JBT had a significant presence at the 2018 International Airport GSE show in Las Vegas. Inside, it had a booth together with one of its partners, Tandem GSE, highlighting customer care assistance with service and parts solutions. Outside, JBT had a main display booth with four assets and technology solutions on display, as well as a Ranger loader in the Expo’s demonstration area
Prominent amongst the equipment on the outside stand was JBT’s all-new Tempest i Deicer and its B950 pushback tractor. The B950 received a lot of attention. It is the latest in a range of completely overhauled JBT tractors (the B250/350/650), informs Ed Sachs, manager deicers and tractor engineering.
It is extremely easy to operate, with an automotive feel, partly due to the leaf-spring suspension and isolation mounted cab, and is also easy to maintain, with careful positioning of components housed inside two large side access panels that ca be safely accessed from ground level. Plus, high-class components and parts contribute to longevity of service, Sachs says.
The ‘Ring of Steel’ heavy steel plate around the lower perimeter of the vehicle is designed to ensure its protection from ‘ramp rash’.
The B950 is targeted at customers that handle B787 and A350 aircraft, but don’t want the additional bulk and expense of a 60-ton tractor. Available options include four-wheel steering, lowering cab, on-board jacking or GPU platform.
The Tempest i represents a major refresh of the Tempest de-icer design, Sachs continues. The new unit represents the culmination of a two-year project incorporating customer feedback.
The Tempest i builds on the traditions of the Tempest Deicer and Air First Deicing systems, single operator systems with single engine design.
JBT kept Tempest’s safe and reliable boom design and what Sachs describes as its Super Duty Custom Chassis to maintain ease of operation and maintenance for users. However, improvements were made, based on experience gained from having more than 1,300 units in the field and from extensive customer feedback. Those new features include automated control of boom positioning, auto boom park, and operator skill level boom speeds.
Upgrades made relate to the control system and hydraulics, improvements in reliability and new intuitive diagnostics for quick and easy repair. A number of Tempest i units will be tested by customers during the 2018-19 winter season, and full production will begin in the spring in preparation for the 2019-20 winter season.
In addition to the Tempest i and the B950 on the stand, JBT also had two cargo loaders and new technology on display.
The JBT Commander 15i Electric loader can be bought fresh from the factory or customer’s existing units can be upgraded with a power module conversion. The unit at the booth was equipped with lithium batteries, and a PosiCharge charger was also there for demonstration purposes. These units can be operated with lithium or lead-acid batteries. The Commander line-up offers a wide range of configuration and options to support all customers along with proven reliability, refurbishment capabilities, familiar controls layout and easy accessible maintenance, the company observes.
A Ranger loader was on-site in the demonstration area for customers to take a ride on or to operate, thereby seeing for themselves what JBT says is the high speed and smooth ride of the unit. Operators were able to test acceleration, braking and the tight turning radius.
The familiar controls layout made it easy for any operator to feel comfortable with the unit, and, says JBT, many who did jump aboard noted just how quiet and smooth the unit was going over bumps at high speed.
The Ranger loader can travel at 24km/hour (15mph), said to be the quickest in the industry for this type of GSE. This speed capability allows the Ranger to do the job of multiple traditional loaders at today’s large airports even with operations spread out across the ramp.
Inside the booth, JBT presented some new technologies that it has developed. A state-of-the-art Tempest Deicer Simulator for winter operations training was shown off. The Tempest Simulators offer standard boom and XR boom operation, one- or two-person drive operation, AirFirst system operation, de-icing and anti-icing techniques/procedures and emergency procedures.
The system has the capability to simulate a customer’s exact operation, including procedures and verbal commands. In addition, the system can be developed to replicate the exact layout and operating patterns of the customer’s airport and de-icing pad. Lastly, trainers have the ability to evaluate and utilise the large amount of data that is made available for each operator.
An expanded offering of the JBT iOPS telemetry platform was on hand to demonstrate the amount of data that the system can pull from units and also the breadth of the system, which covers effective management of equipment ranging from passenger boarding bridges to mobile GSE. The continued development of features from adding camera feeds, more data points, report-building capabilities, troubleshooting assistance and interface improvements were all available to see.
Finally, JBT debuted its plans for automated docking of GSE with aircraft. JBT displayed a loader equipped with a variety of sensors that can autonomously drive, steer, brake, raise the bridge and dock with an aircraft. Kevin Cecil, engineering manager loaders, said that beyond the technology to automate the process, JBT is accomplishing this without the use of targets applied on the aircraft exterior, which has been a contentious issue for many.
