I took a look at what is being done about LED glare. I know that the commercial introduction of LED systems has been delayed due to the glare issue, but only now did I see the reasons and work behind it.
The Manchester trials were not in vain it seems.
Take a look at this presentation from "Latest Developments in the Application of White Runway LEDs on Airfields" (2011).
LEDs on Airfields
Please bear in mind that this paper was given in 2011, and things have moved forward from there. In mid-2013, I was told that intense R&D has been ongoing to solve the issues of glare, colour, degradation and temperature (which affects colour and degradation). On the direct issue of perceived brightness, the current advice is that:
- Large variance between test subjects
- Same measured intensity looks brighter in LED due to the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch effect: “As a stimulus becomes more chromatic at constant luminance, it appears brighter”– Described by Kohlrausch in 1947
- Complex steps and functions within eye and brain => Optical illusions
- Source of much research in ICAO and FAA LRC. Both FAA and ICAO have dedicated industry working groups looking at airfield lights and how and what regulations should be put forward.
I suggest that if you are finding problems with lights in operations, then forward those to your Regulator because LED engineering solutions appear to me to be driven by the Regulators' demands. The more they know about problems in the field, the easier it is to ensure that they will be mandated to be addressed. The link given above by TRC's post to the UK document gives the contact for the UK.