A baggage handling system (BHS) is a type of conveyor system installed in airports that transports checked luggage from ticket

counters to areas where the bags can be loaded onto airplanes. A BHS also transports checked baggage coming from airplanes to baggage claims or to an area where the bag can be loaded onto another airplane. Although the primary function of a BHS is the transportation of bags, a typical BHS will serve other functions involved in making sure that a bag gets to the correct location in the airport. The process of identifying a bag, and the information associated with it, to make a decision on where the bag should be directed within the system is known as sortation. In addition to sortation, a BHS may also perform the following functions:

Detection of bag jams Volume regulation (to ensure that input points are controlled to avoid overloading system) Load balancing (to evenly distribute bag volume between conveyor sub-systems) Bag counting Bag tracking Redirection of bags via pusher or diverter

There is an entire process that the BHS controls. From the moment the bag is set on the in-bound conveyor, to the gathering conveyor, through sorting until it arrives at the designated aircraft and onto the baggage carousel after the flight, the BHS has control over the bag.[1] Many baggage handling systems offer software to better manage the system. There has also been a breakthrough with "mobile" BHS software where managers of the system can check and correct problems from their mobile phone. Post September 11, 2001, majority of airports around the world began to implement baggage screening directly into BHS. These systems are referred to as "Checked Baggage Inspection System" by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the USA, where baggage are fed directly into Explosive Detection System (EDS) machines. A CBIS can sort baggage based on each bag's security status assigned by an EDS machine or by a security screening operator. CBIS design standards and guidelines are issued by the TSA once every year since 2008. All CBIS built in the USA must comply with the standard set forth by the TSA. The latest standards can be downloaded from the TSA's website
The first part of the new baggage handling system at Edmonton International Airport (EIA) has been completed. Vanderlande Industries is responsible for the installation of the system, which has been implemented in the recently expanded US Departures area. Henk de Groot, VP of Operations at Vanderlande Industries, said: Vanderlande Industries is proud that Edmonton International Airport chose to use our BAXORTER technology which provides a reliable baggage tracking system meeting the needs of both the airport and CATSA. It also supports Edmonton International Airports vision of being a world-class airport.

Edmonton Airport Authority has also opted for Vanderlande Industries GREENVEYOR technology, which reduces energy consumption by up to 40%. The ongoing Expansion 2012 project involves the extension of the terminal building to the south and the addition of 13 aircraft gates. The final phase, the implementation of a central hall, will be completed by December 2012.

The RFID baggage handling system that is now in place at Aalborg Airport is the first of its kind in any airport across the world. While the concept of RFID tagging is not new in itself, Aalborg boasts the first RFID tags that can store sortation information thanks to their 512-bit memory. This is the first airport worldwide where you can find these tags, Svendsen explained. The benefit is first of all for the airline as when you have a read rate close to 100%, the airlines have far fewer cases of wrongly sorted baggage. Needless to say, this then benefits the passenger as well. The system is also great for us at the airport because other airlines will see that this system can save them money and this makes them take a closer look at our airport.

Increased read rate

The RFID system, which has been developed and implemented by Lyngsoe Systems the company that has previously implemented RFID on Baggage systems at Lisbon and Milan Malpensa airports is an alternative to the traditional barcode tagging and as the RFID reader doesnt require the tag to be in its line of sight, this significantly increases the read rate.

Svendsen: "The first thing we wanted to use the RFID for was the baggage handling and we saw that it had a much higher read rate than barcodes and that's what convinced us." All information stored within the tag is also automatically passed on to the screening machine, eliminating the need for a separate system. However, a barcode tag is also printed for each baggage item to ensure that it can still be read at airports which only use the traditional barcode technology. The decision to upgrade the baggage handling facilities at Aalborg Airport was taken on the back of unprecedented passenger growth. Having handled more than 1.1 million passengers in 2009, the first six months of this year saw traffic increase by +26.5%, while in July, this was followed by a year-on-year monthly rise of +22.9%. Over the last two years, the number of weekly departures has also doubled. Svendsen said: We have experienced heavy growth of around 20% per year for the last few years so we were looking for a new type of sorting system. We looked at barcode technology first but then we were approached by Lyngsoe about RFID. The first thing we wanted to use the RFID for was the baggage handling and we saw that it had a much higher read rate than barcodes and thats what convinced us.

Lyngsoe Systems RFID expertise

An overwhelming increase in travellers made it necessary for Aalborg Airport to grow the baggage handling capacity. Until recently, the baggage sortation was handled manually, but in order to accommodate the increase in routes, it became clear that it needed to be automated. Aalborg Airport had two choices, either barcode or RFID technology. Aalborg Airport chose RFID because of the immediate advantages, but also because this technological platform is able to offer entirely new passenger services. Furthermore, RFID is supported by IATA. Lyngsoe Systems has developed and implemented RFID on Baggage in other airports, but Aalborg Airport is the first airport in the world to have the sortation information stored in the RFID tag. Up till now, the RFID tag has only been able to store a unique number (license plate) due to memory capacity. With a larger memory capacity, all sortation information can now follow the bag and need not be forwarded in a separate system from airline booking to airport sortation system. Consequently, the airport is more in control of its sortation system and not dependent on external message providers. Having smoothed over the inevitable teething problems, Svendsen outlined that the baggage handling system has performed very well since being introduced. With passenger growth showing no signs of easing, this has been factored in to the design of the system and the facilities are in place to cater for a doubling in capacity over the next four to five years.

Svendsen: "We have experienced heavy growth of around 20% per year for the last few years so we were looking for a new type of sorting system." Furthermore, thanks to the versatility of RFID technology, plans are also being explored to extend its use beyond baggage sortation. In the long-term we can also use it for lost and found baggage, Svendsen explained. For example, if Copenhagen Airport was to adopt RFID, we would be able to create an automatic service. If a bag hadnt been loaded on to the aircraft, we would be able to meet the passenger upon arrival at the airport to inform them as soon as they arrive that they will need to go to the desk to report that their bag was not onboard. With these future developments in mind, Svendsen also highlighted the importance of the relationship with Lyngsoe Systems, which is headquartered within relatively close proximity to Aalborg Airport. He said: This relationship has been a very important factor. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if we hadnt had Lyngsoe so close, I dont think we could have managed this. They have used their skill and ability in this project and as the company is based about 60km from Aalborg Airport, this presented a great opportunity for both parties.

