Page 33 - AAA JULY-AUGUST 2012 Online Magazine

AIRPORTS

iFerrets in India
Singapore-based Stratech Systems has
signed a deal with India’s Punj Lloyd to
deploy its iFerret™ intelligent Airfield/
Runway Surveillance and FOD (Foreign Aussie Numbers Down
Object & Debris) Detection System in India.
Debris reportedly incurs an estimated Kingsford Smith airport in Sydney, Australia, is to lose 36 engineering jobs as part of
US$4 billion in repair and maintenance the changes introduced by Qantas to relocate its component maintenance shop to
costs annually, and up to US$9 billion Tullamarine airport in Melbourne, Victoria. The move follows the imminent closure of
per year more from flight delays and the airlines’ heavy maintenance base at Tullamarine in August, and will see Victoria
cancellations, lost productivity, liabilities, gain 72 posts. Qantas said the move would create efficiencies and improve productivity.
and so on. iFerret provides real-time, Lyell Strambi, Qantas Domestic CEO, said the target was to reduce Qantas’s component
automated debris detection, location, maintenance work 35% by 2015. “For Qantas to remain competitive ... we have to change
classification and recording and can be the way we do things,” he said.
used at both civil and military airports.
Already in use at Changi in Singapore,
Chicago O’Hare in the US, and Düsseldorf
in Germany, the system is ideal for the
Indian market, said Stratech Executive
Chairman, Dr David K.M. Chew. “The
opportunities for (us) in this country are
tremendous,” he added.

Clear for Touchdown?
Narita airport, Tokyo, Japan, saw a landing
incident recently where an ANA All Nippon
Airways Boeing 767-300, arriving from
Beijing, actually bounced off the runway Bright Lights in Oman will deploy a range of solutions including
and subsequently landed nose-wheel end-to-end runway lighting systems, fully
first. Although the aircraft was able to taxi ADB Airfield Solutions has won a plum automated light intensity measuring, and
to the apron, it suffered serious damage deal from the Sultanate of Oman for control systems that all increase runway
including severe wrinkling and distortion ground lighting equipment and control safety. ADB will also provide some training
of the the forward fuselage. According to services at all three of the nation state’s and maintenance services, said Christian
reports, the pilot was given clearance to major airports. These are the new Sohar Onselaere, CEO at ADB Airfield Solutions.
land despite crosswind wind shear and Airport, the Ras al Hadd Airport, and Al “We look forward to a long and fulfilling
gusts of up to 27knots. Duqm Airport. ADB Airfield Solutions partnership with (Oman) in the future.”

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