october2021 - 32

AIRPORTS
" New features include safety upgrades such
as cameras for increased visibility around the
boarding bridge during operation, a bumper
surrounding the wheels to immediately stop
the bridge if it comes in contact with anything
on the ramp, and other technologies such as
HMI screens instead of traditional buttons
and dials providing a better human/machine
interface. This results in a more efficient and
safer boarding and deplaning process which
improves the efficiency of the airport and
airlines operating there. "
One of the newest features of the bridges
at ORF is a monitoring system called iOPS.
This system provides real-time data to the
airport on the current status of equipment
and can provide preventative maintenance
notifications.
" They receive real-time data from the
iOPs system on how each piece of equipment
is operating, for example, what temperature
the air conditioner is blowing and the status
of each piece of equipment. If something
goes down, the airport receives an immediate
notification instead of waiting for personnel
to identify an issue. This minimizes
any downtime and increases the efficiency of
operations and overall customer experience, "
says Pearson.
" The remote monitoring system allows
us to have our finger on the pulse and help
our ultimate goal of reduced flight delays
that might be caused by equipment failures, "
adds Bass.
Uniquely, ORF requested six CCTV cameras
strategically installed throughout each of
the passenger boarding bridges, says Nicholas
Monaco, AERO BridgeWorks project engineer.
" Typically there's one, maybe two cameras
on the bridge itself to monitor activity in the
area, but Norfolk requested that we have six
cameras with the capability to be recorded for
up to 10 days at a secure location. This way,
Norfolk personnel are always aware of what
was going on around the exterior and interior
of bridge " he says.
As part of the technology upgrade, an
all-new fiber communication backbone and
upgraded electrical systems were installed.
" There were two concourses at the airport
and we ran fiber throughout both concourses
to have connection points at every single gate "
says Monaco.
The technology upgrade required an allnew
fiber communication backbone and
electrical system.
" It was a huge fiber communication
upgrade, " Monaco points out. " There were
two concourses at the airport and they ran
fiber throughout both concourses to reach out
to every single gate. "
To keep the project on track while diminishing
its impact on ORF's operations, the airport
and AERO BridgeWorks created a tight,
phased schedule to bring the bridges online.
The year before the project, Bass says ORF
worked with IT provider Amadeus to install
a network system that would go to all of their
common use gates.
" We created a schedule in which we would
only take down one passenger loading bridge
at a time from a particular airline, and then
be able to move them to a common use gate
temporarily for the duration of construction
for that particular gate, " says Bass. " So, at any
point in time, I would have down only about
two to three passenger loading bridges at a
time at the airport, but we would break it up
as I would take one from each airline during
that duration or for how many airlines that I
would need it at that point on the schedule.
Because we broke it into about seven phases
of the project. "
" The project was executed at a fully operational
airport and required the team to plan
essentially seven phases, " adds Taylor. " Working
with ORF operations, the lead architect
and an owner's representative, AERO developed
a plan which initially installed three
gates at locations which, at the time, were not
serving specific airline tenants. Those gates
then operated as swing gates for future phases.
AERO and the owner's representative worked
closely with the airline tenants and with the
airport authority to expedite phasing the airline
gate movement. This often provided the
opportunity to shave additional time off the
project schedule. "
Monaco says the team executed a two- to
three-week turn per gate, with the start date at
each gate offset by one week. Once the project
was underway, they were taking a gate out of
service and putting a different gate back in
service each week.
32 GROUND SUPPORT WORLDWIDE OCTOBER 2021
october2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of october2021
