SAHCO deploys new ground equipment

Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) has expanded its Aviation Ground Support Equipment (GSE) fleet with new equipment, to adjust to its expanding business activities.

The new acquisition includes, Air Conditioning Units (ACU), Ground Power Units (GPU), Toilet Bowsers, Water Bowsers and Baggage Carts.

SAHCO procured three units of ACUs to provide airlines with air conditioning to the aircraft cabin while the aircraft is on ground. Two of the ACUs are manufactured to produce 50 pounds of preconditioned air per second for wide-body aircraft and the other is to produce 15 pounds of pre-conditioned air per second for narrow-body aircraft.

Guinault, a GSE manufacturer in France, manufactured both ACUs. The ACUs are built to be environmentally friendly, producing less or no carbon monoxide to the atmosphere because they are fitted with tier four engines, which is the latest technology in compliance with the strictest Emission of Particulate Matter (EPA) emission requirement for off-highway diesel engines.

Similarly, the ACU systems are fitted with a SIM card that is used to monitor the activity of the equipment by both the manufacturer and the End User to curb misuse, abuse and diagnose malfunction.

In addition, the ACUs, GPUs were procured to deliver alternative voltage supply for aircraft while on ground. The fleet, which was also manufactured by Guinault, are two units of GPU equipped to produce 140 KVA of energy for wide-body aircraft and one unit of GPU with the capacity of producing 90 KVA of energy for narrow-body aircraft.

These GPUs are also fitted with the tier-four engine to check carbon monoxide emission and SIM cards for proper monitoring and capacity by both the manufacturer and end-user.