1. INNOVATION PODIUM

2. Konrad Gruber, Sales Manager, BULMOR AIRGROUND TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
NEXT SESSION
02:30 – 03:00
ENHANCING THE AIR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE FOR PASSENGERS WITH REDUCED MOBILITY (PRM)
Konrad Gruber, Sales Manager, BULMOR AIRGROUND TECHNOLOGIES GMBH

3. Enhancing the air travel experience for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM)

4. DI (FH) Konrad Gruber, Sales Manager
Education
Technical Collage for Mechanical Engineering, Austria
Degree in Industrial Management, Austria
Business Engineering and Process Design, Finland
Industrie Holding / Bulmor
Sales of sideloaders and lifting trucks in CEE
Sales of airport lifting vehicles, special handling solutions
Participant at PRM workshop/conferences of ACI (Airports Council International)

5. Headquarters and Manufacturing Plant in Austria
BULMOR airground technologies
Headquarters and Manufacturing Plant in Austria
Daughter company of the Industrie Holding Group.
-50 companies
-820 employees
-260 Mio. Euro turnover
Partner in the Middle East:
AIRPO-TECH

6. Current changes in air travel
Low far airlines
Age of air travelers, baby boomer generation

7. Baby Boomer Generation (1946 – 1963) Example USA
On January 1st, 2011 the very first baby
boomers turned 65
Every 8.5 seconds a baby boomer in the US
turns 50 years old
The baby boom generation is the largest
generation in American history
By 2015, people aged 50 and older will make
up 45% of the American
Significant changes in the age distribution
Age
The baby boom phenomenon is responsible
for 50% of all consumer spending in the USA
80% of all leisure travel is taken by boomers!!!
1910
2000
2050
Age Distribution

8. The link between age and a disability
There is a strong correlation between age and disability
2/3 of disabled people are elderly

9. Enormous growth rates of PRMs in the future
% annually
(Europe)
We are just at the beginning of a massive change!
In order to be prepared for the future, airports and ground handling companies have to rethink:
Usage of Equipment
Handling procedures

10. Conventional Ambulift
Catering truck
Conventional Ambulift
Differences
???
PRM handling is very different to Catering!
Very short retention time at the aircraft position.
Always different amounts and a different mix (WCHC, WCHR/S) of PRMs
An ambulift does not take part in every aircraft handling process
The ambulifter is most often the last GSE-vehicle to arrive at the aircraft position (in particular at the outbound)
Modified catering trucks do not fulfil the special requirements for PRM handling!

11. Characteristics and Disadvantages of Conventional Highlifters
Necessity of stabilizers
- Loss of time for lowering and setting down the stabilizers
- Vehicle is rendered immobile with lowered stabilizers
Wide turning radius due to long truck-chassis
and short steering lock angle
- Less flexibility at the apron
- Large space requirement in small areas
Separation of driver‘s and passenger cabin
- Two persons permanently required
(driver and assistance)
Vehicle body with scissors
- Min. docking height >1,6m
- Passenger cabin can not be lowered to ground level
- Tail lift required to bring passengers in cabin
Components (especially steering, clutch, gear box) are not designed / dimensioned for rough
operations at the apron (relatively short distances, high steering requirements)
- High downtimes due to maintenance and reparation
- High costs for maintenance and reparation

12. Development of a dedicated PRM boarding vehicle by Lufthansa LEOS and BULMOR.
The SIDEBULL

13. Characteristics and Advantages
of the SideBull
The SideBull Concept I
Robust industrial technology
Sideloader forklift truck as carrier vehicle
7t-Sideloader-Series Vehicle,
Type JDQ70, from BULMOR

14. The SideBull Concept II
carrier vehicle
control system
+ cabin with driver stand
SideBull
Development of a new kind of highlifter based on robust, reliable and time-proven industrial technology.
Modification a cargo loader for usage as an passenger transportation vehicle.

15. No stabilizers required!
Potential:
Lifting while approaching the aircraft
Driving with raised cabin
There are no stabilizers which have to be set
Advantages:
Enormous time savings (up to 60%)
Simple operation
Higher safety level
Driver doesn‘t need to leave the cabin
More flexibility

16. Docking on with the SideBull I
Characteristics and Advantages
of the SideBull
Docking on with the SideBull I
The SideCat can be operated like a conventional highlifter.
In addition a more efficient and easier way
of docking on is possible by using the
SIDECAT DOCKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM
Cabin can be lifted to door height while
approaching the aircraft
Manually or with the help of a lifting height
pre-selection program
Crawling speed 2-3 km/h
Docking on at the aircraft door with raised cabin
Wide-angle cameras for surveillance of area under
cabin and vehicle rear

17. The Steering System The Steering Axle ~90°
Full hydrostatic steering system (power assisted steering) with emergency steering
Wheel angle
The Steering Axle
Steering lock angle of nearly 90°
Small turning radius of only 5-6m
Robust dimensionioned
steering axle
Steering arm
King pin
Piston rod
out
Steering cylinder tube
Hydraulic oil in
Axle body
~90°
King pin
Hub

18. Mobility and Manoeuvrability
Characteristics:
Short vehicle length, 7m (conventional highlifters >9m)
Nearly 90° steering lock angle
Potential:
Small turning radius, 6-7m (conventional highlifters >11m)
High mobility
Less required space
High flexibility and maneuverability
Advantages:
Docking on at aircrafts when space conditions are
limited at the apron

19. Waiting times => Delay code on Ambulift!!!
Other GSE
M 1:200
SideBull
R 6-7m
R > 11m
ACH = 190m²
ASB = 66m²
Waiting times => Delay code on Ambulift!!!

20. Trixplex 3-stage-mast => Instead of Scissors
Stabile steel construction
10x safety of all components
Sensor controlled chaines
Check valves for cylinders
Elektronische Dämpfung xxx mm
Kein endschlag
Hubgeschwingkeit
nach Norm xxx
Vergleich

21. Lifting Operation from 0 – 6m/8,1m
Potential:
Passenger cabin can be completely lowered to ground level
Docking on to busses (cabin and bus at same level)
Docking on at smaller aircrafts
Loading various passengers at the same time
Raised cabin can be moved sideways
Advantages:
Time savings
PRM enter cabin conveniently (no steps)
Securely loading and boarding
Flexibility

22. One-Man Operation Characteristics:
Driver‘s stand is integrated in the passenger cabin
Potential:
A one-man-operation is possible
Additional assistance person in the passenger cabin
is not necessary
Advantages:
Resource- and cost saving potential

23. Helping to comply with all relevant regulations for PRM handling…

24. Helping to comply with all relevant regulations for PRM handling…
14 CFR Part 382
§ Boarding assistance for small aircraft.
§ a Boarding assistance for large aircraft.
(b) Carriers shall, in cooperation with the airports they serve, provide boarding assistance to individuals with disabilities using mechanical lifts, ramps, or other suitable devices that do not require employees to lift or carry passengers up stairs.

25. Small Range Aircrafts
PROBLEM: Low Door Sill Height
ATR 42/72
Canadair CRJ series
Avro RJ85/RJ100
Embraer ERJ
Fokker 70/100 ….

26. Docking onto aircrafts where others have difficulties….
Small Range Aircrafts
Conventional Highlifter
SideBull
ATR 42/ 
Canadair CRJ series 
Avro RJ85/RJ 
Embraer ERJ 
Fokker 50/70/ 
Dash 
Saab 
simply not possible

27. Some Reference Projects Ambulifters / PRM boarding vehicles

28. Visit us at stand C118
at the Airport Show