MOVING AWAY FROM DIESEL TO GREENER POWER SOURCES - THE SEARCH FOR ECO-FRIENDLY ENERGY - Airside International
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E X P LO R I N G G S E , A I R F I E L D E Q U I P M E N T A N D I N F R A ST R U CT U R E | WWW. A I R S I D E I N T.CO M
SUMMER 2022 #AIRSIDEINT
THE SEARCH FOR ECO-FRIENDLY ENERGY
MOVING AWAY FROM DIESEL
TO GREENER POWER SOURCES
S U STA I N A B L E O P T I O N S F O R A I R P O RT D R A I N A G E PREVENTING AIRCRAFT DAMAGE
Tractor Tales
Perfect flying conditions don’t matter if your
only tractor has a major failure. That’s just one
real world story from one of our customers in New
Mexico. When it happened, Mercury promptly dispatched
Cummins Service Technicians to flash the ECM and
get the unit back online before it could have an
impact on operations. That’s the Mercury standard.
At Mercury we keep things moving, because there’s
no other way to do business. Read more Tales of
the Tarmac at MercuryGSE.com/stories.
Keeps it moving.
mercurygse.com
Editor’s
N O T E S
Mike Bryant
Mike@evaint.com
W
elcome to the and GAT Airline Ground Support to get the
Summer 2022 issue of views of changing times from the industry’s
Airside International, handlers.
in which the first of
the features relate Going green is an ongoing theme of these
to the perennial pages, no more so than when the UK’s
challenge of preventing aircraft damage. Birmingham Airport and Farnborough
Megan Ramsay looks at how technology, Airport both detail to Airside their
training and agreed standards of operations impressive sustainability strategies. And
might help to mitigate the danger. Edmonton International Airport in Canada is
also doing its bit, looking to convert airside
This issue’s other two features concern the vehicles to run on combined hydrogen and
little-discussed business of airside drainage diesel fuel. These are all parts of the wider
and water recycling, and the continuing efforts being made by the aviation industry
trend amongst ground service providers for to minimise harmful carbon emissions and
electric ground power units (GPUs). contribute to a more sustainable future.
We get the latest news from two of the bigger In the ever-changing field of technology,
GSE lessors – Mercury GSE and HiSERV – and we chat with Lana Jansen of WePlan,
catch up with GSE manufacturers based in which offers a software-as-a-service (SaaS)
Turkey (DENGE Airport Equipment) and platform that enables airlines to optimise
Thailand (Bliss-Fox Panus GSE). their crew manpower deployment on a
continual basis, and take a look at Schiphol’s
We meet with ADB SAFEGATE Airport decision to acquire two innovative TaxiBot
Systems’ global sales director digital semi-robotic pushbacks.
solutions, Ilya Burkin, who explains how the
company is helping airports to digitalise in Finally, we look forward to late summer and
order to improve both safety and efficiency the launch of a new European exhibition
in many areas of their operations, and also dedicated to GSE – GSE Expo Europe – to
speak with ground service providers Havas be held in Paris this September.
We hope you enjoy the issue.
James Sheridan Parveen Raja Ian Talbot
Chairman Publisher Sales Manager
james@evaint.com parveen@evaint.com ian@evaint.com
Charlotte Willis Gemma Keen Alpha Diallo
Office Manager Events Coordinator Graphic Designer
charlotte@evaint.com gemma@evaint.com alpha@evaint.com
Shobhana Patel Salam Raja Sohail Ahmad
Head of Finance Producer Digital Sales Manager
finance@evaint.com salam@evaint.com sohail@evaint.com
Eddie Saunders Olivia Pilling Haider King
Editorial Assistant Conference Producer Delegate Sales
eddie@evaint.com olivia@evaint.com haider@evaint.com
Contents SUMMER 2022
04 Preventing aircraft damage
10 Powering up for the future
Issue 58
www.airsideint.com
16 Bliss-Fox Panus GSE supports India’s focus
Content may not be
reproduced in any format
on electric equipment for the ramp
without written permission
from EVA International
Media Ltd 20 Sustainable options for airport drainage
04 and easy access
Join the conversation
Twitter: @airsideint
Linkedin: /airside-
international 26 GAT to introduce autonomous airside
driving technology
Advertising contact
Ian Talbot, Sales Manager
T: + 44 (0) 20 8253 4011
E: ian@evaint.com
30 Havas expands its overseas footprint
Address changes and
subscriptions:
charlotte@evaint.com 36 Farnborough Airport vehicles switch
ISSN 1755-8697
from diesel to vegetable oil
10 42 Birmingham Airport commits to net
EVA INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LTD carbon-zero operations
PUBLISHERS & EVENTS SPECIALISTS
The opinions expressed in
this publication are those 46 Hydrogen offers an alternative to simple
of the individual authors diesel at Edmonton
or advertisers and do not
necessarily reflect those of
EVA or its members.
52 HiSERV assists AeroGround handling
The mention of specific operations in Berlin
companies or products in
articles or advertisements
contained herein does not 54 Mercury GSE: meeting specialist needs
imply that they are endorsed
or recommended by EVA.