While the RFID-based baggage handling systems that have been employed at a handful of airports around the world ranging from Hong Kong to Las Vegas McCarran have proved to be very successful, one question has caused much debate and proved to be something of an obstacle to its widespread adoption: Who should bear the cost of the initial implementation? At Aalborg Airport, however, Svendsen explained that this was never an issue. The main cost for this was covered by the airport but the main benefit is for the airline, he said. This is one of the main discussion points when you consider adopting RFID tagging but, for us, we take responsibility and ownership of all passengers who use Aalborg Airport.

Damarels SwiftBag Application

The idea of being able to save time by checking-in before you reach the airport and dropping your baggage at a fast bag drop counter is appealing for passenger and airline alike. Handled correctly, the bag drop desk can deliver huge benefits across the board, reducing queuing times for passengers, trimming staffing levels and freeing up terminal space. The key to a well-run bag drop is to make sure that the agents focus is kept firmly on accepting baggage, and that other irregular operations do not affect the speed and efficiency of this process. Damarels new SwiftBag application provides a much-needed middle ground, delivering a costeffective alternative that makes use of the standard airline and CUTE equipment already in use. It helps the agent process passengers and their bags as quickly as possible and the intuitive touch-screen enabled interface provides a simple baggage registration screen that takes only seconds to become familiar with. With support for document scanners built in, SwiftBag can also ensure you capture all the necessary details for down line security checks, at what is often the first point of contact with the passenger. Fully integrated with L-DCS, Damarels popular Local Departure Control System for low cost carriers, SwiftBag can also support Web Services interfaces for traditional airline hosts, delivering a powerful all-in-one solution for your fast bag drop operation.

Arriving passengers please follow the simple steps below to complete the arrival procedures.

Immigration Please have the following documents ready before proceeding to the Immigration Hall:

A valid passport; and a completed arrival card, which is distributed by your airline before landing, or else, please pick up the card in the Immigration Hall; or

Hong Kong Identity Card for Hong Kong citizens. Baggage reclaim After immigration check, please proceed to the Baggage Reclaim Hall to pick up your bags. Please contact your airline for lost or damaged baggage. Customs and Excise You may proceed to Customs and Excise control after reclaiming your bags. Use the red channel if you have items to declare, if not, use the green channel. For declaration guidelines, please go to this website. Meet and greet Big plasma TV panels installed in both Arrivals Hall A and B in Terminal 1 allow meeters and greeters to see their arriving friends and relatives right as they enter the Buffer Halls. There is a good selection of food outlets and shops, passengers and other airport visitors can easily get what they want in the halls

Passenger Steve Wright was almost giddy as he made his way past grim-faced travelers schlepping -- inchby-inch -- through the airport security gantlet. "I'm happy as heck," the executive for eyeglass manufacturer and distributor Marchon said at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at San Francisco International Airport last week. Though he still had to endure the ritual strip-down -- the shedding of belts, shoes, jackets, laptops -- Wright was able to cut in front of scores of passengers with nary a thrown elbow. He was one of many relieved travelers using a service that deploys fingerprint and iris-imaging biometric technology to prescreen passengers, enabling them to skip long security lanes by displaying their Clear cards at designated entry points. Clear is just one of several commercial and government programs aimed at making the trek from ticket counter to boarding gate a quicker and more dignified journey. But those efforts to ease the stress of passengers underscore the difficulties of ensuring terrorism-free travel because no one knows if they will weaken security in the long run. Richard Bloom, director of terrorism, espionage and security studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., said trying to make flying more secure is a complex equation. For example, travelers were required to remove shoes at airport security checkpoints after a terrorist tried to set off bombs in his shoe in late 2001 on

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a flight from Paris to Miami. "The world is constantly changing," he said. "What looks like a risk at any point in time may not be a risk at another point in time." For frequent fliers like Wright, though, programs that shave time and reduce hassles at airports are a welcome upgrade in the grueling experience of modern-day air travel. "I travel a ton," said Wright, before catching a morning flight to New York City. "There are many things that have gotten worse (with traveling). But this has gotten better. It makes traveling bearable again." New York-based Clear recently restarted the card service at SFO as the summer travel season got under way. San Francisco expects a record-breaking year with some 41 million passengers passing through the airport. Mineta San Jose International Airport anticipates the same number of travelers it had last year, 8.3 million, while Oakland International Airport expects about a 5 percent uptick to 9.7 million. For now, no expedited screening services are planned for San Jose or Oakland. Prescreening services are created mostly for frequent fliers, elite travelers or those willing to pay -- a Clear card comes with a $179 fee. "They are taking care of the people most likely to give (TSA) grief. These are the people who have more power than Ma and Pa Kettle," Joe Brancatelli, who operates JoeSentMe.com, a website for business travelers, said of the new prescreening services. "They know how to call their Congress member." In October, TSA rolled out PreCheck, a free but invitation-only program that allows frequent fliers on American, Delta and Alaska to pass through security without removing their belts, shoes, jackets or laptops. The program will be expanded this year to United Airlines and US Airways, said TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers, and will become available at SFO. "They think it's time to ratchet things down for frequent fliers who go through this every day," said Alan Bender, professor of aeronautics at Embry-Riddle. For now, PreCheck is offered at 15 airports across the country and is expected to be at 35 by the end of the year. "It's still a pilot program," Dankers said. Each PreCheck traveler must be invited to join the program by his airline and is given a boarding pass embedded with a chip. The ticket-holder then enters a designated lane, where a security officer scans the boarding pass. Three beeps mean the traveler can proceed to expedited screening; one beep means he has been randomly selected to pass through the traditional checkpoint.

"It keeps people from gaming the system," Dankers said.

The new in-line screening system for passengers arriving at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport has reduced the waiting time by at least 20 minutes. These machines scan the baggage right on the conveyor belt instead of customs officers having to physically check each bag. The in-line screening system, which was introduced by the authorities around a month ago, scans the baggage right at the starting point of the conveyor belt. The passenger then just has to pick up his bag and walk through the green channel. Earlier, customs officials would manually check every bag for smuggled goods through the baggage screening system. The waiting time would often extend to one or two hours during the evening peak hours, when there are more international flights. The in-line screening now allows customs officials to directly scan bags while they are being transported on the conveyor belt and then track down the ones which they find suspicious. However, we may take some time while checking a bag, if we get a tip-off about a smuggled item being in the bag. Passengers will have to bear with us during such instances, assistant customs commissioner Sameer Wankhede (Air Intelligence Unit) said.

