Cargo devices Shanghai Simulation Towards a Towards The World The World safer ramp: Sector report Symposium: An update from An update from Ground power: Ground APRIL 2015 | ISSUE 2 | VOLUME 20 2 | VOLUME | ISSUE 2015 APRIL

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PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 2 Handling News Tim Ornellas tel: +44 1892 839209 IATA baggage tracking programme; Swissport in Accra e-mail: [email protected] 6 Legal Column EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alwyn Brice Buying property at an ? What to be aware of… tel: +44 1892 839212 e-mail: [email protected] 8 Cargo News ASSISTANT EDITOR Updates from the Far East, Europe and the US Felicity Stredder tel: +44 1892 839206 14 IT News e-mail: [email protected] Easier bag drop - and making use of the cloud DESIGN Jason Taylor 16 Flawless Thoughts e-mail: [email protected] Safety and the refuelling operation, by Sam Crooks www.liquorice-creative.co.uk INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR 17 The Green Pages Alison Woolley Scandinavian initiatives; and circumventing glycol tel: +44 1892 839208 e-mail: [email protected] 19 World Analysis CIRCULATION The US and Canada examined Jessica Elvidge tel: +44 1892 839202 24 African Update e-mail: [email protected] Brenda Aremo-Anichini looks at the topic of liability CONFERENCE DIRECTOR Jean Ang tel: +44 1892 839203 25 PRM, Lounge and Catering News e-mail: [email protected] New lounges opening, together with PRM aid CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT TEAM 28 Circular Tour? Alice Clarke Page 19: North American update tel: +44 1892 839207 Innovation in the aviation sector is alive and well e-mail: [email protected] Ceri Osmant 30 Cargo Symposium 2015 tel: +44 1892 839213 A report from the recent IATA event in Shanghai e-mail: [email protected] Joanna Snell 35 Ready for the Ramp? tel: +44 1892 839215 Simulation and training tools e-mail: [email protected] Kate Thacker 38 GHI Asian Conference Page 28: Round trip? tel: +44 1892 839201 Highlights from Macau e-mail: [email protected] PRODUCTION MANAGER 43 Safety Supplement Sherilee Holliday BST’s Martin Dean on injury avoidance tel: +44 1892 839214 e-mail: [email protected] 46 IGHC in Istanbul ACCOUNTS Details of this year’s event Sandra Valencia tel: +44 1892 839211 47 People and Appointments Page 30: Cargo Symposium report e-mail: [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS 48 Ramp Safety Awards 2015 Brenda Aremo-Anichini, Martin Dean, Gemma James and Maria Diaz Leon Some more nominations

Please note our contact details for all correspondence: 49 Humming at Heathrow Ground Handling International, London’s hub and alternative power The Stables, Willow Lane, Paddock Wood, 50 Your Flexible Friend? Kent, TN12 6PF, United Kingdom. Page 49: A greener London www.groundhandling.com Coming to terms with plastic Front cover courtesy of Air Canada 52 Ground Power Survey ISSN Number: 1364 – 8330 PRINT A round-up of the manufacturers Ground Handling International is published in February, April, June, August, October & December. 58 The Coolchain in India Subscription rate per year applies to UK and overseas: Qualifying subscription: £90 or ¤105 or US$175 Bengaluru is in the news Non-industry subscription: £240 or ¤280 or US$365 61 Contract News 62 Ramp Safety Briefi ng With Groundforce’s Maria Diaz Leon

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the 66 Ground Damage Stakeholders’ Conference information contained in this publication is correct, the More details of the Heathrow event publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, as to the nature or accuracy of such material to the extent permitted by application law. 68 Ramp Equipment News Keeping the fuel supply clean; and GSE sourcing © 2015 The Publishing Network Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or used in any form or by any means, without specifi c 71 Ramp Forum prior permission from the publisher. First class trouble for BA; and coining it at American 2 HANDLING NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

Passenger numbers: on the rise airside of Kotoka . Bangladesh: about turn? again, says ACI EUROPE It will offer 10,000 square metres of warehousing space, and will be Complaints about the mismanaged The European airport trade body, ACI designed to handle all kinds of cargo state of ground services in Bangladeshi EUROPE, recently released its traffic including perishables, valuables and airports have been voiced on several report for December and the last full dangerous goods. occasions. Critics have pointed to poor year. The report is the only air transport luggage handling systems, disorganised report which includes all types of civil Staff: the heart of the matter? and sluggish processes at immigration aviation passenger flights, namely full lines and unhygienic conditions amongst service, low cost and charter. The report According to an analysis, employees other negative factors, all of which have reveals that during 2014, passenger have been found to be responsible for prompted authorities to look anew at traffic at Europe’s airports grew by an up to 15% of Air India's flight delays. the situation. average of 5.4%. In consequence, the airline has been To that end, Biman Bangladesh More specifically, passenger directed by the government to penalise Airlines is to form a joint venture with traffic in the EU grew by a useful these individuals by cutting salaries in a international agents in an effort to 4.9%; interesting to note, Greece, bid to eradicate the problem. modernise its ground handling services. Luxembourg, Lithuania, Portugal, The investigation found that the At present, Biman oversees ground Romania, and Ireland all whole gamut of staff was involved, handling management of Dhaka's significantly outperformed the EU from flight and cabin crew to catering Shahjalal International, Chittagong's average. Conversely, countries such as staff and ground handling personnel. Shah Amanat International and Sylhet's Poland, , Germany, , Latvia The carrier is currently pursuing a Osmani International, whereas in most and the Czech Republic all saw airport much-vaunted Turnaround Plan, under countries multiple agents are tasked traffic growing below this average. which it is expected that at least 85% with managing ground handling Meanwhile, non-EU airports posted of its flights will depart on time. This services. a dynamic passenger traffic growth lackadaisical attitude on the part of Under this initiative, cargo and of 7.3% with Serbia, Iceland, FYROM, its staff has not helped matters, and baggage handling would be fully Georgia and Turkey all growing well indeed, between June and November automated, thereby replacing the above this average. last year, some 6,513 Air India flights current manual system. Foreign partners Allied to this, freight traffic across in all were delayed, with 763 cancelled will be expected to pay a management the European airport network grew completely. fee, with Biman retaining full ownership. by 3.6%, with a similar performance Unions have had to be consulted in By giving up its monopoly over ground recorded between EU and non-EU this strategy and at the time of writing, handling service management, Biman is airports (percentages here were progress was deemed to be positive; now looking to boost profitability and 3.6% and 3.3% respectively). Aircraft moreover, it was expected that a revised efficiency. movements were up by 2.6%, pay structure would be in operation by reflecting additional airline capacity in the end of March. US data shows delays reach new the market. However, the bulk of this This latter is not necessarily good low out on the ramp additional capacity was deployed at news, though: the indications are that non-EU airports, as these saw aircraft the salaries of the Air India employees US airlines had a record year in terms of movements increase by 5.6% compared are being restructured in line with the the fewest long tarmac delays in 2014, to just 1.5% at EU airports. guidelines of the Department of Public according to data recently released by Enterprises. So-called "harmonised" the Transportation Department. New joint venture in Accra wages will be on average around 13% In all, 30 domestic flights suffered lower than the existing of wages. tarmac delays that lasted longer than Swissport International recently A source added that the basic pay and three hours last year; during the same announced the opening and operational allowances of the employees would be period, just nine international flights start of Swissport Ghana. Swissport protected, however. were delayed for more than four hours. Ghana is a 50:50 joint venture between This data contrasted well with 2009’s Swissport International and Ghana Another UK contract for Air BP statistics which revealed that 868 flights Airport Cargo Centre. GACC itself is suffered lengthy delays; after that year, the result of a joint venture between Air BP, the international aviation fuel fines were introduced to try and reduce Air Ghana, a registered Ghanaian products and service supplier, recently the numbers. In 2013, 84 domestic Airline and Logistics Company based in announced that Gloucestershire airport flights and 55 international flights Accra, Ghana, and the Ghana Airports has signed a three year renewal contract suffered, so the results are significant Company, the official operator of all for the exclusive supply of Jet A1 and indeed. airports and in Ghana. Avgas 100LL. This extends Air BP’s long- Starting in April 2010, the department Swissport Ghana is to offer cargo standing arrangement of 15 years with adopted a rule to penalise airlines warehousing and ramp handling at a the station, which enables a continued for domestic tarmac delays where brand new cargo warehouse, which seamless service to its customers. The passengers were not allowed to is currently under construction and airport is one of the UK’s biggest Avgas deplane. Under the rules, the DOT scheduled to be completed in the last users and the UK’s busiest general could fine airlines up to US$27,500 per quarter of 2015. aviation airport, handling close to passenger on flights that crossed these In fact, Swissport Ghana was actually 73,000 movements in 2014. guidelines. The rule was extended to established in 2014 in order to prepare The new agreement represents further international flights in August 2011, for the start of operations and to good news for Air BP in the UK and permitting those flights a four-hour accompany the planning of the cargo follows the addition of Gama Aviation ground delay window. warehouse. The cargo warehouse will at Glasgow airport to its network in It’s been a lesson that the airlines have be located in a key position next to the December last year. had to learn the hard way. The biggest

4 HANDLING NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

penalty was announced in January, which will also include ramp and de- between two places. The resolution which was US$1.6m for 16 Southwest icing provision. requires recording for arrivals, transfers Airlines flight delays a year earlier at The basis for this co-operation is and aircraft load.” Chicago's Midway airport during a the Government of Kazakhstan’s wish Thirdly, there is mention in the snowstorm. Part of the fine will be to advance and upgrade its airports Resolution of evidence being provided waived if the airline avoids any other and ground services to make them to an automatic interline proration infractions for a 12 month period. compliant with international regulations process. Could he explain what exactly is At the time of that infraction, the and standards, and to prepare it for the meant by this? department had issued a total of forthcoming EXPO 2017 in Astana. “Proration is the process of sharing US$5.24m in fines involving 17 cases. mishandling costs between airlines New Year’s Resolution? when the journey involves more than Low cost carrier off to a flying one carrier. It is normally done according start with Menzies Baggage tracking is something that to the mileage flown, unless fault can be has been a recent focus for IATA and shown to rest entirely with one carrier. Menzies Aviation () has with the introduction of Resolution 753 The automatic proration is about taking started to handle the first low cost has come the requirement for IATA a simplified set of cases and then having carrier to enter the South African market members to beef up the delivery process those automatically attributed to the since 2013. through providing better monitoring of airline at fault. We are currently looking Skywise Airlines launched its inaugural the whole process. This is expected to at implementing a system to do this, as flight on February 11 by giving the be up and running by mid-2018. The it would greatly help with the efficiency opportunity to 95 schoolchildren objectives here are to trim further the of back office processes for the airline. (supported by the Thembekile Mandela percentage of mishandled bags, speed To the average person, it will not make Foundation) to fly for their first time up baggage reconciliation and enhance any difference at all as the passenger is from Johannesburg to Cape Town. On passenger satisfaction. not normally aware of how the cost of the eve of the opening of Parliament The resolution notes, inter alia, that any claims is shared between carriers as in South Africa these children, developments and changes will be it is all done after the claim is closed.” accompanied by ’s down to IATA members; that members grand-daughter, Ndileka Mandela, had will have to be able to demonstrate In Brief the opportunity to lay a wreath at the delivery of baggage when the state of foot of the Nelson Mandela statue at custody changes; and that data will be Air India SATS Airport Services parliament in Cape Town. exchangeable with relevant airlines. (AISATS) has received the IATA “In a market with aggressive We asked Andrew Price, IATA’s Head of Safety Audit for Ground Operations competitor pricing, the award of a Airport Operations, about some of these certification for adhering to IATA’s low cost carrier contract is a reflection obligations. stringent and high safety standards of the value they place on Menzies’ Firstly, this Resolution is addressed at Rajiv Gandhi International airport, reputation,” said Ian Van Rooyen, VP to IATA members: will, then, non-IATA Hyderabad as well as its headquarters at South Africa and Namibia. Because of members also be expected to adopt Mumbai. the start-up nature of the airline, the such measures? If not, then will this carrier entrusted Menzies with most not become something of a one-sided Khartoum was in the news this services in order to let it concentrate on initiative? last month when carriers looked at its core offering. “All IATA resolutions apply only suspending flights to both Khartoum Skywise has ambitious plans to to IATA members, and then they are and Port Sudan in view of the expand operations to the three major trumped by local and international anticipated rise in tariffs for ground stations in South Africa within the next regulations,” replies Andrew. “IATA handling services. six months. Menzies is providing full membership is above 80% of the The Civil Aviation Authority was passenger, ramp and cleaning services, industry and covers all interline reportedly planning to increase prices by whilst Skywise becomes the second agreements. As we are most interested 250% in early March. Foreign airlines regional airline to make use of the in interline transfer handling when it were quick to send a letter to the Menzies DCS facility. comes to baggage mishandling, it is authority, explaining that they already not so one-sided as it may seem at first had in place contracts with ground Swissport to open at Astana glance.” handling companies. They claim that the Secondly, where does the ground Civil Aviation has no right to increase On February 9, the Airport Management handler fit into this? Will he be expected the tariffs for these services at will. Group of Astana International airport to implement any specific systems or and Swissport International signed a applications? And will handler A’s input Swissport International has been voted Memorandum of Understanding in end once the bags are loaded and hold the best cargo handler in Africa for the which the parties agreed that Swissport doors are closed? If so, at what point third year in a row by the readers of The is to take over the complete ground does the sequence become handler B’s STAT Trade Times Magazine. Swissport handling operation from Astana responsibility? received the award during the Air Cargo International airport; this will occur in “The handler will be implementing Africa 2015 trade event. two phases. whatever the airline contracts. There The co-operation is to commence on are no specific systems that are being May 1, with the newly-established joint specified. Recording acquisition and venture, that of Swissport Kazakhstan, delivery could be via hand-written assuming passenger handling in Astana. sheets, the scanning of baggage labels, In a second phase, the joint venture recording against manifests or any of plans to absorb the entire ground a wide number of other possibilities handling services by the end of the year, for recording that a bag was moved The future of aviation messaging is here...

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rockwellcollins.com 6 LEGAL COLUMN GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 Premises, premises… Gemma James, a partner at Mundays law fi rm, takes a closer look at what’s involved in occupying property at an airport.

hen a ground handling lead you to purchase in the name of a conditions, so before entering the lease, company takes space at company or of individuals, and the latter consider the conditions you would be an airport, it is important it can have inheritance tax implications prepared to offer. knows what it is agreeing to in terms too. Finally, if moving premises, consider of its property rights within the airport If you choose a lease, you should entering an Agreement to Surrender in order to make optimal use of the consider the following. with your current landlord and an premises and ensure effi ciency and The landlord may ask you for a rent Agreement to Lease with your new maximum profi tability. deposit as security, so either ensure you landlord: if you exchange both With commercial deliveries to airports have funds available or be prepared to Agreements at the same time, you will on the rise, companies will want to offer a compromise on the lease terms, then have the contractual certainty of ensure that their premises can meet such as offering guarantors. a completion date for the end of your the growing demand. The negotiating If you have an option to renew or old lease and for the start of your new and preparing of contracts and other a break clause, make careful note of lease. legal documents for property space deadlines for serving notice to exercise Perhaps most importantly of all, seek plays a very important rôle in meeting a them and seek legal advice well in advice from a solicitor, accountant and business’ requirements. advance to ensure that you do not lose surveyor at the outset. It is advisable Companies taking on warehouse-style the right. to also engage the services of a properties in or around airports have Try to limit your liabilities, such as not property agent to act on your behalf to negotiate a purchase price if buying being required to repair the premises in negotiating terms: agents will know a freehold or renting, and additional to a standard beyond that shown in a the local market and be best placed terms if taking a lease. Planning ahead photographic schedule of condition, to advise on rent levels and general is important for many reasons, not least and ensure an independent surveyor bargaining points to negotiate the to ensure optimal location for the ease assesses the current state of the optimal deal! of freight forwarders and air cargo premises for you. Check if the landlord handlers to do their jobs effi ciently. is planning works to the warehouse and Below are some points to consider in surrounding area (which may increase order to maximise the rewards you can your service charges) and ideally try to reap from your property arrangements cap the annual service charge for which while minimising stress (and you will be liable. expenditure) further down the line. Make fi nancial provisions and arrangements with contractors well in Property type considerations advance of the end of the term so that dilapidations obligations will not come Firstly, do you need a freehold or a as a shock. leasehold property? A freehold is a When negotiating lease terms, major capital investment to fund from remember that any clauses that benefi t the outset, but it becomes yours to deal you as a tenant can also count against with as you wish. A lease would be you at rent review because a more for an agreed period of time only, so is tenant-friendly lease could be valued as useful if you may need fl exibility to move “deserving” a higher rent. on in case your supply contracts change. Do you need specifi c ability to share However, it places you somewhat at the occupation of your premises with other will of the landlord and liable to pay rent companies? A specifi c clause permitting and possibly service charges. A licence this will be necessary. or a tenancy at will is even more fl exible, You will need the landlord’s consent but may involve sharing occupation, to make alterations and you may well Mundays LLP would not be transferable and is usually have to remove all such works at the a very short term arrangement. end of the lease. If the works are vital, it Cedar House Take your accountant’s advice as to is best to agree them with the landlord 78 Portsmouth Road your tax position. Stamp Duty Land Tax from the start to save the risk of the (SDLT) on a freehold purchase is based landlord refusing consent in the future. Cobham, Surrey on the purchase price whereas a more Think, too, about exit strategy: do KT11 1AN complex calculation is used to calculate you need a break clause or the ability SDLT for a lease (which is based primarily to assign or sub-let all or part of the Tel: +44 1932 590645 on the rent and length of term). Don’t premises? You will probably have to forget Capital Gains Tax and allowances, obtain the Landlord’s consent to do E-mail: gemma.james@ especially if you intend to carry out so at the time and will have to pay its mundays.co.uk works. Careful tax planning might costs. The Landlord will want to impose

8 CARGO NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

Air France cargo signs on with pay back about €65m in illegal state twice-weekly freighter calls at New CHEP Aerospace aid by EU regulators in and York’s JFK, and daily passenger fl ights was consequently declared no longer to Boston and JFK. Cargo has appointed CHEP “economically viable” by Finance The new service earns Icelandair Cargo Aerospace Solutions to repair its Minister Harris Georgiades. the accolade of the only carrier that fl eet of cargo containers, pallets and Eyal Zagagi, CAL Cargo Airlines’ offers a scheduled all-cargo freighter horse boxes at Paris Charles de Gaulle CEO, said: “Cyprus is a key market service from Boston Logan to Europe. airport, as well as dollies at Paris Orly for us. We feel accountable to our airport, over the next three years. customers in that region and made TNT launches daily cargo service This new partnership complements a big effort to ensure a smooth to Istanbul by road CHEP’s existing relationship with transition.” The government of Cyprus KLM and Martinair in is looking into starting a new airline if TNT has introduced an express road and positions CHEP as a strategic it can fi nd serious investors, and has service to Istanbul, connecting the Turkish maintenance and repair partner for already secured the Cyprus Airways capital to Sofi a, Bulgaria, and on to all the Air France KLM Group. logo if successful. The airline lost European countries, which will run daily. CHEP’s data-rich repair €55.8m in 2012, more than double the The freighter company claims to management software ACTIS will €23.88m loss in 2011. be the only express operator to run provide Air France Cargo with the Twice-weekly fl ights using B747 such a service between Istanbul and benefi t of being able to identify freighter aircraft have since commenced Europe in its entirety, dubbing it a damage trends and related costs. This from Liège, Belgium, to Larnaca, Cyprus, consistent, economical alternative for data will enable Air France Cargo and Tel-Aviv-Yafo, Israel. less urgent shipments (which will take to make more informed decisions between four and seven days to deliver, on future ULD purchases and will Chateauroux-Centre to gain new depending on distance of the European facilitate working with ground distribution warehouse business recipient). TNT currently runs handlers to reduce damage to ULDs. an overnight air express service to Marcel Dassault airport, located in the Istanbul but this is to be its fi rst road China Zenix Auto signs new centre of France, is set to become the service to the destination. contract with Cargotec home of a large distribution hub called TNT’s Turkish network comprises 26 EuroSity. The Franco-Chinese subsidiary hubs and depots, as well as a fl eet of China Zenix Auto International, the of property developers Beijing Capital 328 vehicles, which connect Istanbul largest commercial vehicle wheel Land, SFECZ, will construct the 1.3m with other major cities, such as Ankara, manufacturer in China by sales square-foot warehouse in Chateauroux- Izmir, Adana and Bursa. volume, announced January 27 that Centre, an area dedicated to freight, it has signed a contract to supply eight hours by truck to Paris and other Cathay is now freight-fully appy advanced tubeless steel wheels to major European cities. The conveniently the Cargotec Trading Company in located facility, which will comprise Cathay Pacifi c has introduced a mobile Shanghai in 2015. more than 30,000 square feet of app that allows the tracking of shipments Zenix Auto will supply its tubeless offi ce space and other amenities, and provides other freight data for its steel wheels, produced using its is intended to address the needs of customers. The app has several useful new patented steel rolling process, Chinese shippers, who want fast functions, including tracking of multiple to Cargotec Shanghai’s heavy-duty access to European households with air waybills, saving air waybills as terminal tractors. The company’s manufactured goods. Chateauroux- favourites and the latest fl ight arrival and advanced steel wheels can carry Centre is an ideal locale for freighter departure times. heavier loads than traditionally rolled activity, boasting the longest With the help of the app, customers steel wheels and are less susceptible to in Europe (at 11,482 feet), which can are able to track their shipments through deformation and damage. effortlessly accommodate the largest their smart phone or tablet at any time Chairman and Chief Executive of freight carriers, and has excellent rail and from anywhere. They can also log in Offi cer for China Zenix, Mr Jianhui and highway connections. Construction to review the e-booking status of their Lai, commented: “Shanghai is one of of the hub is expected to commence in shipment, in just the same way as they the busiest ports in the world and an late 2015, with occupancy expected in would through Cathay’s cargo website. important transit point for the export the second half of 2016. James Woodrow, Cathay Pacifi c and import of products in China. Our Director of Cargo, said: “We strive to wheels are improving the effi ciency Boston Logan airport to be provide the best services to our customers of moving goods through this busy served by Icelandair Cargo at all times, and this new mobile app puts port. As we continue to improve the up-to-the-minute information at their durability, weight and overall quality A weekly service by Icelandair Cargo fi ngertips, wherever in the world they of our wheels, we strengthen current from Boston Logan airport to its hub may be.” customer relationships and expect to in Kefl avik, Iceland, will begin January The app is available for download from attract additional new customers.” 22, thanks to a rise in demand for fresh both the Apple iTunes and Google Play seafood from Iceland. Of the recent stores. CAL Cargo Airlines takes over surge, Icelandair Cargo Managing bankrupt Cyprus Airways Director, Gunnar Mar Sigurfi nnsson, AirBridgeCargo carries record said: “We have seen a year-on-year volume of cargo in 2014 CAL Cargo Airlines has stepped in to increase in seafood volumes to the replace the cargo division of Cyprus US market every year from 2011.” AirBridgeCargo carried a record Airways after it declared bankruptcy He went on to say that Boston is the 401,000 tonnes of cargo in 2014: a on January 9. The 68 year old, state- company’s largest market for seafood, 17.6% increase year-over-year and owned Cypriot carrier was ordered to but that additionally the carrier runs its highest total tonnage in ten years Whichever you need … Self propelled... Truck mounted... Towable... 10 CARGO NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

of business. The carrier operates a freighters of A320 and A321 size in a 0.8% increase in the average 13-strong fleet after adding another produced annually, and we are well international freight load factor. B747-8 freighter last year, and opened positioned to dominate this market in Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director new routes to Dallas/Fort Worth, the coming years. We expect HAITEC to General, said: “Air cargo markets Leipzig, Munich, Basel and Malmo, account for about a dozen commercial experienced a welcome upswing in while adding frequencies to Chicago conversions a year.” 2014, with the second half of the year and Milan, amongst others. The carrier Potential customers for the aircraft registering 6% growth compared to the runs 218 scheduled flights a week to are yet to be disclosed; however it same period in 2013, following several 11 different countries, totalling more is believed that PacAvi will start to years of stagnant demand.” than 400 connections. announce customers shortly. Once “Thanks to this growing support, converted, the maximum structural Air cargo statistics went out on ABC has been able to grow consistently payload of the aircraft would be up to a high for 2014 with a compound growth rate of 11% approximately 21 tonnes. over the last five years,” said Denis Ilin, In addition to this conversion news, A demand growth of 4.5% (compared ABC’s Executive President. According to Precision Aircraft Solutions said it to 2013) was revealed in IATA’s full-year Denis, the company intends to further has begun converting a Rolls-Royce- air cargo data for 2014; a significant enlarge its network with additional powered B757 aircraft into a freighter rise from the 1.4% increase recorded destinations in an effort to support configuration for Chinese cargo carrier between 2012 and 2013. In December smaller businesses, or even short-term SF Airlines, which will be its tenth alone, growth reached 4.9%. business opportunities.” conversion performed for the company. Growth was recorded in all regions in 2014 but the majority was specifically Full year cargo rise at Athens AirBridgeCargo Airlines extends located in the Asia-Pacific and Middle contract with Fraport Eastern regions, which contributed 46% Athens airport saw a 3.3% rise in cargo and 29% respectively of the expansion volumes across its four terminals for AirBridgeCargo and Fraport Cargo in FTKs. Particularly weak in terms of the whole of 2014, with total tonnage Services have extended their cargo development was Latin America. increasing to 77,327 tonnes. handling partnership at Europe’s Tony Tyler, IATA Director General Of the achievement, Alexis Sioris, leading airfreight hub in Frankfurt, and CEO, said: “After several years Manager Cargo Development at continuing a successful collaboration of stagnation, the air cargo business Athens International airport, said: which began back in August 2008. is growing again. This is largely being “Economic pressure has encouraged FCS Managing Director, Diana driven by the uptick in world trade us all to raise our game and combine Schöneich, said: “We consider this over the second half of 2014. Recent strengths and be more pro-active in decision as a clear proof of confidence concerns over the health of the global generating new business. Our modern in our company, since AirBridgeCargo economy and a corresponding fall airport infrastructure, plus excellent is an airline with high standards of in business confidence have not yet world-connected port, backed by top security, quality, and service. We will impacted air cargo. But it is a downside class handlers and forwarders, gives us continue to do our utmost to meet the risk that will need to be watched the tools for the job.” expectations of our largest customer carefully as we move through 2015.” As part of the airport’s improved also in the future.” facilities for shippers and customers, ABC Airlines, one of the fastest Mumbai cargo goes paperless electronic payment of duties and taxes growing international air cargo carriers, will be introduced, which will enable currently operates an impressive fleet of The paperless initiative aims to gradually payment by bank transfer as well as 13 freighters, including 6 eliminate the substantial quantity of keep accounts open with the Ministry of the new generation B747-8F aircraft. paper documents the air cargo industry of Finance. Since its inception, the partnership currently relies on to support air freight Current handlers at Athens airport has thrived, overcoming a number of movement. With that in mind, Mumbai include Goldair Handling, Skyserv challenges, offering high flexibility, International has launched a joint Handling Services (previously Olympic top standards, qualified staff, and venture between the Airports Authority Handling) and Swissport Hellas Cargo. customised solutions. of India and a GVK-led association, each having 26% and 74% holding PacAvi to carry out first P2F Asia Pacific Airlines see 2014 respectively. conversion on A320 aircraft resurgence in cargo demand The e-freight initiative was first unveiled by IATA back in 2006, and PacAvi Group, a US- and German- Following three consecutive years of endorsed by members of GACAG, based company, is to convert its first decline, Association of Asia Pacific with the goal of replacing paper with Airbus A320 from a passenger aircraft Airlines’ initial figures for 2015 are electronic data and messages in air to a freighter at HAITEC Aircraft indicating an encouraging renewal in cargo operations. The green venture Maintenance, an MRO based at cargo demand. implicates air carriers, freight forwarders, Frankfurt-Hahn airport. This is to be the The airline has seen noticeable ground handlers, shippers and customs first passenger to freighter conversion growth in both the cargo and passenger authorities, encouraging them to of an A320, which is expected to be markets in 2014. Business and simplify processes, reduce expenditure converted rapidly, once final approval recreational travel has been boosted by and improve efficiency and reliability. is given by the FAA and the European improved regional economies in Asia MIAL’s Chief Executive, Rajeev Jain, Aviation Safety Agency, which PacAvi and increased trade, and freight-tonne added: “MIAL is proud to be a part CEO Stephan Hollmann said he expects kilometres have grown by a strong 5.4% of the IATA e-freight initiative and to receive in 2016. He went on to say: compared to 2013 figures. Additionally, it sincerely appreciates the support “From then on, our plan is to grow the carrier’s freight capacity grew extended by IATA to enable it achieve fast. There are 50-60 narrow-body modestly at 4.1% last year, resulting this significant milestone.” APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL CARGO NEWS 11

