Rostov-on-Don Airport (belongs to Airports of Regions Holding Company) implementing its aircraft handling equipment renewal program has acquired 5 new vehicles, as well as 10 baggage carts and 2 aircraft cabin heaters. The acquired GSE will replace the outdated vehicles and equipment previously involved in ground handling procedures.
One of the novelties that has come into possession of the airfield service is a Swiss snow blower Zaugg Rolba 3000. The self-propelled vehicle moving at speeds up to 40 km/h is capable to clear up to 5,000 tons of snow and ice buildups in less than 1 hour casting them from the runway and the apron at a distance of up to 50 meters. Such snow blower in combination with a snow sweeper allows to clear the runway within minutes and to ensure landings and departures of aircraft even in heavy snowfall.
Three new Belarus based baggage tractors designed to tow new baggage carts with carrying capacity up to 1500 kg will replace the outdated battery trucks used to deliver passengers' baggage on board the aircraft and for its unloading. These attachments - ploughs and brushes – make it possible to use new tractors and clear the individual elements of the airfield pavement, as well as the territory of the airport of snow and garbage.
Another timely novelty in the season of low temperatures has become 2 universal engine heaters. The heaters are designed to warm up aircraft cabins in the cold season and to ventilate and air in the hot season, as well as to provide heating for operations of the airport ground services. Forcing through a special 9 meter-long hose to the cabin up to 5000 m³/h air flow at a temperature of up to 110° C the new heaters are capable of creating comfortable atmosphere inside the aircraft in a few minutes and maintaining it continuously for 10 hours.
To increase the efficiency and improve the convenience of bulky cargo handling GSE department has acquired a new on-board crane based on a KAMAZ truck. The boom of the crane installed on the new vehicle can extend to almost 20 meters, and carry out loading and relocation of containers and other cargo weighing up to 7 tons.
For reference: all fleet of aircraft handling and airfield maintenance equipment of the airport has passed the necessary maintenance and is prepared to work in the winter period. In addition to snow ploughs, winter operations will involve a snow blower, complex cleaning equipment, bulldozers, graders and 3 deicers - special machines for processing aircraft with the anti-icing fluid. All in all, the fleet of aircraft handling and airfield maintenance equipment of Rostov Airport numbers over 130 vehicles of different purpose.