NextBus to Provide Real-Time Passenger Information to CyRide

05/30/2012 | 10:08am

<> NextBus to Provide Real-Time Passenger Information to CyRide Vancouver, British Columbia - May 30, 2012 - Webtech Wireless Inc.(TSX:WEW), a leading provider of vehicle fleet location-based services (LBS) and telematics technology, today announced that it has signed a three-year contract with CyRide of Ames, Iowa to implement a NextBus Real-Time Passenger Information System (RTPIS) for all of its 80 buses. CyRide will equip all buses on its 17 routes with Webtech Wireless Locators, and four 24-inch LED signs are being installed on campus where riders can view real-time bus information, (as well as important updates on routes, such as delays, rerouting, and other urgent alerts). The NextBus implementation also includes Apple iPads enabling CyRide managers access to management-side NextBus information while on the road themselves, and with a view to the near future, CyRide is purchasing XML data feeds to provide the capability for building custom software applications (such as iPhone Apps). Funded jointly by the City of Ames and Iowa State University, CyRide provides a "fare-free" service that allows students to pay for ridership per semester. This system accounts for 40 percent of the bus system's operating budget. "Implementing a real-time predictive transit solution is the most requested technical upgrade from students, and as the project is funded in part by the student body, we're especially excited to give them what they're asking for," said Barbara Neal, Operations Supervisor for CyRide. The three-year contract is expected to help CyRide's fleet continue to service its expanding ridership (already growing at a rate of 30 percent per year). "We're very excited to be working with the CyRide on this important project, and applaud their vision to implement the NextBus bus transit solution, which is increasingly popular on university campuses. Faculty, staff, and IU students are now within easy reach of real-time transit information," said Scott Edmonds, President and CEO of Webtech Wireless. About Webtech Wireless Webtech Wireless Inc. (TSX:WEW) is a provider of vehicle fleet location-based services (LBS) and telematics technology. It develops, manufactures and supports end-to-end wireless solutions that improve the productivity, profitability, environmental compliance and safety of vehicle fleets. Its comprehensive suite of products and services include: automatic vehicle location (AVL), mapping, vehicle diagnostics, CO2 reporting, navigation, messaging, and mobile resource management. The Company serves

customers of all sizes in the transport, government, service, insurance and OEM markets in over forty-one countries, including Fortune 500 companies. Specialized products include: Quadrant commercial fleet solutions, InterFleet solutions for government, and NextBus real-time passenger information services for transit fleets. For more information, please visit webtechwireless.com or contact
Currently, there are four ongoing modernization projects for local airports, yet the Romanian authorities are ready to offer red-carpet treatment to foreign investors. The Diplomat Bucharest asked the main airport officials, authorities and private companies involved in the sector about the businesss destination. May 9 was Henri Coanda International Airports busiest day in its over 40-year history, with 58 charter flights bringing to Bucharest over 12,000 passengers, supporters of the two Spanish teams contesting the UEFA Europa League final. In two days, over 25,000 passengers passed through the airport. According to Tarom officials, the airport had no problem in handling the flux and flight schedule, as Otopenis usual traffic is 10,000 passengers daily. However, with aviation infrastructure in Romania comprising 16 commercial airports, some say that this is sufficient to handle Romanias incoming traffic, while others argue that airport developments should be effected according to the region and business expectations. For instance, according to Gheorghe Racaru, group strategy and corporate planning manager at Infra Group, the company that is planning to build an airport south of Bucharest, Brasov doesnt need an airport, as western Romania already has too many. Nor, he adds, does Henri Coanda have any reason to expand in northern Bucharest on the short term. The manager told The Diplomat Bucharest he may advocate for the project at Adunatii Copaceni to pick up the low-cost traffic from the southern half of Bucharest. However, many players say that airport development infrastructure must reflect the local supply and meet the incoming demand. Airports more urgent need is not an expansion of their number but firstly their modernization, starting with the main airport in Bucharest. According to the Ministry of Transports Directorate for Civil Aviation, the existing airport infrastructure in Romania meets the current traffic needs. Of the 16 hubs, 12 are officially ranked as international airports. Four investments taxiing for position According to the General Directorate of Civil Aviation within the Ministry of Transport in Romania, there are four ongoing modernizing and development projects involving airport infrastructure in Romania. Dan Machita, superior counselor within the directorate, told The Diplomat Bucharest that the infrastructure development project at Henri Coanda Airport in Bucharest will be completed in 2013, following an investment of around EUR 175 million. According to the official, the money is coming from the ministrys budget and loans. The ministry also has on its agenda a larger development project for Henri Coanda, over 2007-2022, totaling EUR 500 million, which is currently in the feasibility stage. The third project targets the renovation of the stationary platform for aircraft at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport in Constanta. The project will cost around EUR 40 million and will be completed in 2013. The money will come from European financing through the POS-T operational program for transport and ministry funds. Meanwhile, modernization works will be accomplished at Suceava Airport, also financed through POS-T and the state budget, with the completion time estimated for 2015 and a similar total value to Kogalniceanu. Currently, the ministry has several other modernization and expansion projects on its to-do list, also financed through POS-T cash, targeting airports in Delta Dunarii Tulcea, Baia Mare, Oradea, Arad and Craiova. As the directorate official stated, the man impediment to developing more projects is identifying the financing sources, as the European funds available though POS-T 2007-2013 have been spent. There is the possibility of reassigning funds for POS-T or the postponing of projects to be financed through POS-T 2014-2020, said Dan Machita. In Romania, currently, there are 16 airports with concrete runways. Thinking beyond the numbers Werner Weihs-Raabl, head of infrastructure finance at Erste Group, told The Diplomat Bucharest that a EUR 150 million modernization project at Henri Coanda Airport was recently completed. BCR financing contributed EUR 50 million of the amount, while BRD-Societe Generale, the other participating bank for this project, financed other EUR 50 million. The agreements were signed in 2010, as the third-stage modernization project at Henri Coanda Airport by the National Company Aeroporturi Bucuresti. According to Weihs-Raabl, because airport development is mainly driven by local counties and authorities due to the lack of private investors, the local authorities should think beyond business plans and numbers when developing airport projects and consider the connected benefits. Legal eagles swoop into aviation Law firm Bostina & Asociatii has delivered legal services for two large modernization projects at airports in Bacau and Oradea, and its lawyers detailed for The Diplomat Bucharest some key aspects. For the airport at Bacau, the

