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soap, pillows, tissues, blankets, and magazines. Security checks are also made to make sure no threats have been left on the aircraft. Airport GSE comprises a diverse range of vehicles and equipment necessary to service aircraft during passenger and cargo loading and unloading, maintenance, and other ground-based operations. The wide range of activities associated with aircraft ground operations lead to an equally wide-ranging fleet of GSE. For example, activities undertaken during a typical aircraft gate period include: cargo loading and unloading, passenger loading and unloading, potable water storage, lavatory waste tank drainage, aircraft refueling, engine and fuselage examination and maintenance, and food and beverage catering. Airlines employ specially designed GSE to support all these operations. Moreover, electrical power and conditioned air are generally required throughout gate operational periods for both passenger and crew comfort and safety, and many times these services are also provided by GSE.
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837:, provide a mobile means to traverse between the aircraft doors and the ground. Because larger aircraft have door sills 5 to 20 feet (1.5 to 6.1 m) high, stairs facilitate safe boarding and deplaning. Smaller units are generally moved by being towed or pushed, while larger units are self-powered. Most models have adjustable height to accommodate various aircraft. Optional features may include canopies, heating, supplementary lighting, and a red carpet for VIP passengers. Larger aircraft may use one or more
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333:). Fuel trucks are self-contained, typically containing up to 15,000 US gallons (12,000 imp gal; 57,000 L) of fuel and have their own pumps, filters, hoses, and other equipment. A hydrant cart or truck hooks into a central pipeline network and provides fuel to the aircraft. There is a significant advantage with hydrant systems when compared to fuel trucks, as fuel trucks must be periodically replenished.
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279:. Corporate safety guidelines in the US almost always specify that chocks must be used in a pair on the same wheel and they must be placed in physical contact with the wheel. Therefore, "chocks" are typically found in pairs connected by a segment of rope or cable. The word "chock" is also used as a verb, defined as the act of placing chocks in front and back of the wheel.
780:
475:". Airport buses are usually normal city buses or specialized terminal buses. Specialized airport buses have very low floor and wide doors on both sides of the bus for most efficient passenger movement and flexibility in depot parking. The biggest producers of airport buses are in China (Weihai, Shenyang, Beijing, Jinhua), Portugal and Slovenia.
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Most ground services are not directly related to the actual flying of the aircraft, and instead involve other service tasks. Cabin services ensure passenger comfort and safety. They include such tasks as cleaning the passenger cabin and replenishment of on-board consumables or washable items such as
299:
They are used to support a parked aircraft to prevent their tail from drooping or even falling to the ground. When the passengers in the front get off an aircraft, the aircraft becomes tail heavy and the tail will droop. Using the jack is optional but not all aircraft need it. When needed, they are
677:
onboard aircraft. Waste is stored in tanks on the aircraft until these vehicles can empty them and remove the waste. After the tank is emptied, it is refilled with a mixture of water and a disinfecting concentrate, commonly called 'blue juice'. Instead of a self-powered vehicle, some airports have
501:
For military transport planes special container and pallet loaders are used. Some military applications use airborne loaders, which are transportable within the transport plane itself. Container and pallet loaders are mainly produced in France, Germany, Latvia, Spain, Canada, Brazil, Japan, China,
483:
Container loaders, also known as cargo loaders or "K loaders", are used for the loading and unloading of containers and pallets into and out of aircraft. The loader has two platforms which raise and descend independently. The containers or pallets on the loader are moved with the help of built-in
705:
The vehicle then drives to the airport and is parked in front of the plane. The stabilizers are deployed and the van body is lifted. The platform can be fine controlled to move left-right as well as in-out so that it is aligned with the door correctly. The body is made of insulated panels and is
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Pushback tugs are mostly used to push an aircraft away from the gate when it is ready to leave. These tugs are very powerful and because of the large engines, are sometimes referred to as an engine with wheels. Pushback tugs can also be used to pull aircraft in various situations, such as to a
564:
140:
system which blocks the wheels from moving when the connecting rod is not attached to a tug. Most dollies for loose baggage are completely enclosed except for the sides which use plastic curtains to protect items from weather. In the US, these dollies are called
Baggage Cart, but in Europe
470:
aircraft buses because people disembark directly to the apron. Some airports use buses that are raised to the level of a passenger terminal and can only be accessed from a door on the 2nd level of the terminal. These odd-looking buses are usually referred to as "people movers" or
288:
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trucks are special vehicles that provide water to an aircraft. The water is filtered and protected from the elements while being stored on the vehicle. A pump in the vehicle assists in moving the water from the truck to the aircraft. The water is designated as non-potable.
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The tugs and tractors at an airport have several purposes and represent the essential part of ground support services. They are used to move all equipment that can not move itself. This includes bag carts, mobile air conditioning units, air starters, and lavatory carts.