Published by:
EVA International Media ltd 56 56 DENGE celebrates 40 years of success
Boswell Cottage
19 South End, Croydon
London, CR0 1BE, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8253 4000 58 ADB SAFEGATE looks to digitalised airports
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8603 7369 of the future
www.evaintmedia.com
Printed by:
62 All-new GSE Expo Europe set for Paris
The Manson Group Limited in September
St Albans, Hertfordshire
AL3 6PZ, United Kingdom
64 WePlan facilitates efficient airline
Distributed By:
Asendia UK LTD
workforce planning
Heathrow Estate
Silver Jubilee Way
Hounslow, TW4 6NF
64 67 Schiphol to invest in two TaxiBots
2 Airside International | Summer 2022
F E AT U R E | P R E V E N T I N G A I R C R A F T D A M A G E
ADB SAFEGATE’s Safedock
A-VDGS helps prevent
accidents on the apron
Preventing aircraft damage
Aircraft are vulnerable to damage caused by the vehicles that service them
on the ramp coming into contact with them – an increasingly expensive (and
potentially very dangerous) occurrence, as more and more aircraft are made
of easily damaged composite materials. Technology is helping to reduce
such incidents, while proper training and consistent standards are also
essential. Megan Ramsay reports
A
ccidents and incidents people and, of course, aircraft whose pilots parking position and the next taxiing
involving aircraft on have limited visibility from a flight deck. aircraft collided with its tail – the apron is
the ground are by no From hazards like foreign object debris clearly a high-risk environment.
means infrequent, (FOD) and GSE; to wingtip collisions owing David Stark, consulting director and
especially on the to the non-observance of clearances; to practice leader of enterprise risk services
apron. This is a very events like a recent accident in Istanbul at insurance broker and risk advisor Marsh
congested area, populated by vehicles, where an aircraft stopped short of its McLennan, outlines several reasons for
4 Airside International | Summer 2022
P R E V E N T I N G A I R C R A f T D A M A G E | F E AT U R E
aircraft damage: inconsistencies in risk results in safer operations.
management, policies or procedures; “For example, our Safedock A-VDGS
variability in maintenance and inspection helps prevent accidents through apron
of equipment and infrastructure; “non- scans that check for obstacles and debris;
conforming operational behaviours in tail and wingtip clearance checks; aircraft
the airside environment, as a result of verification to make sure the approaching
insufficient supervision, enforcement of aircraft is the correct type for the stand (if
protocols, and high staff turnover”; and not, the parking procedure can be aborted);
variability in the methods used to assess and approach monitoring to ensure aircraft
hazards, evaluate risk management and enter the stand correctly, in alignment with
apply continuous improvement. the correct centre line.”
According to Stark, there are also Other safety features include detection of
inconsistencies in reporting cultures across unauthorised pushback, with an alert sent to
airline networks and maintenance, repair air traffic control (ATC), ground operations
Peter Håkansson, ADB SAFEGATE’s product
and overhaul (MRO) stations. “This can manager, gate staff, the pilot and the pushback driver.
lead to uncertainties and delays in incident Plus: “We can set rules to prevent
investigation, assignment of contractual pushbacks taking place on opposite stands
responsibilities, and insurance claim There is also of course potential for the at the same time,” Håkansson goes on.
lodgement and resolution,” he points out. damage to go unseen and/or unreported, a “We can create interlocking rules, too; for
Furthermore: “As modern airframes potentially extremely dangerous situation. instance, if a passenger boarding bridge
are increasingly comprised of composite (PBB) is not in a safe position, we would
materials, airworthiness can be impacted by Solutions not allow the aircraft to park. Another
incidents that may have previously presented One approach to reduce so-called ‘ramp important aspect is low visibility. Pilots have
less of a risk, such as a small scrape or dent rash’ is to implement technological a big responsibility and their view is even
caused by a ground service vehicle.” solutions that reduce the possibility of more restricted than usual in low visibility
Either way, damage to aircraft is costly human error causing damage to aircraft. conditions, so it’s essential to have tools to
not only in terms of the necessary repairs ADB SAFEGATE is one company support them in those conditions.”
but also because of the interruption to that provides systems of this type. Peter ADB SAFEGATE also improves
business when turnaround is delayed as a Håkansson, product manager, gate at ADB transparency, as the information the system
result of an incident. Damage to aircraft SAFEGATE, says: “We believe airports collects is provided to airport operations,
is expensive, and the bill, Stark says, often should automate as much as possible, engineers, IT and management via its
comes in below insurance deductibles. removing opportunity for human error SafeControl Apron Management (SAM)
Summer 2022 | airsideint.com 5
F E AT U R E | P R E V E N T I N G A I R C R A F T D A M A G E
the world may occur, as personnel have not
performed their duties for some time.”
Monika Mejstrikova, director of
ground operations at the International
Air Transport Association (IATA),
acknowledged at the 33rd IATA Ground
Handling Conference (IGHC) in November
2021 that: “Many skilled employees have
left the industry and are not coming back.
And recruiting, training and accrediting
new staff can take up to six months.”
The potential for safety on the ramp to
suffer under such conditions is clear; but
has it? According to Swissport head of
quality and safety David Anderson, the
answer is a definite ‘no’.
solution. Data is available for all parties Skills gap He explains: “We haven’t seen any direct
to view in a central system, which has the An increasingly prevalent headache in correlation between people coming back
flexibility to allow staff to access data at aviation is the widening skills gap that results from furlough, or new starters, and aircraft
home or on a mobile device, so that in the from the loss of older, more experienced staff damage incident rates. Re-induction of
event of a critical incident, they are alerted alongside a lack of new, younger employees furloughed employees is tailored to how
and can take action. willing to work their way up. long they have been away and what they
ADB SAFEGATE’s gate solutions are Covid-19 has exacerbated the situation as need to revise.
present at 47 of the world’s 50 biggest many staff approaching retirement age have “Like other handlers, the number of
airports, and: “We hold regular discussions left employment early rather than return passenger flights we handled during Covid
with customers and partners to identify from furlough. Those who have returned dropped but cargo flights increased, so in
problems, operational challenges and from furlough, naturally, have perhaps not many areas our people maintained recency.
accidents/incidents and then work been keeping their skills sharp for some Plus, from a handler’s perspective, the same
together to solve them,” Håkansson says. time in the interim. basic procedures and safety considerations
Indeed: “This is a big force driving our Stark cautions: “As air travel resumes, apply whether handling a cargo or
development.” accidents in the ramp area of airports across passenger flight.”