minimum investment assumed by BlueAero (e.n: part of Infra Group) following the concession contract was EUR 45.5 million, but the lawyers estimate that the investment might exceed this amount. Regarding the airport at Oradea, the county council at Bihor and the airport management targeted the extension and revamping of airport infrastructure, as well as the construction of a new terminal meant to process 300 passengers per hour. According to the two feasibility studies which have been approved by the county council, the value for these investments is EUR 69 million. BlueAero was set up at the beginning of 2009, following the conclusion of the first public-private partnership formed in Romania in this domain, targeting the modernization, management and operation of the international airport in Bacau. The contract was concluded between the BlueAero air transport company and the George Enescu International Airport public corporation in Bacau, as the initial contract stipulated the setting up of a company in charge of carrying out the project. As a consequence, BlueAero and Blue Air are part of the same group of companies, Infra Group, which will modernize and operate the George Enescu International Airport in Bacau for the next 34 years, with a total investment amounting to EUR 45 million, according to official group data. According to these data, the modernization process of the George Enescu International Airport in Bacau will be carried out in three steps over the next 30 months, maintaining the airports full operability. The project consists of the construction of a new terminal of 7,000 sqm and a minimum capacity of 450 passengers/hour; the modernization of the runway and the taxiing course, with a bearing capacity of 65 PCN; implementing a CAT II lighting system, meant to facilitate the future development of air traffic and secure optimum safety operation conditions; and the extension of the overall platform so as to enhance the parking conditions and the ground operation of 10 class C aircraft. Currently, the airport is the home base for three aircraft with 400-passenger capacity, which make inland and international flights to Timisoara, Bologna, Milan, Turin, Rome, Paris, London, Dublin, Larnaca, Brussels and Barcelona. With two other airport projects announced, Alexeni Airport and the public-private partnership project for Gura Humorului Airport, the lawyers from Bostina & Asociatii say that they are waiting for the results of the feasibility studies. If we are asked to provide services for these projects, our expertise and background in similar projects represents a good business card, and not only for these projects, but any other developed in this infrastructure segment, Cristian Costea, partner at Bostina & Asociatii, told The Diplomat Bucharest. Lack of financing is the main impediment to developing stronger local airport infrastructure, a statement echoed by most consultants, authorities and private companies. In Romania, most of the airports are developed under the authority of county councils that have yearly strategic investments to make for certain objectives to be sustained. Because the airport infrastructure in Romania has constantly deteriorated, the revamping process needs significant sums, said Costea. An alternative to the lack of or limited access to financing through the European program POS-Transportation is private investors and public-private partnerships. But Bostina & Asociatii lawyers say Romanian legislation concerning leases for public works (according to GO 34/2006) is tricky and hard to put into practice for such projects. Preparation for a lease contract and meeting the formalities and legal procedures to make a project attractive are time-consuming. PPP legislation has been adopted recently, and has been amended in different stages. Add to that the lack of practice in applying this legislation in Romania and we can understand the reluctance coming from authorities, and not only them, in running and participating in such projects, said Costea. According to public data, the two airports in Alexeni and Gura Humorului feature among plans for private-public partnerships. The airport at Alexeni is being handled by the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism (MDRT), it was announced by the former minister in 2011. According to data released by the MDRT at the end of last year, the airport at Alexeni will be developed as a private-public partnership, starting with an initial stage involving a EUR 300 million investment from a total estimated EUR 1 billion. Undercutting Otopeni The airport project to be developed by the group of companies controlled by Romanian businessman Nelu Iordache, comprising Blue Air, Romstrade and Infra Group, will be similar to airports in Budapest, Bratislava, Marseille and Brussels South Charleroi Airport. Gheorghe Racaru, group strategy and corporate planning manager at Infra Group, told The Diplomat Bucharest that the project is currently awaiting the issuing of a feasibility study. In the meantime, the company has been looking for investors for the estimated EUR 220 million funding. The manager says they may be foreign financial institutions and even hedge funds, some of them with no local office or operations in Romania. According to Racaru, the feasibility study is estimated to cost several hundred thousand Euros, having been developed by Lufthansa Consulting. A call for offers was launched by the Romanian company in July-August last year, when it received 15 consultancy offers in the first stage. After the second selection stage, which involved seven companies, the firm chose to work with Lufthansa Consulting on the Bucharest South International Airport project. In northern Bucharest, there is no space to develop an extension of Otopeni airport and even less a new airport. For low-cost airlines, most of the traffic, 70 percent, comes from Southern and Eastern Bucharest, said Racaru. According to him, Brasov doesnt need a new airport, and expectations of higher numbers of tourists are not reasonable. There are five airports in western Romania and aside from one or two, they are registering very low traffic, especially those that are not backed up by military operations, said Racaru.