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hangar. Different size tugs are required for different size aircraft. Some tugs use a tow-bar as a connection between the tug and the aircraft, while other tugs lift the nose gear off the ground to make it easier to tow or push. Recently there has been a push for
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Belt loaders are vehicles with conveyor belts for unloading and loading of baggage and cargo onto aircraft. A belt loader is positioned at the door sill of an aircraft hold (baggage compartment) during operation. Belt loaders are used for
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is a special category of firefighting that involves the response, hazard mitigation, evacuation and possible rescue of passengers and crew of an aircraft involved in (typically) an airport ground emergency.
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A so-called "solid state unit" converts power from AC to DC along with current separation for aircraft power requirements. Solid state units can be supplied stationary, bridge-mounted or as a mobile unit.
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but it consists of a rear body, lifting system, platform and an electro-hydraulic control mechanism. The rear body can be lifted up, down and the platform can be moved to place in front of the aircraft.
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Catering services include the unloading of unused food and drink from the aircraft, and the loading of fresh food and drinks for passengers and crew. The meals are typically delivered on standardized
35:
1075:
Airman By United States Naval
Education and Training Command, Rate Training Manual and Nonresident Career Course, NAVEDTRA 10307-D, Chapter 11-AIRCRAFT HANDLING AND SERVICING EQUIPMENT, Page 227
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A man connects the waste suction hose to the lavatory service outlet on the underbelly of a C-17 Globemaster III, enabling him to suck the waste into a tank in the truck shown in the background.
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Transporters are cargo platforms constructed so that, beside loading and unloading containers, they can also transport the cargo. These transporters are not typically used in the United States.
927:, to allow easy access to the entire aircraft. A hose sprays a special mixture that melts current ice on the aircraft and also prevents some ice from building up while waiting on the ground.
1066:
The 1984 Guide to the
Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, Volume 1. American Council on Education, One Dupont Circle, Washington D.C. 20036, ISBN 0-02-900020-3
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Small airlines sometimes subcontract maintenance to a larger carrier, as it may be a better alternative to setting up an independent maintenance base. Some airlines may enter into a
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to a connection on the aircraft via 3 phase 4-wire insulated cable capable of handling 261 amps (90 kVA). These connectors are standard for all aircraft, as defined in
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to either an aircraft or another terminal. The specific term for airport buses that drive on the apron only is apron bus. Apron buses may have a low profile like the
1161:
85:, or even to another airline. Ground handling addresses the many service requirements of a passenger aircraft between the time it arrives at a terminal
70:
whilst on the ground. The role of this equipment generally involves ground power operations, aircraft mobility, and cargo/passenger loading operations.
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Boeing 747 to avoid the aircraft tail from falling to ground during the cargo loading/unloading activity in which the "tail heavy" situation may occur.
66:. This equipment is used to service the aircraft between flights. As the name suggests, ground support equipment is there to support the operations of
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are used to prevent an aircraft from moving while parked at the gate or in a hangar. Chocks are placed in the front ('fore') and back ('aft') of the
553:(NMCB-4) load TriCon containers loaded with construction equipment destined for field testing in Iraq, into a U.S. Air Force, Air Mobility Command,
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A ground power unit (GPU) is a vehicle capable of supplying power to aircraft parked on the ground. Ground power units may also be built into the
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and the time it departs for its next flight. Speed, efficiency, and accuracy are important in ground handling services in order to minimize the
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An air start unit (ASU, also known as a "start cart") is a device used to start an aircraft's engines when it is not equipped with an on-board
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are prepared mostly on the ground in order to minimize the amount of preparation (apart from chilling or reheating) required during flight.
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bags, loose cargo carton boxes, etc. between the aircraft and the terminal or sorting facility. Dollies for loose baggage are fitted with a
1084:
Aviation
Electronics Technician 3 & 2 By Navy Training Publications Center, Naval Training Command, Rate Training Manual NAVTRA 10317-E
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connected to the terminal building for passenger boarding, but ground-based stairs are used when this is unavailable or impractical.
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tugged to the tail and set up by manpower. Once set up, no supervision to the jack is needed until the aircraft is ready to leave.
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or the APU is not operational. There are three primary types of these devices that exist currently: a stored air cart, a
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certified facility where food is reheated in sterile and controlled environments. The prepared food is then placed in
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Aircraft refuelers can be either a self-contained fuel truck, or a hydrant truck/cart (this variant sometimes called
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923:, protection from fluids freezing up on aircraft, is done from special vehicles. These vehicles have booms, like a
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100:(MAGSA) with each other, which is used by airlines to assess costs for maintenance and support to aircraft.
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A single dolly for an aircraft cargo Unit Load Device, next to a group of dollies for loose luggage.
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capable of maintaining temperatures of 0 °C (32 °F) by means of refrigeration unit.
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Time-lapse of ground support equipment in use at Osaka
International Airport, Osaka, Japan
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Technical
Support for Development of Airport Ground Support Equipment Emission Reductions
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Aircraft service stairs help the maintenance technician to reach the bottom of aircraft.
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Aircraft service stairs helps the maintenance technician to reach the bottom of aircraft.
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for baggage unit load devices (ULDs). Those on the right are dollies for loose baggage.
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unit. All three devices create a source of low pressure, high volume air to start the
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A special higher type of catering truck has been designed to accommodate the
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Handbook of
Instructions with Parts Catalog: Hi-Lift Plane Loader Truck
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rollers or wheels. There are different container and pallet loaders.
