Cavotec Airport market unit reports series of ground support orders in Qatar and USA

Global engineering group, Cavotec MSL, has recently signed agreements to supply ground support equipment to several commercial and military airports around the world. The total amount of these orders comes to approximately EUR 4.1 million.

Cavotec MSL is to supply a range of advanced ground support systems for applications in Qatar, at New Doha International Airport (NDIA), and in the United States, including Las Vegas airport’s new international terminal and the US Air Force’s Hill air base in the state of Utah. “We are delighted that Cavotec systems have once again been selected for a variety of applications – evidence of our products’ flexibility and our focus on engineering excellence,” says Ottonel Popesco, Cavotec MSL CEO. Cavotec is to supply 36 pop-up pit units, with 2 x 90kVA rating, and 26 access covers for NDIA, scheduled to open in 2010. Eleven of these units are for installation on the cargo apron, with the remaining 25 serving remote parking positions. Cavotec’s Airport’s market unit designs and manufactures innovative in-ground and popup pit systems to supply aircraft with air, water, fuel and power for commercial and military airports throughout the world. The group also supplies a broad range of aircraft cables, connectors, cable coilers, caddies, tow-bars and pre-conditioned air (PCAir) systems to airport operators worldwide. While NDIA is the end user for the two Qatar orders, Cavotec working directly with two contractors; Gamuda, one of Asia’s premier engineering and construction companies; and leading construction group, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC). Cavotec will manufacture the systems and provide installation and operator training. Following rapid growth in both air passenger and freight in the Middle East in recent years, the NDIA project is set to become a key international hub airport and the new home to Qatar Airways. NDIA hopes the new airport will serve Qatar’s aviation requirements for at least the next 50 years. The site of the new airport, covering some 22 square kilometres, lies to the east of Doha’s existing airport, and involves land reclamation from the Gulf. The airport is also being designed to comfortably handle the Airbus A380 – aircraft Cavotec’s PCAir systems cool in less than 30 minutes. For more on this major project, please see the NDIA homepage at: http://www.ndiaproject.com/. Cavotec has also enjoyed a series of fuelling equipment orders in the United States in both civilian and military markets. In a wide-ranging, comprehensive project, Cavotec will deliver 56 fuelling assemblies to Las Vegas McCarran International airport. The equipment includes fuel hydrant, test station, high and low point vent, and vault access pit assemblies. Tab Contractors, Inc. is the prime contractor on this programme. Low point drain pits are designed to remove non-fuel fluids and other contaminants that can accumulate in aircraft fuel pipelines, and high point vent pits remove air from the system. The estimated shipping date for this order is at the end of this year, although delivery can be brought forward according to customer requirements. The equipment is for McCarran’s new Terminal 3, due to open in early-2012. The new terminal is set to provide 14 additional gates, including six for international passengers. McCarran handled more than 44 million passengers in 2008. In the second of Cavotec’s recent successes in the US, the group is supplying a complete fuel system to the US Air Force’s Hill air base in Utah. The contractor for the project is the Rockford Corporation and delivery is scheduled for the end of the year. Under the deal, Cavotec will supply fuel hydrant pit assemblies, low point drain pit assemblies, and high point vent pit assemblies. Several of the fuel hydrant pits will be delivered with a specially designed hatch that allows for hot refuelling using pantograph systems. Located in northern Utah, Hill is a major US Air Force base, responsible for coordinating a broad range of aircraft, engines, missiles, avionics and components. In a second and separate order for the USAF, Cavotec has been selected to deliver a range of fuelling systems including fuel hydrant pit assemblies, isolation valve pit assemblies complete with double block and bleed valves, low point drain pits and a set of high point pits. Delivery is scheduled for year-end 2009. These elements will form the hydrant fuelling system that services the Strategic Ramp. The units will primarily service large transport aircraft such as C-5s and C-17s. Under the terms of the deal, Cavotec will also provide cathodic protection (CP) pits. CP controls corrosion of metal surfaces by making metals behave as cathodes in electrochemical cells thus reducing rust formation and other corrosive build-up. “The equipment for all these orders will be produced and tested in our Costa Mesa facility, ensuring the very highest performance standards,” says Cavotec Dabico US Inc. VP Sales/Marketing, Dan Foster.