For the new airport south of Bucharest, Racaru said that, besides Blue Air, the company is in talks with other airlines and the airport fees will be lower than at Otopeni. The project at Adunatii Copaceni will comprise up to 45,000 sqm of flight attendance space, a projected capacity of 2 million passengers yearly and a flight track of 3,200 meters, similar to the one at Baneasa Airport. It will have 10 boarding gates, parking spaces and a commercial area. The investment in this project is estimated at EUR 220 million. So far the investors have not identified a definite financing source but feasibility studies are currently being carried out. EBRD representatives told The Diplomat Bucharest that talks have been held between Infra Group and EBRD but, so far, no agreement has been reached. The construction works at the new airport are estimated to last 30 months from the issuing of the zonal urban planning (PUZ) permit. The airport will predominantly serve Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Ghimbav project takes flight Another much-discussed project on the aviation infrastructure development agenda is the airport project at Ghimbav, 7 km from Brasov. The area was in the news last year after Premium Aerotec, a division of the French-German group EADS, opened a new production facility in Ghimbav, a EUR 40 million investment creating some 500 jobs. Since 2006, when the company International Airport Brasov Ghimbav (SC Aeroportul International Brasov Ghimbav) was established, with the county council in Brasov as majority shareholder, the project has suffered ups and downs, with canceled auctions, postponements and even a shareholders call to dissolve the company in 2011. SC Aeroportul International Brasov Ghimbav was founded to negotiate and sign the contract with the Canadian company Intelcan, but in 2011 negotiations between Intelcan and Brasov county council broke down. According to Erste group officials, the Romanian Commercial Bank granted EUR 14 million of financing to Brasov county council four years ago, and the contract continues accordingly. In fact, BCR has built a strong local portfolio of financing granted for the development of infrastructure, including airports. Most recently, the bank financed the extension of Henri Coanda International Airport at Otopeni; the total project volume amounted to EUR 150 million, of which BCR financed EUR 50 million. Werner Weihs-Raabl, head of infrastructure finance at Erste Group, said, Successful airport projects can only be driven by public regional or central authorities which can look beyond the economics of the project company and consider the multiple benefits which are connected with airport development. Envisaged private investments in airport projects are in different stages of development, but none of these projects has managed so far to ensure finance. In May, the county council in Brasov announced a call for offers within an auction for building the runway track at the airport at Ghimbav, an investment estimated at EUR 20 million. According to the Electronic System for Public Procurement (SEAP), the deadline for submitting offers is June 14, and the contract covers the planning and construction execution for the runway at Ghimbav Airport. The contract is due to run for 48 months from the final procurement decision. The runaway is 2,820 meters long and 45 meters wide, with 7.5 meter-wide footways on each side. This is the second auction to be announced by the county council in Brasov, after the last one, announced in April, was canceled. According to the previous auction details, the price constitutes 80 percent of the awarding criteria, and duration of works the other 20 percent. The yearly traffic at Ghimbav is estimated at 800,000 passengers. But since last year, estimations regarding the airport have fluctuated. Initially, the total airport investment was put at EUR 100 million, which then dropped to EUR 60 million. The draft project developed by companies including Mott Macdonald, then reviewed by Dornier Consulting, put the number of yearly passengers at 1 million passengers, then 500,000. Either way, the capitalization of the airport at Ghimbav is confirmed, according to public statements by the local authorities from Brasov county council. They compared the numbers with similar airports, such as Cluj for instance, which has a yearly passenger volume of almost 1 million. Still, skeptical voices from Bucharest, such as Gheorghe Racaru of Infra Group, claim that not all airports in western Romania are profitable, and some of them have got lucky because of their connected function as military airports, such as at Timisoara, and Constanta, in southern Romania. Far from fares According to the findings of AT Kearney, communicated to The Diplomat Bucharest by Michael Weiss, partner within the company, Romania has to speed up its progress in terms of airport infrastructure, in order to bridge the gap with other countries in the region. In the next phase it will be key to enhance the business model of the airport in two main directions: exploring new opportunities to generate non-ticket fee related revenues and excellence in ground operations, said Weiss. He added, On the non-ticket fee related revenues side, other European airports have been able to transform the airport into a strong economic cluster with retail and service activities beyond the traditional check-in, wait and arrival process. Weiss offers the example of the so-called airport cities, which have been able to generate their own very profitable business dynamics. This is an economic move that goes beyond the recently renovated duty-free retailers and fast-food places that have recently opened.

On the excellence in operations front we are talking about the need for a significant enhancement of the current endto-end process quality, further investment in information technology, and an improvement in the operational business model between airlines, airport and other service providers, said Weiss. The airport infrastructure, as included in Romanias long-term intermodal strategy, is a common denominator of development needs in Romania whenever the economic attractiveness for existing and future investors is discussed. While we have seen progress in selected areas of infrastructure enhancement and modernization, intermodal infrastructure remains for Romania a long-term vision that is not yet implemented on a sufficient level, he argued. New flight paths Others are also calling for improvements. For instance, the management of Baia Mare Airport believes that the Romanian authorities should find solutions, especially in terms of financing resources, to expand the remit of local airports which currently focus only on commercial flights over medium-large distance and capacities. Currently, the other flight activities present in all European countries, such as light and ultra-light flights, private charters, utility and entertainment fights for proximity tourism activities, are being neglected, said Baia Mare representatives, quoted by the Airports Association in Romania. Legislation should be updated to this end, they added. The airport at Baia Mare has submitted a financing request for expansion and modernization works on the airport platforms, likely to cost RON 45.3 million (around EUR 10.6 million). Of this financing, the county council in Maramures will contribute some RON 730,000, while European funds will supply over RON 25 million. The remainder should come from the state budget. Meanwhile, the airport in Iasi is currently seeing the construction of a new passenger terminal, to be finished at the end of this month, in a EUR 2 million investment. According to the airports representatives, the funds for this investment come from the state budget and county council. In Suceava, Stefan cel Mare Airport started a modernization project in 2011 involving the entire airport infrastructure, through the POS-T program, an investment to be completed in 2015, with a total value of approximately RON 168 million (some EUR 39 million). Of this sum, the ECs contribution, through the European Fund for Regional Development, is 69.25 percent, while the state budget will put up 28.75 percent. The airport is covering 2 percent of the total amount. West brings traffic to Timisoara and Sibiu Cornel Samartinean, general manager of Traian Vuia Timisoara International Airport, told The Diplomat Bucharest that the management is currently in talks with two airlines that are interested in coming to the western Romanian airport, and, overall, the Traian Vuia figures look good. Passenger traffic has increased each year since 2009, from 974,000 to over 1.2 million at the end of 2011, a 6 percent rise since 2010. Timisoaras airport is the second largest national hub in Romania, Samartinean said. Otopeni and Timisoara are linked through six daily return flights. In 2010, the airport achieved a turnover of almost RON 42.6 million, a similar value to 2011, while for this year the GM expects some RON 44.65 million. According to data provided by the commercial division of the airport in Sibiu, over 60 percent of travelers in the region purchase a ticket more than twice a year, the top destinations being London, Paris and Barcelona. The airport capacity is 300 passengers per hour on each flux, domestic and international, and it can handle a flight every five minutes. Airlines with regular flights to Sibiu include Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Carpatair, Blue Air, and charters Air Bucharest and Corendon Airlines. Traffic in 2009 reached 221,000 passengers, three times the figure from 2008, and rose again to over 226,000 passengers in 2010. In 2011, we registered a slight decrease in traffic due to the current economic conditions, said Mirela Ciucur, chief of commercial service at the airport. Currently, the airport at Sibiu has some RON 30.7 million for different updates and modernization works within the airport infrastructure. The airport posted a turnover of RON 10.2 million in 2011, slightly down on 2010, and has an estimated budget of around RON 10 million for this year, due to relatively steady business indicators such as traffic, fares and flight frequency. Privatization still up in the air There are currently four major names from Romanian air infrastructure on the privatization schedule and, under the law published in January 2012, their listing should start before the end of 2012. The Property Fund holds stakes in three of them. The National Company of Airports is ready to be listed, said Greg Konieczny, Property Fund manager and executive VP of Franklin Templeton Investments, the company administrating the fund. Plans for privatizations and listing of the main state-owned companies in Romania also include the Bucharest Airports National Company (CN. Aeroporturi Bucuresti). According to Konieczny, that listing could happen this year only if there is a strong will on the part of the government, as there is currently no plan in this respect, while the latest political uncertainty and IMF visit to Romania could delay it. Konieczny told The Diplomat Bucharest that the company is profitable and ready to be listed and efforts are being made to urge the Ministry of Transportation to speed up the process. According to current data, the value of CN