Turkish Cargo launches new technology. Denmark scored 23%, with around 6,500 patients receiving freight facility Finland 25%, 15% and Norway treatment in six disciplines at the 7%, surpassing a combined aim of medical centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Their Turkish Cargo has expanded, not only in 22%. Introducing electronic air waybills work was supported both financially and terms of its cargo network, but also in completely eliminates the need for logistically throughout the endeavour by the form of ongoing improvements to its paper, and involves the World Customs Cargo, who founded Cargo infrastructure and technical procedures. Organisation (WCO), ground handlers, Human Care eV back in 2007. On January 1 2015, a new cargo freight forwarders and airlines. Lufthansa Cargo Fleet Commander terminal was opened and, following a Nine IATA member airlines have taken and Chairman of Cargo Human Care smooth transition to the new facility, its up the top spot in the Nordic market eV, Captain Fokko Doyen, said: “With full utilisation has vastly improved the to implement the e-AWB: SAS Cargo, our free medical aid we ensure that the handling and transfer of freight. With Lufthansa Cargo, Air France/KLM, poorest of the population have access the launch of this facility, operational , Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Qatar to medical care in the region around processes have been restructured and the Airways and . Nairobi. Last year, Cargo Human Care quality of service has been maximised. By the end of last year, global e-AWB was able to extend the range of its Turkish Cargo provides global adoption stood at 24%. IATA hopes its treatments once again - also thanks to connections to a network of more members will go 100% paperless by the generous donations.” than 260 destinations in 108 countries, end of 2017. Additionally, cancer screening for currently served by its nine freighters women became available last year, along with 48 destinations and 253 passenger Cargo Human Care eV sets with plastic surgery, German specialists aircraft. medical care record in 2014 and the local hospital, together with an eye clinic for the treatment of cataracts. E-AWB milestone reached by Cargo Human Care eV, a humanitarian The second major project of Cargo Nordic countries and medical aid project founded by Human Care eV is the Mothers’ Mercy employees of Lufthansa Cargo in co- Home, a children’s home in Nairobi It was announced during the Nordic Air operation with doctors from all over which provides more than 115 orphans Cargo Symposium in Stockholm that Germany, set a new medical care record with somewhere to live and a future. the air freight industry of Scandinavia in 2014. Medical care was administered With the help of a donation campaign has reached IATA’s 22% global target around 22,500 times to patients treated by German newspaper Frankfurter for adoption of electronic air waybill by local nurses and German doctors, Allgemeine Zeitung, a youth centre – a 12 CARGO NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 transitional residence for children from network reach.” DIAL to exit cargo service the Mothers’ Mercy Home, offering The acquisition of Finnair will operations at Delhi International post-school education and integration afford IAG Cargo additional capacity into working life – will also be built. across the globe, including strategic Delhi International Airport, a subsidiary destinations in the Asia Pacific region. of GMR Infrastructure, has announced AISATS wins Best Air Cargo Finnair customers, meanwhile, its withdrawal from the cargo service Terminal Management Award will benefit from IAG Cargo’s far- operations at Delhi airport. reaching network to the Americas GMR Infrastructure is selling its entire For the fourth consecutive year, Air and Africa, as the introduction of the 26% stake in a cargo handling joint India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) IAG connections offers greater route venture at Indira Gandhi International was recognised with the Best Air Cargo availability via London Heathrow and airport to India Infrastructure Fund for Rs Terminal Management Award from Madrid International airport. 29 crore. On February 20 DIAL agreed the Indian Chamber of Commerce. to sell its holding of 1.09 crore equity The certification was awarded at the African market highlighted by shares (of face value Rs 10 each) for Indian Supply Chain Logistics Summit & after conference Rs 26.20 per share, totalling Rs 28.60 Excellence Award 2015, hosted in New crore. A GMR Infrastructure regulatory Delhi. Following the recent Air Cargo Africa filing to Bombay Stock Exchange said Mike Chew, SVP Delhi and Acting event, Cargolux has reaffirmed its the completion of the sale is subject to CEO of AISATS, accepted the award, interest in the continent. the fulfilment of certain criteria. saying: “This accolade holds testimony “The markets in Africa are especially Following the announcement, shares to our consistent effort to provide important to Cargolux”, explains in GMR Infrastructure rose 1.08% and customers with premier cargo and Niek van der Weide, Executive Vice were trading at Rs 18.70 on the BSE. ground handling services. We strive President of Cargolux. “Our network to continue augmenting our services here significantly supports the Swissport wins best cargo through innovation, technology and Cargolux business worldwide.” handler award in Africa service enhancements.” Cargolux has been investing in the Nominees for the award are African market for years and offers 11 Swissport has been voted best cargo evaluated on a variety of aspects flights per week from Luxembourg to handler in Africa for the third time in a including operational performance, several African countries. The flights row by the readers of The STAT Trade sustainability, quality, safety, not only connect Luxembourg to the Times Magazine. Swissport received the customer satisfaction and adoption African continent, but also connect the Award during Air Cargo Africa 2015, the of information technology. AISATS US directly to Africa. In all, Cargolux continent’s largest air cargo trade fair. has excelled in many of these areas operates flights to 13 different African As part of the respected over the last year, including the destinations and has offices at all the “International Awards for Excellence implementation of an e-freight initiative important trade hubs in Africa. in Air Cargo”, the award is widely at its Bengaluru Airfreight Terminal The carrier brings commodities like regarded as the premier accolade for facility, in accordance with IATA’s green automotive parts, heavy machinery for cargo handlers operating in the rapidly initiative of a paper-free air cargo the oil and gas industry, perishables developing region. Swissport was supply chain. The Bengaluru facility also and pharmaceutical products to these chosen for the distinctive honour from acquired its Good Distribution Practices markets and develops tailor-made various air cargo industry players. certification, making AISATS the first solutions for dynamic commodity Nils Pries Knudsen, SVP and Head of service provider in India to gain such flows. Global Cargo Swissport International, recognition. said of the achievement: “It makes Seasonal bloom for Kenyan us proud to see recognition for the Finnair Cargo joins IAG Cargo’s freight to Schiphol efforts Swissport employees undertake Partner Plus programme every single day. We will work very Saudia Cargo has had to increase hard to continue to deliver this level of Finnair Cargo is to join IAG Cargo’s freighter activity from Nairobi to dedication and quality.” Partner Plus programme, an enhanced Amsterdam by at least six additional version of interline co-operation. B747F flights because of seasonal Fire hazard on board This partnership enables both IAG demand for Kenyan flowers. Cargo and Finnair to deliver improved The 25% boost on the Africa to In 2014, the International Civil Aviation network connectivity to customers Europe route equates to an extra Organisation adopted a ban on the of the scheme, who will benefit from 3,000 tonnes of cargo for the month shipping of lithium batteries as cargo confirmed bookings and higher priority of February, in addition to the Middle aboard passenger aircraft. This came for loading with IAG Cargo, the freight Eastern carrier's existing six scheduled in the wake of growing concerns that arm of and . flights a week out of Nairobi. if these batteries were to become Other members of the scheme Saudia Cargo’s Regional Director ignited, they could affect any nearby include Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines, Africa, Ken Mbogo, said that the batteries, causing them to overheat the Avianca group and American carrier’s “proven agility to deploy extra and catch fire in turn. During that same Airlines. frequencies during such seasonal peak year, most passenger airlines in Canada Steve Gunning, CEO of IAG Cargo, periods has amplified our position as a had already voluntarily banned lithium said of the programme: “The benefit leading carrier in the Kenyan airfreight metal batteries as freight, although the for customers is clear and with the market.” He went on to say the need ban was not due to come into effect addition of Finnair we are now able for additional freighter services “serves until January this year. Under the terms to deliver enhanced connectivity to as a yet another powerful testimony of of the legislation, batteries already key destinations… this is a hugely our steady progressive support to the contained in or packed with equipment cost-effective means of growing our Kenyan floricultural industry.” are not affected: only those packaged APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL CARGO NEWS 13

and shipped separately are being targeted. The ban was not intended to affect a passenger’s personal devices such as laptops and smartphones, which typically employ lithium-ion batteries. More recently, has Visit Us At MRO Americas banned the bulk shipment of lithium- Booth #4838 ion batteries on its aircraft, again citing fi re safety concerns. In this move, United has followed , which decided in February to refuse bulk shipments of the type of batteries used in mobile devices. The decision means that United is now the second major US airline to ban the bulk shipping of lithium-ion batteries. “Our primary concerns when transporting dangerous goods are the safety of our customers, our customers’ shipments and the environment,” the carrier was quoted as saying. Behind all this has been the Federal Aviation Administration, which has been testing the volatility of these batteries. In one test, the FAA fi lled a cargo container with 5,000 lithium- ion batteries and a cartridge heater. This was to simulate a single battery overheating. Perhaps predictably, the single overheating battery triggered a chain reaction, with temperatures in the container attaining around 600ºC. This was succeeded by an explosion. In a separate test, similar results were recorded. There is a suspicion that these batteries have also contributed to aircraft crashes. It is known that the Malaysia Airlines fl ight, which went missing last year, was carrying 440 pounds of lithium-ion batteries in its hold; however, there is no concrete proof that this cargo was responsible IMPROVE EFFICIENCY DURING GROUND SUPPORT for the aircraft’s failure. The recent loss of two Boeing 747 AND MRO OPERATIONS WITH DAVID CLARK freighters, is another case in point. One, operated by UPS, developed an WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS in-fl ight fi re in 2010 and crashed in Dubai. A subsequent FAA investigation David Clark Company Wireless Headset Communication Systems noted the large quantity of lithium-ion batteries had been carried on board. provide clear communication, greater mobility and safety for MRO Some 12 months later, an Asiana operations, pushback, deicing and a variety of other ground support Airlines cargo aircraft carrying 880 applications. Rugged components include wireless gateways, controllers pounds of lithium batteries crashed into the Korea Strait. None of the crew on and headsets that allow crew members to communicate up to 300 feet either aircraft survived the crash. from the controller, without being tethered to the aircraft or equipment. There have also been incidents Given that many consumer devices For more information today are powered by this technology, call 800-298-6235 or it rather begs the question of what the future holds. With several airlines visit www.davidclark.com refusing their carriage, one is tempted to believe that others will surely follow Made In USA © 2015 David Clark Company Incorporated in their wake. If that occurs, then li-ion ® Green headset domes are a David Clark batteries will have to rely upon sea and registered trademark. WWW.DAVIDCLARK.COM land transportation to reach their fi nal destinations. 14 IT NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

Innsbruck in the clouds customers the burden of exchanging is in the process of integrating several costly baggage messages. The system other carriers. In terms of a credo, Amadeus, a leading technology requires minimal training and no server the company says it looks to devise partner for the global travel industry, installation and therefore, as a result, and deploy solutions that take all the has announced that it has reached allows for a rapid deployment. complexity (and associated cost) out of an agreement with airport Amadeus’ Airport Passenger passenger processing. to deliver a range of new airport Verifi cation, the third solution to be Its SONIC application runs entirely on solutions. These comprise the Airport employed by Innsbruck, will permit a multi-cloud environment. What this Common Use Service, Airport Baggage automated passenger checks at various means is that to deploy and use SONIC, Reconciliation System and Airport points within the airport. The airport the customer only needs power and an Passenger Verifi cation facility. Thanks to believes that the resulting data will help Internet connection. Because SONIC is the launch of common use application enhance the passenger experience, as not restricted by CUPPS, CUSS or CUTE, last year, Innsbruck is now pioneering the airport can make informed decisions it can process payments, deploy weekly the implementation of new technology at critical moments, offering more updates, add passport details, update in the airport ecosystem, moving tailored services or selling airport loyalty SSRs and provide a whole host of towards the next generation of common programmes. other functions automatically. However use platforms. SONIC still conforms to applicable IATA The agreement will see the fi rst No CUSS? No fuss! protocols and the company’s Technical complete cloud-based common use Director is helping develop the IATA environment in an airport. Whereas Pulse.aero started up in 2009, initially Common Use Web Services. previous common use solutions ran servicing at East Midlands off local servers, the ACUS installation airport. Today the company is the Another accolade for CHAMP allows Innsbruck’s airlines and ground number one provider of self-service handling companies to leverage bag drop facilities in Europe, possibly in The STAT Trade Times recently presented application virtualisation and cloud the world, on the strength of installed the STAT Times International Awards for technology to access passenger bases. This is very much a home-grown Excellence in Air Cargo in 11 categories, processing systems. The platform is company with a development team as part of the Air Cargo Africa 2015 hosted in Amadeus’ centralised data based in Brighton and a hardware team conference, which was held in South processing facility in Germany, which in Nottingham. Africa in March. During the event will eliminate the costly reliance on on- Phase 5 Technology (the hardware CHAMP Cargosystems was nominated site IT infrastructure and reduce energy arm) is responsible for the design and International IT Systems Provider of the costs. This cloud-based solution will also operation of the SONIC Bag Drop Year in Africa for the second year in a provide logistical benefi ts to the airport, solution, which is currently installed and row. allowing Innsbruck to easily reassign operational in a total of 13 airports. This award once again recognises passenger check-in and boarding The specialist recently installed a further CHAMP’s contribution as an industry operations to alternative locations, even ten units at and for leader in the provision of a most off-airport, when necessary. This will March, it was looking to install facilities comprehensive range of integrated IT reduce the impact of disruption on both in Bournemouth, Madrid and Barcelona; solutions and distribution services for passengers and airlines. at the time of writing, it was in tender the air cargo industry. Innsbruck airport is also implementing processes for several other airports, too. Amadeus’ Baggage Reconciliation Currently Phase 5 provides services System. As with ACUS, using a common for bags and passengers for CityJet, data source will save Innsbruck airline easyJet, Flybe, Ryanair and , and

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You have timetables to keep. Customer standards to meet. We understand. That’s why we’re the leading independent service provider to commercial aviation. We deliver world-class on-airport support including fuel management and refueling, baggage handling, equipment maintenance and de-icing to more than 80 airports worldwide. But it’s our safety-focused, professional customer service that sets us apart. Your global partner on the ramp. ASIG.com 16 REFUELLING & SAFETY GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 Flawless thoughts Here, Sam Crooks, Operations and Technical Manager at Gulf Aviation, discusses the issues surrounding fuel safety and gives advice on how to combat any potential issues.

t Gulf Aviation, we have always Into-Plane Fuelling Services (known as past few years and the Civil Aviation fostered a “Safety First” culture JIG1) offers full guidance on how to Authority has been at the forefront of and we work directly with tackle all issues surrounding fuelling the developments. The Ground Handling customers to advise them on how and safety on the apron. The document Operations Safety Team (or GHOST) best to put this into practice during outlines the full regulations, including industry group was formed to address refuelling. We advise not only on current the importance of the following points. and share information pertaining to statutory and industry regulations - ground handling issues with an aim of for example, the Health and Safety Points to note improving safety in all areas. It identifies act, Health Safety Environment and specific issues within the industry using Security and Control of Major Accident First, it is essential that the exit path of Mandatory Occurrence Reporting data Hazards Regulations - but also on best a refuelling vehicle is kept clear. If this and feedback from airport individuals practice, to ensure that the likelihood is a continuing problem, it should be and working group members. Another of accidents occurring is minimised. It’s brought to the attention of the airport initiative rolled out last year was the essential that processes are constantly authority. Just Culture, a promotion to increase reviewed to ensure that best practice is Second, delivery hoses and hydrant the safety standards of airport ground always adhered to and that teams do servicer inlet hoses must be positioned handling operations, specifically not become complacent with regard to carefully on selected routes to minimise targeting a reporting culture for safety- safety. the risk of hoses being damaged by related incidents among airside workers. Refuelling vehicles are constantly vehicles or even by baggage handling As a result, into-plane operatives being driven around some of the equipment. Kinks and twists in hoses can working with fuel and other essential world’s busiest airports. There is every cause serious fuelling and safety issues. fluids will be encouraged to make good conceivable vehicle vying for their Third, hydrant servicer inlet hoses, use of the CAA's Mandatory Occurrence (mostly) dedicated service area around inlet couplers and hydrant pit valves can Reporting process if any of the following the aircraft. During actual refuelling be damaged by other aircraft servicing events occur. operations, there is a hive of activity vehicles. This could contribute to a fire First, significant spillage during at the aircraft and operators need and thus poses a risk to the personal fuelling operations. Significant spillage to be ever vigilant for anything that safety of those around the aircraft. can be defined as a spillage unable to be could potentially cause damage to the The hydrant pit and hydrant servicer contained or controlled by the ground refueller or the refuelling hose. With so inlet hose both need to be as visible as service provider’s spill kit. many people and so much equipment possible. This can be achieved by using Second, loading of incorrect fuel involved, there is a need to constantly high visibility road cones, inlet hose quantities on to an aircraft that’s likely remind operatives to adhere to best collars and warning signs. to have a significant effect on aircraft practice. In addition to these regulations, endurance, performance, balance or The 2012 Aviation Fuel Quality there have been a number of safety structural strength. Control and Operating Standards for initiatives rolled out in the UK over the Third, the loading of contaminated or an incorrect type of fuel. The industry is taking steps in the right direction to ensure that regulations and best practice are adhered to at all times. As well as using internal incident, accident and reporting systems, sharing knowledge across the industry is essential in making sure we are tackling any unsafe practices. Nothing helps deepen knowledge as effectively as sharing it. To that end, we welcome any initiatives that make sure staff feel comfortable in reporting any issues with regards to safety. The aviation industry, and indeed technology, never stands still and we keep pushing to enhance our operational performance. Combining these facts with ever-increasing passenger numbers and aircraft movements, we all need to keep safe, vigilant and aware of our surroundings to ensure that we operate as safely as “Safety first” culture has a long tradition at Gulf Aviation, says Sam Crooks possible. APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL GREEN PAGES 17

Corporate responsibility in Latin by biodiesel. This is in line with the on the environment. America for carbon emissions Government of India’s initiative to Willy Ko, AISATS’ CEO, confi rmed encourage the production and use that he had always been committed The Latin American airline group, LaTam, of biodiesel in the country, which to minimising the impact of his has joined forces with SCX, a private allows the direct sale of biodiesel by operational processes on the climate stock exchange in the southern manufacturers. environment. hemisphere, to launch a programme AISATS is the fi rst concessionaire “Utilising biodiesel is another stride that is dedicated to offsetting carbon at Kempegowda International to use towards fulfi lling our desire to protect emissions from corporate air travel. this fuel in line with its commitment the environment. Not only will this The programme, called Neutravel, towards implementing sustainable green initiative increase operational has already attracted ten clients who practices. The biodiesel, which is effi ciency but it will also help to between them account for over 17,000 sourced from Eco Green Fuels Private, preserve the environment by effectively tonnes of CO2. In its fi rst year, it is a Bangalore-based company, is a reducing the carbon footprint.” aiming to reach 50,000 tonnes, a fi gure renewable, domestically produced, “BIAL took a conscious decision to that is the equivalent to the carbon clean burning diesel replacement develop Kempegowda International captured in one year by planting more that will reduce the dependence on airport into a green infrastructure. than 6m native trees. Partner companies petroleum and can be used in all Hence we deployed biofuel for all are set to neutralise emissions through standard diesel engines. Compared our ground operations in 2012 as a investments in certifi ed emission to regular fuel, biodiesel effectively responsible way to meet our energy compensation projects in the region, reduces the emission of harmful needs. AISATS has joined us in our together with accredited in-house pollutants, thereby reducing the impact efforts to create an enabling and reductions. SCX has said that it will provide a platform for measuring and verifying emissions from any business air travel on any global airline. For its part, the LaTam group is happy to provide companies taking part in the programme with specifi c emission factor information relating to their business fl ights in order to support the measurement of their carbon footprint. Projects currently covered by Neutravel include nature conservation initiatives and non-conventional renewable energy projects. The partners add that the programme, which has been launched initially in Chile before it is extended to other countries in the region, has been designed in accordance with the most rigorous criteria and methodologies for measuring greenhouse gas emissions and that it fully complies with IATA recommendations.

Indian handler begins to deploy -PUKV\[OV^MHZ[ biodiesel at Bengaluru ^LJHUTLL[`V\YULLKZ :LL\Z4H`'IVV[OH[ Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) [OL(PYWVY[:OV^PU+\IHP has initiated the usage of renewable and clean burning biodiesel at its Bengaluru Airfreight Terminal. This has The world’s largest non-powered GSE manufacturer keeps getting bigger... had the effect of making Kempegowda and faster. International in Bengaluru the fi rst station across the AISATS airfreight In the past year, we’ve added $6 million in large-format automated equipment to our terminal network to be powered manufacturing space. We’ve increased our team of employee-owners by 33 percent and added more shifts. And, we have thousands of parts ready to ship immediately.

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sustainable environment with the system is used in 150 countries and such facilities. If we add to that new commitment to use renewable and is a mark of excellence for green techniques, such as practised by IDS, clean burning biodiesel at its Bengaluru buildings. It provides independent, whereby it is the operation that is costed Airfreight Terminal. This, we believe, is third-party verification that a building, and not the actual amount of glycol, a collaborative effort to demonstrate home or community was designed and it becomes obvious that there are our commitment for a green and built using strategies that ensure a lot of initiatives cropping up in the environment as an airport community high performance in areas such as sector. and we applaud AISATS for this sustainable site development, water The latest suggestion comes courtesy initiative,” added G V Sanjay Reddy, savings, energy efficiency, materials of a researcher from Arizona State Managing Director, BIAL. selection and indoor environmental University: he believes that he has Currently, biodiesel is being used in quality. The terminal, designed by hit upon a practicable answer to the conjunction with forklifts at AISATS architects Stantec, achieved a Silver problem. Bengaluru Airfreight Terminal. Recently, rating, which the airport says was Writing in the journal Advanced the AISATS Bangalore facility also actually beyond the category initially Materials Interfaces, Konrad launched an e-freight initiative aimed at targeted. Rykaczewski and his colleagues have building a paper-free air cargo supply LEED strategies that were outlined how they might address the chain. These are seen as significant implemented in the terminal’s design problem, but with a twist: the aircraft steps that AISATS has taken towards include daylight optimisation to provide would de-ice whilst in flight… improving efficiency while contributing passengers an uninterrupted view If this sounds bizarre, a word of towards environmental sustainability. of the prairie landscape and daylight explanation may not go amiss. The sensors that switch on electric lighting system, which has been tested in Fossil fuel to fall in Scandinavia when needed. Heating and cooling is a laboratory, relies on a sandwich provided to the building by circulating of two skins. The first includes The Swedish airport operator Swedavia warm or cool water through flexible superhydrophobic coatings that will is increasing its commitment towards tubing located within the floor. Heated encourage freezing raindrops to bounce lowering fossil CO2 emissions. To that or cooled air is also introduced into the off the surface of the wing instead of end, Swedavia has become the first building at or near floor level, so that forming as ice particles and adhering. In airport operator in the Nordic countries the least amount of energy is used to the event of this coating failing, there to join the Fly Green Fund. keep passengers comfortable. is a back-up system which releases Swedavia actively supports the The windows and roof are anti-freeze to ensure that the wings stay development of biojet fuels in the significantly more insulated than ice-free. Nordic countries and the access to conventional products, says the airport, And it all works. biojet fuels at its ten airports around which results in better energy efficiency According to the researcher, ice Sweden. as well as preventing jet fuel emissions accumulation has been delayed by up The co-operation is a natural step from entering the building. to ten times longer on the samples used for Swedavia in its long-term work In the 51,500 square metre terminal’s than on superhydrophobic or lubricant to decrease its own environmental construction, maximum use was impregnated-surfaces in all the icing footprint. It wants to be in the forefront made of recyclable materials and local scenarios. Furthermore, researchers by taking action, and sees in joining products and materials were sourced noted a similar time delay in ice the Fly Green Fund an opportunity to whenever possible to minimise the accumulation during freezing rain when kick-start the market for biojet fuels energy used in transportation. compared to surfaces flooded with anti- in the Nordic region. At the same freeze. time, this is a part of Swedavia’s long- Glycol: a thing of the past? It might surprise readers to learn term responsibility, which includes that the idea came from a poison dart supporting research and development Regular readers will know that part of frog that was sighted in Panama: the of biojet fuels in the Nordic countries, the downside of the de-icing operation reptile releases toxin through its skin and says Lena Wennberg, Sustainability and lies in the application (and subsequent this got Konrad thinking about other Environmental Manager, Swedavia. retrieval) of glycol. The system, it has to applications. The Fly Green Fund is a Nordic be said, is the product of many years of His vision would take the form of initiative (initiated by Karlstad airport development and refinement and thus a twin layer (which can be as thin as and SkyNRG) that gives companies is not going to fade away in the near paper) being sprayed on to the wings or and organisations the opportunity to future. Despite that, the whole concept upper surfaces of the aircraft. The first decrease their environmental impact of the operation hasn’t prevented layer would be infused with the anti- by flying on biojet fuel. This is achieved scientists from thinking laterally and freeze whilst a second (top) layer would through co-funding the extra costs seeking new solutions to what is, in be exposed to the atmosphere and currently existing for biojet fuels essence, an age-old problem. contain the superhydrophobic layer that relative to fossil fuels. Furthermore, the To date there has been talk of is designed to repel rain droplets. fund will support the development of some sort of heater system installed As the upper surface starts to freeze, sustainable biojet fuel production from under the skin of the aircraft: such so the pores fill up and thereby the Nordic forestry residues and wastes. a thermal blanket, to put it crudely, ice makes contact with the anti-freeze has promise yet it’s a long way from below. Once that occurs, the process Winnipeg to LEED the way commercialisation. After all, the airframe of diffusion begins and the ice melts. manufacturers need to be convinced Where extended flights are envisioned, Winnipeg’s Richardson International first. Then there has been the idea of a the aircraft might be equipped with airport has become the first airport separate hangar inside which heating some sort of pumping system. terminal in Canada to become LEED elements melt the frost and snow As with all innovations, it’s food for certified. The Leadership in Energy accumulation on an aircraft: this idea thought – but one day, it might become and Environmental Design certification led to the construction of a handful of reality. APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL WORLD ANALYSIS 19 The US and Canada The words “recession” and the “US” have been seemingly inseparable for a long time now. But is there any light at the end of the tunnel? always allowing, of course, for unexpected hiccoughs along the way. Bearing that in mind, it would seem that ground handling has a healthy future in the US. With every passing year we hear of more and more outsourcing of services as carriers seek to achieve greater profitability. Whilst on the face of it this is sensible progress, such moves have not always been beneficial to those on the ramp: some workers may not be absorbed by the new company and, rather more worryingly, wages with the new incumbent haven’t always been on a par with the previous employer. Thus the great imponderable continues, that of a low-paid workforce in a high profile industry sector. So how exactly has n 2013, there were 8.3m domestic traffic has grown, even if the graph line that sector performed over the last 12 and 1.4m international flights recorded resembles the track of a cardiogram that is months? in the US. Those are big numbers, recording a feverish patient’s struggle. All There has been change, that much is by any standard. Looking at the broader the indications are that passenger travel certain. The big difference at Air General, picture, from 2009 to 2014, passenger will continue to swell in the longer term, for example, has been that of a change 20 WORLD ANALYSIS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