S
EU regulatory developments
ince 2018, EASA (the European containing Acceptable Means of Compliance In late April, the EASA spokesperson said:
Union Aviation Safety Agency) and Guidance Material to support the “In the coming weeks and months EASA will
has been working towards the implementation of the requirements included have several focused consultation sessions
establishment of a set of ground in the regulation. with the EASA Advisory Bodies [composed of
handling objectives designed “As far as we can tell from the current drafting representatives of the EASA member states
to ensure that ground service phase and the feedback from the experts with and the European Commission, among other
providers follow only safe procedures in whom we are working, the regulation will entities] on the first draft of the Opinion. We
their handling on the ramp. Regulation (EU) not provide detailed requirements on ground will also organise a webinar on 30 June, open
2018/1139 will mean that, instead of having to handling operational procedures, because to the public (https://www.easa.europa.eu/
comply with 27 different requirements at EU these are the first and fastest ones to change newsroom-and-events/events/webinar-eu-
aerodromes, handlers will have only one set of and update, to include lessons learned from ground-handling-regulation).
rules to follow. daily operations, new technologies, etc, and a “The purpose of the webinar and the focused
While the pandemic has delayed progress, regulation cannot keep pace with this rhythm of consultation is to provide some clarification on
EASA and a group of experts representing change,” an EASA spokesperson said. the draft rules, obtain the first feedback from
all affected stakeholders are now working “It will instead establish the high-level safety industry and member states, to see if we are
on the draft rules and it is expected that the objectives that a provider of ground handling heading in the right direction to address the
regulation will be published in 2024. Thereafter services must comply with in order to ensure needs already identified in 2019, and to collect
EASA will publish an associated decision safety of its operation.” their suggestions and recommendations.”
6 Airside International | Summer 2022
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F E AT U R E | P R E V E N T I N G A I R C R A F T D A M A G E
IGOM update
I
n February, IATA launched But it must be implemented to be
the IGOM Portal – what it effective. The IGOM Portal will
describes as an online platform provide the means to understand
where, with the IATA Ground variances and manage adoption.”
Operations Manual (IGOM) He continues: “The safety gains from
as the primary reference, global standardisation have been proven
airlines and ground service providers as aviation has developed. Along with
can exchange information, including facilitating global adoption of IGOM, the
any variations, on their ground handling IGOM Portal will establish a baseline
requirements. to measure and manage the global
“Safe and secure on-time adoption of IGOM, which will also lead
turnarounds are a priority for airlines to significant efficiency gains.
and a critical deliverable for GSPs “With greater standardisation, for
[ground service providers],” says Nick example, GSPs will see a reduced need
Careen, IATA senior vice president for airline specific training and will
operations, safety and security. more easily be able to deploy staff
“Standardisation of procedures across multiple customers,” Careen
through the IGOM is a key enabler. concludes.
a global pandemic, and in the far-from- be assigned to other roles.” Plus: “It’s safer
predictable post-Covid world, Håkansson is when we are less dependent on human
confident that automation has a big part to beings. The next step is autonomous
play in enabling airports to keep pace with decision making to prevent potential
demand. accidents or incidents,” he adds.
“Traffic fluctuates, and automation can At some point, Anderson says, “We
solve the resource issues our industry expect to see automated and non-automated
faces: airports can cope with a rise in vehicles working together on the apron.
traffic, or also a sudden drop in traffic, This may increase risk in the short term,
without re-hiring or laying off staff,” he but with planning and co-ordination that is
points out. fixable. We will then get to the point where
Increased automation has other all vehicles on the ramp are automated. We
benefits, too. “First, an automated system could consider designating one section of
improves safety for staff because they are an airport as a totally automated area, and
Swissport’s David Anderson no longer required to walk around on then expand from there.”
the ramp. Second, remote marshalling The technology is available – self-
allows staff to monitor operations from an parking/self-driving cars are often cited as
Anderson says the core of Swissport’s office, operations room or vehicle using an example – but a great deal of investment
staff have remained with the company a mobile device. This leads to efficiency in equipment and infrastructure will
through the pandemic. The handler has also gains, because it’s possible to monitor be required in order to achieve greater
increased its staff with a high volume of multiple stands or gates at once. Third, automation on the apron.
new recruits – over 30,000 people globally working conditions are improved as staff At an industry level, standardisation is top
across all business units. are not exposed to safety and health issues of the agenda when it comes to preventing
“This is very positive as it demonstrates (including noise and particulate emissions) aircraft damage. Should this be a case of top-
that the industry is picking up and there on the ramp,” Håkansson advises. down imposition of rules? Not necessarily,
is no evidence to suggest that there is an “Automation enables staff to work more Anderson says. “We need to continue the
adverse impact on safety,” Anderson says. efficiently. They can focus on other tasks drive for standardisation and simplification
Under the specific circumstances of to further improve turnaround times or – and we don’t need regulation to do that; we
8 Airside International | Summer 2022P R E V E N T I N G A I R C R A f T D A M A G E | F E AT U R E
should be able to do it collaboratively as an forward if the industry is to achieve a
industry,” he affirms. greater standardisation and, in turn, reduce
“Turnaround should be done the same incidents on the ramp.
way every time; it is a repeatable process, At Swissport, all new GSE is fitted with
especially when you consider that airlines enhancements such as proximity sensors
are all buying their equipment from a as a baseline, and complies with IATA’s
couple of suppliers, so different procedures AHM Chapter 9 guidelines. According to
should not be necessary. Every time we Anderson: “The challenge I see coming
standardise, we lower the risk,” he believes. from airlines to handlers is that you have
While recognising that industry to be certain about investment. At what
standardisation has moved on significantly point do you invest in automation and what
in the last ten years, Anderson feels that technical solution do you adopt?