Aeroporturi Bucuresti is EUR 73.6 million, with the Property Fund owning 20 percent, while the Romanian state holds the rest. As of March 31 this year, the portfolio of the fund was heavily weighted towards companies operating in electricity and oil and gas, representing almost 87 percent of the funds net assets value (NAV). In the same period, the fund reported a portfolio of 73 companies, 27 listed and 46 unlisted. According to company data, CN Aeroporturi Bucuresti registered a turnover of EUR 94.2 million, and a profit of EUR 10.1 million in the same year, from a cumulated traffic for the two airports at Otopeni and Baneasa of over 7 million passengers and over 100,000 aircraft arrivals and departures. According to data provided by the Property Fund, the dividend payout in 2011 was 90 percent. Also on the funds listing schedule is Traian Vuia Airport in Timisoara, of which the fund owns 20 percent, with a NAV of EUR 2 million and Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport in Constanta, where it holds the same amount of shares, estimated at EUR 1 million. Tarom listing preparing for take-off The listing of the national airline Tarom on the Bucharest Stock Exchange will most likely take place in late June, two months later than scheduled under the commitments made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the letter agreed by the government and the IMF after the latters last mission in Bucharest, the prospectus setting out the sale of 20 percent of the states shares in Tarom was scheduled to be published by the end of May, and the procedure was estimated to be completed by the end of June. The IMF has agreed to the extension, but urged the government to return a Boeing 737-800 aircraft the company hired four years ago, or to renegotiate the rent. The initial understanding between the government and the IMF was for the stake to be sold by the end of 2011. After the National Securities Commission (CNVM) approved the preliminary prospectus for the sale of 20 percent of Tarom shares, the listing of the airline was said to have entered the home straight. According to Marius Trif, general manager of Carpatica Invest, the broker involved in the listing, beside Swiss Capital, the preliminary prospectus from the CNVM has been sent to Ministry of Transport, but the manager couldnt estimate when the final version will be published. According to Bucharest Stock Exchange data, the IPO for Tarom was scheduled for June this year. Still, according to market sources, the listing of Tarom could prove a major failure, due to the large losses registered by the company for the fourth consecutive year. However, in 2011, according to its financial reports, the airline reduced its losses by 24.2 percent compared with 2010, from EUR 79 million to EUR 14 million, and expected revenues of EUR 7.5 million. Through the IPO scheduled for this month, the Ministry of Transport aims to sell 163 million shares, worth EUR 93 million, for RON 2.5 per share.

A jet bridge (also termed jetway, loading bridge, aerobridge/airbridge, air jetty, portal, passenger walkway or passenger boarding bridge) is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside.[1] Depending on building design, sill heights, fueling positions and operational requirements, it may be fixed or movable, swinging radially or extending in length.[1] Jetway is a registered trademark[2] of JBT AeroTech.[3] However, it is often used in North American parlance to refer to any jet bridge, regardless of manufacturer. Prior to the introduction of jet bridges, passengers would normally board an aircraft by walking along the ground-level ramp and climbing a set of movable stairs, or up airstairs on aircraft so equipped. Mobile staircases or "ramp stairs" are still employed at many airports around the world, particularly smaller airports and terminals supporting low cost carriers. The first jet bridge in the United States was installed on July 29, 1959 at San Francisco International Airport.

Advantages
Loading bridges provide all-weather dry access to aircraft jet bridge and enhance the security of terminal operations. They are often permanently attached at one end by a pivot (or "rotunda") to the terminal building and have the ability to swing left or right. The "cab", located at the end of

the loading bridge, may be raised or lowered, extended or retracted, and may pivot, in order to accommodate aircraft of different sizes.[1] These motions are controlled by an operator's station in the cab. The cab is provided with an accordion-like canopy, which allows the bridge to dock with aircraft with differing shapes, and provide a nearly weather-proof seal. Additionally, many models offer leveling devices for the portion of the floor that makes contact with the aircraft; this allows passengers to slowly transition from level aircraft floor to sloping jet bridge floor. As such, jet bridges provide enhanced access to aircraft for passengers with many types of disabilities and mobility impairments, as they may board and disembark without climbing stairs or using a specialized wheelchair lift. Airbridges seen here at London Heathrow's Terminal 5, complete with advertising Some airports with international gates have two bridges for larger aircraft with multiple entrances. In theory, this allows for faster boarding and disembarking of larger aircraft, though it is quite common to use one bridge for only passengers in first class and business class, while the other bridge is only for the use of passengers in economy class. With the arrival of the full double-deck airliners such as the Airbus A380, it is expected that each deck will have one or more loading bridges. Such connectors are being constructed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Johannesburg International Airport. These are already in use at Dubai International Airport, Karachi Jinnah International Airport, Melbourne Airport, Sydney Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Toronto Pearson Airport, Montreal-Trudeau Airport, Incheon International Airport and Narita Airport with the A380. Though loading bridges are usually permanently attached at their terminal-building end, leaving only the cab free to move, this is not always the case. Those at Melbourne Airport's international terminal are anchored in the middle and movable at either end the terminal building-end can be raised or lowered to connect with either the departures level or the arrivals level of the terminal building.

Disadvantages
Loading bridges restrict aircraft parking to spots immediately adjacent to the terminal. Thus, airports still use mobile staircases to facilitate boarding at hardstands (remote parking positions). Loading bridges may pose hazards to aircraft if handled improperly. If the bridge is not retracted fully prior to departure, it may contact protruding parts of the taxiing aircraft (e.g. a pitot tube), requiring repair and delays. Furthermore, during cold weather, the loading bridge may become frozen to the aircraft. In this case, when the jet bridge retracts, it could damage the aircraft if that area has not been properly de-iced. Loading bridges usually cost more to use than remote stands, so many low cost carriers (e.g., Ryanair, Easyjet and AirAsia[citation needed]) prefer not to use them. When regional jets are used, jet bridges have another disadvantage, since they only allow one aircraft to park at the gate at a time. Several airlines have removed jet bridges at regional jet

gates at airports such as Atlanta which are short on gates. When boarding on the ramp, airlines can fit two or more regional jets per gate.