This past year has also marked many economy. new business ventures, remarks Patrick, “We experienced a surprisingly strong including the acquisition of a second facility performance by our Asia-based clientele in Denver to accommodate new contracts in both import and export air cargo during with Lufthansa, Icelandair, American the first quarter that surprisingly followed Airlines and Alaska Air; the inauguration through to the second and third quarters, of new flights in Minneapolis with Condor with an even stronger fourth quarter that Airlines; and Chicago with Air Lingus has continued into the first quarter of and West Jet, along with the successful 2015. Air General: a significant year certification of a CCSF in Houston for “Alliance Ground International specialises Crane Worldwide. In April, a sixth location in air cargo handling and the handling of of leadership. Upon the retirement of was opened for JetBlue in Detroit. In wide body freighters, with a portfolio of 42 Air General’s President, Paula Dexter, in addition to this, Air General was selected as international and major US-based airlines. December last, the company announced the cargo handling agent for the opening We provide full warehouse, import and the appointment of Patrick Maloney, of British Airways’ newest station in the export document handling, aircraft security, grandson of the founder, Robert M US, in Austin: that was also last April. This cargo screening and related operational Maloney. required the operation of a second cargo services at nine gateway airports in the US. Air General has grown from 337 staff in facility in Austin. United Airlines Cargo, Our sister company, Cargo Force, provides 2009 to its current total of 720 employees JetBlue and Alaska Airlines cargo are also services in an additional eight airports today. The new head firmly believes that handled by Air General at this particular (including Luis Munoz Marin International) his employees are his best resource and he station. in support of the USPO/FE mail service. adds that it is always a pleasure to receive October 20 marked the day when Cargo tonnage increased by approximately accolades from customers about their American Airlines and US Airways 15%, with a similar increase in freighter dedication and service ethic. completed their long and difficult schedules. It would be naïve to put this To accommodate this rapid growth, the integration task and began operating under down purely to growth in the US economy, company has expanded the organisational a single air waybill. For Air General, this also as the now protracted labour issues at structure to include three Regional Directors meant 16 new American Airlines contracts the US West coast ports have produced who look after a specific set of stations around the US. The partnership involved in an increasingly significant transfer of just as well as functional areas for the whole Air General and American Airlines working in time shipments from ocean to air. Past company. This keen focus on all aspects together was a significant achievement experience indicates that the trends from of the cargo operation is what, he feels, for both companies. As a measure of this, established logistics trade routes are difficult gives customers the confidence that this the Air General cargo team in St Louis was to change but once changed, even by a company understands their business well, recently awarded the prestigious American minimal amount, they result in a significant and has the expertise for both domestic Airlines Cargo Cup for the third quarter, increase in air freight and freighter activity. and international cargo. Customer which was soon to be followed by the Conversely, and certainly in the US, the contracts are actually split, with about 50% fourth quarter award to the Air General confidence (or lack of) by the shippers in of revenues coming from domestic freight team in Charlotte. the US ports indicates a possible longer and 50% from international freight. term move to air to ensure delivery to It is commonly known that the staff at Challenges part of the business market. Air General are well looked after. Last year “Specifically for AGI, with strong growth an Employee Assistance Programme was Expansion with Sun Country and from existing customers and the addition launched and a Leadership Development Southwest Airlines helped round out the of new customers, capital expenditure Programme was started for new managers, Air General experience last year. increased by a very significant US$10m, to provide them with access to courses in “The challenges in this industry are with new freighter, ramp and warehouse Management Skills as well as a personal many and varied,” resumes Patrick. handling equipment being added to mentor to guide them as they grow and ”Matching facilities to business volumes support growth in Chicago, JFK and Los develop into future leaders. A Memorial is difficult when the handling company Angeles. AGI’s newest station, that of Los Scholarship was introduced in 2013 to must lease a property but ensure sufficient Angeles, has achieved a consistently high honour the company’s founder and the first cargo volumes to cover the fixed costs. service delivery rate and has received the US$10,000 award was duly presented. Airlines seek lower pricing but the cost Cargo Station of the Year award for 2014 Also in 2014, the company announced of rent and utilities, salaries and supplies from United Airlines. the inauguration of its Passenger Handling are ever-increasing. Different operating “Further, 2014 saw the increasingly rapid Division, specifically with the introduction systems for various carriers requires a great addition of the B747-8F to our customers’ of a Meet and Greet programme for deal of continual training and updating, freighter fleets and the very significant passengers. The success of this product, while continued investment is necessary difficulties at major US airports (like marketed to global travel agencies which to remain educated and sharp and to Chicago, increasingly the freighter capital specialise in passengers with additional continually adapt to new technologies. of the US) in being able to safely park and travel requirements, rests upon employees But as this team continues to grow handle this latest generation of the 747. who can offer the particular skills required and expand their services, their mission AGI has worked with customer airlines and to safely and efficiently guide passengers remains the same: to provide the highest airports to accommodate the 8F in areas through the airport process with both quality service to customers.” originally constructed to park B747-200 discretion and professionalism. series. The 8F is now a daily routine feature After being awarded the IATA Dangerous Emerging from the crisis? of freighter operations, with ramp crews Goods certification last year, the company accepting it as the new norm. Last year added another level of training expertise Alliance Ground international’s Ross Jacobs, AGI became the first signed-up tenant in to the Air General Training Academy who is VP Business Development, says that the new, long-awaited Chicago NE Cargo repertoire. Training will be offered externally in early 2014 there were cautious signs of development site, which will relieve many (for a fee) later on this year. the US emerging from a long stagnating of the current airport freighter parking and BidAir Safe, Reliable Service SOUTH AFRICA When Handling is important to you! t$BSHP)BOEMJOH t1BTTFOHFS)BOEMJOH t3BNQ)BOEMJOH t"JSDSBGU(SPPNJOH t&YFDVUJWF$PODJFSHF t0VUTPVSDFE$BSHP t)PTQJUBMJUZ

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warehousing issues when its fi rst phase working our way through the surplus to promote our “Take 2” programme. opens in 2016. that goes back to pre-recession days. (The idea here is that of taking two “With the growth in the US economy Working alongside Delta, we adhere to minutes out to ensure you are prepared and falling unemployment rates we have the carrier’s green policy, so in terms of for a safe arrival). As importantly, we seen (for the fi rst time in over six years) environmental progress, things are very have found that safety messages made an increase in employee turnover. The positive. by our employees, for our employees, increasing lead time and training costs in ”As for 2015, I see a continued receive much greater feedback. All of placing a new employee into the workforce growth trend albeit not a strong one the videos have been made available for has placed a strain on maintaining – more a case of predictable growth, I continuous training at our stations.” SLA commitments. Alliance Ground feel.” She adds that ATS continues International increased its workforce in to be encouraged by the number 2014 from 1,900 to 2,250 to meet growth. Growth of 10% recorded of opportunities available in the Labour rates for new hires increased in marketplace. “With the recent mergers excess of US$1 per hour at the entry level ATS says that it experienced 10% year- and acquisitions in the industry, there which, combined with retention increases, on-year growth, even after the American is strong support for the further have added signifi cantly to the cost of Airlines and US Airways merger, during rationalisation of business. It appears services in an industry where handling which many of its operations were lost necessary for all ground service providers rates for both cargo and ramp remain at to their fl ying partners. to evaluate their business model and historically low levels. “We were fortunate to replace realign strategies that focus on how “In summary AGI, as an independently- that lost business with some of the best to grow business portfolios while owned and operated US-based company, aggressive outsourcing that United managing the evolution of the market. continues to grow by strengthening Airlines has done in the United Loss-making stations must clearly not be its established airport operations and States and Canada,” explains acceptable. continuing to invest in its employees, Ingrid Braeuninger, the company’s “There has been a signifi cant organisational development and Vice President, Sales and Business trend in airlines opening up more full investment in equipment and facilities to Development. “We have seen a growing service opportunities to ground service meet its customers’ long term needs.” trend for clients looking for total airport providers. Furthermore, ATS has noticed solutions to include both above the growing popularity for airlines to release An upward trend wing and below the wing services. RFPs that involve bidding on numerous Finally, ATS continues to have success in cities. ATS has had success with this DAL Global Services’ Tom Farmakis, normal RFP activity in the market which process, picking up some large, multi- who is VP Marketing and Business contributed to our year-on-year success. city wins in 2014. Development, declares that last year was “Last year, we invested in over 300 “In order for ground handlers to have roughly on a par with 2013 although pieces of , long-lasting success, it is essential for he notes that the market is rebounding and of that total, we purchased airlines and ground service providers somewhat. 70% more environmentally-friendly to work together to focus the industry “This is in terms of both passengers equipment than the previous year.” on the same critical cornerstone and cargo. Along with this, She goes on to echo the words of elements. All of us have the same unemployment fi gures have gone DALGS, saying that the US national objectives; to provide valuable solutions down too, so there is more choice in unemployment fi gure has dropped to our customers. To do this, we must the marketplace. Because of this we from 8% (in January 2013) to 5.7%, continue to evaluate ways to decrease have had to realign our wage structure thereby making recruiting more diffi cult. and contain costs, while stimulating to make sure that it refl ects the market “Recruiting the best and the brightest revenues. This must be accomplished situation. has become increasingly hard as the without lowering quality standards and “Personally, DALGS is doing well, available workforce is shrinking and the safety of equipment and employees. wonderfully well, and we’ve been the rigour of the airport environment We need to fi nd better ways to co- growing. We’re handling about 1.2m becomes more intense. As airlines have operate as an industry so company fl ights a year so things are moving found more ways to shrink capacity, goals are achievable. There are standard along. Investment in GSE hasn’t really increase RASMs, decrease CASMs and programmes in place to assist with this been an issue for us because we are still improve the customer’s perception of process, such as ISAGO. However, ATS their product, so we have to continue to is disappointed that the vision of this raise the bar for a qualifi ed candidate. programme has not been realised. If the We are reassessing the labour market industry is truly committed to improving and how we create demand for the quality and having leaner operating employment with ATS in those job costs, the only way to achieve this is markets, constantly. What worked a year through rigorous collaboration with ago is not necessarily working today. airlines and airports.” “ATS continues to invest in resources focused on the retention of staff through a variety of employee engagement opportunities. We have expanded our outreach to include social media, internal newsletters and town hall meetings. As one example, to gain deeper employee participation in our safety awareness campaign, we had a very successful contest with Rebounding market for DAL Global Servicesemployees who produced safety videos Rationalisation key to future, says ATS / Ground Services Powered by AeroGround, aerogate and Cargogate

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et’s begin by setting the scene. continues his path to stand A2, where taxi-way and aircraft movement areas. TWA (Teeny Weeny Airlines), the BLA B777 awaits its load of cargo. In fact, many of the most critical aspects a B747, arrives on stand A1, is Unbeknown to him, the last cargo dolly of ground operations are in the hands chocked and the turnaround operational with two ULD containers has come of the service provider and take place at activities begin. Resembling a Formula free from the train and has veered into the aircraft stand. This far, a reference One pitstop, the aircraft stand is a very the engine cowling of TWA’s B747, for a stand incursion may not yet have busy place, with numerous operators causing extensive damage. The aircraft is been identified, but its effects may at play. Fuel bowsers, catering high- declared AOG. have significant safety, operational and lift vehicles, high-lifts and beltloaders, financial impacts. potable water and toilet service trucks, Considerations and deliberations In the coming articles I will explore ground or external power units, how these elements may have an passenger steps, maintenance vehicles TWA faces problems revolving around impact on insurance, contracts, and others, all congregate to facilitate assessing the extent of the damage and operational processes and procedures the turnaround within the assigned its root causes, flight cancellations and, and established programmes/systems to (typically limited) time. The race is on - as time passes, spiralling costs to repair actively assess and manage risks. but not only for TWA. and return the aircraft to service. Most At aircraft stand A2 we find a BLA importantly, the business must continue (Better Luck Air) B777 parked and and the airline must fulfill its contract undergoing the same activities during its with the passengers and cargo shippers, turnaround. With a similarly limited time delivering them to a final destination. on the ground and pressure to maintain In the meantime, BLA receives its schedule and observe its slot, its ramp cargo and the aircraft takes off with service providers do all that is possible to only a minimal delay and revenue loss, ensure punctuality for the carrier. caused by the removal of the cargo As it happens, TWA and BLA are in ULDs that struck TWA’s B747. contract with two different ground What is known in this case is where service providers, whose names will the problem may have originated. What remain undisclosed. GSP One is is unknown is to which company the contracted by TWA, whilst BLA contracts responsibility for the damage to the its services to GSP Two. For the purposes aircraft will be apportioned and what, of this hypothetical example, both if any, will be the limit of liability, given service providers use the 2013 version that GSP Two is not under contract with of the IATA SGHA. Moreover, both TWA. Therefore, there is no limit to the handling teams strive to adhere to their liability as specified in the IATA SGHA procedures and the airlines’ precise 2013, Article 8. time schedule. However, on occasions, Does every stakeholder in this event GSP Two’s operational staff have been have an implemented SMS? What is Brenda Aremo- observed cutting corners to avoid delays. the rôle of the airport authority when it comes to ensuring safety compliance Anichini The problem across the ? Is the airport authority exposed to a level of liability? Managing Director Cargo shipments destined for airline BLA Will a formal investigation be opened Twiga Aero. were prepared slightly behind schedule and, if so, who should lead it? Given the and the operator towing the cargo takes absence of a formal contract between Contributions by a short cut from the service road, which TWA and GSP Two, will the airline safety Maurizio Anichini. is congested by slow-moving vehicles. investigators be permitted to conduct He cuts through stand A1 to quickly an enquiry and if so, will all records for Please share your deliver the cargo for prompt loading. In maintenance, training and operating the rush the operator does not realise procedures be provided in a transparent, comments on this that the last of six cargo dollies is not forthcoming way? article: properly hitched to the dollies in front. In all this there is a place for the Driving close to the cowling of one insurance companies and loss adjusters Brenda.aremo@ of TWA’s engines, to avoid the other to inspect the damage, assess the loss twigaaero.com vehicles busy servicing the aircraft, the and decide on the settlement. How driver carefully manoeuvres the train will the insurance companies come to www.twigaaero.com of cargo dollies (weighing nearly 35 conclude that the investigation will have tonnes) around all the other GSE. reached its root causes? Follow us on Twitter: Convinced that he has cleared all In reality, some think ground @Twiga_Aero obstacles in stand A1, the tractor driver operations are limited to the runway, GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 PRM, LOUNGE AND CATERING NEWS 25

PlaneBiz behind Queenstown Streamlined processing for Air New Zealand’s lounge lounge opening Auckland passengers redevelopment programme continues with the airline’s Sydney International Passengers travelling through Queenstown Air New Zealand recently started Lounge, which is due to be completed airport now have the option of relaxing, welcoming customers to the airline’s in the second quarter of 2015, while working or dining in a stylish new lounge, brand new regional lounge at Auckland Auckland’s International Lounge is while waiting for their fl ights. Domestic airport. The new space is currently scheduled to open in the Representatives from , Jetstar, located at the regional end of the middle of this year. the aviation industry and local terminal building, near the airline’s businesses came together late in 2014 Valet Parking drop-off point, and will Air Canada renews with caterer to toast the offi cial opening of the offer facilities to customers travelling on Manaia Lounge. The lounge name regional services from Auckland (who Caterer has renewed actually derives from the Maori word are entitled to lounge access) a more its agreement with Air Canada for for protector of land, sea and sky, and streamlined journey through the airport. domestic locations in Canada that are the facility will cater for up to 75 guests; Air New Zealand recently embarked served by gategroup’s Airline Solutions it is located on the fi rst fl oor of the on a signifi cant lounge redevelopment and Network and Product Solutions terminal building with views out to the programme and the Auckland regional businesses. The award includes a three Remarkables mountain range, and is lounge is the fi rst of the new-look year extension of all catering and open from 7.30am to 4pm. spaces to open to the public. provisioning services provided by The lounge is open to Qantas platinum Barista-made coffee is also readily Gourmet as well as the end-to-end one, platinum and gold frequent fl yers available in the lounge through Air New solutions for distribution and product and Qantas club members travelling Zealand’s mobile app, which allows innovation provided by Pourshins on a Qantas international or Jetstar customers to order coffee direct from Supplair. The renewal represents total international fl ight and to customers their smartphone or tablet. The coffee revenue of more than CHF300m over travelling in Business. ordering function was introduced earlier the three year term of the agreement. A pay as you go option is also offered this year and has proven to be popular to passengers travelling on any airline, with customers. The lounge boasts Help for the PRM domestic or international, with fees of Air New Zealand’s distinctive look and €25 for up to three hours and €35 for feel and the design incorporates locally For handlers and airports mindful of the three or more hours. sourced products where possible. recent changes in legislation concerning

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the rights of the PRM, Evac+Chair has a comfortable surroundings, a great Delta will be extending the services couple of cost-effective solutions. selection of food and beverages and provided by PSCS brand Pourshins The manufacturer currently offers an unrivalled view of the busy airfield. for Delta’s global asset management two variations of the Air+Chair: the The bespoke, newly-built lounge is part and food distribution. Pourshins 1-150 AC, which is made without of Schiphol’s overall redevelopment provides fully integrated end-to-end transfer boards and has smaller wheels, of the international terminal, with supply chain solutions, ranging from is basically the lightweight version and Swissport being involved from the initial procurement, planning and forecasting is slightly narrower than the 1-250 AC. design stage, thereby ensuring a world to warehousing and regional and global This latter includes the transfer boards class lounge is available to passengers distribution. and has larger wheels, making it more departing from and transiting through suitable for heavier payloads. the busy European hub. Budapest to benefit from Celebi Although the company manufactures In addition, the already successful chairs and aids for a variety of Aspire Lounge in Helsinki is now Celebi Ground Handling has opened different markets, the aviation sector is undergoing an extension, which will two business lounges for premium significant. For example, one of the UK’s see the lounge enlarged to 414 square airline cardholders and VIP travellers at leading airlines recently took delivery metres, with an additional 50 seats, Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International of over 200 Air+Chairs for its fleet of taking its overall capacity to 170 guests. airport: these include a refurbished aircraft. The extension will also mean that Celebi Platinum Lounge. A standard was written by the the existing facility is refreshed, with The €250,000 refurbishment will Disabled Persons Transport Advisory an enlarged and enhanced food and now see the Terminal 2B Lounge offer Committee (the DPTAC) for the design beverage area offering a comprehensive the same high level interior design and of an onboard wheelchair and this was range of snacks. extra comfort as Celebi’s additional VIP published in September 2007. Although Furthermore, this expansion has areas at Terminal 2A and the General this is not a British Standard, it will act culminated in the first Aspire Lounge Aviation Terminal. Located at the top of as a guideline for any new onboard to open in Africa, at Jomo Kenyatta the transit area of Terminal 2B, it offers wheelchair designs coming to International, Kenya, at the end of 2014. a view of the and quick market. Evac+Chair designed to this Located conveniently in the International access to all departing flights. standard, and currently meets around Departure Terminal 1B, the lounge Last year, Celebi Ground Handling 90% of it which, it claims, is more than brings new levels of comfort and design signed a five-year lease agreement with any other chair manufacturer in the in which passengers can relax, work or Budapest airport to provide lounge and marketplace. simply have a drink and something to ground handling services at the General eat before their flight. Guests will be Aviation Terminal. The building serves New facility to open in April able to choose from a wide range of business jets and small private aircraft alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, passengers. Following on from the success of its healthy food and snacks and have In accordance with the agreement, award-winning Shongololo Lounge at access to complimentary wi-fi as well as the airport has refurbished the General Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International international newspapers and magazines. Aviation Terminal, upgrading all daily airport, Menzies Aviation is to open a operations areas including security, lounge that will be accessible by any Renewals for gategroup in the US customs and border control. Celebi, in passenger, including walk-ins, in April. turn, has carried out a full interior redesign Visitors to the Sesfikile Premium Gategroup has announced renewed and upgrade of the lounge areas. Arrivals Lounge, adjacent to the SAA business with Delta Air Lines. The The refurbishments were marked Arrivals Lounge at OR Tambo, will have agreement reached with Delta covers with an open day that was attended access to private bathrooms and showers, contract extensions for airline catering by Celebi’s Chairman Can Celebioglu food and drinks and complimentary high- and related services provided by and CEO Onno Boots, as well as the speed wi-fi. The facilities are expected gategroup’s Airline Solutions business as Ambassador of Turkey and Celebi’s to be of particular benefit to business well as extensions for global distribution President Ground Handling and Cargo travellers who needed to do business on services provided by its Product and EMEA, Atilla Korkmazoglu. the day they arrive. Supply Chain Solutions business. In total, the renewal represents an average Exclusive progress in Sydney A lounge to Aspire to annual revenue of approximately CHF200m through 2018. SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, Handler Swissport has announced the As an important step in the has formally opened its new Exclusive expansion of its award-winning global companies’ long-time partnership, Lounge at Sydney airport. The alliance’s airport lounge portfolio. Three newly gategroup’s Airline Solutions business presence in the Australian market has developed Aspire airport lounges are and Delta have agreed to renew catering been growing steadily and it now offers set to open over the coming weeks at and provisioning services provided key locations around the globe, further by Gate Gourmet, including those in adding to the established network of and Amsterdam. This agreement Aspire Lounges throughout the UK and builds on the renewed and expanded Europe. business with Delta that gategroup The first to open its doors was the announced in January 2014 provided brand new Aspire Lounge at Amsterdam by its Gate Gourmet and Gate Aviation Schiphol in December 2014. Building brands and includes extensions for Gate on the success of the other Aspire Safe for ongoing provision of catering Lounges within Swissport’s portfolio, screening and security services at all US the new Dutch lounge benefits from locations served by Gate Gourmet. SkyTeam's Exclusive Lounge: something to contemporary design elements, Additionally, gategroup and shout about GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 PRM, LOUNGE AND CATERING NEWS 27

over 80 weekly departures from Sydney Its operators say that American Express rest of our 49 clubs worldwide will give International that are operated by China Platinum and Centurion card holders our customers an airport getaway for Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, will receive complimentary access to the relaxing or being productive during the Delta Air Lines, , lounge, which has panoramic views of hustle and bustle of their travel day." Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines. the airfield with comfortable seating The third exclusive lounge in SkyTeam’s areas, a full food and bar menu, together Emirates appeal at Los Angeles global network has been designed in with shower facilities. International airport accordance with SkyTeam’s trademark sleek and modern style. It offers a United announces a revamped Emirates has just celebrated the opening luxurious and spacious environment customer experience of its thirty-seventh dedicated lounge for in which to relax before a flight, with First Class and Business Class customers, sweeping airport views and the iconic United Airlines recently announced as well as Platinum and Gold members green botanical wall adding to the that it would be transforming the of Emirates Skywards, at Los Angeles ambience. Key features and amenities customer experience in its United Clubs International. include a seating capacity for up to through the expedient of upgrades. This new facility represents a US$6.2m 140 guests, connectivity and business This process will include an overhauled, investment on the part of the airline to amenities, complimentary refreshments complimentary food menu, which was provide an experience of seamless luxury and food together with a health centre launched in March, alongside extensive and comfort to its premium customers. and a dedicated television room. club renovations and a hospitality- As the second largest airport in the US focused approach to customer service. in the second largest metropolitan area in Airspace and breathing space at “We’re making major changes in our America, Los Angeles International offers San Diego International United Clubs to give our customers the Emirates’ premium services even before elevated, hospitality-centric service and customers step on board. The décor in San Diego International airport has experience they deserve and expect. This the dedicated lounge provides a seamless opened its Airspace Lounge, which year will be transformational,” explained transition to the elegant environment of operators say is the airport’s first and Jimmy Samartzis, Vice President of the onboard First Class and Business Class only common-use lounge. February 25 Customer Experience. “Our new offering, with a colour palette reflecting marked the launch of the facility which fresh, tasty and healthy food offerings, the neutral, earthy tones that customers is operated by Swissport and is open to overhauled service approach, and have come to associate with the Emirates all airport passengers for a fee. systematic investment in renovating the brand. 28 FORWARD THINKING GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

A circular tour? Rewriting the rule book is all part of the business of aviation, yet it happens very rarely. Here, we take a look at a concept that might, just might, become reality one day.

irports are airports and runways intriguingly titled project, that of the Runway can, NLR believes, establish are runways, right? Well, yes Endless Runway. a breakthrough in sustainable airport – except when the airport in capacity by neatly avoiding the physical question is surrounded by its runway. If Back to the future? constraints of conventional runways this sounds an odd statement to make, through the simple shifting of the lift-off then let me take you back to the turn So why look at this particular angle? and touchdown points of individual of the last century, to just after the NLR is mindful of the lack of capacity aircraft. First World War. An article published at airports and cites as the major The main feature (and indeed, a in Popular Science back then looked at constraint to growth in air transport potential key selling point) of the the idea of a circular runway, one that today. Current technology projects circular runway is that it will become in effect would have no beginning and optimise the use of the available airport possible to let an aircraft both land and indeed, no end. capacity, but it believes that unless a take off with a headwind in evidence. A fascinating idea, I think you’ll structurally new approach is followed, Whatever its strength and direction, the agree, but hardly one that would be then the anticipated three-fold increase Endless Runway becomes independent practical. Or would it? One of the ideas in air traffic may not ever be a realistic of this wind. When allowing a limited put forward was that of the runway achievement. There are many factors crosswind, though, an airspace user can perched up high, linking to skyscrapers, to consider in this context: physical shorten the global trajectory of the flight suspended, as it were, in mid-air. If this constraints on runway operations, through an optimised departure and sounds the stuff of fantasy, then let’s including wake vortex separation arrival route. return to terra firma and talk about the minima as well as cross- and tailwind Written like this, the idea begins merits of a circular runway enclosing limits, are making it difficult to improve to seem attractive, it has to be the terminal. That, at least, could be further on the current performance of admitted. Critical to the concept is achieved... couldn’t it? conventional airport configurations. And that runway, of course: NLR reckons Fast forward almost a century and we readers will all know of the ongoing that a runway, whose diameter is set fetch up with the National Aerospace debates raging over whether this or at three kilometres, should prove large Laboratory (NLR), an Amsterdam- that airport should be building another enough to provide sufficient room based independent research enterprise runway. for the infrastructure, which would that specialises in addressing the The Endless Runway project, says preferably be contained inside the requirements of the aerospace sector NLR, has thus been a radical and novel circle; indeed, that radius could even in all its shapes and forms. A recent, airport concept, which applies the possibly accommodate a hub airport. 18 month project, which terminated idea of a complete, circular runway. This has the effect of making the in 2014, saw it assess and explore an The development of the Endless airport compact, while allowing current APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL FORWARD THINKING 29

day aircraft to use the circle without significant structural modification.

