Which makers supply LED lights for Chicago O’Hare International Airport？

Basic Information of Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Chicago O’Hare International Airport

• Official Name: Chicago O’Hare International Airport
• IATA Code: ORD
• ICAO Code: KORD
• Location: Approximately 27 km northwest of downtown Chicago
• Operator: Chicago Department of Aviation
• Airport Type: International major hub airport
• Opened: 1944 (formerly known as Orchard Field)
• Airport Area: About 7,600 acres (approximately 30 square kilometers)
• Runways: 8 runways, making it one of the airports with the largest runway systems in the world
• Major Airline Hubs:
  • United Airlines
  • American Airlines

Chicago O’Hare International Airport has long ranked among the busiest airports in the world and serves as the most important aviation hub in the American Midwest.

Airport Scale and Global Position

Global Aviation Hub Status

• Annual passenger traffic reached approximately 84.85 million passengers in 2025.
• Annual aircraft movements exceed 850,000 flights, ranking among the highest worldwide.
• The airport offers more than 260 direct destinations, covering North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.
• It is one of the most connected airports in the United States.

Global Ranking Features

• O’Hare was once recognized as the “World’s Busiest Airport.”
• It remains one of the world’s most important international transit hubs.
• The airport plays a major role in international cargo, business aviation, and intercontinental flights.

Cargo Capacity

• Annual cargo throughput exceeds 2.2 million metric tons.
• It is one of the key air cargo hubs in the United States.
• The airport is particularly important for electronics, pharmaceuticals, perishables, and high-value manufacturing logistics.

Terminals and Transportation System

Terminal Layout

Chicago O’Hare International Airport currently has four major passenger terminals:

The airport has more than 200 boarding gates in total.

Internal Transportation System

• The terminals are connected by the Airport Transit System (ATS) automated train.
• The ATS operates automatically and provides 24-hour service.

External Transportation

O’Hare Airport offers highly convenient transportation connections:

• Chicago CTA Blue Line
  Direct subway access to downtown Chicago in approximately 45 minutes.
• Highway Network
  Direct access to major highways including I-90, I-190, and I-294.
• Taxi and Ride-Sharing Services
  Fast connections to downtown Chicago and surrounding business districts.
• Rail and Bus Systems
  Connections to multiple cities across the American Midwest.

International Routes and Aviation Network

International Route Coverage

Chicago O’Hare International Airport operates extensive international direct routes, including:

• Europe: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and more
• Asia: Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Delhi, and more
• Middle East: Dubai, Doha, Istanbul
• South America: São Paulo, Mexico City, and more

Airline Network

Major airlines operating at O’Hare include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Lufthansa
• British Airways
• Emirates

O’Hare Airport is one of the most important intercontinental aviation transit hubs in the United States.

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 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. Reliable After-Sales Support

We offer flexible warranty options of:

• 5 years
• 7 years
• 10 years

depending on project requirements.

Fast Spare Parts Support

For standard after-sales issues, once damaged components are confirmed, replacement parts will be shipped free of charge within one week to help customers complete repairs quickly and efficiently.

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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