acoustics certified acoustic absorption panel system. This provides approximately 10-15dB sound reduction. As a dual system for both jet blast deflection and environmental noise control, the CSB offers an economic solution with excellent airfield performance and wider benefits to employees, passengers and local residents.

  • Standard Height: 4m, 6m 

 

  • Standard Width: 2m

 

  • Manchester, UK

 

  • Getafe, Spain

 

  • Dublin, Ireland

 

  • Chicago, USA

 

 

  • Break-away or High Power

 

  • Galvanised or Painted options

 

  • Foundation Design

 

  • Acoustic Performance Option

Curved Solid Barrier Video and Gallery

Radar & ILS Duty Deflectors

Angled Fibreglass Barrier [AFB]

This type of barrier is particularly suited when the barrier requirement may interfere with the airport ILS and radar systems, or where the barrier is required to be frangible – such as runway end locations etc, in order to prevent excessive damage to an aircraft in the event of a collision.

In association with our global partners (Blastwall Ltd), IAC Aviation offers the original and patented fiberglass deflector system, designed to overcome problems associated with locating metallic barriers near to airport systems such as a radar or instrument landing system [ ILS].  Its performance is tested and qualified by NAV Canada for non-interference performance during ground based and in-flight electronic signal emissions.  Additionally it is further qualified for installation by the FAA in the USA.

The fiberglass jet blast deflector provides all the protection qualities expected of an angled barrier system, with the added benefit of being frangible.  This minimises potential cost associated with impact risk, with the additional benefit of being corrosion free – this includes fibreglass structural supports and bolts.  Sheer points are engineered for the most effective collapse to minimise the financial impact of any collision.

It is lightweight and easy to assemble, with lifting equipment only being necessary during assembly for the larger versions.   Long term durability is apparent with pigment and UV stabilisers in the resin, while its self-cleaning and maintenance free and fire retardant to Class 1 flame-spreading rating 25 or less as per ASTM E84.

  • Standard Height: 3m, 4m

 

 

 

  • Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Fiberglass Corrosion Free

 

  • Frangible System

 

  • Risk Mitigation

 

  • Lightweight Installation

Jet Blast Deflector Additional Information

Custom Solutions

IAC Aviation has designed a range of jet blast deflectors that should cover the majority of requirements for protection of personnel and infrastructure.  We appreciate that sometimes customised requirements are needed.  Our extensive jet blast protection design and engineering experience is at your service to help you with your specific requirement. We can provide protection solutions to meet safety needs for ultra-high temperature, unique shape or even powered moveable barriers.  Please see our video of the powered moveable Curved Solid Barrier at Dublin Airport.

If you have a custom requirement we are able to provide a full design review with CFD modelling to review the barrier effects for your specific site installation and surrounding environments We can also offer third party investigations into Radar influence of the steel barriers in specific locations.

 

Foundations and Installation Services

All of our fixed jet blast deflectors require a suitable concrete foundation to be installed onto. In order to ensure the foundations are suitable for the blast barrier loading, IAC Aviation offers two alternative design solutions. We can provide detailed structural reaction forces and moment calculations to allow others to design the foundations to suit.  Alternatively we offer a full foundation design service whereby the required foundations would be detailed for the particular application, for others to install. In order to correctly design the foundations, the ground conditions would need to be declared by the customer, or IAC can commission a ground investigation survey.  This ensures the ground bearing capacity of the sub-soil is considered correctly.

The design of the barrier provides a fast and simple bolted connection system to ease installation. Each barrier can be supplied as a kit of parts with full assembly instructions – IAC can provide a site installation supervisor to train and supervise local installers, or we can utilise our own skilled installation teams to assemble and erect our jet blast deflector solutions.  Typically, with a pre-constructed foundation prepared by others, the barrier components can be installed at a rate of 10 to 20 linear meters per day (dependent on barrier type), with little more than generic hand or power tools and a simple, small lifting crane – such as a Truck mount Hi-Ab crane.

WordPress Lightbox Plugin