The mechanics Operating the endless runway, NLR feels, should not prove to be a difficulty; after all, the landing and take-off procedures are freed up of all the normal caveats that apply when windy or changeable wind conditions are experienced. The runway, by its nature, is multi-directional and so two or more runways are not required. Helpfully, both take-off and landing Could this be the airport of the future? Design has much to recommend it can be executed from any direction. In a strong wind event, aircraft will wind direction. during operations are considered to be fly in sequence towards the Endless In low wind conditions, no necessary, either. Runway to allow for landing at the meteorological restrictions exist for the touchdown point where dependency aircraft landing direction: this enables The findings on the wind is at a minimum. This is the possibility of shorter landing no different from current practice, intervals. The study completed, NLR reports that with the exception that an optimal Finally, where changing winds are the outcome and reaction have been touchdown point always exists, encountered, the aircraft sequence most positive. It has established that a whereas for a conventional runway, can gradually move according to circular runway concept is rather more a certain crosswind will need to be the wind direction. No break in the than conceptual: the idea has answered factored into the equation. In this sequence occurs, which is the case with the questions posed and is, in fact, manner the Endless Runway can attain conventional runway configurations. eminently practicable. That initial journal a sustainable maximum capacity under No costly operations for tactical runway article, back in 1919, was clearly on to every wind condition and with every changes or changing runway directions something. 30 IATA WORLD CARGO SYMPOSIUM GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

Is cargo the next Kodak? More than one speaker at the recent IATA cargo symposium likened the freight sector to Kodak, the US company that famously failed to grasp the benefits of the digital age. Felicity Stredder reports from China.

n March this year, the International demeanour of all symposium attendees. as the main advantages of air cargo Air Transport Association hosted The industry has reached somewhat of over other modes were speed – the the 9th World Cargo Symposium a crisis point and change is in the air (as most common choice, with 33% of in Shanghai, China. In light of the well as cargo, of course). the votes – and reliability. In spite of challenges posed by the current state this seemingly encouraging result, a of affairs in the industry – the desperate Specialised tracks panel dedicated to the shipper’s voice need for modernisation, digitalisation stressed the urgent need for supply and a revolution of sorts – the aim of Proceedings took the format of no chain optimisation, to increase the value the week was to shine a light on the fewer than 21 specialised tracks, with proposition, and deplored an array current trends and potential areas for each meeting addressing a separate area of the service’s shortcomings. Panel improvement in the hope of bringing in need of scrutiny. On the agenda were member Jason Frerich, Director Logistics the industry up to speed with the tracks devoted to e-cargo, dangerous Infrastructure at Nike, commented modern age and making it a stable, goods and security, amongst a plethora on the low visibility of the process, profitable business once more. of other subjects. The industry trends asserting: “Things move a little faster As is no secret to any member of track was particularly relevant to the with air cargo, as they’re supposed to, the cargo club, the airfreight market theme of the symposium, which was but we don’t always get the updates has seen negligible growth since 2008. identified as “improving the customer as timely as we would like. We almost “Air cargo has had a challenging few experience” during the opening plenary. seem to get better information from years,” IATA’s Director General and CEO, In this particular seminar, IATA’s Manager the ocean carriers than we do with the Tony Tyler, explains during the opening of Cargo Industry Management, air carriers.” In addition to the need for plenary on March 10. “2014 saw the Celine Hourcade, disclosed the results greater transparency – a prominent issue first significant boost in volumes since of their shipper survey, conducted on which received attention at a number of 2010, a trend we expect to continue this 336 participants in January, which the tracks – Jason cited environmental year. Revenues, however, are still down revealed a total of 74% of customers performance transparency as another from the 2011 peak, and yields are were “satisfied” with their air cargo necessary development for the air falling for the fourth straight year.” experience. The top reasons selected carriers. In light of current greener Despite a promising 4.5% increase inclinations, Nike, both for itself and for in global FTKs last year, cargo revenues its own customers, requires access to remain US$5m below their 2011 peak, calculations regarding carbon footprint and the longevity of this recession has if it is to achieve its aim of a 27%

been an unprecedented struggle for reduction in CO2. It comes as no surprise

industry partners. There is a long road to anybody that CO2 emissions are to recovery and recapturing these lost under much greater scrutiny than ever revenues, yet Tony remains optimistic before and if companies are to become in his outlook, asserting that, “the more environmentally conscious, they prospects for the future are bright require access to the relevant data. because the industry is really starting to Environmental concerns were deemed act strategically and plan for the future.” to be one of a host of mega trends in Happily, this can-do, constructive Tony Tyler: high hopes for the future of the the industry that has resulted in greater attitude seemed to be the general industry, despite the doomsayers competition between companies. Leif APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL IATA WORLD CARGO SYMPOSIUM 31

Rasmussen, President and CEO of SAS but Kodak management neglected to challenges the industry faces today. Air Cargo Group, also specifi ed business see the full potential of this business According to a recent cargo executive globalisation, advancing technology venture, which ultimately caused the summit survey, the number one and tightening security as additional demise of the fi lm-based photography issue is considered to be the need trends that have not only threatened business. The question, according for future leaders; the concern being profi tability, but complicated business to Leif, therefore, was: will air cargo the industry’s lack of allure when it operations and made understanding become a Kodak or an Apple? Will the comes to attracting (and retaining) the customer’s needs more complex. He industry stagnate or will it innovate? future innovators and talent. There suggests the only solution to combat Opinion of conference-goers seemed to is a lot of competition from other these challenges is “true innovation, not be unanimous: there is really only one “sexier” industries – a term that was in small, incremental improvements… I’m option if business is to thrive. frequent use at the conference – that talking about game-changers.” Indeed are enticing the future leaders of the this concept of total transformation Fresh ideas global economy away from the air cargo became somewhat pivotal to the week’s industry. discussions; everything seemed to Nowhere was this concept of The topic of contention in the FACE boomerang back to this dire need for modernisation more prevalent than meeting, therefore, was exactly how innovation. at the 4th annual Future Air Cargo companies can instil a sense of urgency In accordance with this notion Executives Summit (FACES), held a about this crisis and how they can of innovation as the major driver in day prior to the offi cial opening of attract newcomers into the business. transforming the industry, Leif went the conference. This year’s symposium A great deal of emphasis was placed on to reference two very relevant placed considerable onus on youth on mentoring the next generation business entities with two very different and the young generation in driving and generating awareness about the stories: Apple and Kodak. While Steve the industry out of the rut in which it industry in education establishments. Jobs and Apple co-founder Steve has been stagnating for some years. Sebastiaan Scholte, CEO of Jan de Rijk Wozniak embraced innovation and the To this end, a specialised meeting was Logistics, for example, makes it his opportunity to do something differently, organised, inviting the new faces in responsibility to attend universities, Kodak famously neglected such the industry to come together and giving lectures and presentations, opportunities to its own peril. Legend collaborate with some of the more scouting for talent and offering has it that an engineer from Kodak established names in the sector to internships accordingly. Not enough actually invented digital photography identify and address the greatest industry players make a conscious effort

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Consolidated Aviation Services www.casusa.com Lets do something better 32 IATA WORLD CARGO SYMPOSIUM GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

to create awareness of the industry and of executives to discuss the glaring there is unanimous agreement that incongruity between the costs of more needs to be done to advertise the transporting by air and its relative speed existence of this relatively unknown area compared to other modes of shipping of business. The fact of the matter is, a – it may be ten times more expensive career in air cargo is not highly sought but it certainly isn’t ten times quicker. after like a career in medicine and yet Currently the sums just don’t add up, in many ways it is just as important. but according to Mike Morey, Director Air carriers and other cargo agents Cargo Operations for Air Canada, have been hugely instrumental in the there is a solution to the equation: the fight against Ebola and ensuring vital Master Operating Plan. This document, medicines get from A to B – it’s not just which provides the air cargo supply an industry, it’s a global infrastructure. chain with an industry-endorsed, And it’s safe to say that without it, the standard description of the end-to-end domino effect would be far-reaching process of transporting cargo by air, and fairly catastrophic, not to put too can help determine problem areas, fine a point on it. which can subsequently be tackled. Needless to say, there seemed to Mike explained: “There are many be a firm feeling at the conference time-wasting elements to our business. that young minds and fresh talent are Mapping it against the MOP gives you the answer to many of the industry’s a perfectly clear picture and enables problems and the appropriate you to identify areas to cut down driving force in modernising a host on time.” David Ambridge, Director of antiquated ideas. Indeed, Oliver Leif Rasmussen references Kodak’s demise, Cargo Operations, WFS, strongly Evans, Chief Cargo Officer for Swiss stressing the need for game-changing agreed, adding the MOP’s potential International Airlines, says of the matter: strategies within the cargo sector for developing industry standards and “We need the youth to challenge any optimum practices to its list of merits. In and every process that doesn’t work.” from the analogue age and is still his words, the MOP is “about bringing To be unco-operative to change is to awaiting a full transition from paper standardisation and simplification to become complacent, which is to risk to electronic processes, such as the the industry.” Not only can the MOP total irrelevance in a society as rapidly e-air waybill. Enthusiasm for the serve as the standard against which we evolving as ours. Complacency, such as e-freight initiative has been abundant measure operation and illuminate areas that infamously demonstrated by Kodak, but sadly practical implementation has of inefficiency, it also facilitates business could prove fatal to the industry. been minimal. In this respect 2014 dialogue with regulators and other Glyn Hughes, IATA Global Head of was a breakthrough year: airlines, partners in the supply chain. With this Cargo, summarised the urgency of freight forwarders, shippers, handling notion of standardisation in mind, David the necessary transformation, saying: agents and customs authorities all went on to advocate the IATA Ground “There are so many human, social and collaborated to achieve three times the Operations Manual, asserting: “IGOM economic benefits derived from air implementation of the e-AWB than is crucial to the future of this industry, cargo, and therefore we need as an was seen a year before; however, there both on the ramp and in the terminals. industry to be innovative and to show is still a way to go to reach the target If we truly want to take 48 hours out leadership to actually progressively 45% adoption of e-AWB by the end of of the business let’s get simple, let’s get change as the world around us 2015. While the FACE summit may not standard and let’s do everything the changes… the pace of change is be able to resolve issues such as these same way as much as we possibly can.” accelerating on a daily basis.” Embracing in the course of a meeting, they can This is the best way to ensure quality change, and modern technology, is get things moving in the right direction. goes up and damage and costs go paramount to progression and so, too, This is precisely how the 4th annual down. is encouraging young people, as the assembly culminated: speaker Joost van pioneers of said technology, into the air Doesburg, Air Freight Policy Manager Last orders cargo arena. at the European Shippers´ Council, Despite living in the digital century, proposed that the attendees of the During the course of the conference, air cargo still operates using procedures meeting collaborate on a white paper the need for greater transparency in that will essentially establish a plan of action to rescue the industry from its current shortcomings, stating the areas that need improving and how the relative improvements might be made.

Time is money One of the greatest pending improvements to operations is the aim to remove 48 hours from the supply chain by 2020. Timing is critical in the airfreight business and was certainly Floris Kleijn, CHEP, wins Innovation Award for One of IATA’s key objectives: “We’re there a high priority on all the agendas at ULD tracking concept, CanTrack. (Left to right): to support and facilitate innovation and the conference. The cargo operations Glyn Hughes, Des Vertannes (SmartKargo), change,” says Glyn Hughes and handling track invited a panel Floris Kleijn and IATA’s Tom Windmuller APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL IATA WORLD CARGO SYMPOSIUM 33

all aspects of the shipping process, improvements to speed, reliability, quality and an array of other disciplines were distinguished as universal problems in need of speedy resolutions. As for the way to achieve these resolutions, common themes included procedural standardisation, data-sharing platforms The Sound Solution and, perhaps most prevalent of all, modernisation and innovation. In line with this latter notion, IATA concluded the 9th Annual World Cargo Symposium by premiering the Air Cargo Innovation Award, with the purpose of fostering innovative spirit, which they intend to present every two years thereafter at future symposiums. Three contenders were shortlisted from an original 25 to win US$20,000 prize money for their technological innovations, developed to enhance the customer experience. In a public vote by WCS delegates, Floris Kleijn, IT Director and Project Leader at CHEP Aerospace Solutions, was pronounced the winner for his 3M™ PELTOR™ WS™ Adapter CanTrack idea to utilise solar energy to power ULD smart tracking and tracing tools. Runners-up CLIVE, the operations management software, and CargoHub, Reliability, with their hassle free claims application CargoClaims, won US$8,000 each. Mobility& Incentives important Efficiency Funding and rewarding revolutionary ideas in this way is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for the air Communications Solutions for cargo industry. A proactive approach Ground Mechanics such as this is necessary to reverse ™ the downward economic trend and We are introducing our second generation of 3M reinstate profi tability and prosperity PELTOR™ Wireless Bluetooth® Headsets for airport where currently resides uncertainty. operations. Compared to our previous generation of airport Perhaps, as general opinion seems headsets there are several improved features: to be, the fresh perspective of the ® younger generation is precisely what longer Bluetooth operating range, increased operating the industry needs to propel it out of time, adaptive frequency hopping and more. a rut and into the modern age, but there is no one solution to the glut of common problems. I leave the fi nal words, therefore, to Glyn and his closing summation of the current situation. “The industry must embrace digital information that can be exchanged in a transparent manner, renew its focus on quality within the supply chain, and its speed has to be increased. The 3M™ PELTOR™ WS™ ProTac XP Headset 3M™ PELTOR™ WS™ Headset XP challenge laid down to cut 48 hours out of the average shipping time is “The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. more relevant than ever. The whole air and any use of such marks by 3M is under license. 3M and WS are trademarks of 3M Company, used under license in Canada. PELTOR is a trademark of 3M Svenska AB, used under license cargo supply chain must be dedicated to in Canada. moving things faster. Now we need to get this done.” Please visit www.3M.com/PELTOR for more information Aptly, then, the fi nal notion is one of drive and determination. Changes have so far led to improvement incrementally; the new aim is for change to occur exponentially. Only time will tell if these objectives come to fruition... The 17th annual Ground Handling International Conference 16 - 19 November 2015 Eurodisney Convention Centre, Paris

Industry bodies, handlers, GSE manufacturers and airlines are particular requirements. According to IATA, its ISAGO tool is being unanimous: the Ground Handling International Conference format revamped – so how will that affect the handler? Collaborative works well, exceedingly well, year after year. Decision Making is another hot topic and this, together with the part played by today’s Procurement and Operational departments, With its blend of instructive papers, one-to-one meetings, exhibition will be put under the microscope. and networking opportunities, the formula is tried and tested – and is hugely successful. As ever, attendees can also look forward to an open cargo forum and an industry leaders session, which offer delegates the chance to This year’s event in Paris will be no different. Over 700 delegates are ask the questions of the moment. expected and on the agenda is a range of topical subjects. Presented by industry experts, these sessions will have a wide Look out for our popular financial health check of the sector and appeal and complement the supplier workshops that will also be a presentation on the low cost carrier phenomenon, and their staged during the event. Papers to include...

The topics planned for this year’s conference are: E Industry leaders panel E Cargo industry panel E CDM – What is the handler’s role? E Working together with LCCs E Financial overview E ISAGO. A new beginning or just new packaging? E Divergent business models: the handler and the carrier E The ideal negotiating partner – Procurement or Operational?

These special sessions are free of charge to all delegates:

E Supplier workshops E One-to-One meetings

Plenty of good reasons to register for your delegate place today! Fuller details of the papers and speakers can be found on the website www.groundhandling.com/annual

Thanks to our sponsors

A BBA Aviation company APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AND SIMULATION 35 Ready for the ramp? In this article, we take a look at what’s available to those who need to train tomorrow’s handlers for working on the ramp.

s the ramp still the most dangerous think again. Airports are hazardous This encompasses the design of working environment? The building environments so Process Safety has equipment, the inbuilt safeguards sector used to be plagued with a place beside Personal Safety in the such as interlock systems that will only accidents but it has improved its whole safety equation. allow the equipment to be used when standing in recent times. In a like “Let me start be explaining the certain conditions have been met, the manner, ramp casualties are seemingly difference between Process Safety and maintenance of these systems and fewer these days. Some of that must Personal Safety. Personal Safety refers processes to ensure they are reliable and surely be down to the protocols and to our focus on safety initiatives and effective. As we use equipment more, training aids that have been developed controls relating to people. We induct the way in which we design, inspect, over the last decade. people, we train them, we monitor maintain and use this equipment needs Whilst it’s all about safety, that word them, we give them personal protective a far higher profi le. is not always fully understood. Indeed, equipment such as hearing protection, “Process Safety is a concept that is it could be said to be little more than we set rules and monitor them and largely foreign to airports yet its effects a handy noun for those whose job want people to behave in a certain way can be felt every day because we rely it is to make the workplace safer for to preserve their own safety and the on equipment to do much of the work employees. Certainly, some aspects of safety of others. We want people to be for us and we have continued to design safety may even have been forgotten… safe! Most of the advertising campaigns the equipment to meet standards The forgotten part of safety, according by regulators focus on working safely of consistency that we often cannot to Ian Bell of the AAGSC, is that of and speaking up. achieve with people. People forget: they Process Safety. “By contrast, Process Safety refers will fi nd a work-around or a shortcut to “If you don't understand the term to how we manage the integrity of get things done. These may void safety Process Safety or think that it applies the equipment and processes such processes. to just hazardous facilities, then as maintenance to prevent incidents. “Does it really matter that we often

Visit www.vestergaardcompany.com 36 SAFETY AND SIMULATION GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

don’t know the difference between season operation was underway, all Process Safety and Personal Safety the operators were extremely busy, controls? Absolutely! necessitating a smooth transition to the “Process Safety controls tend to be new equipment. the ones at the top of the hierarchy of To facilitate the commissioning of control (Figure 1). They tend to be more the trucks and assist the operators in robust and reliable so we try to use understanding the new technology, these controls in preference to relying on Vestergaard delivered the Elephant training and PPE, as people’s behaviour Beta simulator prior to the delivery can affect the degree to which these of the new Elephant Beta de-icing work. However, if they were to fail, the trucks. Using the simulator for training, consequences could be more severe. Fig 1 Hierarchy of Controls the operators were able to become “Let’s put this into perspective. You proficient in the equipment before the drove to work today; I suspect that at experience of simulators to enhance real thing turned up at the airport. no point in the drive did you have to and refine your skills in dealing with the By the time the de-icers were consider the integrity of the brakes or unexpected. delivered, the operators had been whether the ABS system would work if Firefighters, response teams and trained using the simulator and had required. This is Process Safety at work. medical services apart, it’s the handler become very adept at using the new You had faith that they would because who is now standing to benefit from the technologies contained within the latest these components are designed to advances in IT. Or more precisely, sitting Vestergaard equipment. Interesting to work when called upon and they are – for we are in the age of the mock- note, the company says that its trainers reliable BUT if they didn’t work, the up, a screen, chair and set of controls are sold all year round, and not just in consequences could be catastrophic. that mimics the real-life environment the winter season; to date, around 20 “Neither Process Safety nor Personal of someone in a de-icing rig or perhaps units have been sold. Safety can be viewed in isolation of the driving a refueller airside. Ramp driving other. On the apron, people interact simulation has come of age: the A quiet year with the equipment, including aircraft; graphics and the realism get better every equipment is inspected and maintained year and there are plenty of enterprises For its part, Adacel reports that it has by people, so training is still a vital part willing to rent out these facilities. There not made any significant changes to of the whole safety equation but it is are some companies who have invested its airside driver simulation product in also vital that we all understand the in this technology themselves to hone the past year. The company says that rôle that each plays and the different the skills of their workforce to the interest in airport driver training remains failure rates that each has – and yes, highest possible pitch. fairly consistent and that it is currently in even every component within a vehicle And what is the result? A safer the negotiation stage concerning several has a different failure rate, which then working environment should be the potential contracts. The biggest issues sets the expected life and the inspection answer. potential clients seem to face, it believes, regime imposed by the manufacturer or are those of funding and having the suppliers. Some solutions personnel to operate such simulator “Adopting one aspect of Process systems. Safety, the Australasian Aviation Ground De-icing is a complicated task, which Safety Council (www.AAGSC.org) has is why a de-icing simulator is deemed The broader view introduced a process called The Circle of a useful investment. Vestergaard’s Safety, which requires equipment that Elephant Beta simulators have been put We can, of course, move on from a abuts an aircraft to do a brake test at to very good use in this winter season, single driver experience to something 5 metres from the aircraft and reduce says the Danish company. In December that is more encompassing and which speed; then another brake test at 2 2014 Vestergaard delivered a total of 11 can present an overview, in a simulated metres from the aircraft to reduce speed Elephant Betas to American Airlines at format, of the airport and the ramp. further. The vehicle is then marshalled JFK: thanks to this purchase, American One such purveyor of this type of against the aircraft.” Airlines in JFK was able to completely simulation technology is the Airport (A simple expedient, and one that replace its current 25 year old de-icers. Research Centre, in Germany. really ought to have a wide application on As the delivery of the de-icers A typical example of its work can be ramps all over the world, one feels. – Ed) occurred whilst the de-icing seen in the DHL CAST* vehicle airside simulation project in Leipzig. DHL Simulation tools for the ramp recently established a new air cargo distribution centre at the airport, which Without a shadow of a doubt, we live now serves as the European DHL hub. in an age in which safety and planning The distribution centre consists of a take the front seat. Caution is not sorting centre, a DHL apron, a hangar merely a byword – it is becoming a way and an administration building. of life. Nowhere is this better illustrated, The major goal of DHL is that of perhaps, than in the aviation sector. ensuring punctual and cost-efficient door- Consider the fact that a pilot goes to-door transportation of all shipments. through 18 months of training before The hub in Leipzig plays a fundamental being allowed to take to the skies. rôle within the process chain. Therefore, On the ground, it’s arguably a little all processes at the hub must be easier. Certainly, if you are involved in performed reliably. Consequently, the the emergency services at an airport, assignment of personnel and equipment then you’ll almost certainly have had Fig 2 Circle of Safety has to be optimised to operate in a cost- APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AND SIMULATION 37

effective way. comprehensive presentation of the project To validate DHL’s operational plan and boundary conditions, process definitions resource planning, the Airport Research and the results followed in due course. Centre investigated the airside processes So what were the advantages? at the DHL hub by means of simulation The Airport Research Centre was with CAST Vehicle and CAST Aircraft able to provide a detailed analysis applications. and quantification of the relevant key The simulations comprise the vehicle peformance indicators for DHL. Thanks traffic and processes on the DHL apron Visualisation of process is the key... to the visualisation, operators have been as well as the ULD processes within better able to understand traffic flows the sorting centre. To achieve this, the at the hub as well as interdependencies. interface between airside and landside Added to this is the reality of future had to be completely modelled. The proof planning (in other words, data for transport of unit load devices from the future development steps), as well as aircraft to the sorting centre, and vice the acceleration of decision processes. versa, has been at the very heart of the On behalf of DHL, Matthias Kiesel had vehicle traffic at this hub. this to say: Turning to the main objectives of “It has been a successful collaboration the simulations, these have included and our project targets have been met determining the optimum number of ... as seen here in client solution in full. The project has shown us, in tugs, trailers, highloaders and pushback many places, important details about tractors that would be required the utilisation of the infrastructure. our own processes and limitations. After to achieve a reliable and punctual The project initially advanced through the project we were given the possibility operation at the hub. Moreover, data collection in co-operation with of evaluating the possible causes of the there was the possibility of analysing DHL. There followed the development problems we encountered. Even if you the utilisation of the sorting centre of a simulation model for CAST Vehicle/ cannot respond to all the critical points, in order to provide adequate in- and CAST Aircraft, including the airside– there exists the knowledge base for the output capacities. Finally, detection of landside interface. Thereafter followed processing of dependencies, with which bottlenecks in the infrastructure was an analysis of the simulation results and you can solve any problems for a long achieved, allowing an optimisation of a 3-D visualisation of airside processes. A period afterwards.”

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For further information: +49(0)611 - 880 88-0 . www.trepel.com 38 EIGHTH ASIAN GHI CONFERENCE GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 Meeting in Macau The bustling backdrop of Macau provided the venue for this year’s Asian conference.

t’s probably safe to say that the aviation for those looking to handle that the expansion. There have been challenges, sector isn’t progressing as fast as region was complex and diverse in its of course: rising fuel prices, depressed Macau: now home to a number of requirements. Independent handling was yields, handler costs increasing and greater huge hotels, with more on the way, the currently fragmented, with Swissport passenger expectation, together with island has been transformed in just five or leading the pack with a 6% market share. more low cost carrier operations, have all six years. Coincidentally, transformation To be successful, efficiency was paramount brought pressure to bear on the operating was also on the agenda of this year’s GHI although any successful operation there model. A shrinking workforce and more conference. would be relying, ideally, on a beefed up and more construction work in Singapore Singapore’s Mark Edwards infrastructure. hasn’t helped matters, either, especially delivered a paper focussed on the handling Another ground handler at Changi, that when 50% of SATS’ expenditure goes on opportunities that existed in Asia and he of SATS, led on from Mark: Yacoob Piperdi labour. spent time highlighting the extraordinary moved the spotlight on to the need for the Hints for a prosperous future? Yacoob growth that the region was evincing. handler to work efficiently with its landlord. mentioned information sharing as well With a 2014 seat capacity of 1.6bn and A sound relationship, he stressed, was vital as the sharing of data, along with joint 8% year-on-on-year growth over the last if the partnership was to work and Yacoob committees and incentive programmes. decade, Asia’s strides were impressive. briefed the audience on SATS’ progress BST’s Teg Matthews brought to the The focus, he felt, was shifting eastwards since its inception back in 1972. As ever, audience’s attention a common thread that with China, a major contributor; indeed, the statistics spoke for themselves: in 1981 was woven throughout the 2015 event: everything was pointing to Asia overtaking Changi handled 8m passengers whereas that of safety. What exactly, he asked, was Europe and the US in numbers of airports today that number is over six-fold. By 2025 required to create a safety culture – and did by 2016. In a like manner, Asia’s fleet size Changi East will have been completed, you drive it? forecast infers that it will be far ahead of bringing capacity to a staggering 135m. The age-old conundrum, that of the rest of the world by 2023. Why has all Yacoob explained the triangle of operating in an environment of decreasing this happened? Part of the reason has been stakeholders at the airport (which includes margins amid rising costs and in a safe that of the swelling GDP, which has been the airport operator and the aviation manner, seemed as remote as ever to rising by 4.8% and this, in turn, has led authority) and went on to discuss the some. Teg pointed out to the audience analysts to predict that by 2033, 48% of reasons for the success that Changi has that it was important not to interpret but global traffic will be to and from Asia. enjoyed. A loyal workforce, high service to understand the differences between Mark touched on the growth of the low quality, productivity and connectivity compliance and commitment in day-to- cost model in the area and emphasised have all played their part in this station’s day work. If a culture is to be instilled,

Barry Nassberg, Justin Jaques WFS, Stewart Yousif Al Hammadi DHABIJET, Lee Coon JBT Sinclair BFS, Shraga Richter EL AL ISRAEL AEROTECH, Richard Blackhouse DHABIJET AIRLINES and Martin Meyer WFS and Gary Bennett JBT AEROTECH

Taro Kojima JAPAN AIRLINES, Raymond Lo, Jeremy Stafford and Alistair Reid MENZIES AVIATION, Hiroshi Ueno and Katsuaki Yamada JAPAN AIRLINES, Sharon Hsu MENZIES AVIATION, Kumiko Nagasawa and Shinsaku Yasumitsu JAPAN AIRLINES and Stuart Key MENZIES AVIATION

Leo Chan ON FORTUNE ENGINEERING Benny Chan HONG KONG AVIATION SERVICES, Raymond Lo and Alan Tong MENZIES GROUND SERVICES, Dilys Ng and Julia Suen AVIATION and Alex Lam TLD HONG KONG AIRLINES and Dino Lui JARDINE AVIATION SERVICES

