GroundSupportEquipmentinthe21stCentury(IMechESeminarPublications)

WhileitisarguablethatGroundSupportEquipment(GSE)maynotbethemostexcitingareaofaerospaceactivity,itiscriticalinachievingsuccessfulaircraftoperationsinboththecivilandmilitaryspheres.Whileindividualexperiencesofin-serviceGSEmayproviderelevantpointsofinterest,awiderviewofthechangingbackdropfortheacquisitionofthisgenericrangeofequipmentismoreappropriateinthecontextofthisvolume."GroundSupportEquipmentinthe21stCentury"isanimportantcollectionofpapers,whichwillexplorethekeytopicalissuesconcerningthefutureofGSEinthe21stcentury.Thispublicationisaninfluentialforumforallthoseinvolvedintheindustry,andtheMinistryofDefencehaschosenthisopportunitytoinformindustryoftheirpoliciesforthefuture.Thefollowingtopicsareaddressed:thefutureofgroundsupportequipment;UKexperienceoframpsafetyandhealth;manufacturer'sexperienceofCOTSgroundsupportequipment-acasestudy;AirbusA3XX-acrash-fire-rescueequipmentsupplier'sperspective;andaircraftde-icing-futureissues."GroundSupportEquipmentinthe21stCentury"shouldbeofvaluetothosewhoworkinbothcivilandmilitaryareas,andareconcernedwiththeever-increasingrequirementtoprovidefullydevelopedproductsataminimumcosttothecustomer.