After a long hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the participants in the meeting of the committee on Aviation Ground Support Equipment had something to talk about.
On July 1, 2021, an expanded meeting of the Aviation Ground Support Equipment (AGSE) Committee of the Association "Airports of Ukraine" of Civil Aviation (AAUCA) was held.
The meeting of the committee was held at the Kiev International Sikorsky Airport in the form of on-line conference, which was attended by the AAUCA management, members of the AGSE committee, representatives of airports and handling companies and enterprises producing various special eqipment for ground and airfield services at airports. More than 40 participants in total.
The AAUCA President Petro Lypovenko greeted the participants of the AGSE Committee meeting and focused the attention of those present on ensuring airport activities with legal and regulatory acts in accordance with European standards, on the eve of signing of the Agreement on the Commom European Airspace and stated that much more needs to be done before their implementation in Ukraine.
At the meeting of the committee, issues of training, intership and admission to work of drivers, AGSE operators, as well as the organization of vehicle traffic in the controlled area of the airport, according to ICAO requirements and national rules for certification of subjects and objects of airport activities, were considered.
K. Safnov, a member of the AGSE committee, head of the flight safety control and air navigation support service of the Boryspil airport, shared his expierence in developing the necessary documents for organizing the training of drivers, AGSE operatos, their admission to work in the controlled area of the airport, the use of AGSE on the airfield working area. He noted that the issues that are being considered today are relevant for each airport and require a clear and correct solution, as they are directly related to ensuring the safety af flights at airports.
The participants in the AGSE committee meeting noted the absence of a clear policy and active position on the part of the leadership of the State Aviation sevice of Ukraine, a practical lack of interest in resolving issues of AGSE operation at airports, despite repeated requests and proposals from AAUCA.
With interest the participants of the committee meeting got acquainted with the presentations of modern AGSE, equipment and servises offered by AAUCA members on the Ukrainian maarket.
In particular, modern towbar for airfield tractors, jacks and lifts of various types were offered by sales director of JMS AG (Germany) Richard Schilberg, whose products are sucesslully operated at the airports of Ukraine.
A number of equipment from leading European companies for ground handling and maintenance of aerodromes in operational condition (TLD, Boshung, Vestergrad) was proposed by representative of "ZarAir Systems" (Ukraine) O. Shish. The attention of those present was focused on the possibility of supplying a budget version of this equipment, with the maximum benefit for Ukrainian airports.
The Chairman of the Board of the "TITAL" company P. Britsko presented the novelties of domestic production of special equipment and modern equipment for fire-fighting and resque operations at airports as well as for the maintenance of aerodromes. He also drew attention to the company's ability to restore equipment of a similar purpose that was in operation and has exhausted its resourse.
Repair of all types of AGSE, which is still used at airports and its restoration, was proposed by general director of LLC "171 Chernihiv Repair Factory" , O. Matviyets. He noted the significant technical capabilities of the enterprise and the possibility of repairing AGSE by mobile teams directly at the airports.
Also at the meeting of the committee, the general director of LLC "Kolibri" M. Monka, representing the "Eurocar" company, is fanmiliar to many as "Balkancar", which produces tractors and electric cars of various types (on electric traction and with internal combustion engines) for the delivery of baggage and cargo from the substation to the terminals.
The meeting participants showed a certain interest and stated that the companies participating in the AAUCA have sufficient expierence and technical capabilities to provide AGSE and provision of services for its maintenance in the AGSE Ukraine market.
Also, the participants in the meeting of the AGSE committee considered a number of organizational issues regarding the future work of the AGSE committee, discussed the features and conditions of the competition "Best in Profession" among the drivers-operators of special vehicles at airports, and so on.
In his closing speech, the President of AAUCA P. Lypovenko thanked the General Director of LLC "Master-Avia" O. Tovkes for the hospitality and the opporunity to hold the event in comfortable conditions using the necessary equipment, as well as the Chairman of the AGSE Committee, Associate Professor of the Department of Airports Technology of NAU V. Lychyk for organizing the preparation and holding the event.
In our opinion, the event took place in a constructive business atmosphere and will bring corresponding results.