october2023 - 17

Sustainability Steps Ground Support
Professionals Can Take Today
GSE plays a significant role in the air cargo industry, and it should play just
as significant a role in the future of sustainability within the industry.
BY GERRY HOADLEY
D
uring the 16th World Cargo
Symposium (WCS) held in
Istanbul this spring, the International
Air Transport Association
(IATA) announced three priorities to
continue to progress within the air
cargo industry: sustainability, digitalization
and safety.
" Air cargo is a critically important
industry. We should always be guided
by that fact. Our work is helping build
a better future for the people of the
world. We are in an industry that saves
lives, delivering aid and relief to those
in need, " said Brendan Sullivan, global
head of air cargo at IATA. " We must
work together to ensure that air cargo
remains a reliable and efficient means
of providing support to those in need,
while simultaneously strengthening
our global supply chains and contributing
to the sustainable development of
our economies. "
Contributing to a sustainable future
doesn't have to wait. And it starts with
ground support professionals. From
ensuring smooth turnarounds and
on-time departures to helping increase
efficiency in the air cargo supply chain,
ground support equipment (GSE) plays
a crucial role in the air cargo industry
and contributing to the future of sustainability
and safety.
Electric Vehicles
" At the 41st ICAO Assembly, governments
agreed to the Long-Term Aspirational
Goal (LTAG) of net zero carbon
emissions by 2050, in line with the
industry's commitment adopted in
2021, " noted Sullivan.
Choosing the right tow tractor for
ground support operations is crucial for
crew safety, operations efficiency and
productivity. It's an easy first step in
meeting sustainability goals for ground
support operations.
Compared to a single internal combustion
tractor emitting an average
of 3,250 kilograms of CO2 annually,
an electric tow tractor emits zero CO2
- helping reduce airports overall pollution
output and contribute to IATA's
goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050.
With the low-end torque, frequent start
and stops, idle time and short required
ranges, cargo tow tractors are particularly
well-suited for electrification.
Going electric doesn't stop at sustainability
benefits. Electrification
enables smart vehicle technology such
as anti-roll over, programable speed
controls and on-board diagnostics,
further increasing productivity and
safety for crews.
And with flexible charging options,
electric GSE can adapt to the widest
range of infrastructure readiness. For
example, Tiger Lithium-Ion tow tractors
can be charged using a traditional 110v
or 220v single-phase outlet, the same
used for electric cars, or a CAN-enabled
smart industrial charger for
fast charging.
Lithium-Ion Power
Incorporating Lithium-Ion power (Liion)
into GSE can further enhance productivity
in cargo towing and material
handing through increased uptime
and performance, all while lowering
an operation's overall carbon footprint.
Advanced Li-ion batteries provide at
least 3,000 cycles and great efficiency
without power loss as the battery
charge depletes.
Li-ion batteries last significantly
longer than flooded lead-acid or AGM
batteries - up to five times as long -
contributing to a lower total cost of
ownership (TCO). Li-ion batteries also
perform better in cold weather. Due
to the nature of flooded lead-acid batteries,
users can experience up to a 50
percent decrease in battery life in cold
weather temperatures. And while cold
weather has a negative effect on all batteries,
Li-ion batteries aren't as affected.
Li-ion batteries also don't require
maintenance such as posts to be
cleaned or fluid to be monitored or
added, making them more reliable and
further increasing uptime and saving
overall costs.
Leading the Way to a
Sustainable Future
" We must work together to ensure
that air cargo remains a reliable and
efficient means of providing support
to those in need, while simultaneously
strengthening our global supply
chains and contributing to the sustainable
development of our economies, "
said Sullivan.
GSE plays a significant role in the air
cargo industry, and it should play just
as significant a role in the future of sustainability
within the industry. A future
that, by transitioning to electric fleets,
can start today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GERRY HOADLEY
Gerry Hoadley is the director
of ground support equipment
(GSE) business at Waev
Inc., an electric mobility
provider founded in 2021 to
manufacture, distribute, market and support
the GEM, Taylor-Dunn and Tiger brands. In this
position, Hoadley leads product and business
development, customer sales and service for
the Tiger tow tractor vehicle line.
October 2023 || AviationPros.com || 17
http://www.AviationPros.com
october2023

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