Which makers supply LED lights for Istanbul Airport?

Istanbul Airport (IST)

1. Basic Information

• Official Name: Istanbul Airport
• IATA Code: IST
• ICAO Code: LTFM
• Location: Arnavutköy, European side of Istanbul, Türkiye
• Opened: October 29, 2018
• Distance from Istanbul City Center: Approximately 35 km
• Official Website: Istanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport is the largest international airport in Türkiye and one of the world’s most strategically important new-generation aviation hubs. The airport was designed to become a major global gateway connecting Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

2. Airport Scale and Global Status

One of the World’s Largest Airports

• Total airport area: approximately 76.5 square kilometers
• One of the world’s largest single-terminal airports
• Ultimate planned annual passenger capacity: up to 200 million passengers
• Considered one of the future leading global aviation hubs

The first development phase is already fully operational, while future expansion projects are still ongoing.

Passenger Traffic and Global Ranking

Istanbul Airport has experienced rapid passenger growth in recent years:

• Annual passenger traffic exceeds 80 million passengers
• One of the busiest airports in Europe
• Consistently ranked among the world’s top busiest airports

Thanks to its unique transcontinental location, IST has become a major international transfer hub for global travelers.

Major Hub for Turkish Airlines

Istanbul Airport serves as the primary super hub for:

• Turkish Airlines

Through IST, Turkish Airlines operates an extensive global route network:

• Serving more than 130 countries
• Connecting over 300 cities worldwide
• One of the airlines with the widest international country coverage globally

3. Terminal and Transportation System

Terminal Layout

The airport currently operates with:

• One massive main terminal
• Integrated domestic and international flight operations

The terminal design emphasizes:

• Ultra-large passenger capacity
• Efficient transfer operations
• Smart airport technologies
• Optimized long-distance passenger flow

Airport facilities include:

• More than 500 check-in counters
• Over 140 passenger boarding bridges
• A highly automated baggage handling system

Architectural and Design Features

The airport combines:

• Modern European architectural design
• Ottoman cultural influences
• Extensive natural lighting concepts

Its iconic roof structure and spacious interior have made it one of the representative examples of modern airport architecture worldwide.

Transportation System

Istanbul Airport is supported by a comprehensive transportation network.

External Transportation

• Direct highway access to Istanbul city center
• M11 metro line connection
• Airport shuttle and intercity bus services
• Taxi and ride-hailing services

Internal Systems

• Smart passenger guidance systems
• Automated security and boarding processes
• High-efficiency transfer operations

Due to the airport’s enormous size, extensive escalators, moving walkways, and passenger transport systems are widely used throughout the terminal.

4. International Routes and Cargo Capacity

International Route Network

IST has one of the world’s most extensive international route networks.

Europe

• London
• Paris
• Frankfurt
• Amsterdam
• Rome

Asia

• Beijing
• Shanghai
• Tokyo
• Seoul
• Singapore

Africa

• Cairo
• Lagos
• Nairobi
• Johannesburg

Americas

• New York
• Chicago
• Toronto
• São Paulo

Its strategic geographic position allows flights from Istanbul to reach a large number of countries within a four-hour flight radius, making it one of the world’s most efficient global transfer hubs.

Cargo Capacity

Istanbul Airport features a large-scale modern cargo complex:

• Istanbul Airport Cargo City
• Advanced global logistics and cold-chain infrastructure
• Highly automated warehousing systems

Major cargo sectors include:

• E-commerce logistics
• Pharmaceutical cold-chain transportation
• Fresh food transportation
• High-value electronics
• Intercontinental air cargo transfer operations

The airport’s long-term cargo development plan aims to position it among the world’s leading air freight hubs.

Lighting Design Analysis for Outdoor Areas of Large Airports

Large airports, as critical transportation hubs, require well-designed lighting systems for their outdoor areas—such as aprons, cargo zones, and areas surrounding runways. These systems are essential for ensuring flight safety, improving operational efficiency, and protecting ground personnel.

Luminaire Types and Pole Height

Outdoor airport areas, particularly aprons, typically adopt high-mast lighting systems due to their vast coverage requirements and the need for high uniform illumination. High-mast systems consist of tall poles equipped with multiple high-power luminaires at the top, allowing large-area coverage with fewer poles while effectively controlling glare.

The primary luminaires used are high-power LED floodlights. LED technology has become the mainstream choice for airport lighting due to its high luminous efficacy, long lifespan, low energy consumption, instant start capability, good color rendering, and ease of control.