Siew Kit Lee SATS, Karmjit Singh NIIT Daniel Soh and Bala Palani TIGERAIR, Rakesh TECHNOLOGIES, Sarabjot Singh Uberoi AIR Jain INDO THAI AIRPORT MANAGEMENT Ping Choi Chung CEBU PACIFIC AIR, Jaeyoun Paik and Soon Suk Paik SHARP AVIATION, Lissa INDIA and Onno Boots CELEBI SERVICES and Yun Meng Chew TIGERAIR Anareta CEBU PACIFIC AIR, Sang Sun Yi and J B Do SHARP AVIATION, Roberto Jose Jimenez and Carmila Uy CEBU PACIFIC AIR, Samok Cho SHARP AVIATION and Frank Paulus S-P-S APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL EIGHTH ASIAN GHI CONFERENCE 39 then leaders have to talk about this vision weak safety climate. Engaging each level in the face of lower labour levels. daily and recognise any variation from of the workforce hierarchy was seen as a Following this was the interactive safety the norm. The measurement of climate, prerequisite and understanding fully the panel session in which Cathay Pacific, the culture and safety leadership were, he rôle of behaviour was vital, he averred. Hong Kong Airport Authority and Menzies maintained, ongoing tasks and whilst The question and answer session threw Macau were all represented. An interesting short term change may well occur after an up some interesting comments, with SATS topic to emerge was that of a survey that incident, unless it is cemented, reversion being asked what it had done to lower had been conducted by Cathay Pacific on will develop. unit costs and whether dnata differentiates loadsheet procedures. In all, 16 airlines Allied to this was the willingness to talk between low cost carriers and regular fare had been approached with a view to about situations and the requirement to airlines. The subject of the third licence at finding out the extent of errors in weight stop doing things that could contribute Changi was raised and there was a query and balance sheets and at which point to a poor organisational culture and a on how handlers in the region would cope any flaws were detected. Answers ranged

Martin Vestergaard POWER STOW, Tjutjuk Mike Garland AMERICAN AIRLINES, Marcus Septiadi PT JTI MANDIRI, Paul Bruton and Ma and Ajesh Kurakkaran AIR INDIA SATS John Boult DAMAREL SYSTEMS and Andi AIRPORT SERVICES,Todd Rice and Russ Triatmoko PT JTI MANDIRI Benson Tan SCOOT, Intiya Forrest NOKSCOOT, Toralf Sonntag and David Krakowski SWISSPORT, Soo Fortson AMERICAN AIRLINES Huan Lau NOKSCOOT, Hyung Hoon Kim SWISSPORT, Qingwei Lim and Adrian Ng SCOOT

Mario Bufo and Gashaw Ayalew UNITED Xing (Tom) Xin BEIJING AVIATION GROUND Mohammed Abdullah Al Hasan BIMAN Dorte Kruger Molin POWER STOW, Adel AIRLINES, Carlos Sanchez Arellano and Swen SERVICES, Fatma Sancakli and Zekeriya Savran BANGLADESH AIRLINES, Jean Pierre Nathan Fouad Abd El Salam EGYPTAIR GROUND Michel FRAPORT and Don Kaminski UNITED TURKISH AIRLINES CARGO, Ben Tan BEIJING MILOCO GSE and Mohammad Tafazzal SERVICES and Martin Vestergaard POWER AIRLINES AVIATION GROUND SERVICES and Omer Hossain Akanda BIMAN BANGLADESH STOW Faruk Bayram TURKISH AIRLINES CARGO AIRLINES 40 EIGHTH ASIAN GHI CONFERENCE GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 from low to high in terms of frequency of experience was required, although upon. IT came with a suite of advantages, but it was admitted that catastrophes TW Yeung stressed that his airport was including enhanced operational only occurred when a series of faults took indeed sharing data. Disincentivisation was performance and efficiency as well as place. It further transpired that 92% of the rampant: handlers struggled to turn aircraft reduced costs. A robust technology would carriers surveyed were tracking loadsheet on time then watched helplessly as these contribute to better customer service as errors. same aircraft were held up in queues whilst well as help the user adhere to regulatory To its credit, Cathay has come up with a taxi-ing, for example. Then there were requirements. Over the coming three years, Loadsheet Integrity Index which comprises PDA and printed paper problems: the time he believed, mobility would be at the top an eight point checklist. This effectively of day could affect the reading of either of the airport’s wish-list: to meet that, the covers all the procedures and IATA is now format. And what about skilled labour - subject needed consideration now. participating in an enlarged survey of this could the airport take steps to ensure levels ULD Care’s Bob Rogers discoursed on type. Those airline representatives present were higher? And then there was the so- a vital, yet oft-overlooked element in the were also invited to participate. called no-blame culture: in some delegates’ handler’s arsenal. He termed it a shadow Cathay’s conclusions were interesting: eyes this was merely lip service, which did product yet the reality was, without the whilst every airline tackled the process in a not take into account someone who was a ULD, cargo aircraft in particular would different way, a documented system was persistent offender. take a backward step. Some 800,000 are shown to be advisable – and a reduction in IT and ULDs rounded off the first day. required to support the industry globally human error was virtually guaranteed. NIIT Technologies’ Karmjit Singh talked and this total is worth some US$800m. Audience participation in this session of empowering the ground handling Huge costs were being incurred each was good, with plenty of discussion on sector but was cognisant of the stumbling year through their abuse (aircraft damage behaviour, ramp equipment standardisation blocks, namely prices and yield pressure from ULDs touched US$100m recently) and commonality as well as the high as well as the lack of seamless interaction. and much of this expense was, he felt, workforce attrition rate within the Compliance was again called for, as was unnecessary. After all, each party had an sector. Was the industry learning from informed decision making. To move obligation of responsibility. its mistakes? Cathay’s Peter Hunt, for forward effectively, an understanding of Big Key to a better scenario was more one, felt not, arguing that more sharing Data was desirable and needed to be acted interest on the part of the management.

Michael Narvaez PAIRCARGO, Johnny David Kartal Ozcakir, Hilal Sonmez and Hayriye PHILIPPINE AIRPORT GROUND SUPPORT Bayram Aga TGS TURKISH GROUND SOLUTIONS, Thomas Kramer and Peter SERVICES and Gashaw Ayalew UNITED Potthast GOLDHOFER - SCHOPF AIRLINES

Daniel Soh TIGERAIR, Johnny David PHILIPPINE AIRPORT GROUND SUPPORT SOLUTIONS, Bala Palani and Yun Meng Chew TIGERAIR, Michael Narvaez PAIRCARGO, Joy Wong JETSTAR PACIFIC, Janette Cordero PHILIPPINE AIRPORT GROUND SUPPORT SOLUTIONS and Patricia Austria PAIRCARGO

Toralf Sonntag, Hyung Hoon Kim and Tom Alexander Neboga AIR ASTANA, Benny Chan Stevenson SWISSPORT, Holger Bremes, HONG KONG AVIATION GROUND SERVICES Joerg Neunmann and Ute Irman Emmel and Paolo Ricciotti AIR ASTANA LUFTHANSA GERMAN AIRLINES

Kiyoshi Kawaiji and Morimasa Hasegawa John Lillas ROCKWELL COLLINS, Nozomi Iida CKTS COMPANY, Patrick Humbert AIR and Joji Miyamoto ANA NARITA AIRPORT FRANCE-KLM and Masaaki Yamamoto CKTS SERVICE and Lynnetta Lim and Guruprasad COMPANY Rao ROCKWELL COLLINS

Ajesh Kurakkaran and Marcus Ma AIR INDIA Matthias Muellner and Thomas Wegl VIENNA SATS AIRPORT SERVICES, Xing (Tom) Xin INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Jessy Lin and BEIJING AVIATION GROUND SERVICES, Rudi Elaine Hung and Wolfgang Kandhai KLM, Ben Tan BEIJING AVIATION Fasching VIENNA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GROUND SERVICES

Daniel Lim BBA AVIATION, David Barker and Helene Lambert, Sarah Samuel, Christophe Ho-Van AMADEUS, Derek Sutton, David Chen SABRE Julia Suen and Dilys Ng HONG KONG Randy Ruggieri ASIG AIRLINE SOLUTIONS, Ashish Majumder AMADEUS, Jan Hanna JEPPESEN, Marie-Pascale Zahar AIRLINES, Wei Qi Lim and Edwin Nugraha Gomis AMADEUS and Kody Chappell SABRE AIRLINE SOLUTIONS Ariateja JAS AIRPORT SERVICES APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL EIGHTH ASIAN GHI CONFERENCE 41

The face of the segment is changing, and a dozen GSPs – which was not too large a for the handler, the station or the airline? it is seeing more temperature-controlled section of society. Non IATA airlines were There was confusion over this. Then there units as well as fi re-containment ULDs and welcome but to date, none had joined. was the question of confi dence in ISAGO: lightweight examples. None in the room disputed the reasons it seemed that IATA members were not all Day Two began with an early-awaited for IGOM and ISAGO but there were plenty fully behind the initiative. Why weren’t the debate on the progress and validity of of comments about how the frequency regulators on board? IATA’s ISAGO and IGOM toolkits. Max of audits had increased instead of the In IATA’s defence Max mentioned that Corsi presented the body’s current opposite - and that sometimes auditors the ISAGO process was currently being situation, underlining the fact that a lack had differing viewpoints. Allied to this was revamped and this should be fi nished by of regulation in the sector was the raison the occasional auditor who did not have 2016. However, many questions remained d’être for these projects. knowledge of the whole process that he and one telling query related to the March IGOM currently involved 21 airlines and was actually auditing. And was the audit IATA ISAGO meeting in which handler

Eddie Leong and Joanne Cheung SATS Susan Doris Parungao MIASCOR GROUND HK, Shailendra Kothari and Fabian Seider HANDLING CORPORATION, Max Corsi LUFTHANSA CARGO and Kok Hong Leong Toralf Sonntag,Tom Stevenson, Hyung Hoon Kim SWISSPORT, Stark Xu, Bacchus Yin, Igor Spiridonov GLOBAL AVIATION CONSULTING and SATS HK and Dmitry Gendelevich AIRBRIDGECARGO AIRLINES Rowena Flores MIASCOR GROUND HANDLING CORPORATION

Marcus Ma AIR INDIA SATS AIRPORT Miguel L Llull Puya GLOBALIA HANDLING / Colin Temple BANGKOK FLIGHT SERVICES, Yousif Al Hammadi DHABIJET, Andy Cookson SERVICES, Simon Ng and Peter Hewett GROUNDFORCE, Shraga Richter EL AL ISRAEL Armelle Marechal-Guichard USIMAT- AMSS, Richard Backhouse DHABIJET and ETIHAD AIRWAYS and Ajesh Kurakkaran AIR AIRLINES and Glaucia Mara Loebmann SERMEES and Maurizio Anichini WORLDWIDE Scott Barber AMSS INDIA SATS AIRPORT SERVICES GLOBALIA HANDLING / GROUNDFORCE FLIGHT SERVICES

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input was not only far down the agenda enough in his opinion: and as evidence, a viable word when talking of the but was also limited in discussion time. he showed an image of an A380 being relationship between handler and airline? As several delegates present mentioned, handled, mentioning that some 102 Had safety really improved on the ramp handlers needed to be a part of the courses hinged on this aircraft alone… As over the last decade? Ought airports decision-making process, not merely given an update for the audience, he added that form independent handling companies the fi ndings of others. shortly dnata would be offering training to foster the competitive element? From a heated debate to a rather more courses to third parties. Were there any ideas for enhancing the fundamental issue: that of vocational The last morning of the conference routines of the ramp in the way that training. Craig McBride of dnata talked ended with the popular open debate the check-in side of the equation had on the need for understandable, portable which featured industry leaders who benefi ted in recent years? And what and valid certifi cates that could be applied were on the stage to fi eld questions from plans and initiatives were on the table to posts around the world, irrespective of the audience. Celebi, Worldwide Flight to reduce ground damage in the years that country’s certifi cation system. It wasn’t Services and SATS were all represented ahead? All these, and other issues, were an impossible dream; and it could be and topics discussed ranged from the aired in the forum. realised, once the fundamental content of growing presence of procurement The event closed in the afternoon a country’s educational qualifi cations was through consolidation of the handling following the comprehensive training and compared with that of another. Training, sector and the rise in outsourced ground safety session with BFS’s Colin Temple and and courses, could not be emphasised handling. Was partnership actually Maurizio Anichini.

Ingo Roessler EDIFLY - INNOVATIVE Samuel Banks and Gavin Lister AERO- SOFTWARE, John Lillas ROCKWELL COLLINS, CARE OPERATIONS, Mohamed Hanno and Martin Meyer WFS, David Ambridge BFS and Mohamed Kaaki ASE - AERO SERVICES Craig McBride DNATA EGYPT

Gwenn Hervet CIMC AIRMARREL and Jacqueline Hervet, Paul Bao XINFA AIRPORT EQUIPMENT, Sherman Hooi AIRMARREL ASIA and Erica Hooi, Peter Potthast GOLDHOFER - SCHOPF, Rasmus Dyre VESTERGAARD, Yassine Belkaid CHARLATTE MANUTENTION, Thomas Baillet COBUS, Richard Perier TREPEL and Sebastian Hoyos CHARLATTE MANUTENTION

Radoslaw Gos and Radoslaw Paruzel POLISH Mark Campbell ETIHAD AIRPORT SERVICES, AIRPORTS STATE ENTERPRISE and Tomasz Paul Richard Smith ETIHAD AIRWAYS and Dirk Szymczak WELCOME AIRPORT SERVICES Scott MENZIES MACAU

Anne Kasevali TALLINN AIRPORT, Ari J B Do, Samok Cho, Jaeyoun Paik, Sang Sun Yi SHARP AVIATION, Riccardo Picci BRITISH AIRWAYS, Julien Roquet UNITED AVIATION SERVICES, Kuutschin FINNAIR and Nina Haavisto Soon Suk Paik and Tae Kyu Chang SHARP AVIATION Kenneth Chan AIRASIA X and Rush Wang ORIENTAL SKY AVIATION

Our thanks are due to the sponsors of the 2015 Asian Conference:

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1-3 March 2016 The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Indonesia Book your place today for the 9th Asian Ground Handling International Conference to take advantage of the early-bird delegate rate! APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL SAFETY FOCUS 43 Fatal attraction? Stopping serious and fatal injuries is possible, as Martin Dean of BST explains.

afety improvement depends on organisations one of the most promising reducing exposure. Until recently, ways to create systematic exposure it was assumed that all types reduction for SIF events. To do that, of injuries, including serious injury however, organisations must overcome and fatality (SIF) events, resulted from the barriers that have prevented the the same pool of exposures. Reduce hierarchy of controls from being used to exposures to the more frequent but less its full extent until now. relationship between types of injuries. severe injuries, it was thought, and you But while it turns out that the model is would necessarily reduce exposures to What’s stopping you from accurate descriptively (less severe injuries those events “at the top of the triangle.” addressing SIF exposure? occur more frequently than more severe The problem is that while industry did get injuries), it is not accurate predictively better at reducing injuries generally (quite Exposure reduction activities of any (in other words, there is not a constant a lot better, in fact, over the past 20 type are a function of how we think ratio between injury types as some years), the rate of fatalities has remained about injury causation. If we think people assert). In a similar way, other virtually unchanged. injuries are mostly caused by people assumptions about accident causation Research into SIFs is helping explain being careless, we tend to focus on (that it’s either “technical failure” why this is the case and has opened up training solutions. If we see injuries as or “human error”) or metrics (for new ways for organisations to apply a result of poor equipment, we will example, low injury rates indicate that existing safety tools to the problem of focus on capital expenditure, and so on. safety generally is well managed) are SIFs. Among those tools, the hierarchy of When it comes to serious injuries and proving to be oversimplifi ed, inaccurate, controls, with its structured framework of fatalities, industry has long relied on and often downright harmful. While exposure reduction methodologies, offers Heinrich’s safety triangle to describe the every organisation is different, we

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have seen these assumptions lead to where these events are coming from.” simple - use the highest level of control several common barriers to effective SIF These leaders aren’t callous. Many are whenever possible and supplement with exposure reduction. deeply troubled by the persistence of lower levels of control as required - the Firstly, your safety systems have a SIF events. What’s really happening application of the hierarchy of controls significant blind spot. Many serious is that leaders have been hamstrung must be carried out with consideration events are preceded by years in which by a paradigm that misrepresents given to actual budgets and financial the rate of recordable injuries is low, the nature of SIF events and fails to realities, along with the urgency for very low, or improving. In retrospect, the connect the dots to the bigger picture. the solution. When it comes to SIF indicators of impending disaster were The circumstances that lead to an SIF exposures, the highest control possible available: they just weren’t detected event are complex and their precursors must always be used. Sometimes by traditional safety measures. This can exist for a long time. Further multiple controls are used. blind spot can lull leaders into a false complicating the matter is the fact that The tiers in the hierarchy of controls sense of security about the true state SIF events are much less frequent than span a range from most to least of performance and deflect essential less severe events, making data analysis effective (Figure 1). As you would resources away from problem areas. challenging. expect, the focus of the control also Secondly, your accident investigation Lastly, your organisation is focused on changes as you progress down the processes aren’t as good as you think. fixing people, not exposures. Often, this hierarchy. Tiers of the hierarchy can be Research shows that SIF events tend barrier is a function of an organisation’s roughly grouped into those steps that to have different causes and correlates view of safety generally. If safety is not are exposure focused and those that are than less severe events. Yet many valued or not well connected to the employee focused. organisations still conduct accident mission of the organisation (or in some To begin with, exposure-focused investigations as though every event cases, if it is seen as a burden), there controls can be utilised to minimise could become serious and let actual will be little investment in developing or eliminate the rôle of behavioural outcome (rather than potential) dictate safety professionals, engaging leaders variability, that is, their effectiveness the level of attention. For example, a in safety, or integrating safety activities doesn’t depend on what employees sprain caused by manual lifting (a low with operational practices. This barrier do to work. Elimination of risk involves SIF potential) will be given the same is often manifested within the hierarchy removing exposure to the hazard in a resource and attention as a sprain of controls as a lot of corrective actions way that is not subject to behavioural caused by movement to avoid being focused on the bottom tiers, where variability, for example redesigning struck by a moving vehicle (a high SIF reliability is highly dependent on a system to remove the exposure. potential). The result is a “flattening” employee behaviour. Substitution involves replacing the effect as organisations dilute resources hazardous element with an alternative, to give all events equal resources, rather Using the hierarchy of controls such as swapping a toxic material with than ensure events with more serious a non-toxic material, and engineering potential get proportionately greater The goal of any safety activity is to controls referring to the use of hardware depth of investigation. isolate the worker, as much as possible, systems to reduce exposure. Here, for Thirdly, your organisation treats from exposure to risk. Some ways of example, you might consider enclosures serious injury and fatality events as doing this are more effective and reliable to isolate equipment, ventilation “one-offs” rather than part of a pattern. than others. The hierarchy of controls is systems, machine guards and safety We often hear leaders say “accidents the logic essential for determining which interlocks. While there is still some sometimes happen” or “we don’t know controls are necessary. While the logic is behavioural variation in the effectiveness of this approach (since the controls must be kept in place and maintained), the reliability is higher than with PPE or Administrative Controls. Moving on, employee-focused controls can also be implemented, though their effectiveness is dependent on behavioural variability. A variety of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, protective gloves and suits, respiratory protective equipment, fall protection equipment, face shields and flame-retardant clothing, is widely used in an array of applications and is useful as part of the overall safety strategy. PPE also has the lowest behavioural reliability. As well as PPE, administrative controls might be used, which involve carrying out procedures to reduce exposure to risk, for example the requirement of work permits for high hazard tasks or a limitation on the length of time an individual may be exposed to a particular hazard. While more reliable than PPE, this approach is still highly dependent on behaviour; the Figure 1. The hierarchy of controls: effect on exposure. procedure will do little good unless it APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL SAFETY FOCUS 45

is followed rigorously and consistently. and how to identify remedies for SIF data points to a level where we can Finally, gimmicks, incentives and hollow exposures as close to elimination as observe patterns and take action. threats may be implemented, in the possible. Finally, the personal approach: hope that motivating employees to work Additionally, the accident investigation participate in the investigation process. safely will reduce risk exposure. process itself would benefi t from Make it a habit to question decisions Ultimately, when it comes to SIF a revamp. Too often, an accident made about exposure control strategies. prevention, organisations must fi rst investigation is a dry, transactional Were higher reliability alternatives look to exposure-focused controls. process that describes the bare considered? If relatively low reliability Yet, too often, the corrective actions bones mechanics of an event. People solutions were selected, are there recommended for events with SIF who weren’t there and who aren’t longer-term alternatives that will employ potential focus on faster, less expensive close to the work will have trouble higher reliability strategies? While (and less reliable) remedies, such as understanding the urgency or picturing not every exposure can be addressed requiring PPE or sending the employee the context. Investigators should through elimination, neither should every for more training. be trained to write compelling case exposure be addressed through PPE. narratives that allow the reader to Enabling stronger exposure visualise what happened. Taking the lead correction Another potential strategy is to give visibility to SIF exposures. Some Ultimately, leaders are responsible for There are several things leaders must organisations use a SIF exposure rate to making sure that the exposures are do to ensure effective use of the supplement other reporting and help addressed. When SIF-potential events hierarchy of controls. To start with, guide decision making and strategy. do happen, leaders must stay involved thorough and ongoing training should An effective SIF rate captures data to both to understand the circumstances be provided for those who conduct measure the rate of exposure to SIFs, and to closely follow the corrective and incident investigations. Your team must both the exposures that resulted in an protective actions from recommendation be well educated about the importance actual fatality or serious injury plus those to execution. How leaders communicate of potential, the distinct nature of SIF that have the reasonable potential to the event, what was learned, and its events and their precursors, how to result in an SIF. Measuring the rate of implications help shape how people see recognise SIF potential in an event, potential SIFs expands the number of and respond to future exposures.

Martin Dean is Vice President of Delivery, EMEA for BST. He leads strategic client initiatives in Europe, the Middle East and North African region and has more than 20 years of safety management experience in over 40 countries.

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telephone +1 562 906 9300 facsimile +1 562 906 9308 email [email protected] 46 IGHC GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

is an ongoing challenge within an industry that is continually changing and this vast subject will be discussed at length. On a similar note, the aim of simplifying the basic act of ground handling is still a hot potato: can agreement be reached between all the parties involved? An extension of this is the topic of preparing for the future: what exactly will need to be in place to take care of tomorrow’s traveller? The recent announcement in connection with baggage tracking (Resolution 753) should ensure that a passenger’s bag is retrievable, even if it should go astray. This will be a comfort to the traveller, but what about the handler’s new responsibilities in this context? The second day will look at enhanced operations, with the twin topics of globalisation and standardisation very much to the fore: these two nouns are part of the aviation lexicon now and no-one can really afford to think regionally these days. Safety on the ramp, a subject that is often discussed within the pages of Ground Handling International, will come in for discussion also: the spectre of that multi-billion dollar price tag for inadvertent mishaps on the ramp is one that has been hard to ignore, let alone dispel. Finally, the second day will also dwell on the cargo side of the equation. Istanbul meeting Wednesday sessions take for their topic business development and The 28th IGHC Ground Handling Conference is almost upon us. leadership: during the day there will be an opportunity for delegates to learn more about how the digital age his year IATA has chosen the subject is a very big bone of contention is transforming the sector. A financial crossroads between East and and still the sector has not managed health check will be on the cards too, West for its annual industry to establish a format for operational as will the subject of the electronic event. The IGHC in Istanbul will be procedures that seems to be acceptable invoice in line with IATA’s aim to hosted by Turkish Airlines and runs to all parties concerned. drastically cut the quantity of paper from April 26-29. With topics such Another subject is that of shaping generated by the aviation sector in a as global industry standards, ramp the industry agenda for ground 12 month period. innovation and business growth tackled operations: if this can be focused Alongside these sessions will be in the past, this year’s event promises enough, there should be benefits for a variety of workshops, all aimed to address a key theme, echoing the all parties concerned. Lastly, time will at informing and educating those above opening line. "Value at the be devoted to the Standard Ground attending. crossroads of service and costs" will be Handling Agreement document: what At the end of the conference IATA uppermost in IATA stakeholders’ minds. changes are deemed advisable - and will be staging a training session in what lies ahead? line with the subject of the SGHA. What’s in store? Added to this will be updates on the This will be a special version of the full latest industry developments. workshop, albeit excluding the Effective This year’s event will follow the pattern Istanbul will thus play host to Negotiations Behaviour modules. established in previous conferences. handlers, airlines and manufacturers, To that end there will be an array of along with other specialised parties industry speakers and an exhibition such as those whose work lies in the IT area, together with ample opportunity sector. Other solutions providers will be IGHC 2015 for networking as well as a Gala Dinner. present to round off the assembly. April 26 - April 29 IATA expects to draw upwards of 750 Hilton Istanbul delegates for this year’s conference and The agenda a number of policies are on the agenda Bomonti Hotel for discussion. Amongst the topics will Delegates can look forward to a be global standardisation of ground diverse range of plenary sessions. Istanbul, Turkey operations procedures. This particular Improving the customer’s experience APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE 47

Dirk Schmitt is the new CEO for Budget carrier airberlin has confi rmed Management Board. Schmitz took up Swissport Cargo Services Germany & the appointment of Stefan Pichler as its his new position with gategroup on Austria. Prior to his new assignment at new Chief Executive Offi cer. January 19, succeeding Thomas Bucher. Swissport, Schmitt spent ten years in the aviation and air cargo industry and Etihad Airways has announced the Andrew Gibson is stepping down has held various senior management appointment of John Friel as its new as CEO gategroup; the Board has positions in Europe, including one at General Manager in South Africa. appointed Xavier Rossinyol as new CEO. Fraport in Frankfurt. He joins Swissport from CARGO. The Board of Directors of AirAsia X have The current CEO of Qantas announced the appointment of Datuk International, Simon Hickey, along Rochdi Touri has been appointed FBO Kamarudin Meranun as Group CEO, with CEO of Qantas Domestic, Lyell Director Swissport Executive Aviation in AirAsia X; and Benyamin Bin Ismail as Strambi, have decided to leave the Nice. acting CEO of AirAsia X Berhad. This is a Qantas Group. The revised executive part of an ongoing reorganisation exercise. team will now include Andrew David Emirsyah Satar is to step down as In this newly created rôle, Kamarudin (CEO of Qantas Domestic), Gareth Chief Executive of Garuda Indonesia. will spearhead the development of the Evans (CEO of Qantas International overarching strategy for the AirAsia and Freight) and John Gissing, who has named Stephen X Group, which encompasses AirAsia becomes Group Executive Associated Kavanagh as its new Chief Executive. X Berhad, AirAsia X Thailand and Airlines & Services. Indonesia AirAsia Extra. German construction and services Alitalia has lined up former Ferrari group Bilfi nger has picked Per René de Groot has been appointed as head Luca Cordero di Montezemolo as Utnegaard to become Chief Executive Chief Operating Offi cer of KLM Royal Chairman and Etihad Chief Executive of the group. Utnegaard has been Dutch Airlines. He succeeds Pieter Elbers, James Hogan as his deputy. Swissport’s Chief Executive since 2007. who became President and CEO of KLM on October 15. Handler dnata has appointed Emma Thomas Fred Herkommer has been Deane as Vice President Commercial appointed as Chief Operating Offi cer The Board of Directors of gategroup & Business Development. In the rôle, at DOLL. He will manage the company Holding has appointed Christoph Emma will support the growth of together with Chief Financial Offi cer Schmitz as the new Chief Financial dnata’s UAE ground handling and Mark Toschek. Offi cer and Member of the Executive marhaba operations.

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Mallaghan is one of the largest Airport Ground Support Equipment manufacturers worldwide, producing a vast range of highly acclaimed GSE products to an ever-expanding global network of customers.

