The event consisted of factory tours, product training, operational demonstrations and static displays of more than 20 pieces of cutting-edge ground support equipment. The open house also served as a platform to present six new products in the JBT portfolio: LEKTRO towbarless, electric tow vehicles, B950 diesel pushback tractor, Ranger Electric Loader, Commander 30i Electric Loader, Jetaire M60 and the Tempest I de-icer.
The LEKTRO family of tow vehicles is new to JBT, following JBT’s acquisition of the company in February 2019. Since this time, JBT has worked to introduce this electric, towbarless vehicle to its customers.
The B950 diesel widebody pushback tractor, meanwhile, now boasts new design elements that make the unit as easy to drive as a car, while the service points are located on the perimeter of the vehicle to facilitate maintenance.
Continuing its expansion of all-electric GSE, JBT introduced the Commander 30i electric loader, an eco-friendly edition of the industry favourite heavy-duty loader.
JBT’s GSE portfolios now also includes a diesel-powered, pre-conditioned air unit for narrow body aircraft, the Jetaire M60. Its unique design improves passenger comfort by reducing the unit’s defrost cycle, while operational uptime has been enhanced through “soft-start” motors and easy access maintenance points.
The Tempest i de-icer has been re-designed to reduce fluid use, improve access to service points and maintainability, and to improve overall reliability.
Further enhancements in the way of technology were also unveiled at the event. The iOPS GSE Software, which JBT has used for more than a decade to monitor the status and faults on gate equipment such as the passenger boarding bridge has been expanded to include GSE. It will also track vehicle locations, establish geo-fencing limits and speed control.
In development, the loader auto-docking technology was demonstrated during the open house.Using various types of sensors and sophisticated programming, the technology enhances the safe, damage-free docking of cargo loaders to aircraft and their safe return to a designated initial start position.
