FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1058.PDF
FLIGHT International, 27 June 1963 1027 Ground Equipment at Geneva WORL'D'S FIRST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EQUIPMENT EXHIBITION LAST week the Club International <f Assistance Aeroportuaire held the world's first international airport equipment exhibition. It is a significant indication of the state of air transport development that the manufacture of support equip ment has reached a size and diversity to warrant its own associa tion and annual exhibition. Until a few years ago the manufacture of most airport equipment tended to be a sideline for airline engineer ing departments or general light-engineering companies, but with the growing realization that properly designed and engineered equipment can lead to substantial savings in labour costs and air craft utilization, there is growing interest in this important branch of the airline industry. This first international exhibition, which was held from June 20 to 26 in the Palais des Expositions, Geneva, was a big success, especially in the comprehensive range of equip ment on view. Next year it is intended to hold the show in Brussels on even wider lines by embracing the mechanical handling, elec trical and electronic manufacturers, and catering industries with air commerce associations. As to be expected, since the CIDA has strong roots in France, the French industry—with 28 companies exhibiting—had by far the greatest participation in the show, followed by Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom with about half a dozen companies each. Denmark, Holland and Sweden were each rep resented by one or two firms, and several United States com panies by European agents. The following review of the exhibition is divided into sections dealing with particular groups of equipment, and concludes with a list of exhibitors' names and addresses. FIREFIGHTING AND RESCUE In the next few years design of airport firefighting and rescue equipment is likely to be revolu tionized by the air-cushion vehicle. This kind of work has long been recognized as one of the most important applications for these vehicles, and Bertin & Cie were showing for the first time a model of a proposed fire-fighting and rescue development of their BC.6 Terraplane as exhibited at the Paris Salon. Conventional wheeled fire-fighting vehicles were shown by Robert Aebi AG (mounted on a Metzlaf chassis) and Bergomi (two vehicles, one on an OM chassis carrying foam extinguishers and the other on a Lancia chassis carrying powder extinguishing equipment). Bergomi's specialist equipment includes patented foam-delivery nozzles capable of delivering 20,000 litres to 60,000 litres per hour over a range of up to 70m. In collaboration with the American Ansul Co, Bergomi have also an appliance capable of spreading 1,400kg of powder in about 90sec. Berliet, who make their own chassis and pump, showed a 280 h.p. fire truck with a capacity of 5,700 litres of water and 850 litres of foam emulsifier. Well known for many years for their pioneering work on powder fire extinguishers, Biro Fils were exhibiting in association with Svenska Skumslacknings to emphasize the com plementary nature of powder and foam for fighting aircraft fires. The powder has been specially designed to spread quickly and kill flames, while the slower-spreading foam prevents re- ignition. The Rolls-Royce-powered foam tender on the stand had a glass-fibre body by the Danish company Ginge, and used Svensk pumps driven by a Chrysler petrol engine. SIDES had on show a large six-wheeled foam tender of 12,000 litres' capacity. This vehicle is typical of the company's specializa tion in fire-fighting, most of the equipment fitted being of the firm's own manufacture. SIDES had two of their water-jet-powered fire-fighting launches on view, one in the exhibition and one on Lake Geneva. Lancia, better known for Grand Touring motor cars, were showing two vehicles, one a large fire truck with a nozzle for SIDES have developed this water-jet-propelled high-speed fire-fighting boat for sea- or lake-shore airports. Power is provided by two 500 h.p. Chrysler engines driving water pumps Airport fire-ftghting equipment of the future? Model of a development of the Renin BC.6 Terraplane delivering foam from the end of a folding boom, the other a muscular crane able to lift seven tons and swing it through 360 . The crane also had a large hydraulically operated claw for lifting wreckage. Finally, among the firms showing equipment for rescue work were Zodiac, well known for their inflatable rafts and lifting apparatus. The twin PKV and ER3 offshore rescue system is illustrated overleaf. PASSENGER STEPS AND FREIGHT HOIST Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd are typical of the firms who have grown into the equipment business by chance rather than by original inten tion. In their case it began with the Channel Air Bridge (now Brit ish United Air Ferries) requirement for a loader suitable for lifting motor cars into the Carvair. By development through experience, the company are now able to offer the Hylo Mark II mobile lifter, weighing 3.5 tons, capable of lifting five tons, and being amenable to rapid dismantling for air shipment. Basically, the Hylo Mark II retains the scissor action of the original ramp, which is raised by
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