For more information please visit our website www.mallaghan.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 28 8772 3444 48 RAMP SAFETY AWARDS 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 Ramp Safety Awards 2015

elcome once again to this year’s Apart from the damage to equipment, On March 23 2014 he noticed a strange Ramp Safety Awards page. there were no serious injuries to the staff noise coming from the engine fan blades As in past years, the involved. in engine number 1 on an easyJet aircraft. nominations that are presented here are Initial investigations tended to assume Craig reported this to the engineers who just a few of those we collect over the that speed could have been one of the attended and later decided to ground the course of the year. contributing factors. But this was later flight and use a substitute aircraft. Our aim is not only to illustrate to the ruled out when reference was made to It was later reported that this aircraft reader the realities of working on the the vehicle tracking system report, which would have suffered definite engine failure ramp today but also to highlight good showed that the tractor had, in fact, been because of fan blade damage on take-off, practice and remind ourselves that the moving at an acceptable speed on the should Craig not have noticed the noise: task of the turnaround can never be taken access road under the circumstances. he thus was instrumental in preventing for granted. Each working day brings Subsequently, the technical design of the millions of pounds’ worth of damage. with it fresh challenges and the chance of connector pin was identified as the root In the event, the cost ended up in the the unexpected: and it is knowing how cause and the equipment was taken out of tens of thousands of pounds as opposed to react, or in some cases pre-empt, that circulation for modification. to the whole new engine that would have wins the day. ENHAS has recently equipped 80% of been required (and which would have cost But back to the reasons for this page its mobile equipment with car tracking over £1m). Fortunately, the airline managed and the Awards. We are always looking systems. A lesson learnt here was the to resolve the damage by replacing the fan out for examples of good practice on the benefit of the vehicle tracking system in blades. ramp; attention to detail in a process or analysing the root cause of a ramp incident. This aircraft was made serviceable again procedure; any example of GSE that has in a much more timely manner, saving the been modified to make it safer to use; or GLOBALIA HANDLING airline lost revenue as the damaged aircraft any initiative that has made working on (GROUNDFORCE) would have been grounded for longer. the ramp a safer experience. We would Not only did Craig go above and like to hear from you on any (or indeed all) Gran Canaria beyond his duty in simply noticing a noise of the above topics. In the first instance In October 2014 the handler’s turnaround he thought unusual but he also saved please get in touch with the Editor: co-ordinators reported two events related passengers from a potentially frightening [email protected] to pushback manoeuvring. During towbar ordeal. Good luck with your entry for this year’s tractor disconnection, pushback was Awards! completed and the crews confirmed that the brakes were set; however, the aircraft SWISSPORT MAROC began to move forwards. In both cases, the driver was able to leave the area System-wide immediately and avoid the collision, while With a desire to improve upon the already the turnaround co-ordinator asked the existing levels of safety, Swissport Maroc crew again to set the brakes. There were decided to modify two sorts of its GSE. neither personnel injuries nor damage, The first of these was passenger steps, thanks to the rapid response of our ramp purchased from JBT and EINSA: these now personnel. benefit from the installation of a brake As a preventative action, the system to the side rails, which replaces disconnection towbar procedure has the pre-existing spring-loaded system. been reviewed, in order to avoid any Turning to the ambulift, the handler has aircraft movement that might arise also installed sensors on the rear platform through a misunderstanding between to avoid any problems should a person be ground personnel and the flight deck. present in the hazard zone area. Consequently, before the towbar disconnection, a chock must now be ENTEBBE GROUND HANDLING placed at the nose , to protect SERVICES both personnel and GSE. The chock is then removed after towbar disconnection. Uganda On August 28 2014, while a ramp driver SWISSPORT was towing a GPU with a tractor along Glasgow an access road, the connecting pin of the tractor broke and the disconnected GPU hit Craig Sellar is employed by SMART another moving tractor, which was towing Handling at the Swissport Glasgow a toilet cart in the opposite direction. operation.

Sponsor of Europe Sponsor of US, Canada & Latin America APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVE POWER UPDATE 49 Heathrow humming The opportunity of a quick tour of Heathrow in March revealed much forward thinking, writes the Editor.

et’s be frank: when your station “Air quality is, of course, a big factor in boasts the largest electric-powered all this,” affi rms Spencer, “but, strangely, fl eet of any in Europe, then that’s electric and hydrogen are not always a mighty big feather to have waving in seen as the obvious answers. There are your cap. With that accolade, though, all sorts of constraints with electric, too: comes the requirement for ongoing work for example, electric vehicles can have an and investment in this specialist area - almost indefi nite presence at the airport which is why I found myself talking to whereas fossil-fuelled GSE is subject to Spencer Thomas, Airside Environment strict guidelines in terms of how long it Manager and Keith Polkey, Ramp can be used. We are currently building

Assurance Manager at the UK’s biggest a case for the reduction of NOX, which has meant more and more charging airport recently. is an important factor: the problem has points (there are some 500 or so) but At the time of writing, Heathrow is been, though, quantifying this pollutant. now the airport really needs to look home to some 845 electric tugs, which It’s very diffi cult to draw comparisons at triple phase charging for reducing says much for the airport’s foresight as and come up with useful data. There is charging times, in order to reap the well as its infrastructure. As Spencer arguably more interest in CO2 – that’s full benefi ts that electric brings. Smart points out, the environmental ball was higher profi le.“ charging, allied to telematics, would set in motion back in 2010, although Keith mentions that fi ve year plans complete the picture. to be historically accurate, there were tend to be the norm when it comes to “Simply put, we need to be able to already pockets of electric activity at the thinking ahead. “But whilst that’s fi ne manage the whole process,” explains station before then. SAS was an early for diesel, it doesn’t really work out with Keith. “That way, it will all work adopter of electric, refl ecting its clean electric. An electric cost analysis requires properly. There’s no worry here about operation back home at its hub, perhaps, longer. Then there’s the question of electric, either: charging and range but it wasn’t the only one: Babcock was residual values. Some would-be adopters are all understood. The data from the running an electric vehicle for outsized are put off by the uncertainty of what pooling results have proved that electric baggage, too. second hand electric GSE will be worth in GSE would be viable, and have taken Despite the obvious fi nancial a few years’ time. What’s really required the uncertainty out of the equation. advantages of battery power (it has here is bravery: it’s a leap of faith, in some Comments have been positive from the been calculated, for instance, that respects.” operators and we see the low impact running a fossil fuel-powered tractor According to them, hydrogen vehicle GSE as the future. It’s also interesting to at Heathrow costs considerably more trials are some 18 months away yet, so note that we are seeing more and more compared to electric), together with the really the current focus is that of electric. electric requests featuring in handling environmentally-friendly presence that The airport now has fi ve brand new tenders.” electric brings to the workplace, the pair Nissan Leaf cars in addition to a Peugeot Ahead lies an electric trial that will readily admit that persuading the airport eco-diesel for evaluation; there are a involve Posicharge, Charlatte tugs and a authority to look anew at its GSE policy further dozen hybrids around the airport, JBT hi-lift: clear evidence that Heathrow is has not been the work of a moment. too. Keeping up with the electric infl ux keen to embrace a sustainable future.

Dashboard Display

MPCB-R5

TSC ® Transmission GSE O.P.C. Shifting Control (Obstacle Proximity Control) POWER SHIFT TRANSMISSIONS RANGERMATIC (3 or 2 Speed Automatic) & REVERMATIC (Single Speed)

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Brake Control Inching Inching Control Solenoid Valve

Transfluid S.r.l. - Via Guido Rossa, 4 - 21013 Gallarate (VA) Italy - Ph. +39 0331 28421 - www.transfluid.eu - e-mail: [email protected] 50 COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT HANDLING GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

Your flexible friend? With the passage of time, the incidence of composite aircraft is only going to increase. With that in mind, handlers are going to have to become more attuned to this generation of aircraft’s very particular requirements.

lastic. Undoubtedly one of the over 50% of their structure deriving a dent whereas with composite, the most important developments from composite materials. They haven’t kinetic energy of the object which of the twentieth century, plastic been the harbingers in this, though: contacts it will not necessarily leave and its offshoots transformed many an earlier aircraft from these two stables behind any mark or indentation, since industry overnight. Its incorporation have included lightweight materials the composite springs back into place. with toys and domestic products was (anything up to 15%, in fact), whilst the This says a lot for the structural integrity just the start: when plastic was adopted mammoth A380 today typically boasts of the new material but brings with it by those involved in the armaments around 25% of these materials in its a question mark. A handler will have industry, for instance, the writing was structure. to ask whether an impact was of such truly on the wall. It was thus only a a magnitude that the aircraft should matter of time before the aviation sector Handling considerations be grounded, for further checks. Or should take an interest. whether the aircraft could, in fact, fly. Boeing, of course, got the party Whilst everyone will agree that Clearly, someone has to make a decision underway when it first mooted the technology is a wonderful thing, all on this, a decision that cannot be taken concept of an aircraft that would not new technology comes at a price – and lightly, given the financial ramifications rely solely on aluminium in its structure. sometimes that price is a high one. of a cancelled flight. It’s hard to believe, but the Dreamliner When, in 2013, Qatar Aviation Services The Boeing engineer endorsed the was first discussed, albeit in more had the bravery to admit puncturing use of a ramp tool that could view the radical terms, in the last decade of the fuselage of a B787 with a catering affected area and which would give the the last century. By 2003, though, the truck, the handling company probably operator a reading, along the lines of 7E7, as it was codenamed then, was hadn’t bargained for the outcome. “Go” or “No go.” on the drawing board: but gone were That incident necessitated a Boeing But that won’t necessarily help a the thoughts about sub-sonic, large team flying out to Doha, the erection handler where, perhaps, the area aircraft travel, their place taken by a of a dust-free environment around the under question has sustained damage more conventional and recognisable aircraft and a repair schedule that lasted before – will it? There seems to be format, that of the twin jet engined for three weeks. But this wasn’t a lone no simple answer to this poser, nor configuration. However, this new aircraft incident – merely a reminder that aircraft indeed to what exactly constitutes would bring to market something as are fragile, whatever they are made of, an unacceptable impact. According revolutionary as the transition from and that to err is a human characteristic. to Hyonny Kim, a Professor in the wood to alloy all those decades back… There have been other incidences of Department of Structural Engineering What Boeing was doing was not lost damage to this new wave of composite at the UC of San Diego, the problem on rival Airbus, who in turn started to aircraft, some made public, some not. It is rather more complex than many investigate this new technology and concerns us little here how public these people realise. In tests with a mocked- the benefits that a composite structure events are actually made: what’s relevant up composite section he has been able would introduce to the aviation sector. to us is that very special composite skin. to show that repeated impact on an Initially, though, it appears that the At the 2014 Ground Damage area can result in shear tie damage and French company was not unduly worried Stakeholders’ meeting, Arne Lewis, a frame cracking without any skin or skin about jumping on the bandwagon. Boeing Composite Engineer, gave a stringer delamination becoming evident. Designs were propounded in 2004, presentation on the subject of handling In his opinion, the sort of hand held which coincidentally was the very same the new Dreamliner. In it, he talked in instrument proposed here will only find year that All Nippon Airways signed some detail about the series of skins delamination damage within the skin, or on the dotted line for the initial B787 that go to make up the structure known separation between the stringer flange examples. generically as composite. He stopped and the skin. Thus it is that two composite aircraft short, however, of actually being are now in possession of airworthiness able to say categorically what would FAA and EASA reports certificates. What‘s of interest to us, constitute a severe enough impact to though, is the aircraft construction: render the aircraft unserviceable. With Some of the above points have both the B787 and the A350 have aluminium, the alloy obligingly exhibits not, thankfully, been lost on the APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT HANDLING 51

authorities. Indeed, back in 2011, without any incident report being filed. the US Government Accountability The report also suggests that in Office released a report on the status the event of a knock or impact, the of the FAA’s actions when it came to suspected surface needs to be inspected the matter of overseeing the safety to assess whether there is (or is not) any of composite aircraft: this was GAO- sub-surface damage. 11- 849 Aviation Safety. Unsurprisingly, As alluded to, there are various perhaps, the report highlighted suggested that GSE might be equipped devices available for the inspection of a the challenges in detecting (and with proximity sensors and automatic suspect area, ranging from visual aids characterising) damage in composite position adjustment, especially for the (including lenses) and the adoption structures, as well as commenting type of GSE that works up close to an of light waves to a penetrating liquid on the need for adequate composite aircraft on a regular basis. A beltloader application (which relies on capillary repairs. Tellingly, it dwelled on the would be a case in point here. It action to sink into minute crevices). point that defects could be overlooked added that the recording of sensor Radiography, thermography and and that a basic tap on the skin might and camera data could contribute acoustic techniques can also be not bring to light any delamination towards supporting the overall reporting employed: with the first of these, problems. The problem continues, procedure. any irregularities are presented with though: the reliability of detecting The third area highlighted was that a different density from the material surface flaws in composite structures is of damage reporting and its process that surrounds them. Thermography not yet particularly well established, and improvement. The report suggests that relies upon the analysis of thermo- so it is quite conceivable that significant every inadvertent impact ought to be elastic stresses, with infra-red thermo- damage might not be reported, leading documented, whether on composite cameras able to detect the temperature to a greater safety risk. or aluminium skin, and duly assessed. of the bodies being analysed. Any In 2012 The European Aviation Safety It notes, as has been mentioned, that defects will correspond to changes in Agency funded a research project on external evidence of an impact on a temperature. In contrast, cracks and this very topic. Composite Damage composite skin may well be difficult to debonding can be picked out through Metrics and Inspection was designed discern, given the forgiving properties the use of acoustic technology: in this to address the very real concerns over of the materials used. Arguably a more context there is a hand-held device, the issues raised by the adoption of worrying comment was added to the the ramp damage checker, which has composite materials, and its findings text: the EASA notes that reporting has been designed expressly to address this made for interesting reading. In typically relied on visual examination situation. Once set and calibrated, a summary, three main points can be of the outer skin structure, and that high frequency sound pulse generated picked out as references for the industry. the rate of vehicle contact reporting is, by an ultrasonic transducer will travel First, the report’s authors underlined frighteningly, only around 50%. As if through the material until it encounters the need for standardisation in the realm this were not enough, the EASA goes on an air boundary, at which point it will of GSE, specifically in respect of safety to say that even this incidence rate could reflect and alert the operator of the systems. In acknowledging the fact decline, given the particular properties irregularity. The device’s pulse should that ramp vehicles were commercially of the composite skin. In short, because come from the back wall (or inside available with a range of safety devices, of the carbon fibre reinforced polymer surface) of the composite; should there it noted that these were typically material employed, and its ability to be any delamination or irregularity, then optional and, ultimately, very much at reassume most, if not all, of its shape the echo is received sooner, thus alerting the whim of the fleet buyer. after an impact, visual signals may well the operator to a potential problem. For A second point raised was that be abeyance. This could lead to the the sake of the ramp, the device works of monitoring systems. The report possibility of an aircraft being dispatched on simple “go” or “no go” principles. 52 GPU ACU AND ASU GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

“We have won more big airport projects and are convinced that our efforts in consolidating and adapting our business to fit into a global market that we started a couple of years ago is the main reason behind the good result. By sharing information and working together as one global team, we can serve our customers in the best possible way. We can deliver technical support before, during and after the equipment delivery, as well as supply good and reliable products.” The review period’s key recipients have been the US, Canada, South America, Saudi Arabia and Russia; that said, traditional markets in the Middle East and Europe (including France, the UK and Scandinavia) have not been neglected by the manufacturer. Poul adds that Saudi Arabia has become an important market for ITW GSE. “At present, we are installing 100 AXA 2400 units, of the 90 kVA 400 Hz type, in King Abdulaziz International airport in Jeddah. Some of these stands On the box? are MARS stands that will accommodate Ground power, and its associated offspring, code C and code F aircraft. The installation will be commissioned is the subject of this issue’s industry focus. towards the end of the year as the new terminal is scheduled to be operational he past year for PAGE “In terms of modifying our product before the end of 2015. A vast number Industries has been offering, all PAGE has done is bring more of AXA Power Coils and AXA Power phenomenal,” declares Brian and more new products to market. New PCA units have also been delivered Piety, the enterprise’s President. products that we’ve introduced in the to other significant projects in Saudi “We have seen tremendous growth past 12 months include our baggage Arabia: both Madinah airport and King in our customer base, products sold and chute, PCAir connector, 400 Hz cable Khalid International in Riyadh have exposure to more locations throughout assembly (that includes the connector benefited. ITW has equipped Terminals North America and around the world. body and HARDNOSE), a baggage chute 1, 2, 5 and the Royal Terminal with 62 Specifically, many of the major US service platform, a lightweight and Power Coils in all, as well as 40 pre- carriers have begun to standardise on extremely durable PCAir duct, a digital conditioned air units. The last batch is the PAGE product line. Canada has reactive load bank and a unique PCAir expected to be installed this spring. seen record growth, and we have made hose reel, as well as many different pieces “Also in 2014, our Russian ITW GSE very good progress and sales in Spain, of equipment for use on central 400 Hz distributor did very well, in spite of the Germany, the Middle East, Korea and systems.” crises in Russia. An amazing number China, with locations such as the UK, of GPUs has been delivered to airports Lithuania and Turkey showing strong A worldwide presence in Yakutsk, Talagi, Ufa, Sabetta and signs of promise. Most of this interest in Abakan, to mention just a few.” sales has been centred around the PAGE The ITW group can be considered PCAir hoses and our new PCAir adaptor, as a conglomerate, encompassing along with the PAGE baggage chute. as it does the brands of AXA Power, Both of these are different from what Hobart, Houchin, J&B Aviation and ITW has been available in the past and each Military. With this sort of presence, the has unique features, making these the group can be considered as one of the most liked products in the PCAir market. market's most experienced suppliers “Recent interest has been in connection of ground equipment. In fact, ITW GSE with the PAGE 400 Hz cable assembly; provides the biggest variety of point- this includes a moulded connector that of-use, solid state and diesel ground comes standard, with a thermal switch power units, as well as the world’s and broken neutral protection, and a smartest PCA, all of which are based on new replaceable 400 Hz wear nose. This a modular design. HARDNOSE product has exploded in “Over the years, we have delivered popularity because of its unsurpassed approximately 80,000 units to customers safety features and longevity. All this in all parts of the world. This last year while, though, it incorporates, whenever has accounted for some 2,500 alone, so possible, our unique safety green colour the year has been good for us,” declares that makes our products stand out visually Poul Elvstroem, Vice President, Sales & from the competition. Marketing. AXA has benefited from several key markets APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL GPU ACU AND ASU 53

ITW GSE was also awarded a drops along the cable. Software upgrades tough, durable material and they act as contract to provide 50 of the Hobart can be effected by merely plugging in protective bumpers, with the advantage 90CU420 mobile ground power carts a USB stick – that’s how easy to use the that they will never corrode if scratched. to the Canadian National Defence, system actually is. The 2400 series has The canopy is also designed with in support of the Canadian Air been designed to handle all kinds of rounded edges that are safer for Force. Deliveries began in 2014 and aircraft, including Power Factor 1 types. operators; they also reduce the risk of were due to be completed this year. It is unique in that it allows a 400% damaging aircraft, vehicles or other These units will be utilised at various overload capacity at output as standard. apron equipment in the event of airforce bases throughout Canada. By virtue of this, the same GPU can be collision. Should major damage occur, it Calgary International has equipped 22 used for aircraft of virtually any size – is very easy to swap the canopy or cable gates with ITW GSE power and pre- including the latest generation aircraft trays. conditioned air units. The order included such as the A380, the A350, the B787 22 bridge-mounted, point-of-use Dreamliner and the forthcoming B777. Expectations for 2015 PCA units and 22 Hobart ADV bridge- Finally, the company’s new 4400 mounted, solid-state converters. series (a 90 kVA engine-driven GPU) Poul says that he has high expectations South America has seen tremendous has also entered the market. This GPU for the coming year. growth through the enhancement of is equipped with the ITW GSE common “We have already signed the its infrastructure in anticipation of the user interface. Besides this, it is a quiet, contract for Cairo airport’s development summer Olympics in 2016. Of particular fuel-efficient apron power system, project and the Abu Dhabi Midfield note, Confins airport in Belo Horizonte ideal for supplying power to all kinds Terminal project. And our Chinese installed 49 Hobart 2300 Power Coils of aircraft wherever an independent representative recently won a contract during a renovation of the passenger external power source is needed. The for the delivery of 83 Power Coil units terminal last year. Similarly, Viracopos 4400 features a weatherproof canopy for an expansion project in Zhengzhou International in Campinas has introduced made of medium-density polyethylene Xinzheng International airport. The first 28 Power Coils during the construction which is remarkably tough, supremely delivery will take place in August 2015 of the new terminal at the airport. reliable and fully recyclable. The sliding and commissioning is expected to be The most popular model in the range canopy can even be entirely removed completed before the end of this year. is the 2400 series: small and simple, it by hand in less than two minutes, thus “All in all, we expect a record year in is also robust and reliable, says ITW. It allowing easy access for regular checks terms of new products in our portfolio. utilises the Plug & Play system, which of fuel, oil and water. Never before have we launched so automatically compensates for voltage The big cable trays are made of many new developments and never 54 GPU ACU AND ASU GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

before with so many truly differentiating Guinault-Lebrun’s exclusive electronic to a desktop via the cloud. It comes customer benefi ts. With a great portfolio, regulation, which is based on a variable with in-built modules for maintenance dedicated employees and fewer speed (rpm) drive. This unique device management where customers can view manufacturing locations with a higher ensures a higher life expectancy of the forthcoming maintenance schedules volume and output, we have indeed components, as well as a signifi cant and their planned costs, as well as order geared ITW GSE for global aviation reduction in fuel consumption, required spares, all from the software growth. It all means that the ITW GSE contributing to a low TCO. This itself. Helpfully, operational faults and group is stronger than ever before.” technology makes it possible to adjust alarms are notifi ed on a real-time basis the pressure (if necessary), limit the fl ow via e-mail and SMS to customers. France and Belgium or add any control function which might ”MAK RDMS has changed the way be required in the future. we manage our GSE as our operation Over in mainland Europe, Guinault-Lebrun The company’s air conditioning units cost has reduced as well as the time has been thriving since its Franco-Belgian have created a major change within the our technicians spend on manually merger. The manufacturer offers a unique GSE market, bringing the possibility of writing down daily inspection data,” solution for APU substitution: 400 Hz effective substitution for the onboard commented an airline’s planning power supply, air conditioning units and APU of the largest existing aircraft under executive, who made use of the RDMS air start units. Guinault-Lebrun occupies a the most diffi cult climatic conditions. for over six months. A dashboard gives very special position in the market, being This unique opportunity has been all the critical parameters as graphical something of an expert in the refrigeration identifi ed by more and more airlines as a data, providing a bird’s eye view of industry and that of electrical power, and key cost-saving alternative while offering equipment conditions. Air Mak says that is not simply a GSE specialist. airports a quiet solution in the reduction a fl eet management software on this

Its fundamental expertise in these of NOx and CO2 emissions. scale, with extensive data, has seldom fi elds, backed by the long term strategy For wide-bodied aircraft, the critical been developed before now. of a family-owned organisation, means challenge has always been that of that it can deliver a complete solution, delivering the necessary capacity to Best year ever which is a substitute for the aircraft properly cool the aircraft cabin, whereas APU on the ground. The enterprise is the key requirement for narrow body When someone says that the last 12 committed to performance for both operations has been the implementation months have comprised the best year current and future aircraft operations. In of a very effi cient APU substitute. ever in the history of the company, that fact, the company claims to sell aircraft Thus a similar and unique refrigeration says a lot. These, though, are exactly power, aircraft engine starting and technology has been used to design the words of Jochen Philipp, Hitzinger aircraft comfort temperatures instead of both alternatives, each one being Airport Equipment’s Managing Director. merely GPU, ASU and ACU facilities. adapted to the airline’s operational “We were able to secure big contracts This enterprise also claims the lowest environment in order to offer a for our new Static Frequency Converter, TCO in terms of its GPU. This assertion workable solution. the S Power,” he relates. “The sales of it bases on the use of the most effi cient this new product line started off very engine rpm on the market, that of A Memphis solution well and exceeded all our expectations. 1714 rpm, which it considers to be the We were able to convince a lot of best compromise between performance, One US-based manufacturer is that of customers that this was the product for response time and fuel consumption. Air Mak Industries, which is sited in them and they have been completely Added to this is the high effi ciency Memphis. The company has developed happy with it. Last year, we also Guinault alternator that is manufactured and tested a Tier IV F engine-powered received a big order for the delivery of in France and which is optimised for low 180 kVA aircraft ground power unit, approximately 250 units for military load operation, which represents 70% of which meets the latest EPA norms just applications, which has been executed the typical operation time of a GPU. The in time for the implementation deadline to the full satisfaction of our client. unit also boasts an in-house manufactured on Tier IV engines. It comes equipped Furthermore, Stansted airport placed a electronic control system that resists sand with the new MAK GSE monitor large order with us, and we also have and dusty wind, humidity and corrosive V8.0 that boasts a touchscreen GUI, major ongoing projects with South atmospheric conditions. displaying data in analogue and digital African Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Designing the electronics and formats for ease of interpretation. Aerofl ot, , Gatwick, alternator internally offers great Included is a troubleshooting guide and dnata, Emirates, Pegasus Turkey and a advantages in terms of obsolescence last service records for quick reference; lot of other well-known companies and management, and it ensures it is also IP67 rated. airlines besides. Hitzinger has illustrated compatibility with the most advanced Air Mak has also announced a its market presence worldwide in aircraft. Its 400 Hz power supplies, solid software dubbed the Remote Diagnostic all its product ranges and different state converters and diesel-driven GPUs Monitoring System, which is essentially applications and we look forward to have all been validated with the A350 at a MAK wireless module that fi ts into an presenting our newest developments at the Airbus facility. item of GSE that can capture operational the InterAirport in October this year.” Within the ASU range is found data and which broadcasts it live on Meanwhile, in France, TLD has been

Guinault-Lebrun: plenty of expertiseAir Mak has announced diagnostic software TLD has focussed on Stage 4 technology APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL GPU ACU AND ASU 55

hard at work with Stage 4 engine development. With US Tier IV Final and Euro Stage 4 legislation in full effect, TLD has been very busy developing its products to incorporate engines that meet these stringent regulations. In its power division in the US, TLD’s ACU, ASU, and GPU lines all have new green engines. OPTIMAL

Air start units For the ASU, the Scania DC13 engine POWER powers the Aerzen dry rotary screw compressor, which has been at the heart of TLD air start units for over 32 years. AT THE AIRCRAFT The machine is designed to start all aircraft engines, except the GE-90 on AXA 2400 COMPACT POWER the . Whenever new engines are introduced to TLD products, all other facets of the product’s design are studied in great detail. With the ASU, as an example, a new cooling package has been developed, which uses less engine power and consequently less fuel. In addition, the engine’s top speed has been reduced to further improve fuel effi ciency and to lower sound levels during maximum aircraft demand. TLD’s smart controls and throttle roll-back systems monitor and optimise delivered air performance to closely match aircraft requirements. A durable, galvanised frame with powder-coated aluminium panels provide the lowest levels of maintenance and the longest lifespan.