Use at small airports

Jet bridges are occasionally used at smaller, single story airports. This is accomplished by use of a flight of stairs, and in some instances, a wheelchair lift. In this scenario, a passenger would proceed through the gate, but then up a flight of stairs to meet the height of the jet bridge. An example of this can be found at South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana. Alternatively, a ramp can be used within the terminal building to bring the passengers from the waiting area to the height of the jet bridge. Sawyer International Airport which is located near Marquette, Michigan in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has jet bridges that can load passengers onto smaller passenger aircraft such as the Saab 340 turboprop. The Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport at Ithaca, New York has two gates using this approach. This can be done to attract larger airlines that require use of a jet bridge to the airport, to make boarding smaller planes easier for disabled people, and to improve the boarding process in bad weather.

Use and appearance

At the airport terminal, the bridge is connected to a portal (called a "gate") in the terminal wall behind the gate desk. Once airplane boarding starts, passengers hand in their boarding passes to the gate's attendant, who lets them pass through. Inside, the bridge looks much like a narrow but lighted hallway in an office building, without doors. Loading bridges usually have no windows, but glass walls are becoming more common. The walls are normally painted in accordance with airline standards, generally with relaxing colours. Some bridges have advertisements on interior or exterior walls. By using a retractable tunnel design, loading bridges may retract and extend varying lengths. Some airports use fixed walkways to effectively extend the reach of a loading bridge. The fixed walkway extends out from the terminal building and connects to the loading bridge rotunda. Occasionally, fixed bridges lead to multiple loading bridges. Also, there are some jetways (such as the ones at Edmonton International Airport and Calgary International Airport) that sit directly on the ground, as opposed to supports. These jetways are often used by small airlines or airplanes that are sometimes too low for conventional jetways (such as the Dash 8 and CRJ). The cab of the loading bridge is raised and lowered in order to dock with aircraft of differing sill heights. The height of the cab is matched to the height of the aircraft door sill height. This often results in a slope along the length of the loading bridge. Controls in older systems will contain a large number of individual motor control buttons, with efficient operation requiring a high degree of operator skill and experience. Modern control consoles are much simpler, with only a few buttons, a graphic display console, and a single multi-axis joystick, with an overall appearance similar to that of a video game console in a video
arcade.

Ground support equipment

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(November 2006)

Ground Support Equipment

Taxiing in/pushing back

Ground support equipment (GSE) is the support equipment found at an airport, usually on the ramp, the servicing area by the terminal. This equipment is used to service the aircraft between flights. As its name implies, GSE is there to support the operations of aircraft on the ground. The functions that this equipment plays generally involve ground power operations, aircraft mobility, and loading operations (for both cargo and passengers).

Overview

Catering vehicle

Many airlines subcontract ground handling to an airport or a handling agent, or even to another airline. Ground handling addresses the many service requirements of a passenger aircraft between the time it arrives at a terminal gate and the time it departs on its next flight. Speed, efficiency, and accuracy are important in ground handling services in order to minimize the turnaround time (the time during which the aircraft remains parked at the gate). Small airlines sometimes subcontract maintenance to a much larger and reputable carrier, as it is a short-term cheaper alternative to setting up an independent maintenance base. Some airlines may enter into a Maintenance and Ground Support Agreement (MAGSA) with each other, which is used by airlines to assess costs for maintenance and support to aircraft. Most ground services are not directly related to the actual flying of the aircraft, and instead involve other service tasks. Cabin services ensure passenger comfort and safety. They include such tasks as cleaning the passenger cabin and replenishment of on-board consumables or washable items such as soap, pillows, tissues, blankets, and magazines. Security checks are also made to make sure no threats have been left on the aircraft. Airport ground support equipment (GSE) comprise a diverse range of vehicles and equipment necessary to service aircraft during passenger and cargo loading and unloading, maintenance, and other ground-based operations. The wide range of activities associated with aircraft ground operations lead to an equally wide ranging fleet of GSE. For example, activities undertaken during a typical aircraft gate period include: cargo loading and unloading, passenger loading and unloading, potable water storage, lavatory waste tank drainage, aircraft refueling, engine and fuselage examination and maintenance, and food and beverage catering. Airlines employ specially designed GSE to support all these operations. Moreover, electrical power and conditioned air are generally required throughout gate operational periods for both passenger and crew comfort and safety, and many times these services are also provided by GSE.

[edit] Chocks

Chocks

Chocks are used to prevent an aircraft from moving while parked at the gate or in a hangar. Chocks are placed in the front ('fore') and back ('aft') of the wheels of landing gear. They are made out of hard wood or hard rubber. Corporate safety guidelines in the USA almost always specify that chocks must be used in a pair on the same wheel and they must be placed in physical contact with the wheel. Therefore, "Chocks" refers to a pair of chocks connected by a segment of rope or cable. Chock is also a verb, as in, "You need to chock that belt loader if you're going to leave it parked there," or, "As I was chocking the nose gear, the aircraft's engines were still spinning down." Actual time of departure are recorded for movement messages once the chocks are removed

[edit] Non-powered equipment

Trolley for containers

Trolley for pallets

[edit] Bag carts

Baggage carts are used for the transportation of luggage, mail, cargo and other materials between the aircraft and the terminal or sorting facility. Carts are fitted with a brake system which blocks the wheels from moving when the connecting rod is not attached to a tug. Most carts are completely enclosed except for the sides which use plastic curtains to protect items from weather.
[edit] Trolleys for containers and pallets

The trolley or dollie are for containers and palettes are used for the transport of loads placed in containers and on pallets. Both kinds of trolley have inbuilt rollers or balls in the space for the acceptance of containers or pallets for their easier moving. The containers or pallets on trolleys must obligatory be secured with built-in Stops. The mechanical brake, depending on construction blocks the wheels when the towbar of the trolley is raised to 90. The trolleys for containers have revolving deck to make containers turn to the direction of loading on aircraft. On all trolleys the parts as brake for wheels blocking, the wheels, the towbar, the hook for connecting, stops on the revolving platform, and stops for locking the containers or pallets must be in order or with them is prohibited any transport.

[edit] Powered equipment

[edit] Refuelers

Hydrant truck aircraft refueler.

