World airports

Which makers supply LED lights for John F. Kennedy International Airport?

66 Published by admin 06 15,2026

✈️ Overview of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

📍 Basic Information

  • English Name: John F. Kennedy International Airport
  • IATA Code: JFK
  • ICAO Code: KJFK
  • Location: Queens, New York City, New York, United States (approximately 26 km / 16 miles southeast of Midtown Manhattan)
  • Opened: 1948
  • Original Name: Idlewild Airport
  • Renamed: 1963, in honor of John F. Kennedy
  • Operator: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
  • Airport Category: Major international gateway and commercial airport

🌍 Airport Status

John F. Kennedy International Airport is the largest international airport serving New York City and one of the most important aviation gateways in the United States.

  • ✈️ One of the busiest international airports in North America
  • 🌎 Primary international gateway to New York City
  • 🇺🇸 One of the leading international hub airports in the United States
  • 🛫 Major operating base for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways
  • 🌐 Serves destinations across North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Oceania
  • 📦 Important international air cargo gateway for the northeastern United States
  • 📊 Handles tens of millions of passengers annually and ranks among the busiest airports in the world for international traffic

🏢 Terminal Structure

JFK Airport currently operates six passenger terminals, all connected by the AirTrain system.

🏢 Terminal 1

  • Primarily serves international airlines
  • Handles numerous long-haul flights to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
  • Operated by a consortium of international carriers

🏢 Terminal 4

  • One of JFK’s largest and busiest terminals
  • Major international arrivals and departures facility
  • Key operating terminal for Delta Air Lines and numerous international carriers
  • Open 24 hours a day

🏢 Terminal 5

  • Main hub for JetBlue Airways
  • Modern terminal featuring streamlined passenger services and retail facilities
  • Handles both domestic and selected international flights

🏢 Terminal 7

  • Serves several international airlines
  • Undergoing redevelopment as part of JFK’s modernization program

🏢 Terminal 8

  • Largest terminal at JFK
  • Primary hub for American Airlines
  • Also serves several international partner airlines within the Oneworld alliance

🏢 New Terminal Developments

  • JFK is currently undergoing a multi-billion-dollar redevelopment program
  • Several new terminal projects are under construction or planned
  • The goal is to transform JFK into one of the world’s most advanced airport hubs

🛬 Runway System

  • Four runways designed to accommodate the world’s largest commercial aircraft
  • Capable of handling aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8
  • Advanced air traffic management systems support high traffic volumes

🚆 Transportation Connections

AirTrain JFK

  • Automated people-mover connecting all terminals
  • Links the airport to New York City’s public transportation network

Rail Connections

  • Connection to the New York City Subway via Jamaica Station and Howard Beach Station
  • Access to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)

Road Transportation

  • Taxis
  • Ride-hailing services
  • Airport shuttle buses
  • Direct highway access to Manhattan, Long Island, and surrounding regions

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

Area Type Recommended Height
Airport Apron 15–40 m
General High Mast Lighting 20-50m

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?

Model Power IP Rating Horizontal illuminance vertical illuminance IK Rating Protection Class Surge Protection
AFL 240W/300W/400W IP 66 & IP 67 >30lux >30lux IK08, IK10  Class I 10kV, 20Kv
R350 500W/600W IP 66 & IP 67 >30lux >30lux IK08, IK10 Class I 10kV, 20Kv
M200 340W/400W IP 66 & IP 67 >30lux >30lux IK08, IK10 Class I 10kV, 20Kv
P73-l  600W  IP 66 & IP 67 >30lux >30lux IK08, IK10 Class I 10kV, 20Kv
A65 A651050W  IP 66 & IP 67 >30lux >30lux IK08, IK10 Class I 10kV, 20Kv

Note: Detailed specifications and introductions for different lighting models can be found on the product pages.   https://www.mecreeled.com/product/

What Can MECREE Offer You?

MECREE is not only a manufacturer of high-power LED lighting products, but also a professional provider of one-stop value-added services for sports lighting and other large-scale outdoor lighting applications. Our services cover the entire project process, from lighting design to after-sales support.