there is more to be done. “We have to consider our landlords’
He observes: “When an airline has an requirements versus our aspirations in
incident, it will change its procedures, terms of automation and environmental
and the same is true of ground handlers. performance. We all have to collaborate
This is for a good reason and it’s done with other players to make sure we stay
with the best of intentions – we are all aligned with work other parties are doing
trying to improve safety – but it results in on the airfield.
non-standard procedures.” “We need a co-ordinated industry
Training staff on each airline’s particular approach to allow us to maximise the
requirements is not helping matters either; benefit of technology – and this should
Anderson believes that IGOM (the IATA probably be led by IATA with involvement
Ground Operations Manual) is the way of the airport authorities,” he adds.
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Summer 2022 | airsideint.com 9F E AT U R E | G P U s
As well as mobile GPUs, ITW GSE also
supplies pre-conditioned air units (PCAs)
and power coils, such as these at Bangkok’s
Suvarnabhumi International Airport
Powering up for
the future
The trend towards battery-powered ground power
units (GPUs) continues, perhaps at a faster pace
than ever before. Meanwhile, GPU suppliers are
already benefiting from the ongoing recovery in the
aviation industry Poul Elvstrøm, vice-president global
sales & marketing at ITW GSE
W
ith its operations back nearly a century. impact of the downturn in the aviation
manufacturing 2019 marked an ‘all-time high’ for sector was not felt too badly even in the
set-ups in ITW GSE sales, says Poul Elvstrøm, its worst of times, Elvstrøm recalls (and by
both Florida vice-president global sales & marketing. its very nature, the business of selling
in the US and The company “had a really good year”, GPUs and PCAs is one that involves long
in Odense, and by the end of 2019 its order book lead times for orders and deliveries, given
Denmark, ITW GSE offers GPUs, was bulging. Thus, when the Covid-19 that sales depend largely on major airport
PCAs, cables and hoses to the aviation pandemic hit in 2020, devastating the development programmes).
industry, serving both the commercial global aviation industry as passenger So, while flying passenger numbers
and military sectors. numbers dropped through the floor, ITW dropped around the world by some
It has supplied equipment to customers GSE was well placed to survive the ordeal. 60% or so that year, the impact on ITW
in more than 100 countries, and can date That large order backlog meant that the GSE was less keenly felt, although sales
10 Airside International | Summer 2022G P U s | F E AT U R E
did fall somewhat in 2020, Elvstrøm
informs. Some projects continued
relatively unaffected, such as the huge
development programme at Qatar’s Doha
International Airport as the capital gears
up for this year’s football/soccer World
Cup. Another big customer that year was
the US Coast Guard, illustrating that
new, non-commercial sector business can
sometimes compensate when commercial
business falls away.
ITW GSE is part of a much larger ITW
business that is “very financially stable”, says
Elvstrøm, and this too has helped the former
over the past difficult couple of years.
During the pandemic, ITW GSE had two
main priorities, Elvstrøm reports: first, putting
the health and safety of its own employees at
the forefront of all thinking (“People are the
cornerstone of our business,” he says) and, The ITW GSE 7400 production line in Palmetto, in the US
second, concentrating its efforts around
doing everything possible to support its the intention of ‘winning the recovery’: along with it. Hence, training, education
‘80s’: the 20% of customers who provide ie, being in the best possible position to and developing talent have remained
80% of its business. meet the needs of the market once it does important, while sales and marketing
Over and above these two priorities was return to normality, and therefore grow efforts have in no way slowed down.
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had been something of a dream, for most
GSE types it is now more than realisable
in terms of the maturity of the technology
involved; what is holding the move from
diesel to electric back, he considers, is the
lack of sufficient charging infrastructure
at many airports.
Thus, as well as the battery-driven
GPUs that ITW GSE now offers (of
which more later), the efficient use of
power at airports is key, he says. Hence
ITW GSE’s development of ‘Intelligent
Power Management’ (IPM) options. IPM
is described as a ‘complete gate power
system’ that allows airports to enjoy the
‘smart exploitation’ of installed power
based on data-driven innovation. In
essence, it involves an ITW GSE installed
PCA monitoring and sharing power across
all gate systems in order to exploit the
ITW GSE’s sales director Lars Vestergaard and TCR asset director Arnaud Dewit difference between installed power and
celebrate the 100th eGPU to come off ITW GSE’s 90 kVA production line
actual consumption by equipment at any
given time.
Quality has always been a priority market may bounce back with vigour, not According to Elvstrøm, airport
for ITW GSE. Initially, both its US so much China perhaps but other markets operators can readily see the benefits of
and Danish facilities were certified to such as Indonesia, the Philippines and such a system, while ITW GSE is also
ISO 9001 standard. However, as ITW Taiwan. And, in particular, he is of the talking to carriers such as United Airlines
GSE decided to apply for ISO 14001 mind that India may well represent who, too, have seen the cost-saving and
certification too, it felt natural to streamline the biggest potential boom in airport efficiencies that IPM represents.
all quality processes and guidelines across development projects and consequent ITW GSE has long emphasised the
the two facilities. Achieving that took time demand for GSE and infrastructure such value of electric GPUs, given that diesel
but, at the end of the day, it is of great as GPUs and PCAs. GPUs are one of the main contributors
benefit, says Elvstrøm. “So, the global passenger recovery may of harmful emissions in the business
All this helped ITW GSE to “gain be slow,” Elvstrøm notes, but airport of turning around aircraft on stand.
additional market share” last year, when it projects will be driven by regional and Just recently, it celebrated the 100th 90
recovered half of the business that it had national dynamics as much as by increased kVA, 400Hz eGPU rolling off its Odense
lost during the first year of the pandemic. passenger numbers across the world. production line. Plus, when Elvstrøm
It is now almost fully recovered, says spoke to Airside in the spring, he pointed
Elvstrøm, and excellently positioned to Product development out that ITW GSE had received orders for
benefit from the growing confidence that The pandemic also didn’t put a stop no less than 21 eGPUs in just the previous
is now evident in the aviation sector. to ITW GSE’s spending on research fortnight – an unprecedented number.