Aircraft refuelers can be either a self contained fuel truck, or a hydrant truck or cart. Fuel trucks are self contained, typically containing up to 10,000 US gallons of fuel and have their own pumps, filters, hoses, and other equipment. A hydrant cart or truck hooks into a central pipeline network and provides fuel to the aircraft. There is a significant advantage with hydrant systems when compared to fuel trucks, as fuel trucks must be periodically replenished.
[edit] Tugs and tractors

The tugs and tractors at an airport have several purposes and represent the essential part of ground support services. They are used to move any equipment that can not move itself. This includes bag carts, mobile air conditioning units, air starters, lavatory carts, and other equipment.

[edit] Ground power units

Ground power unit

A ground power unit is a vehicle capable of supplying power to aircraft parked on the ground. Ground power units may also be built into the jetway, making it even easier to supply electrical power to aircraft. Many aircraft require 28V of direct current and 110V 400 Hz of alternating current. The electric energy is carried from a generator to a connection on the aircraft via 3 phase 4-wire insulated cable capable of handling 200 amps. These connectors are standard for all aircraft, as defined in ISO 6858.
[edit] Buses

Airport bus Main article: Airport bus

Buses at airports are used to move people from the terminal to either an aircraft or another terminal. Some airports use buses that are raised to the level of a passenger terminal and can only be accessed from a door on the 2nd level of the terminal. These odd looking buses are usually referred to as "people movers" or "mobile lounges". Airport buses are usually normal city buses or specialised terminal busses. The biggest producers of airport buses are in China (Shenyang, Beijing, Jinhua), Portugal and Slovenia.[specify]
[edit] Container loader

The loader for widebodied aircraft (cargo platform) is used for loading and unloading of cargo placed in containers or on pallet. The loader has two platforms which independently raise or come down. The containers or palettes on the loader are moved with the help of built-in rollers or wheels, and are carried in aircraft across the platforms. The ground handling is different in the different areas. In Northern and South America the pallet is dominating and in Europe and Asia the container is stronger in use. So there are different container and pallet loaders. - 3.5 to - 7 to, standard version, wide-body, universal (up to main body height) - 14 to - 30 to For military

transport planes special container and pallet loaders are in use. Also for military use airborne (transportable within the transport plane) are in use. Container and pallet loaders are produced mainly in France, Germany, Estonia, Spain, Canada, in the U.S.A., Brazil, Japan and China.
[edit] Transporters

Container transporter

The transporters are cargo platforms constructed so that beside loading and unloading can transport cargo. Depending on the type and load capacity the containers could be transported, and the same is valid for greater transporters and palettes.
[edit] Air starter

A jet air starter

An air starter is a vehicle with a built-in gas turbine engine which, during the start of aircraft engine, gives the necessary quantity of air to start the engine. While a compressor cannot deliver the necessary quantity of air for its own work, the air is provided by an air starter. An air starter blows air in by a hose attached to aircraft.
[edit] Potable water trucks

Potable water trucks are special vehicles that fill up drinking water tanks in aircraft. The water is filtered and protected from the elements while being stored on the vehicle. A pump in the vehicle assists in moving the water from the truck to the aircraft.

[edit] Lavatory service vehicles

Lavatory service vehicles empty and refill lavatories onboard aircraft. Waste is stored in tanks on the aircraft until these vehicles can empty them and get rid of the waste. After the tank is emptied, it is refilled with a mixture of water and a disinfecting concentrate, commonly called 'blue juice'. Instead of a self-powered vehicle, some airports have lavatory carts, which are smaller and must be pulled by tug.
[edit] Catering vehicle

Catering includes the unloading of unused food and drink from the aircraft, and the loading of fresh food and drinks for passengers and crew. The meals are typically delivered in standardized carts. Meals are prepared mostly on the ground in order to minimize the amount of preparation (apart from chilling or reheating) required in the air. The catering vehicle consists of a rear body, lifting system, platform and an electro-hydraulic control mechanism. The vehicle can be lifted up, down and the platform can be moved to place in front of the aircraft. In-flight food is prepared in the flight kitchen which is completely HACCP certified facility where food is made in sterile and controlled environments. The packed food is then placed in trollies and wheeled into the Catering truck at the flight kitchen, which can be located within a 5 km radius of the airport. Thereon the vehicle drives to the airport and is parked in front of the plane. The stabilizers are deployed and the van body is lifted. The platform can be fine controlled to move left-right as well as in-out so that it is aligned with the door correctly. The body is made of insulated panels and is capable of maintaining temperatures of 0 degrees by means of refrigeration unit. A special Hi Lift for the A380 plane has been designed and is seen in cities with the A380 traffic. Some of the manufacturers manufacturing Hi Lifts are Mallaghan Ltd, CTV DOLL, FFG, Byron GSE, Nandan GSE, TLD, Aeromobiles, TIMSAN GSE, etc.
[edit] Belt loaders

Belt loader

Belt loaders are vehicles with movable belts for unloading and loading of baggage and cargo of aircraft. A belt loader is positioned to the door sill of an aircraft hold (baggage compartment) for the operation. Belt loaders are used for narrow body aircraft (e.g. 737) and bulk hold of wide body aircraft (e.g. 767 and 747). Baggage stored without containers is known as bulk loading.
[edit] Passenger boarding stairs

Passenger boarding stairs

Passenger boarding stairs, sometimes referred to as 'air-stairs', 'boarding ramps' or 'aircraft steps', provide a mobile means to traverse between aircraft doors and the ground. Because larger aircraft have door sills 5 to 20 feet high, stairs facilitate safe boarding and deboarding. While smaller units are generally moved by being towed or pushed, larger units are self-powered. Most models have adjustable height to accommodate various aircraft. Optional features may include canopy, heat, supplementary lighting and red carpet.
[edit] Pushback tugs and tractors Main article: Pushback

Pushback tugs are mostly used to push an aircraft away from the gate when it is ready to leave. These tugs are very powerful and because of the large engines, are sometimes referred to as an engine with wheels. Pushback tugs can also be used to pull aircraft in various situations, such as to a hangar. Different size tugs are required for different size aircraft. Some tugs use a tow-bar as a connection between the tug and the aircraft, while other tugs lift the nose gear off the ground to make it easier to tow or push.
[edit] De/anti-icing vehicles

A de/anti-icing vehicle

The procedure of de/anti-icing, protection from fluids freezing up on aircraft, is done from special vehicles. These vehicles have booms, like a cherry picker, to allow easy access to the entire aircraft. A hose sprays a special mixture that melts current ice on the aircraft and also prevents some ice from building up while waiting on the ground