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93:(the time during which the aircraft remains parked at the gate).
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A large dolly holding two aircraft cargo Unit Load
Devices for
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lavatory carts, which are smaller and must be pulled by tug.
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Aircraft container and pallet loader with numerous powered
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https://www.amdo.org/Common_Support_Equipment_-_PMA260.pdf
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1054:"Figure 3-5.-NC-10C mobile electric power plant (MEPP)"
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A predecessor to the catering truck was in use by the
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Passenger boarding stairs, sometimes referred to as
537:(ULD) from apron dollies to an aircraft's cargo bay
754:Two Aircraft Catering Vehicles serving an aircraft
491:7 T (standard version, wide-body, universal, high)
291:Aircraft jack lift used to support the tail of an
796:. Stowing baggage without containers is known as
582:from apron dollies into a Boeing 777's cargo bay
27:Equipment for servicing aircraft between flights
1108:(Technical report). 1 August 1944. AN 19-25-77.
911:A de/anti-icing vehicle de-icing the wing of a
698:which are wheeled into the catering vehicle.
458:at airports are used to move people from the
378:based compact tank truck for small airfields.
8:
673:Lavatory service vehicles empty and refill
686:The catering vehicle resembles a typical
128:are used for the transportation of loose
551:Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four
521:for shifting and rotation of containers.
421:. The electric energy is carried from a
98:Maintenance and Ground Support Agreement
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54:) is the support equipment found at an
1022:Visual Guidance Docking Systems (VGDS)
887:A conventional tractor hooked up to a
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401:Ground power unit that needs towing.
1137:Terberg Aviation - Official website
875:A pushback tug with towbar attached
177:Those on the left are dollies from
860:as larger airplanes are designed.
145:means passenger baggage trolleys.
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1162:Aviation ground support equipment
948:Aircraft rescue and firefighting
931:Aircraft rescue and firefighting
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709:In-flight food is prepared in a
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804:Passenger boarding steps/stairs
1143:Mercury GSE - Official website
1007:Hydraulics International, INC.
578:Video of a ULD loader loading
417:and 115 V 400 Hz of
1:
1125:Power Stow - Official website
1131:TLD Group - Official website
896:Denver International Airport
271:. They are made out of hard
62:, the servicing area by the
209:Dolly for unit load devices
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939:Firefighting equipment at
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845:Pushback tugs and tractors
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864:Tugs and tractors gallery
821:Passenger boarding stairs
655:Lavatory service vehicles
249:Chocks being fitted to a
1157:Aircraft ground handling
967:Aircraft ground handling
743:Catering vehicle gallery
643:Non-potable water trucks
506:Container loader gallery
48:Ground support equipment
18:Ground Support Equipment
972:Airline service trolley
792:, and the bulk hold of
713:facility, a completely
533:A ULD loader lifting a
502:and the United States.
304:Aircraft service stairs
221:Dolly for cargo pallets
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154:Airport dolly gallery
108:Non-powered equipment
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730:U.S. Army Air Forces
283:Aircraft tripod jack
1017:Pushback (aviation)
858:towbarless tractors
851:Pushback (aviation)
790:narrowbody aircraft
661:Blue ice (aircraft)
557:transport aircraft.
419:alternating current
81:to an airport or a
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941:Düsseldorf Airport
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794:wide body aircraft
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627:based unit, and a
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393:Ground power units
363:aircraft refueler.
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919:The procedure of
648:Non-potable water
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384:Tugs and tractors
320:Powered equipment
195:American Airlines
58:, usually on the
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16:(Redirected from
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892:Boeing 777-200ER
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682:Catering vehicle
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47:
46:
1141:Mercury GSE
987:Baggage tug
839:jet bridges
783:Belt loader
737:Airbus A380
625:gas turbine
549:Members of
443:Airport bus
254:Airbus A321
233:wheel chock
1151:Categories
1123:Power Stow
1029:References
675:lavatories
659:See also:
555:C-5 Galaxy
361:Tank truck
1129:TLD Group
915:aircraft.
831:stair car
688:box truck
423:generator
376:UAZ-23632
325:Refuelers
982:Bag ramp
955:See also
719:trollies
464:Guangtai
460:terminal
427:ISO 6858
331:servicer
275:or hard
130:baggages
75:airlines
68:aircraft
64:terminal
631:driven
468:Neoplan
293:EVA Air
149:Gallery
126:Dollies
113:Dollies
56:airport
943:, 2013
407:jetway
277:rubber
265:wheels
261:Chocks
241:Chocks
227:Chocks
723:cabin
715:HACCP
700:Meals
696:carts
488:3.5 T
456:Buses
437:Buses
138:brake
73:Many
60:apron
497:30 T
494:14 T
273:wood
134:mail
87:gate
894:at
833:or
725:.
621:APU
466:or
413:of
267:of
52:GSE
1153::
829:,
800:.
739:.
429:.
1056:.
471:"
411:V
256:.
197:.
50:(
20:)
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