Ground support equipment

They include such tasks as cleaning the passenger cabin and replenishment of on-board consumables or washable items such as soap, pillows, tissues, blankets, and magazines.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.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.Dollies for loose baggage are fitted with a brake 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.The electric energy is carried from a generator to a connection on the aircraft via 3 phase 4-wire insulated cable capable of handling 261 amps (90 kVA).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.Container and pallet loaders are mainly produced in France, Germany, Latvia, Spain, Canada, Brazil, Japan, China, and the United States.All three devices create a source of low pressure, high volume air to start the aircraft engines.The catering vehicle resembles a typical box truck but it consists of a rear body, lifting system, platform and an electro-hydraulic control mechanism.Because larger aircraft have door sills 5 to 20 feet (1.5 to 6.1 m) high, stairs facilitate safe boarding and deplaning.Optional features may include canopies, heating, supplementary lighting, and a red carpet for VIP passengers.Larger aircraft may use one or more jet bridges connected to the terminal building for passenger boarding, but ground-based stairs are used when this is unavailable or impractical.