The June 2008 issue of Airside International brings comments from Chris van Zyl, Vice President of Dnata Technical Services, about the handler’s GSE acquisition and maintenance programmes, its strategy of maximising compatibility, and its sister airline’s – Emirates – delivery of a fleet of A380s. We also speak to Lilian Chan, General Manager, Marketing and Customer Service of Hactl about investment in facility enhancement projects at Hong Kong International Airport despite an uncertain outlook in the aviation industry.

Additionally, we speak to the handlers and manufacturers to find out how to keep aerostructures free of ice and airline operations in the air, and we find out what the airports and manufacturers are doing to ensure aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicles evolve as new technologies become available. Additionally, we discover who is doing what to assist airports, handlers and airlines with the transit of passengers with reduced mobility.

In terms of airports, we speak to Frankfurt Airport about its expansion programme, Greater Toronto Airports Authority about accommodating growth at the airport and Magnus Lindner who heads up the training division for the snow clearing team at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. Peter Demuynck, Brucargo Real Estate Manager at the Brussels Airport Company explains the ambitious plan to redevelop existing cargo warehousing into five new hangars located both airside and landside and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore explains what airside infrastructure has been put in place to accommodate the A380.

Also on the cards for June is runway sweeping, the removal of hazardous waste, jet blast fences, solutions for managing the location of vehicles on the ramp and the airfield, and docking guidance systems.

In the first issue of Airside International we speak to Rosemarie Andolino, Executive Director of the O’Hare Modernization Program and implementer of Mayor Richard Daley’s vision for an expanded, decongested and future-friendly airfield. Also, Jake Adams, Los Angeles World Airports Program Manager on the South Airfield Improvement Program, explains to why the south airfield at Los Angeles International Airport has been dug up and moved.

We speak to Dr Rainer Schwarz, Chief Executive Officer, Berlin Airports about the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, and we find out about the UK’s Newquay Cornwall Airport’s grand plans to reincarnate a military airfield as a commercial civil licensed airport – and to do so overnight.

Enhancements in airfield lighting are covered, as is runway construction. We visit NASA FutureFlight Central to see if simulation will provide the answer to US airfield gridlock and Dr Michael Holzschneider, Director of Airports and Civil Aviation at Dornier Consulting, asks if airports are ready for the A380. Snow clearance, refuelling, tug innovation and GSE strategies are all addressed in this first issue of Airside International. We hope you will join us each quarter as we investigate modern and innovative airports, services and equipment worldwide.