1. Professional Lighting Solution Design

Based on your specific project requirements, we provide customized lighting solutions for airport aprons, runways, and taxiways, with comprehensive consideration of the following key factors:

Horizontal illuminance and vertical illuminance
Illuminance uniformity
Glare control and spill light management
Energy efficiency optimization and operational cost balance

2. Customized Pole Design & Wind Resistance Engineering

Based on the local wind speed data, project requirements, and selected fixture models, we provide customized lighting pole solutions.

Through accurate load calculations under extreme wind conditions, we deliver the most cost-effective and structurally reliable wind-resistance design while ensuring long-term operational safety.

3. One-Stop Supporting Supply

We are more than just a lighting supplier — we are your complete supply chain partner.

We can also provide:

  • High-power generator sets
  • Cables, switches, distribution cabinets, and other electrical accessories

This ensures seamless integration from lighting fixtures to the entire power supply system, helping you avoid the complexity of sourcing from multiple suppliers.

4. Flexible Customization Services

Light Customization

  • Fixture color
  • Packaging solutions

Advanced Customization

  • Color temperature
  • Input voltage
  • Control systems
  • Dimming functions
  • Mounting structures
  • Surface treatment
  • Anti-glare levels
  • Driver configurations (internal/external and dimming characteristics)

These options allow us to meet the unique performance and appearance requirements of different projects.

Example: External Driver Design

The power driver can be installed separately from the fixture body, reducing the load on the lighting pole and lowering pole costs.

Easy Installation & Retrofit Solutions

We provide customized mounting brackets and cross-arm solutions compatible with existing lighting poles, eliminating the need to replace the main pole structure.

The cross-arm can be directly bolted onto existing poles, enabling fast and precise installation while reducing labor costs and ensuring system performance, safety, and reliability.

5. Professional Installation Guidance

We provide complete technical installation support, including:

  • Electrical circuit design plans
  • Precise aiming angles for every fixture

Remote Support

  • Detailed installation drawings
  • One-on-one video guidance when necessary

On-Site Support

If required, our engineering team can travel to the project site to provide face-to-face installation guidance.

This ensures that the final lighting performance fully matches the original design intent.

How to Achieve Precise Outdoor Lighting Aiming?

In modern outdoor lighting projects, high-altitude fixture aiming is widely recognized as a major efficiency bottleneck. Traditional aiming methods involve:

  • High safety risks
  • Frequent aiming deviations
  • Complicated installation and dismantling procedures
  • Difficulty achieving the required lighting uniformity

To solve these challenges, MECREE has developed an innovative laser aiming bracket system featuring three core advantages:

Easy Installation

Its simplified structure enables fast installation and removal, greatly reducing operational difficulty.

High Precision

The laser alignment system ensures extremely accurate aiming, guaranteeing lighting uniformity and compliance with lighting standards.

High Efficiency

Labor and time costs can be reduced by up to 80%.

Traditionally, aiming 200 high-mounted fixtures could take approximately 20 days. With MECREE’s laser aiming system, the same work can now be completed in as little as 4 days.

6.Fast & Reliable Delivery

With streamlined production management and strict quality control, MECREE provides stable lead times from 10 to 40 days depending on project scale and customization requirements.

7. Fast and Reliable Delivery

Through streamlined production management and strict quality control procedures, MECREE provides dependable lead times for projects of various sizes.

Typical delivery periods range from:

10 to 40 days

depending on project scale and customization requirements.

8. Reliable After-Sales Support

To meet different project requirements, MECREE offers:

5-Year Warranty
7-Year Warranty
10-Year Warranty
Standard After-Sales Service

If a component failure is confirmed:

Replacement parts are provided free of charge
Parts are typically shipped within one week
Our technical team assists customers in completing repairs quickly and efficiently

This minimizes downtime and ensures long-term system reliability.

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

Contact Us:info@mecree.com
We look forward to assisting you.

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