Aircraft Maintenance GRE

Port of Portland PDX, Oregon

GRE Weather Station Commissioned at PDX for Aircraft Engine Maintenance

Vincent and Nader had an unusual opportunity to participate in the commissioning of a new Orion Weather Station for the Ground Run-up Enclosure (GRE) at the Portland International Airport.

Ground run-ups are routine aircraft engine maintenance tests required by Federal Aviation Regulations and aircraft engine manufacturers in order to ensure safe and reliable operation. The purpose of the enclosure is to reduce the noise impacts on surrounding neighborhoods in compliance with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) industrial noise regulations. Guidelines for use of the GRE include wind direction and speed parameters in accordance with the aircraft manufacturer recommendations.

Temperature and wind parameters are displayed in the GRE control room and on a reader board on the GRE wall that is visible from the aircraft cockpit. Operators closely monitor engine readings and abort the test if readings exceed specified limits, or if “other indications suggest continued operation might endanger people or property,” according to the GRE Procedure Manual.

The Orion Weather Station was installed by O’Neill Construction Group who requested CWS’s participation in the commissioning. CWS president Nader Khoury and Vincent Iubatti, technical support specialist, rode a lift up 70 feet to access the sensor transmitter situated atop the GRE wall. They inspected the installation and verified wind direction orientation. “Everything was in ship shape,” Nader reports. “Kudos to the O’Neill Group for an excellent installation.”

Back in the GRE Control Room, they connected a netbook to the Weather MicroServer, which was already configured to the network, established communication with the sensor and verified the data. An IT specialist from the Port of Portland connected as well and verified access to the weather data via XML file, which will then be displayed on the reader board.

Links for additional information:

Orion Weather Stations

Weather MicroServer

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