As well as the Doha project, other and development (R&D). In fact, says ITW GSE can now offer battery-
major airport development programmes Elvstrøm, it is investing more on R&D powered GPUs for all types of commercial
in Bangalore in India, at the Red Sea today than ever before. Much of its new aircraft, he continues, as well as serving
International Airport under construction product development is driven by the the military market (270V DC 400Hz
in Saudi Arabia, and at Amsterdam Airport ever-increasing emphasis on greater battery GPUs for the F35/Joint Strike
Schiphol have also brought in plenty of sustainability in the aviation industry, not Fighter (JSF), for example).
work. The Middle East region in general least in demand for GSE that minimises New PCA offerings are also coming on
continues to be a plentiful source of demand (or eliminates) harmful emissions. line. ITW GSE expects to begin rolling out
for new GPUs and PCAs, and this year The last few years have been its new PCA 3500 later this year, a system
Elvstrøm is expecting the North American fundamental in the development of that Elvstrøm says will be very efficient
market in particular to pick up strongly. technologies that make battery-powered in term of power consumption while
Beyond that, next year and then into GSE financially viable, Elvstrøm offering a high degree of reliability. It will
2024, he believes that the Asia-Pacific considers. When previously, electric GSE be manufactured both in Odense and on
12 Airside International | Summer 202248%
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All in all, ITW GSE is looking to the
future with plenty of optimism, Elvstrøm
declares. It is forecasting between 6 and
9% annual growth for the business in the
next few years as it benefits from what
it hopes will be a rapid recovery in the
international aviation industry.
Guinault makes the most of the lull
in the market
For Saint Cyr-en Val, France-based GPU
and ACU supplier Guinault, the Covid-19
pandemic undoubtedly “deeply hurt the
GSE business", says the company’s CEO,
Lionel Clermont.
On the other hand, Guinault has
been using this ‘quiet time’ to design
improvements and increase its range
of products, he says, pointing to
developments in the areas of:
• A 400Hz battery-powered GPU
based on safe, modular LFP Guinault’s EGA battery-powered GPU
technology
• Air-conditioning units for aircraft options taking into account variables such • Mobile and autonomous 400Hz
that feature unique ‘no-frost’ as the type of aircraft, its configuration, GPUs, whether diesel or electric
technology as well as enjoying airline operator processes, and so on. • 50-60/400Hz frequency converter
efficient power control Full APU-OFF capability remains “a GPUs
• A combined GPU and ACU unit key Guinault target”, Clermont informs, • Mobile and autonomous air
fitted with Guinault’s unique as it has been over the past decade. separation unit (ASU) air
dual-voltage 400Hz alternator and New, dedicated greener and smarter compressors
‘no-frost’ technology technologies serve this purpose, he says. • Combined solutions involving
“Specialisation and technological ACU, GPUs and PCA at 400Hz
Meanwhile, Guinault has embedded vertical integration is the backbone of
digital technology in its offering enabling the company,” Clermont declares. “In And business is getting better and
remote monitoring capability to be this way the company can independently better, Clermont states, though it varies
improved and ensuring both highly efficient design optimal purpose-built solutions,” from one continent to another according
technical support and the extremely useful he adds, using modern technologies to the local pandemic situation. There
‘APU-OFF’ reporting capacity. relating to power electronics, alternators, are still issues to be resolved though: the
electronics, industrial refrigeration and supply chain has become a challenge for
Saving money and reducing thermodynamics. some components, and this has come
emissions As a result, Guinault now offers alongside price inflation. Moreover,
Guinault’s APU-OFF offering relates an improved range of products that business restrictions caused by the current
to the provision of APU substitution meet airlines’ and ground handlers geopolitical situation have affected the
solutions that enable minimal use of requirements, with cost-minimisation supply chain further.
expensive APUs when an aircraft is on the and environmental care as prime On the other hand, people are eager
ground (auxiliary turbine engine-powered considerations, he notes. to travel, Clermont points out. And
APUs are power-hungry and more Possible options include: airlines are eager to go greener and to
expensive to run than the electric motors • Fixed infrastructure electric pre- save further, which is exactly Guinault’s
or diesel engines of ground units). conditioned air units mission as illustrated in its APU-OFF
Guinault customises its commercial • Mobile and autonomous air- solution as well as its greener ACU, ASU
offer to ensure the shutdown of auxiliary conditioning units, either electric and GPU units, be they diesel-, electric- or
power units’ wherever possible, with or diesel battery-powered, he concludes.
14 Airside International | Summer 2022G P U s | F E AT U R E
Bertoli: a continuous cycle of R&D market will not be seen until next year,
Langhirano, Italy-based Bertoli depending on the war situation and on the
manufactures GPUs (of 40Hz with 60 to rebalancing of the raw materials prices.”