Air conditioners/heaters The company’s ACU-802S line has been updated with the new Cummins Tier IV F/Stage 4 engine. The ACU-802S takes the inherent effi ciency advantages of the ACU-802 and provides improved fuel effi ciency and previously unimaginable ease of operation. The improved fuel effi ciency is achieved by operating at the continuously optimised best speed via TLD’s Advanced Control System, which matches the unit’s performance to aircraft demand. Performance is optimised by automatically adjusting the operating speed to match the aircraft and prevailing ambient conditions. Through a very simple menu, the operator selects the type of aircraft to be cooled, and the ACU-802S does the rest. The speed of major components ITW GSE is a strong and reliable partner with deliveries of is monitored and regulated to ensure more than 80.000 units to customers world-wide. the appropriate amount of cooling or We monitor the market trends and provide world-class know-how. heating is delivered. TLD’s infi nitely- variable screw compressor provides precise load control and automatically adjusts to any changes. It’s all about connections Moreover, the ACU-802S utilises its www.itwgse.com proven direct drive screw compressor, 56 GPU ACU AND ASU GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

infinitely variable load control and vapour frequency regulation required for today’s injection. Vapour injection significantly next generation aircraft. increases refrigerant flow at minimal The heart of the TLD GPU is the increases in power consumption, second generation of its generator essentially boosting compressor control module, which maintains precise performance like a supercharger does generator control and protection while for an engine. The screw compressor drastically simplifying the usage for the allows variable speed operation with the operator, who only has to press three efficiency benefit of vapour injection over buttons on the unit to provide power to Success in France for ESTEL a wide operating range. the aircraft. In periods of extremely low This operational simplicity carries over A350. Airbus’ 400 Hz specialists have refrigeration system load, the to the rest of the unit, in the form of confirmed that ESTEL’s converters fully compressor’s infinitely-variable load an ultra low part count which results in comply with the airframe manufacturer’s control device is used to completely previously unheard-of maintenance costs technical requirements and European match the compressor’s performance and TCO levels. Contributing to that is standards, namely EN 60204-1, ABD100 to the cooling load and make the most the unit’s durable, galvanised frame and 1.8.1 and ISO 6858. effective use of power possible. No fibreglass and powder-coated aluminium At the beginning of the year ESTEL other compressor technology provides panels which help to prolong life. designed and developed a 180 kVA this level of control and efficiency, which Many features that were previously converter in accordance with Airbus’ comes as a standard feature in all of optional are now designed into the technical requirements; currently the TLD’s direct drive air conditioning units. standard configuration: these include 180 kVA converter is being tested in Direct drive technology uses cable tray rollers, forklift pockets, tie Toulouse within an A350 compatibility mechanical components to transmit down rings, cable plug holders most test campaign. engine power to the air conditioner recently, low fuel shutdown protection. During the middle of 2014 ESTEL components, eliminating the 15-20% In addition, a new option has been supplied GPUs to Rome’s main airport, inherent power loss associated with developed to solve the expensive Bari airport, Pau airport, Lodz and electrical power conversion found problem of GPU cables getting Almaty airports. ESTEL was also chosen in diesel-electric systems. A single, inadvertently pulled out of aircraft as the preferred GPU supplier for industrial strength compressor designed receptacles. Before power can be Samara airport in Russia. for harsh environments where GSE is delivered to the aircraft, the system Lately ESTEL has extended its chain utilised, results in a simpler, more robust demands that the towbar be in the of service centres in France, Italy and machine with easier operation and “up” position, holding the brake Russia: it can now field service engineers reduced maintenance costs. on. After servicing, the system forces able to get to the customer in 24 hours, In addition to the Tier IV F/ Stage 4 the operator to stow the cable plugs seven days a week. Finally, spare parts emissions engine, the unit remains in their holders before the towbar can and critical components for all ESTEL environmentally-friendly, thanks to be lowered and brakes removed. It equipment are in stock and available in the use of R-134a refrigerant, which is options such as these that provide Estonia, France, Italy, Finland and Russia. is used exclusively by TLD because of equipment owners with solutions that its efficiency and operation at lower truly affect their bottom line. New developments in a busy year condenser pressures, which is essential Ultimately, TLD says that it is focused at higher ambient conditions. on quality at all levels, including design, Speaking for Powervamp, Sales The ACU-802S is the culmination of assembly and testing. By building quality Manager Stuart Harrison declares that over 50 years of proven refrigeration into its products and with a basis in 2014 was an excellent year for the design experience, combined with design simplicity and an ultra-low part company. innovations focused on energy count, the result is an extremely reliable “We saw a substantial increase in savings. TLD’s direct drive technology, machine that has the easiest operation orders from both airport and MRO smart advanced control system and and friendliest levels of maintenance, customers. London City airport now use of the cleanest engines available along with the lowest total cost of uses only our specially modified PV90-3 combine to provide an economical, ownership. converters, and we are now the default efficient, and environmentally-friendly provider to Birmingham. We are choice for today’s aircraft cooling and Airbus benefits from Estonian currently in talks with other UK airports heating requirements. technology and hope to be installing units on their aprons later this year.” Ground power units On to TET ESTEL, which is based in Pictured here is the company’s Estonia. Its Aviation Department Senior Sidewinder cable carrier: this product A few years ago, TLD released its fourth Sales Manager, Enver Khalilov, reports was actually developed in 2014 and is generation GPU in a more compact that the electric testing of its FCA design that allowed for easier handling 90 kVA converter has been successfully on today’s congested tarmac, yet which carried out in France. This testing has maintained its full-size performance that been conducted in the presence of airlines have grown accustomed to for experts from Aéroports de Paris and over 25 years. Now, all TLD GPUs are TDA Lefebure. offered with a Tier IV F/Com4 emissions More recently, ESTEL completed the engine, including the latest version in a delivery of some its 400 Hz ground 90 kVA rating. power units to Airbus. The supplied All units run at an optimised 1,846 rpm, equipment is successfully operating which provides better fuel consumption in the technological production cycle and ensures rapid transient response and that involves both the A320 and the Novel Sidewinder in action APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL GPU ACU AND ASU 57

“One customer of note has been that of Regional Express in Australia. Regional Express contacted Red Box about finding a solution to support its fleet of Q400 Dash 8 aircraft on the ramp. Because of the location of the aircraft, electrical power wasn't always available, and as such, an independent Both aircraft and helicopters in Powervamp portfolio Record year for Red Box International power source was required. This highlighted the suitability of the Red currently undergoing successful trials at and size of this unit is unrivalled, he Box HybRED 170/6: this unit, with the Heathrow. claims, making this GPU an obvious engine running, can provide up to 170 Powervamp’s PV-45 45 kVA GPU choice for business jet owners and amps continuously at 28VDC. This also continues to sell well, adds Stuart, operators worldwide. allowed the aircraft to perform all the with the helicopter market especially In addition to the HybRED product required pre-flight checks in confidence interested. “All of the traditional names release, Red Box International has seen before take-off. in the North Sea helicopter market now continued growth in its existing product “Red Box International offers one of use the PV-45 at their bases, both here lines, with the range of lithium start the most comprehensive product ranges in the UK and abroad.” units becoming increasingly popular. in the DC ground power market and “I can add that we saw an increase as a result, this has seen our customer Thinking outside the box? in sales into the Asia Pacific region, base expand significantly over recent notably to China. We’ve never had a years. Combine this with Red Box’s Red Box International‘s Ashley Marshall sizeable presence in China. However, engineering ability and it allows us to also says that the company enjoyed a since the relaxation of the ban on the offer tailor-made solutions to meet record year in 2014. Part of this success usage of low altitude airspace and the customer demand. was due to the release of the Red Box appointment of a hardworking, country- “Looking forward to 2015, Red hybrid GPUs, the so-called HybREDs, based distributor, Red Box's presence in Box has some exciting developments, which combine a petrol engine with a China has grown substantially and it is including the release of several new bank of batteries to offer a very effective now a recognised brand in the general products, details of which will be 28VDC combination unit. The weight aviation industry in China. announced in due course.”

The Standard

p o w e r

400 Hz Ground Power Units - Air Conditioning Units - Air Start Units, Static and Mobile, Civil and Military The Standard www.guinault-lebrun.eu [email protected] 58 COOLCHAIN UPDATE GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

enhancing their competitiveness in the international market,” commented a spokesperson from the Department of Industries & Commerce, Karnataka.

The need for adequate infrastructure Speaking on the occasion, Willy Ko, CEO, AISATS said: “Many of us in the air freight industry have been speaking out on the need to have adequate infrastructure to support the ambitious plan by the Government to promote An artist’s impression of the new perishable cargo facility to be run by AISATS and grow the air cargo industry in India. It is indisputable that India will have tremendous growth potential in its air cargo sector, especially with the Made In India initiative launched by Cool operator the Government. However, adequate infrastructure, while important, is not Perishable cargo facilities are making strides in India, enough. The infrastructure needs to if a recent project is anything to go by. be planned and designed to suit the operations to achieve the objectives. This ir India SATS Airport Services is expected to create more jobs for means going beyond merely providing (AISATS) held a ground-breaking the local community in the process. a piece of land for air cargo within the ceremony for Bengaluru’s AISATS also aims to develop a training airport building plans. Such air cargo first fully dedicated perishable cargo facility for vocational courses to handle facilities need to be properly planned, handling centre, the AISATS Coolport, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and designed and situated to facilitate and at Kempegowda International airport perishable products as per specific encourage growth, especially for hub on March 3. The event was inaugurated requirements for its employees. operations. Experienced and professional by Kaushik Mukherjee, Honorable Chief AISATS’ Bengaluru Airfreight Terminal operators should be selected to run the Secretary, Government of Karnataka, has also received its Good Distribution facilities. BIAL, with the strong support and was in line with the vision of Practices certification for handling of the Karnataka Government, did just enhancing the State of Karnataka as pharmaceutical products. With GDP that. The AISATS Air Freight Terminal the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and certification and the AISATS Coolport, and the upcoming AISATS Coolport are Perishable hub of India. AISATS is again demonstrating its well planned, designed and located to A noteworthy distinction of this commitment not only towards providing further enhance its capability to handle facility is the provision of 135 kVA world class and best in class industry- the expected increase in air cargo power supply for its operations, which recognised quality standards in every throughput, especially perishables and is achieved through the expedient of aspect of its facilities and services, pharmaceutical products. We are very solar energy: this represents a first for but also in playing its part in the happy and honoured that AISATS is an air freight terminal in India. Once environment. AISATS’ customers can be selected to partner the Government of completed, this exclusive 40,000 tonne assured of strict compliance by AISATS Karnataka to fulfill its vision of turning AISATS Coolport facility will cater to with the GDP requirements set out by Kempegowda airport into a preferred a wide range of commodities such the World Health Organisation for the air cargo hub in South India. We are as pharmaceutical products, fruits, handling of pharmaceutical products. confident and determined that we will vegetables and flowers. The facility “The proposed Perishable Handling make a difference.” will be equipped with a drug controller Centre facility is being established "The region, with its established lab testing facility, a separate ripening under ASIDE (Assistance to States presence in the global logistics network, zone, landside truck docks, warehousing for Infrastructure Development for has the potential to create the necessary and re-distribution centres as well Exports & Allied Activities) scheme fillip towards the development of air as cold room facilities with different of the Government of India. Since cargo in India. As an airport that is temperature zones and a testing facility the inception, Karnataka has been strategically positioned in the heart of as per Plant Quarantine requirements recognised as the Best Performing State South India, we have the opportunity for EU and US-bound shipments. In in the implementation of ASIDE scheme to take advantage of this momentum addition, the state-of-the-art building and 120 projects have been taken up and be the single gateway for cargo will also have humidity control and under the ASIDE scheme in our State. traffic and shippers aspiring to reach this temperature monitoring facilities. The Government of Karnataka, having fast-growing region. Today, the ground realised the importance of having a well- breaking ceremony of the Perishable Increase in perishables cargo developed infrastructure for exporters Cargo Handling Centre at AISATS is a of perishable commodities from the validation that our partners are in sync In recent years there has been a State, has agreed to support AISATS in with our commitment and continue substantial increase in perishable cargo establishing a Perishable Handling Centre. to explore new ways for seamless handling volumes. Since 2010, AISATS The facility would serve as a catalyst, cargo operations. We firmly believe Bengaluru has witnessed a year-on-year providing impetus for international trade new logistics that redefine the cargo increase in compound annual growth and will help the exporters from the State business will propel us closer to our rate of 37.9%. This maiden project in reducing their transaction costs while vision of being the Cargo Gateway to APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL COOLCHAIN UPDATE 59

South India,” added G V Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director, BIAL. The New Industrial Policy 2014-19, which was announced recently, comes with an attractive package of incentives and concessions to encourage the manufacturing sectors and to boost the agricultural sector through value addition. The policy envisages building a prosperous Karnataka through inclusive, sustainable and balanced industrial development, thereby creating large scale employment opportunities and providing a conducive environment to enhance the ease of doing business in (L-r) P Mahenthiran, Senior Vice President, Bengaluru & Mangaluru - AISATS; Gaurav Gupta, the State. The policy definitely assists Commissioner (Industrial Development) & Director Industries & Commerce Department the agricultural sector towards value Government Of Karnataka; Willy Ko, CEO, AISATS; Kaushik Mukherjee, Honourable Chief Secretary, addition and helps it to tap the huge Government of Karnataka; K Ratna Prabha, Additional Chief Secretary Commerce & Industries potential available globally. Development, Government of Karnataka; Sandeep Prakash, Commissioner Customs, Bengaluru; The key objectives of the policy aim at Ronald Yeo, Senior VP, Cargo Services SATS and K S Shivaswamy, MD, VTPC at the AISATS ground sustaining an industrial growth rate of breaking ceremony for Bengaluru’s first fully dedicated perishable cargo handling centre over 12% per annum while enhancing the contribution of the manufacturing favourable regulatory environment, handling of perishable products, sector to the State GDP: this, it is attracting more investment in including both the agricultural and hoped, will rise from the current level pharmaceutical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, by creating of 16.87% to 20% by the end of the related sectors in the state. sufficient storage capacity, minimising policy period. The forthcoming AISATS Coolport wastage and creating operational cost The Pharmaceutical Policy 2012 facility will provide the required efficiencies through innovative solutions announced by the Karnataka State infrastructure to boost the movement using modern and environmentally- Government is expected to create a of goods whilst enhancing the efficient friendly equipment.

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> www.hitzinger.at 1st LATAM Ground Handling International Conference 22-24 September 2015, Hyatt Regency, Miami

Building on over 20 years of international conference experience in the aviation industry, this new event will specifically target the LATAM region But what makes a GHI event special is the personally organised One-to-One and address regional issues that the growing ground handling industry meetings that we will organise for you - a service that is all part of your faces. High level presentations and a discussion panel covering relevant delegate fee. We will arrange and confirm your meetings in co-ordination global events are also lined up for this event. with you and your schedule and provide individual meeting rooms for your meetings. This is what makes a GHI event stand out from the crowd. At the We already have support and commitment from some of the region’s leading recent annual GHI conference over 2,500 One-to-One meetings were ground handling companies, airlines and service providers and it is essential individually arranged for the delegates. that the content of this first conference addresses the needs of this growing market sector.

TOPICS INCLUDE...

E The challenges working with the privatised airport E Safety on the ramp – understanding human factors sector - cost vs. facilities and existing infrastructure E Ground handling services – one size doesn’t fit all constraints airlines E Labour availability and cost: is it possible to deliver a E Cargo handling – improving the handling flow quality service to airlines despite continually E Regulating the ramp – how will the new regulations disrupted service schedules? affect your business? E The need to understand and negotiate the right SLAs E A financial overview of what the region offers now every time and in the future

The conference will be staged at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Miami that offers fantastic guest rooms and conference facilities. eW have negotiated a special room rate for our delegates, so make sure you book soon to take advantage of these special deals.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of this ground-breaking conference and take advantage of the 12% Early Bird discount on offer now! Stand out and be noticed! sponsor

There is a select number of sponsorship opportunities and exhibit stands to ensure that your company has the highest possible profile throughout the event. Please contact [email protected] for a list of available options.

Ground Handling International conferences mean business! We look forward to seeing you in Miami. For more information please contact: Tel: +44 1892 839207 e-mail: [email protected] www.groundhandling.com/LATAM APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL CONTRACT NEWS 61

Emirates and Aviance Ghana have services licence in Saudi Arabia, has cargo, ramp and passenger handling concluded a three year contract renewal begun providing its services in Medina services in the country's major airports. that will allow the African handler to as part of ’ Umrah ATA Italia currently operates from five properly invest in staff training, safety and operations included in its service locations, namely Milan Malpensa, Rome new equipment. network. Havas will render ground Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Venezia and handling services for approximately 200 Catania, and serves some 50 international National Aviation Services has reached charter flights that Pegasus will launch carriers, including Air France-KLM, British a new milestone in its expansion with to Medina for the Umrah operations. Airways, Delta Air Lines, easyJet, Emirates, its first contract award in West Africa. Iberia and US Airways. With the new contract, NAS has now TCR continues to nuture the growth of The agreement was signed by WFS’ expanded its operational network to GSE renting. In the wake of its massive President and Chief Executive, Olivier 16 stations in nine countries. Under the expansion into 15 airports across Norway Bijaoui and the President of ATA Italia, ten year contract and on an exclusivity in 2014, TCR has recently started renting Mario Sisto. basis, NAS will provide ground handling GSE at three Swedish airports, namely In addition to passenger and baggage services at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Arlanda, Gothenburg and Malmo. The deal handling and ramp services, WFS International airport in Abidjan as part embraces over 1,200 pieces of equipment also provides station supervision and of a public private partnership with the in all, and includes 25 staff along with administration, aircraft servicing and Government of Côte d’Ivoire. NAS was three workshops: operations started up on cleaning, surface transport for passengers awarded the contract based on its proven February 1. By adding these three stations and crew, flight operations and crew track record and the solutions proposed to its network, TCR’s presence now exceeds assistance and load control, along with to turn the airport back to a regional hub 70 airports, in which it manages a total of ULD control and management. as it was in the past. The ground handling over 20,000 pieces of GSE. contract includes passenger services, In March, Groundforce signed up ramp handling, cargo management and Worldwide Flight Services recently Etihad Airways Madrid for full handling. warehousing, as well as other related signed a co-operative agreement with Also in March, the handler contracted airport services. ATA Italia to provide jointly the latter’s total with Lufthansa for its operation in Seville. ground handling solutions for airlines in Finally, commencing April 24, Groundforce Havas Saudi Arabia, the first Turkish Italy. The agreement will enable the two will supply full handling to Chalair Aviation company with a ground handling companies to market their respective at all Groundforce stations. 62 RAMP SAFETY BRIEFING GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015 Chinese Whispers María Díaz León, Safety Officer at Groundforce, wants to see an increase in reporting which, she believes, will lead to a much safer workplace.

hinese Whispers is a children’s standards. game that is played around After analysing the results obtained, the world. Players have fun I would say we are on the right track listening to a message which gradually towards achieving those goals. The becomes distorted when it is whispered effects on the Madrid station have been through a line of people, until the last really positive, so in 2015 these courses receiver transmits the final message. have been included in the training This final statement usually differs programme for all Groundforce stations. significantly from the first one, Consequently, we are now seeing of participation in the surveys reached as a result of a number of things, a notable increase in the number of 75%. Besides the information provided including misunderstanding during the occurrence reports registered in our with regard to the level of safety communication, a lack of concentration database. We have doubled, even in every station, the remarks from or the complexity of the message itself. tripled the entries in some months, the surveys have provided us with But is this just a children’s game? and the typology of notifications is plenty of ideas for promoting safety Definitely not. changing as well. Our staff are not only and improving communication. For It is real life. We witness examples of focused on communicating incidents example, one of the proposals is to ineffective communication in everyday with serious consequences, such as produce a dynamic Power Point version life, as well as in the ground handling personnel injuries or material damage, of safety bulletins to be shown on the industry. We work hard to update for instance, but they are also paying screens in the ramp rest areas. Maybe processes and procedures according to attention to every deviation from it is time to replace the typical bulletins, national regulations. We incorporate the operational procedures that they making the message easier… internationally best-recommended observe during the turnaround. It is necessary to keep concentrating practices (for example the ISAGO Of course, this wide assortment our efforts on training and safety Standards Manual or IGOM) and we of reports is a valuable source of promotion, which are the keys to look to improve both quality and safety information. The notifications are the ensuring that the communication standards. So, then, does all this mean beginning of incident investigations and channel works. By introducing new that ground operations are safer? Well, safety event studies that will contribute ideas and methodologies in training personally, I guess it depends on how to the improvement of ground and safety promotion, we are able to all this information is communicated to operations performance. Additionally, catch the attention of the personnel. the personnel. they are an essential tool to develop and Ultimately, the more we simplify the Consider the chain for a moment: encourage the risk management system, message, the easier it is to understand - Station Manager, Safety Manager, identifying safety issues and risk areas and therefore implement. Operations Manager, Ramp Manager, before an incident occurs. Duty Officers, Red Caps, Ramp Leaders, We have noticed a significant Extra baggage spotted before Supervisors… and finally, the Ramp improvement related to the take-off procedures Agents. Successfully transmitting implementation of safety procedures information through the hierarchical and SMS effectiveness. But the main During the walkaround inspection, a pyramid is not an easy task. At some questions are these: what do the clipboard was found wedged between point, the chain will fail, just as it personnel think about it? Do they feel the rear bulkhead and the nosewheel does in Chinese Whispers. Insisting on safe on the ramp? Do they consider landing gear shock strut trunnion training and safety promotion is the that reporting is useful? What do they of an aircraft awaiting departure. only way to ensure that changes and think about the analysis of the data Photographs were subsequently taken updates of procedures are transmitted that they notify? Is safety training and kept on file before the clipboard and, most importantly, are understood helpful? And what about safety was removed and the area inspected; and implemented. promotion (bulletins, briefings and the no damage was found. It transpired In 2014, three new courses were like)? Is it enough? Let’s ask them. that the clipboard in question belonged added to the training programme for At the end of every season we look to a supervisor assisting with the the Ramp Area and the Turnaround forward to the results of our customer pushback of the flight. He had put it Co-ordination Area at Groundforce’s surveys. We want to know the level there whilst assisting in hooking up the Madrid station: these were Reporting of customer satisfaction that we towbar, had then become distracted Culture, Co-ordination of Airside have obtained. This time, we are also and consequently failed to remove it Activities, and Planning and Decision going to receive information on the prior to inspection. Making. They were introduced in order satisfaction of our personnel regarding to improve the working environment in safety. The staff can complete the Packed intact? the airside area, to promote teamwork surveys voluntarily during or after the and to enhance both quality and safety training, so they can freely express In this instance a damaged ULD, requirements. The collaboration and their opinions and give feedback which contained a dangerous goods comprehension between the areas is anonymously. shipment, was loaded on to an aircraft vital to ensure an on-time operation, This initiative was launched in in error. As part of the EASA-ops audit while taking into account all safety January. In the first quarter, the level on the flight, the ULD was identified APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL RAMP SAFETY BRIEFING 63

as being damaged and containing co-ordinator, handlers offloaded the followed. We’re back to Reason’s the said goods. However, strange to mail from an overloaded flight in Swiss Cheese model here, for once relate, the auditor failed to take any order to make space for passenger those holes start to line up, so events action or prevent the defective ULD bags. After the doors had closed, begin to unfold. This was highlighted from travelling, despite his knowledge the co-ordinator provided the local quite recently when a passenger was of the contravention. Furthermore, the load control department with the incorrectly boarded. damage was also missed during the final loading details, which included The traveller was, in fact, a PRM loading process. The auditor did not a total of three jump seat passengers. and was taking an afternoon flight. speak to the crew leader nor request However, when clearing the flight, PRM assistance was deployed and the the ULD’s removal from the flight. the local load controller omitted to passenger was duly taken to the correct After the event, the loading line include the information regarding the gate. However, the lady in question manager checked with the crew leader jump seat passengers. Upon arrival at was then transferred by shuttle to an to ensure familiarity with the fit-to-fly the office, the co-ordinator noticed incorrect flight, which was also on a process. Curiously enough, post-build the missing information and called remote stand. Unfortunately, the cabin up photographs revealed no obvious the CLC. Once the trio of jump seat crew did not check the passenger’s damage on the ULD in question and passengers were added to the flight boarding pass when she was delivered indeed, the fit-to-fly counter signatory (which was already airborne), the flight and the passenger was subsequently confirmed that the ULD was passed was found to be overloaded by 43 seated on the flight. The flight also before having the freight added to it. kilogrammes. took off without any headcount The causes of the ULD damage were Clearly, the CLC should have been performed, taking the passenger to an not ascertained. made aware of the changes to the load incorrect destination. by the ground staff. Given that there are several checks On board weight gain to perform before any passenger is unwelcome Mystery tour for a PRM boarded, it is vital that procedures are followed. The PRM slipped through Weight and balance, as every handler Despite the high tech age in which we the net by virtue of the fact that she knows, can be a critical factor when live, it is still possible for the systems in was not boarded with the main body turning an aircraft. After several place to let us down. More precisely, of passengers. All the more reason, (unsuccessful) attempts to speak with a the said systems will only function perhaps, that those boarding separately ground services provider or turnaround properly if the correct protocols are are thoroughly checked on the way. 64 RAMP SAFETY BRIEFING GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

When words simply aren’t investigation report into the beltloader operation could be executed. Two of the enough on the ramp fire involving a B767 operated by containers held aircraft wheels that were Royal Air Maroc at Montréal-Pierre supposed to have been secured yet, on Some while back we carried a feature Elliott Trudeau International airport, examination, were loose, and which had in this magazine on the importance of in November 2013. The fire led to moved around within their respective communication in the aviation business, in smoke in the cabin and the subsequent containers, causing light damage. particular the use of English at a proficient evacuation of passengers. Moreover, the trolley that was level. Our next incident, which occurred The Royal Air Maroc B767, carrying supporting the single wheel did not fit in a US station, highlights the relevance of 243 passengers and eight crew its container properly and the wheels this facet of the ramp operation. members, parked at gate 61 after of that trolley had rolled out of the In this instance the aircraft was landing. During deplaning at 16.45, a container en route, and had become over-fuelled by 6,400 kilogrammes. fire broke out under a beltloader that wedged, which hampered the efforts The requested fuel level was that was positioned under the left rear cargo of operatives when they tried to of 54,000 kilogrammes, but this door. The smell of smoke created by the manoeuvre the container itself. In fact, was misunderstood by the refueller, fire penetrated the cabin, prompting one of the crew stated in his report that who proceeded to upload 64,000 the captain to order the evacuation of he came close to damaging the hold kilogrammes. Luckily, an engineer the aircraft. Some passengers evacuated floor in performing these activities, and realised that the aircraft was being the aircraft through the jetway while that he had almost broken one of the over-fuelled and managed to stop others used the evacuation slides. wheels off this trolley whilst unloading. the refuelling procedure at 60,400 Subsequently, seven passengers suffered Clearly, a lot of extra effort and care kilogrammes. There ensued a delay of minor injuries. The airport firefighting was necessitated in this offload, effort ten minutes while a new loadsheet had service arrived on site at 16.49 and that need not have been expended had to be obtained. There was a further brought the fire under control; the handlers at the departure airport delay to the take-off while the crew fortunately, the aircraft itself sustained done their job properly in the first place. awaited the final figures because of the no damage. late loadsheet change. The investigation found that a Miles more from Miles It was subsequently noted in the connector in the fuel system on the report that communication (including beltloader had become disconnected UK-based Miles Aviation Consulting language problems) between the various while the engine was running. has announced that it has recently parties had been an ongoing issue since Consequently, fuel had sprayed on introduced some new ground operations the handling operation at the station to the hot surface of the exhaust and training courses to its portfolio. Courses had been outsourced. caused a fire. for front line staff now include aircraft In the weeks following the loading supervision; aircraft turnaround Ambulift gets into a scrape occurrence, all of the service provider’s co-ordination; basic ground and ramp beltloaders at airports across Canada operations as well as basic load control - In this episode, the port winglet of an had the connectors in their fuel systems aircraft weight & balance. Embraer 175 came into contact with an inspected. Additionally, emergency Switching to the management side, ambulift vehicle. switches were fitted to beltloaders that Miles Aviation now offers airport & Whilst reversing away from the L2 did not already have such devices. The station management and a course door, the nearside upper section of the handler also shared its observations with on cost-efficient ground operations, body touched the aircraft’s winglet. other service providers concerning the together with a ground and ramp Only slight contact was made between risks associated with the vulnerability of operation course for managers. the vehicle and the aircraft but it was the fuel system for this engine model on sufficient to remove the paint from both ground handling equipment. Aéroports De-icer failure a mystery points of contact. As it happened, the de Montréal has since incorporated banksman was actually positioned on service providers (such as ground To conclude our safety pages, we the offside of the vehicle as the reversing handlers) with their safety management publish here the findings of an enquiry manoeuvre commenced, and so he did system, and its firefighting service now that was carried out following a de- not see the impact until he moved to a offers training to employees working on icer incident at GDN Airport Services more central position. By this time the the apron. in 2013. Although nothing concrete vehicle had travelled a couple of metres has been established following the whilst touching with the winglet. Wheels within wheels investigation into the failure of the rig, Fortunately, no remedial repairs were it nonetheless may serve as a reminder required and there were no passengers The correct securing and loading of to those involved in de-icing that checks inconvenienced. Once again, an ULDs is of paramount importance if a and maintenance are critical with this example of what can happen when the cargo is to arrive safely at its destination. type of GSE. right person isn’t quite in the right place What can go wrong when these actions On the day of the failure the at the right time. are glossed over is exemplified in the conditions were snowy and there was a following case, which occurred recently light prevailing wind. The de-icer proper Beltloader fire findings made in the UK. was manufactured by Haenlein and was public at last The instance involved the arrival an EISBAR II version. The boom itself had of an A380, which had four cargo been supplied by Ruthman and was a Whilst we don’t tend to report names containers on board. On opening type K-125, which had been constructed and places in these pages, nonetheless it the hold it became obvious that one in 1988. In the incident, the boom itself is perhaps pertinent to recall an incident container required re-packing before unaccountably sagged, just ahead of in Canada from a couple of years back. it could be offloaded: that took five the lower hydraulic assembly, as can be In early February the Transportation people in all to effect, and another seen from the attached images. The de- Safety Board of Canada released its container had to be secured before this icer boom was subsequently laboratory APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL RAMP SAFETY BRIEFING 65

Collapsed boom remains a mystery...... but fortunately there were no casualties in this alarming incident

tested but no corrosion or fatigue was operator suffered no injury detected. Likewise, the mechanisms In conclusion, the National Technical Got an incident or a were laboratory checked yet no Supervision Board stated that the root safety-related story to share malfunctions were discovered. It was cause was not ascertainable. As far as is with the industry? Simply further established that there had been known, only 20 units of this type were no human error in the unit’s operation, sold worldwide: if any reader is aware of write to the Editor: nor indeed any procedural errors in the one in use, it would be advisable to have [email protected] activity of the de-icer. Fortunately, the additional tests carried out. Your job made simple.