Recommended Pole Heights

In general, the pole height for large airport apron areas typically ranges from 15 m to 40 m. The exact height should be determined through precise lighting design based on apron size, aircraft types, lighting standards (such as ICAO requirements), and glare control considerations.

Technical Requirements for Luminaires

Airport environments impose stringent technical requirements on lighting equipment to ensure reliable performance under all operating conditions and compliance with aviation safety standards.

1. Illuminance and Uniformity Requirements

Lighting for airport aprons must comply with standards set by organizations such as ICAO to ensure clear visibility for both ground personnel and pilots.

• Horizontal illuminance: Typically not less than 20 lux, with a uniformity ratio (minimum/average) of at least 0.25.
• Vertical illuminance: Not less than 20 lux at a height of 2 meters above the apron in relevant directions.

2. Strict Glare Control

Glare is a critical concern in airport lighting design, as excessive glare can impair visibility and pose safety risks.

• Pole position and height: The mounting height of floodlights should not be less than twice the maximum eye height of pilots operating the aircraft using the stand. Careful positioning and aiming are required to avoid glare toward cockpits and control towers.
• Optical distribution: Advanced lighting distribution techniques, such as asymmetrical optics, should be used to precisely direct light onto target areas while minimizing spill light and stray light.

3. Protection and Environmental Adaptability

Lighting systems must withstand long-term exposure to harsh environmental conditions.

• Ingress Protection (IP Rating): Typically IP65 or higher for dustproof and waterproof performance.
• Wind resistance: High-mast systems must be structurally designed to withstand strong wind loads in accordance with local standards.
• Temperature resistance: Luminaires should operate reliably within extreme temperature ranges typical of airport locations.

4. Lightning and Surge Protection

Due to their height, high-mast poles are susceptible to lightning strikes. Luminaires must include effective lightning protection and surge protection devices to safeguard internal electronic components.

5. Maintenance and Obstruction Marking

• Lowering system: For poles exceeding a certain height (e.g., 35 ft / 10.6 m), a lowering system is recommended to facilitate maintenance and servicing.
• Obstruction lighting: According to standards such as ICAO Annex 14, structures exceeding certain heights (e.g., 150 m above ground level) may require medium-intensity obstruction lights to alert aircraft.

Which MECREE luminaires are suitable for outdoor Areas of Large Airports, and what are their key protection parameters?

What can MECREE do for you?

MECREE are not only a manufacturer of high-power LEDs, More professional services are also included:
1. According to the requirement to provide the best stadium lighting solutions, including horizontal, vertical illumination, uniformity, glare control, spill light control, energy saving.
2. About the design of lighting mast, Mecree according to the wind speed at the place can be used to calculate the axial force, bending force, horizontal shear force and torque for the construction engineer,
so as to protect the users from unnecessary accidental.
3. One stop service for you! High power generator set supporting, and we also supply cables, switches, power distribution cabinet and other parts. We are your best supply chain manager!
4. Professional Lighting installation guide including to the circuit design service and installation angle guide of each lights.

Remote driver

The power supply and lamp body can be mounted separately, reducing the withstand weight of the lamp pole and facilitating maintenance.

Easy installation：Easy to replace the cross arm

Customized crossarms are available to meet all your existing old poles without replacing the main rod, crossarms bolt directly to light pole, easy and accurate installation saves time, ensures performance, safety and reliability,also lower the budget.

How to accurately aim at outdoor lighting?

In current outdoor lighting projects, high-altitude light calibration is recognized as a major efficiency bottleneck. The process carries high safety risks, is prone to aiming deviations, and involves cumbersome installation and removal procedures, making it difficult to achieve the required uniformity.

MECREE’s innovative laser aiming mount was designed precisely to address these issues. It revolutionizes the workflow through three key advantages:

Easy Installation: With a simple design, it allows rapid mounting and dismounting, significantly lowering the operational threshold.

Precise Aiming: Ensures accurate laser alignment, fundamentally guaranteeing uniform illumination and compliance with lighting standards.

Efficient Operation: Reduces labor and time costs by up to 80%. Calibrating 200 fixtures at height previously took 20 days; now the same workload can be completed in just 4 days.

Choosing MECREE means choosing a safer, more precise, and highly efficient sports lighting solution.

Best LED STADIUM LIGHTS – Special Designed for sports lighting