180kVA), generators and light towers. Looking to the future, Bertoli is
Alberto Calugi, the company’s marketing introducing new technologies to its
manager, says that – in the period leading products, especially in terms of greener,
up to the end of last year – he had been low-carbon options, and is looking to
seeing more confidence in the future introduce them to the market through
amongst Bertoli customers. specific marketing campaigns. “Many
However, the initial months of this customers have asked us for fully electric
year brought new problems, notably GPUs,” Calugi informs.
increasing prices of raw materials and He confirms: “We are enhancing our
rising shipping costs. Then, from the end portfolio of products with new items,
of February, the war in Ukraine further many with greener, more environmentally
complicated what was already a “fragile friendly applications, but they are still in
situation” and resulted in a return to the the development phase.”
uncertainties of the pandemic period. The company has also continued to
Bertoli worked with potential customers make improvements to existing products.
on many offers in the months toward the “We are in a continuous cycle of research
end of 2021, although not all of them have and development,” he observes.
yet reached fruition. Overall, Calugi concludes: “We are now in
“We think the market will be stagnant a new situation, driven by the market and by
for the next six to 12 months,” Calugi says. social changes. We are adapting our business
Indeed, “We think the full recovery of the model and our R&D to these changes.”
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Summer 2022 | airsideint.com 15MANUFACTURERS | BLISS -FOX PANUS GSE
Bliss-Fox Panus GSE
supports India’s focus
on electric equipment
for the ramp
Bangkok, Thailand-based Bliss-Fox Panus GSE is soon to hand over a new Fox 16E electric
pushback tractor to Indian airport operator GMR, one step in GMR’s and the wider Indian aviation
industry’s efforts to minimise its harmful diesel emissions on the apron. Meanwhile, Panus is
also pushing ahead with an innovative offering: upgrading its new Fox range of diesel GSE to
D
electric battery-powered form for customers
elivery of the battery-powered Fox 16E breakthrough for both GMR and for Bliss-Fox Panus GSE – a
is scheduled for late June, subject to the first electrically powered pushback for GMR, reflecting its
current global shipping constraints, and sustainability strategy to ‘go green’, as well as being the first
Panus intends to make the handover sale of electric Bliss-Fox GSE to India.”
to GMR management a memorable
event. The unit will be delivered to Only the best
and operated in Hyderabad as a replacement for a Bliss-Fox Burgess and Livraghi note that the Fox 16E was developed
F1-150 pushback that has been in continuous operational using only the best components available today for electric
service since delivery in 2007. vehicles. Thus, for example, it features a Danfoss electric
Bliss-Fox Panus GSE managing director David Burgess motor, integrated Eton hydraulic system and Microvast
and Simone Livraghi, Bliss-Fox Panus GSE’s senior sales and lithium batteries, along with Dana transmission and axles.
marketing manager, advise: “India has embarked on a big A composite cabin, standard across the Bliss-Fox pushback
drive to go electric and we foresee the sale of our Fox 16E to range, completes the innovative design.
GMR as the first of many in that market.” The tractor can pushback and tow all narrowbody and
They continue: “The sale of the Fox 16E to GMR is a regional aircraft types, as well as any lighter bodied aircraft in
16 Airside International | Summer 2022BLISS -FOX PANUS GSE | MANUFACTURERS
technical towing work. which Bliss-Fox Panus GSE is keen to support
The unit offers significant benefits in both in India and elsewhere.
terms of through-life total cost of ownership Hence, the company offers customers the
(TCO). The cost of fuel for diesel equivalents option for Panus GSE to convert any of its
is avoided (an especially valuable saving at Fox diesel pushback models to an electric
the moment, given the fact that oil prices version. Burgess explains: ‘The upgradeable
have risen so dramatically this year), while powerpack concept is centred around having
maintenance costs are also significantly a powerpack frame that simply drops into the
lower and the unit also has fewer mechanical hull of a chassis with either a diesel engine or
parts that can potentially fail, so the mean electrical power source.
time between failure (MTBF) is significantly “After the powerpack is fitted, we then
improved. connect up the electrical, hydraulic and
Additionally, Burgess emphasises: drive systems, quite similar to the system
“Electrically powered GSE helps our used for military tanks and armoured
customers to achieve their sustainability personnel carriers.”
goals, and is of course very quiet and For diesel-powered pushbacks, the major
smooth to operate.” components fitted to the powerpack frame
Panus GSE has deployed an after-sales are the engine, transmission, hydraulic
team into India in order to handle increasing tank/system and ancillaries. Should a
demand and customer expectations in this customer want to convert to electric, the
Panus GSE delivered an F1-300
market. Indeed, Burgess and Livraghi foresee powerpack is lifted out of the vehicle’s
pushback to Germany’s Condor
Technik earlier this year; the vehicle significantly rising demand to go electric in hull, the engine is removed and replaced
supports the latter’s maintenance India compared to other Asian countries, by an electric motor and invertor, and the
operations in Frankfurt and GMR’s selection of an electric Fox 16E powerpack is then refitted.
is illustrative of this gathering momentum, There is of course also a requirement
Summer 2022 | airsideint.com 17MANUFACTURERS | BLISS -FOX PANUS GSE
Bliss-Fox Panus GSE can take out the diesel
powerpack of a customer’s Fox conventional
to upgrade the electrical system and carry pushback and replace it with an electrically
powered powerpack
out other integrations to complete the
conversion, Burgess notes.
“The Bliss-Fox value proposition for this
is that customers can buy a diesel-powered
pushback today and consider a conversion
to electric at a later date, when airport
charging infrastructure catches up with
ground handlers’ ‘go green’ strategies or when
the diesel engine has reached the end its
economic life.
