“We are finalising the commissioning of the LIDAR radar so that flights can take place even with crosswinds,” said the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz.

“It is installed and will be operational from the 10th,” he said, in response to questions from MP Filipe Sousa, of the JPP party.

The system in question is MADeira Winds (MAD Winds), comprised of an X-band radar, a LIDAR system, and a processing system that analyses meteorological data with high precision. This system will allow for a more accurate and timely understanding of the situation at Madeira International Airport, providing essential support for operational decisions during the most critical phases of flight, namely approach, landing, and take-off.

Operations at Madeira International Airport, located in the municipality of Santa Cruz, in the eastern part of the island, are frequently affected by wind conditions.

The MAD Winds system – unveiled in December 2024 and budgeted at €3.5 million – will have a one-year trial period, during which it will be evaluated and adjusted to optimise its operation in relation to the characteristics of Madeira Airport, the only airport in the world with mandatory wind limits – 15 knots – although these limits were imposed in 1964 and defined based on studies using a World War II DC3 aircraft, when the runway was 1,600 meters long, while it currently measures 2,781 meters.

According to NAV Portugal, approximately 80% of flight diversions currently caused by wind are only up to three knots above the imposed limits, making the new system a "crucial tool" for a more precise and potentially more favourable assessment of operations.