MIDAS is a telemetry system that allows anyone with approved access to view live data on any of their deicing trucks with any Internet-connected device. This advanced telemetry system can be purchased on new vehicles or retrofitted on any manufacturers’ equipment. 540 East 56 Highway • Olathe, KS 66062 globalgroundsupport.com • 913.780.0300 MIDAS monitors performance, location, surface areas, aircraft ID’s, operators and more. 4th Ground Damage Stakeholders’ Meeting 29-30 June 2015, London Heathrow

Day One: 29th June 2015 Day Two: 30th June 2015

0730 - 0930 Registration & breakfast in Sheraton Skyline 0800 - 0930 Breakfast in Sheraton Skyline Hotel Hotel, London Heathrow 0930 - 0940 Chairman’s introduction to Day Two 0930 - 0945 Chairman’s welcome 0940 - 1000 IGOM: is it delivering the goods? 0945 - 1045 Conference presentations and Q&A 1000 - 1115 Open debate and discussion based on the      ramp turnaround film and demonstrations                      1115 - 1140 Coffee break & networking 1045 - 1130 Coffee break & networking 1140 - 1230 Open debate and discussion based on the 1130 - 1300 Conference presentations, open debate ramp turnaround film and demonstrations - conclusions and Q&A 1230 - 1245 Morning wrap-up                   1245 - 1400 Lunch & networking 1300 - 1400 Lunch & networking 1400 - 1530 Concluding presentations and open debate 1400 - 1430 Bus transfer to airside, London Heathrow 1600 Close of the event. Bus transfer to LHR Terminals Airport and Sheraton Skyline Hotel 1430 - 1730 Live turnaround filming and safety demonstrations on the ramp 1730 - 1745 Bus transfer to Sheraton Skyline Hotel 1745 - 1930 At delegates’ leisure 1930 - 2200 Delegate Gala Dinner Turnaround time Are you up to speed?

Is this vehicle safely parked and secure?

Is this tractor and cart in the correct place?

Should these chocks be here?

Am I standing far enough away that I don’t need hearing protection?

At this year’s Ground Damage Stakeholders’ Meeting we will be putting delegates’ Airport sponsor ramp knowledge to the test.

A turnaround operation will be recorded on film with a view to replaying the sequence of events to the audience.

Will you be able to spot the errors and mistakes? Was there anything that you would have done differently?

You will need to have your wits about you if you are to achieve that On Time Performance statistic...

Sponsors

For more information please contact: Tel: +44 1892 839201 e-mail: [email protected] www.groundhandling.com/grounddamage 68 RAMP EQUIPMENT NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

Denge PRM vehicle employs New tractor offers engine High loader acquisition by On Air Italian technology choices to customer Dining operation Oerlikon Drive Systems, with its brand In February, TLD launched its new cargo On Air Dining, the elite culinary service that Oerlikon Graziano, now features its tractor, the JCT-40/60. The JCT is designed provides a fine dining experience in the PST transmission on an award-winning for baggage handling tasks as well as air, is enhancing its offering to clients with airport transfer vehicle. the towing of heavy cargo. Thanks to its the introduction of a high loader catering This latest application highlights the high drawbar pull (up to 4500 daN) it vehicle, designed to easily and efficiently versatility and robustness of the PST can also be used to push small/medium deliver food directly into the galleys of wide transmission, which has previously been aircraft. The JCT is a tractor developed to bodied VIP aircraft. On Air Dining took widely used in the forklift truck market. convey cargo safely over long distances at delivery of the 7.5 tonne, temperature- “The flexibility and durability of a maximum speed of 30 kilometres per controlled IVECO halfcab high loader at the PST transmission unit, plus its hour, and in conditions of outstanding the end of February. The business also availability off-the-shelf, makes it a comfort for the operator. It comes has options for a further two vehicles on reliable and cost-effective choice for complete with adjustable, suspended seats a leased basis from the beginning of the specialist airport ground equipment for the driver/co-driver, as well as a fully summer. such as tow tractors, baggage tractors, instrumented control panel. “We are increasingly serving larger beltloaders, passenger steps and The JCT series will offer two engine business jets and are building up our lavatory vehicles,” declares Paolo versions: 56 and 75 kW. Each of these is facilities and chef resources in readiness Ramadori, Chairman and CEO of designed to meet two emission standards, to offer a planned round-the-clock service Oerlikon Graziano. “Being an industrial namely Tier III and Tier IV F. later in the spring. This high loader will design, it provides a higher working be extremely valuable in this regard. The performance, greater reliability and Go lightly! new equipment will enable the On Air a longer service life than alternative Dining team to deliver food to these jets automotive transmissions.” Over the past decade there has been efficiently, whilst reducing the amount of The PST transmission features on a steep decline in air cargo volumes external handling. Importantly, we will be in the Dengelift SD5804, a self-propelled worldwide, largely through the rapid control of the food, from order acceptance disabled passenger transfer vehicle rise in fuel costs, which has affected air to delivery. This will help us ensure the manufactured by Denge Airport cargo carriers much more dramatically dishes arrive on board at their freshest, Equipment, that won an innovation than other, more fuel-efficient modes of with minimal handling,” explained Daniel award in the category interRAMP at the transport. Containerised air cargo declined Hulme, CEO of On Air Dining. last InterAirport Europe. The SD5804 from 3.1% in 2000 to 1.7% in 2013, In addition to supporting the growing is capable of lifting a payload of 1,000 according to research by The International wide-body aircraft sector, On Air Dining kilogrammes to a height of 5.8 metres Air Transport Association. is beginning to serve the inflight catering when stationary and has a maximum Jim Hardisty, Managing Director of needs of VIP commercial airliner and ad speed of 30 kilometres per hour. Goplasticpallets.com, commented on the hoc charters that are typically served by Oerlikon Graziano PST transmission statistics. “Exporters transporting large B767 to B737 aircraft. The new equipment is available in two configurations with volumes of goods by air need to look will bolster this offering at Stansted and different ratings: the Dengelift makes for new ways to take costs out of the serve to further improve the offering to this use of the PST2 derivative. This twin supply chain. Pallets are indispensable expanding part of the business. forward/reverse speed unit suits forklift for shipping goods by road, sea and air, trucks with up to an 8 tonne capacity yet few export companies are aware of Specialist equipment available and ground support equipment with the sheer variety of pallets suitable for from the Antipodes anything up to a 60,000 Newton export on the market and how using drawbar pull. certain types and models can achieve Based in New Zealand, Fieldair In contrast, a single speed, forward/ considerable cost efficiencies. Engineering is constantly designing and reverse PST1 is supplied for forklift “Our ultra-low weight, high performance building a wide range of innovative trucks of up to 4 tonnes capacity EXA 1210 export pallet is a prime example. GSE, which is normally aimed at the and ground equipment with up to It offers the strength of a full perimeter pallet aviation sector. Recently, however, the 25,000 Newton drawbar pull. Both but weighs just 7.3 kilogrammes, helping company responded to a call for tanker transmissions are suitable for engine keep airfreight costs to a minimum. access stairs in order to assist one of New speeds of 2,800rpm and ground speeds “Its lightweight design has made it Zealand’s dairy companies meet its Health up to 25 kilometres per hour, and can a favourite with Japanese drinks and and Safety requirements. be supplied with an optional power chemicals importers; in fact our EXA In this particular application, the upper take off, delivering 50bhp at 2,200rpm 1210 export pallet is used for all the section slots and pins into place, allowing through a choice of standard output Beaujolais Nouveau, which is shipped the operator to cantilever out sideways flanges, including both DIN and SAE. from France to Japan by air.” from the main stairs; that said, in most “Thanks to the wide product cases the main stair is used on its own. A configuration and reliability record,” full set of conformable, removable guard Paolo Ramadori continues, “we rails is supplied with the unit. constantly have new applications such The company’s Alan Peacock reports as trenchers, cranes and railway service that 2014 was a busy year for the equipment. Because we work closely manufacturer, which saw it supply with customers, from the earliest some innovative equipment throughout concept stage of their design process, Australia, the South Pacific and New we can help them to reach an optimal Zealand. We will be featuring the overall design, while using a cost- company’s innovative work in a future effective and well proven product.” issue of this magazine. APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL RAMP EQUIPMENT NEWS 69

WFS relies on Rushlift Ground support and materials handling equipment provider Rushlift has supplied a new fl eet of equipment for Worldwide Flight Services at . Over £2.8m worth of equipment was needed in less than two months, and involved over 110 units of varied specialist ground support equipment that would typically take at least three times that long to source. Rushlift’s Brian Grady says that the ability to respond quickly was a key component of the deal. “Ground support means having the right equipment at the right location and to be able to respond to the demands of an industry that has severe penalties for delays,” he explains. “From our fi rst conversation to the fi rst delivery took just eight weeks. In that time we dealt with over a dozen different suppliers to get their best possible production times and ensure the equipment was delivered on time.” WFS is already familiar with the Rushlift approach, having relied on the MHE side of the business to provide support at its Heathrow operation. “The attraction of going with Rushlift GSE,” adds WFS’s Gary Jenkins, “was their understanding of our business aims. From our perspective, we needed equipment fast, but we also needed it to be capable and reliable. Our experience with them to date had given us an insight into their business ethos and we were delighted with the way they rose to the challenge.” The skills of Rushlift’s sister company, Specialist Crane Hire, were also brought to bear, with the delivery of a Trepel wide body pallet and container high loader. The loader made the long journey from Wiesbaden, near Frankfurt, to Manchester, where it was off-loaded using the latest mobile crane equipment. “As a full service rental, maintenance and asset management business, we maintain and manage a wide variety of equipment,” affi rmed Rushlift’s Executive Chairman, Peter Cosgrove. “Our GSE operation follows similar business rhythms as our existing businesses, meaning we bring a wealth of experience and expertise to a sector that has yearned for modernisation. By responding quickly and professionally, we gave WFS the confi dence they needed to move forward with their ambitious plans.” “Whatever the equipment, whatever the circumstances, our priorities remain the same,” adds Brian Grady, “a safe and timely aircraft departure. “With thousands of individual items, hundreds of equipment types and dozens of manufacturers in their product 70 RAMP EQUIPMENT NEWS GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2015

portfolio, chances are, if it’s meant to prestigious Midfield Terminal Project at is that FAME, in chemical terms, is quite move, Rushlift are already keeping it Abu Dhabi International. a different molecule compared to those moving. We do not restrict our thinking These recent projects at Muscat found in jet fuel. Further, FAME also has a when it comes to what is and isn’t airport and Abu Dhabi airport build very variable composition, and is certainly considered GSE. We are driven by our on a sequence of orders awarded to not manufactured to aerospace standards. customers’ needs and we will source the Group over the past few months. All the while that fuel is transported any equipment necessary to get the job These include an order from Airbus in through pipelines (as opposed to done.” the US, where Cavotec will supply a bowsers), the two liquids are going to complete 400Hz electrical power supply come into contact with one another. Big PCA orders for Cavotec system, including converters, distribution However, all the while pipeline boards and pit systems, for the aircraft transportation remains the cheaper Engineering group Cavotec has been manufacturer’s new production facility in option, that scenario seems unlikely to awarded two big orders for its innovative Mobile, Alabama. Additionally in the US, alter. Sub-freezing DX-Boost pre-conditioned Cavotec will supply a number of 400Hz But are industry analysts over reacting? air technology for cooling aircraft at electric power supply units for Chicago Tests have shown that jet fuel quality was the Presidential Flight Hangar at Abu O’Hare’s Terminal 5 development. not impaired when an incidence of 400 Dhabi International airport, as well as Cavotec has also been awarded an ppm of biodiesel were registered, which at the Oman Air MRO facility at Muscat order with Chinese aircraft manufacturer, is much higher than the working “safe” International airport. Shanxi, for a number of pit systems and limit of 5ppm. The Abu Dhabi International order related matériel for a final assembly If the jury is out on that one, is a turnkey project, which will see the line. Also in China, the Group has been then remember that there are other Group design, supply, install, test and awarded a major project with Hainan contenders, waiting in the wings. Notable commission the Sub-freezing DX-Boost Airlines to supply 16 utility pit systems amongst these is green diesel which, the PCA system, 400Hz converters, pop-up for the airline’s maintenance hangar at experts say, has much to commend it. pit and hatch pit systems. Haikou airport on Hainan Island. The second order is for the supply of Finally, for the first phase of a new Greener taxi-ing? Sub-freezing DX-Boost PCA units and development at Moscow Domodedovo pop-up systems for PCA and 400Hz, and airport, Cavotec is supplying 19 hydrant One might be forgiven for thinking that, includes an additional number of hatch pits along with related vault access covers with the advent of the electric pushback pit systems for other services, all of which and high/low-point pit systems. tractor and developments such as the are earmarked for Muscat International. TaxiBot, that there was little scope left “These landmark projects are excellent FAME, not blame for innovation. However, that is clearly references for our Sub-freezing DX- not the case. A small engineering office, Boost cooling technology, and further Regular readers will know that the use of that of anyTRACS, was actually founded demonstrates our ability to offer all the biodiesel in ground transport has been in 2008 with the aim of developing and necessary technical expertise to deliver growing proportionately over the last few commercialising the jetTRACS system. complex turnkey solutions to major years. With that trend, though, has come Two people, Andreas Becker and industry players,” commented Ottonel a headache for jet fuel suppliers and aero Eckhard Bergerhoff, first discussed the Popesco, Cavotec’s CEO. engine manufacturers. idea of an alternative procedure to an Cavotec INET’s Sub-freezing DX- Quite often the two fuels are aircraft taxi-ing out under its own power Boost systems cool aircraft quickly and transported in the same multi-product in 2007; a patent was applied for in the efficiently by supplying PCA at sub- pipeline and distribution systems, which following year. zero temperatures. The technology contributes to cross-contamination. The idea behind jetTRACS is both the meets the strict criteria and demanding Biodiesel is made up of a bio-component conservation of fuel and the reduction environmental conditions of both Muscat called FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester), of CO2 during the taxi-ing procedure. As airport and Abu Dhabi airport, where traces of which can adhere to pipe and readers know, airlines benefit most by temperatures frequently exceed 45ºC. tank walls as the biodiesel passes through. saving fuel costs when they can reduce DX-boost PCA units enable the fast and These traces can then be released the run time of aircraft engines. Allied efficient cooling of aircraft without the through the passage of the following to this is the fact that airports have use of on-board auxiliary power units, product, which can of course be jet fuel. to provide a large number of towing thereby reducing emissions. If adsorbed in enough concentrations, vehicles for carrier use. With this in Cavotec recently commissioned an FAME can impact the thermal stability mind, the pair added another goal, that example of its cooling system at the and freezing point of jet fuel, which could of finding a solution that would allow Boeing MRO Facility Nagpur in India. This result in engine operability problems and airports to participate in, and benefit project was something of an industry possible engine flame-out. from, the advantages of a completely benchmark with Cavotec’s application Up till now, the maximum FAME different towing system. delivering pre-conditioned dry air at contamination in jet fuel was set at 5 parts Compared to other systems, jetTRACS temperatures lower than -10°C at the per million (ppm) but after a number of includes a hybrid drivetrain, so it is Boeing MRO hangar. It should be noted years of research and testing by fuel and basically possible to operate the system that the supplier has worked closely engine experts, fuel certification body without fossil fuels, which translates into with the likes of Airbus and other ASTM raised that limit to 50 ppm. zero emissions. aircraft manufacturers for many years in FAME itself derives from vegetable oils, But there is more to this innovation: developing advanced GSE. animal fats or waste cooking oils through the fully automated jetTRACS system A long-standing relationship with a process known as transesterification, in eliminates the human factor during Larsen and Toubro has added another which a glyceride reacts with an alcohol the pushback and taxi-ing processes, highlight, with Cavotec recently having in the presence of a catalyst to form a and thus has the potential to avoid the been awarded the contract to supply 108 mixture of fatty acids esters as well as an incidence of accidents that can occur electrical and 400Hz pit systems for the alcohol. What’s interesting in this context during this tricky ramp procedure. APRIL 2015 GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL RAMP FORUM 71

Paramedic student to the rescue BA grime scene Aiden Wilson, a fi rst year Liverpool John Moores paramedic student, became somewhat of a hero on a Ryanair fl ight to Alicante, Spain, in January. The 21-year-old investigation put his studies into practice as he assisted an unconscious pensioner, following a tannoy announcement by a Ryanair ritish Airways has apologised to British Airways said: “We have contacted captain urging passengers with medical former BBC and CNN presenter, our customer to apologise. We are very experience to come forward. “There was a Owen Thomas, following his sorry that on this occasion we have fallen call for a doctor or nurse to come forward, complaints about the fi lthy state of short of our usual high standards,” going and then a second one - and no-one his fi rst-class seat on a fl ight to St on to promise the airline was, “taking helped,” Aiden explained. Lucia earlier this month. Owen took to immediate action to address this issue.” The pensioner in question – an 80-year- Twitter with video footage of the grimy From the evidence, however, it seems old lady travelling from Manchester compartment, which evidenced stains highly likely that this is not an isolated to Alicante with her family – was on the wall and a thick build-up of dirt incident. The video surely reveals weeks, unconscious and unresponsive when around the seat, wittily dubbing the if not months, of neglected cleaning, in Aiden reached her. Fortunately, he was cabin “fi lth class.” According to the BA the form of inch-thick fi lth, suggesting able to stabilise the woman, who regained website, fi rst-class seats on fl ights to BA might have a longer-term issue to consciousness before being met on the the Caribbean can cost up to £9,000 address. The airline failed to offer the ground by doctors and taken to hospital in peak season, and Owen said he had passenger a refund in acknowledgement for further checks. saved money and air miles devotedly to of his disappointment, merely asserting Aiden said he worried initially that the purchase the fl ights. that its fl ights to St Lucia in First Class crew would not want a student helping, “This is nothing short of corporate start from £2,700 return, not the £8,798 but after successfully saving the day, he greed. They took our money - lots of it - listed on ba.com, which apparently came to the following sensible conclusion: and clearly can’t give a damn about their represents the last minute cost. “I think fi rst aid and basic paramedic customers, whether they’re in fi rst or Hardly a bargain, nonetheless, skills should be part of the primary school economy,” he commented. and certainly no excuse for shoddy curriculum, even the basics like the When questioned on the incident, standards! recovery position can save someone’s life.”

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Not a bad suggestion, Aiden. Perhaps it adding that the second most frequent remove the remains from the carrier for should be on the flight attendant training excuse was, “my husband packed my bag” screening when she tried to pass through curriculum, too… or “my wife packed my bag.” security, despite the fact that cremated And the list of weapons doesn’t remains are permitted in carry-on luggage, Air India engineer takes it on the chin end with guns. Besides firearms, TSA providing they are in a container that can officers found an Mk 2 fragmentation go through X-ray security. Not only had An Air India pilot physically assaulted a grenade in Los Angeles, a homemade Mutch complied with these rules, she was ground engineer on board flight number avalanche control charge in Alaska, as also carrying a certificate of cremation. AI 143 following an argument over a well as fireworks, propane, spear guns, Of the fiasco, Mutch said: “He saw the delay. The aircraft had arrived in Chennai a flare gun, more than 700 stun guns, stuffy and said, ‘well, you’re going to have from Mumbai and was scheduled to take and smoke grenades. Additionally, bag to take the ashes out.’ And I just said ‘no off at 9.45am to Delhi but developed a searches turned up explosives and artillery way.’” At which point security stepped in technical snag, leaving it 30 minutes behind shells, contraband drugs, razor blades, and insisted that those were the rules and schedule. Tensions began to rise between brass knuckles, throwing stars, scissors and she must comply if she was to proceed the two men because the pilot was not countless knives, including an 8.5-inch knife through security. At the time, Mutch convinced the problem had been rectified hidden in an enchilada at Sonoma County felt what she was asked to do was very and subsequently refused to fly, with the airport in California. Now that’s one lunch undignified and consequently an argument situation ultimately deteriorating into a that’s certain to give you more than just ensued with security, including a supervisor, punch-up in the cockpit. It was reported heartburn… following which she removed the plastic that the impromptu fist fight left the flight Despite security getting tighter and bag containing her son’s ashes from the engineer with a minor chin injury. stricter at airports worldwide, the TSA’s ladybird. Ironically, this fight was the source of 2014 summary indicates the carriage of “I just plunked it on the counter and said further delay, with the next flight from firearms jumped 22% in the US last year, ‘there you are, my son’s remains,’” she said. Chennai to Paris ending up delayed by and, worryingly, has more than tripled over To make matters worse, by the time she three hours with 122 passengers on board. the past decade. passed through security, Mutch had missed The Times of India named the pilot as her flight. The Canadian Air Transport Captain Manik Lal and the engineer as V Student detained over Arabic Security Authority says it has apologised T Kannan. An Air India official told The flashcards wins US$25K to Mutch and begun an investigation into Times: “He was not pleased to see too what happened. many people inside the cockpit and started Back in 2009, a university student was to send them out. The flight engineer V T detained at a US airport for possessing A weighty problem Kannan reached the cockpit and informed flashcards written in Arabic. Suspicion the pilot that the plane was yet to be was raised because the written prompts Late last year, no less than 700 pounds handed over to the crew for flying. But allegedly contained the words “bomb” in weight of coins intended for UNICEF the pilot refused to pay heed to the and “to kill”, and he was subsequently were found hidden in the car of an explanation.” held in police custody for five hours. The American Airlines flight attendant at Eventually, the flight departed after suspect was handcuffed for half this time Kennedy International airport. Back in Captain Lal was replaced by another – as police waited for FBI agents to arrive October, Marco Costa’s car suspension pilot. Needless to say, a short temper and – and questioned for 30 minutes before betrayed his scandalous secret, noticeably aggressive tendencies certainly aren’t the ultimately being deemed harmless. It has sagging beneath the weight of the best combination in a pilot, as Kannan since been announced that the student money-laden bags. According to the knows only too well… in question, now revealed to be Nicholas Port Authority of New York and New George, has won a US$25,000 settlement Jersey Police Department, 56-year-old Don’t carry a gun, it just won’t fly from the Justice Department, which Costa was arrested for possession of stipulates the need for more training for stolen property, amongst other charges, It surely comes as no surprise to anyone police and reiterates that police must have on January 31. Mr Costa had collected that federal law bans bringing a firearm “reasonable suspicion” to detain someone US$2,900 in Euros, US$1,800 in British to an airport, yet, despite this common and “probable cause” to arrest them. pounds and US$150 in US coins from knowledge, a record number of firearms Federal agents were cleared of liability passengers as part of a partnership was found at US airport security by a US appeals court, but acknowledged with the children’s charity. According checkpoints in 2014. To add insult to injury, that the 30 minutes they spent to a spokesperson for the airline, if you’ll pardon the pun, according to the questioning George was unreasonable. investigations are still ongoing. Transportation Security Administration, of the guns confiscated, four out of five Remains to be screened… (83%) were actually loaded… In addition to a loaded assault rifle A grieving mother carrying her late son’s and loaded folding-stock rifle at airports remains faced suspicion from Vancouver in Dallas (where, incidentally, the most airport security when she attempted to guns were discovered), a loaded revolver travel in the company of a large, stuffed was also found at New York’s La Guardia ladybird, in which she keeps his ashes. airport, clipped to a 94-year-old man’s belt. Investigations are ongoing into the death Not exactly inconspicuous. of Marney Mutch’s son, Rhett, 20, who The question is: what excuse can these was shot and killed by Victoria police last people possibly have for attempting to November. She has carried him with her in Do you have a story or a travel armed? TSA spokeswoman, Lisa this manner to comfort her ever since: “It Farbstein, said: “The most common excuse actually feels like I’ve got my arm around comment to share? Write to: that we hear from people is that they him. It’s all I’ve got,” Mutch said. [email protected] forgot they had their firearms with them,” Airport security demanded that she Value at the crossroads of service and costs

Istanbul,Istanbul , TurkeyTurkey 2 26-29 6–29 A April pril

Cross paths with the world at the industry event of the year

The 28th IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) · Improving Customer Experience lifts off in Istanbul, Turkey from April 26–29, 2015. Join · Enhanced Operations us and connect with high-level industry experts from the · Business, Development, Leadership entire Ground Handling Value Chain and share valuable insights and fresh perspectives. Come to Istanbul, the historic crossroads between This premier annual event receives more than 700 Europe and Asia, to contribute your ideas on how to delegates and close to 100 airlines represented, as well make the ground handling business faster, safer and as airports, ground handlers, regulators, manufacturers, more environmentally sustainable. and media, with 98% expressing satisfaction with the The IGHC Conference is a great platform for you to business and networking opportunities. meet & greet potential business contacts. The theme for this year’s conference is “Value at the crossroads of service and costs”, which offers Register now to make sure you don’t miss this interesting sessions and workshops focused on: unique opportunity!

For more information visit www.iata.org/ighc-conference