“This capability is available on our entire
diesel range of Fox pushback tractors: the
12-16 tonne Fox 16D, 24-28 tonne Fox 28D,
35-40 tonne Fox 40D and 45-50 tonne Fox
50D. It’s a concept that we incorporated
into the design from the onset when
we embarked upon designing our new
pushback product range about three years rental fleet in Europe (and especially in degree of air travel normality,” Burgess
ago,” Burgess informs. the UK), while it delivered a 30-ton F1- opines. “Passenger volumes are increasing,
300 pushback to Condor Technik in early Thailand being a good example, and
Power source spring to support the latter’s maintenance analysis from the International Air
The battery pack is lithium-ion. To enable operations in Frankfurt, Germany. Transport Association (IATA) is quite
longer operational cycles and increased Also of note, Panus is also currently upbeat, so we are anticipating an increase in
towing capability, Bliss-Fox Panus GSE supplying large quantities of GSE for the demand for new GSE.
is using a more powerful battery pack in defence forces of various countries. “Our production methods are lean and
terms of kWh output than do many other Looking ahead: “Many governments agile, so we are able to react to changing
manufacturers. have now accepted that we need to live customer demand. Whatever our customers
As alluded to above, these electric with Covid, manage it and get back to a need, we will deliver,” he concludes.
pushbacks require very little maintenance,
A
with lithium-ion power packs requiring
only yearly check-ups. Moreover, it is also Power source
possible to monitor the battery’s status
and performance remotely if the customer nirrban Batacharrya is in the future.
requires. the business head of The white paper sets out a strategic
“The future is very much about electrically Vector Technorium, framework for addressing the major
powered GSE and airports are a great Panus GSE’s sales environmental challenges facing the
operating environment for this technology, agent in India. nation’s aviation industry, and points to
which can help them meet their carbon He agrees that ground handling processes and equipment
emission goals,” Livraghi advises. this first Panus electric tug going into as relevant issues. As a result, airlines and
“We believe all GSE manufacturers the Indian market definitely represents a ground handling companies operating
will need to develop this technology, if curtain raiser to the huge market potential in India are focusing a lot of attention on
they haven’t already done so. The biggest for such green equipment in India. electric solutions.
challenge today is to standardise electric Moreover: “The GMR brand in itself is a Another string to the Panus bow in
powerpack technology, because countries big-ticket acquisition for us and the whole India is provided by the leasing option
are each taking different options and industry will take note of it when the tug that it now offers. “The GSE leasing
creating different regulations.” arrives in India.” market is a new market initiative,”
Batacharrya points to the Government notes Batacharrya. “We recognised this
Benefiting from the aviation industry’s of India’s March 2019 white paper on opportunity long ago and are working
recovery a National Green Aviation Policy as in that direction to offer leasing
The Indian market is not the only one illustrative of the demand that exists for solutions to customers.
where Panus GSE is seeing demand for battery-powered GSE in the country today, “This market is bound to explode
its products. Indeed, it is expanding its demand which he believes will only grow soon,” he declares.
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ACO QMax channels set
into the apron at El Dorado
Airport, Bogota, Colombia
O
ne of the leaders in
the field of the design,
Sustainable development and
manufacture of surface
water drainage systems
options for is ACO Group, which
has offices in Europe, the US, Australia,
the Middle East and the Far East. ACO has
airport drainage been making and selling drainage systems
for over 70 years and airports represent
one of the many market segments in which
and easy access it is active.
Frad Eton-Ehtesham, ACO’s international
specifications & business development
manager, says that, over the last couple of
years, “Our business, just like rest of the
Drainage and recycling might be one of the less discussed
industry, has been heavily influenced by the
aspects of airport infrastructure and everyday process but pandemic. Costs needed to be reduced and
some airport projects that we were involved
it is an important part of the effort to ensure operations in were delayed or paused.
can run smoothly and also assist in a gateway’s effort to “At the start of the pandemic we saw an
unprecedented uncertainty in the market
optimise its sustainability life cycle with major projects being delayed or paused.
“Despite these challenges, we have in
fact been putting more resources into
20 Airside International | Summer 2022D R A I N A G E A N D R E C Y C L I N G | F E AT U R E
our airport offering by developing new with those who were investing kept Another noteworthy new product for the
products and engaging with new clients and going during the pandemic. The global company is the ACO Powerdrain. This easy-to-
projects,” he says. construction pause, brought on by the maintain box channel comes in various sizes,
Eton-Ehtesham took on the role of pandemic, allowed the industry to take a complements the Qmax for infrastructure
international specifications manager last step back and make longer term plans. We projects and offers an alternative smaller
year. In this post, he focuses on global are now seeing this in clients’ demand for channel for these projects.
airports and infrastructure projects. ‘solutions’ instead of products. And with Beside ACO’s drainage portfolio, of late
Now: “Operating from London, with our complete system of products, we are in it has also seen strong demand for other
the assistance of our international a position to offer them the right solutions.” infrastructure-orientated products like
technical service and the help of local manhole covers and special covers. With the
ACO companies, we are now able to serve Sustainability addition of the independent Detego business
designers with specific technical, logistical Eton-Ehtesham recalls that a feature of that now operates and is branded as ACO
and commercial support in the airport inter airport Europe 2021 was the interest of Detego, ACO also now offers complex steel
infrastructure sector.” planners and operators regarding investment structures and special covers like emergency
With his strong background in into applications supporting a more floor-exits and hydraulic ground gates. These
environmental management, Eton-Ehtesham sustainable approach in the industry. “This is products complement ACO’s solutions for
will help push this important element of an area we are investing more into,” he says. heavy infrastructure projects like airports,
ACO’s programme. “We recently introduced Qmax Neo, Eton-Ehtesham points out.
And some work has certainly gone ahead. which is a new member of our Qmax In fact, he says, ACO offers “a complete
In terms of major projects, in just the last family, designed for versatile, high-capacity range of products for the airport market”.
two years ACO has started airport projects in slot drainage systems and popular for Its ethos is built around offering an entire
India, Greece, Germany and Iceland. There airport projects. system chain, featuring Collect, Clean, Hold
are also ongoing projects in South America “This new product differs to the existing and now Reuse.
and other regions too. ones in terms of material, manufacturing “The term ‘recycling’ in our world means
Moreover, there has been a noticeable and transportation. Due to its low the reuse of water. This is an important
bounce-back in the market, Eton-Ehtesham component weight and its simple assembly, part of the ACO system chain approach of
says, which he dates pretty much to the a quick installation without an additional Collect, Clean, Hold and Reuse. We care for
third and fourth quarters of last year (it was lifting device is possible. water from surfaces, such as on buildings,
apparent at inter airport Europe in Munich in “Importantly, the stackable nature of aprons and runways, until it is either fed
November, for example, he says). As a result, the product means transport space is back into the natural water system or
“We have seen demand for our products for reduced by 75%, thus greatly reducing treated and stored for reuse.
the airport sector reach record highs. the carbon footprint and environmental “With the impact of global warming,
“From ACO’s perspective, our discussions impact of the product.” we know to expect more regular extreme
Summer 2022 | airsideint.com 21F E AT U R E | D R A I N A G E A N D R E C Y C L I N G
weather conditions such as rainstorms and develop specific, tailor-made solutions to number one concern, and this focus is
droughts moving forward,” he continues. meet end-users’ specific needs. reflected in our products. Third-party
“We believe we have a system chain to help For airports, it supplies infrastructure certified, they meet the most demanding
clients future-proof all their infrastructure access solutions for lighting, refuelling, standards. Our designs guarantee safety
project to better withstand these extreme electrical and water networks. EJ offers to those who install and maintain them,
conditions for decades to come.” a very comprehensive ductile iron range but also to those who will pass or roll over
including its F900, foreign object debris them every day.
Innovation (FOD) compliant hinged and assisted “Finally, reliability is also a very important
“Building on our global experience in this manhole covers and drainage gratings (see the factor, so our solutions are produced using
[airport] sector, we constantly innovate our accompanying 3D drawings on page 24). quality materials, and are tested and approved
offering,” Eton-Ehtesham informs. “For “Our solutions are designed to ensure by third parties according to internationally
example, we are currently heavily investing in human safety and reliability and to generate recognised standards.”
more digitised and integrated smart solutions maintenance cost savings over time,”
for surface water management, in airport observes EJ’s airports market director Keeping busy
buildings as well as for outside infrastructure. EMEA, Alberto Candil. EJ has continued to sell its products into
“This will expand our system chain Plus, EJ’s team of airport experts offers the airport market, despite the massive
further, allowing airport management/ continuous support to partners and customers downturn in the aviation industry. Earlier
operators to reuse collected water for green during the specification, construction and this year, in February, it supplied 46 of its
infrastructure, cleaning or other benefits – operation phases of any project. modular ERMATIC® access covers to Italy’s
all from a central hub.” Verona Airport in support of the gateway’s
A growing product range with additional Comprehensive coverage new runway lighting project. EJ had been
capability and greater environmental “As a leader and specialist in infrastructure working since 2020 with the SYNERGO
sustainability is drawing in new customers. access solutions, we offer a very complete design company as well as the Verona
ACO has offices in over 40 countries range in terms of load resistance, sizes and Airport Authority on the project to design
throughout six continents, and it is – says supporting features,” Candil outlines. EJ’s the right solution for the latter’s needs.
Eton-Ehtesham – very proud of its global F900 covers are adapted for installation Last year saw EJ support a number of other
reach and customer base around the world. on runways with heavy load resistance, airport projects, including:
Moreover, today it is particularly expanding but the company also offers solutions
its footprint in Southeast Asia, as well as for public spaces such as parking areas, • Ireland’s Dublin and Cork Airports,
Central and South America. terminals and the like. both managed by DAA (previously
“Depending on the location and therefore Dublin Airport Authority), where the
Family owned, globally active on the constraints, we can offer solutions project mainly involved EJ’s Hinged
EJ is a market leader in the design, in cast iron, in steel or in aluminum and Hatch solution and ERMATIC® covers
manufacture and distribution of access composite, from our five European production • Spain’s Madrid Airport, where
solutions for water, sewer, drainage, sites,” he informs. ERMATIC® covers, AQUERA
telecommunications and utility networks “We produce a wide range of standard and drainage grates, and DT9S and
worldwide. A family-owned business founded modular solutions but our in-house projects CA05110DVL gratings were installed
138 years ago, it is today a global enterprise teams are also able to design completely • Poland’s Krakow and Radom
that spans five continents. personalised solutions. What makes our offer airports, where EJ’s Hinged Hatch
Promoting innovation and quality and special is also the wide set of options available. and LSPB covers were installed
avowing a commitment to customer service, Our solutions offer various locking options,
EJ’s commercial presence around the world different shapes, sizes and safety features such Candil admits that the pandemic led
includes 50 sales offices, manufacturing as grids, lift assistance such as hinges, etc.” to a lower level of investment in the
facilities and distribution hubs, as well as Candil continues: “It’s our mission as an aviation sector, but points out that some
numerous research and development centres. expert to design and manufacture products airports used the slowdown to actually
Using state-of-the art manufacturing based on our customers’ needs. We have move ahead more quickly on some work,
techniques, the Michigan, US- experts in airports, in design, in covers, in taking advantage of low traffic volumes
headquartered company supplies products various materials, and we have both the to undertake upgrade work in those cases
in cast iron, steel (galvanised or stainless), industrial force and the design expertise where project budgets had been approved
aluminium or composite materials. It has to work on very specific solutions for very prior to the pandemic.
a full catalogue of off-the-shelf products specific needs. Moreover, “We feel that the market is now
as well as modular solutions that can be “Finally, and this is of the highest recovering slowly. And for the long term, the
assembled, but also has engineers who can importance for EJ, safety is our group’s structural need for better and bigger airport
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