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As we move into 2011 after an enjoyable week relaxing with family and friends, eyes are now firmly back on the job and what this year will have in store for everyone at atg airports. Hopefully all of you are looking forward to the coming twelve months as much as we are and continue to enjoy reading about it in AirMail, but if you have any amends, feedback or changes you want us to make then we’ll be more than happy to listen. Gareth
 

atg welcome visitors to
Warrington

As part of atg's continuing work to provide a comprehensive range of airfield lighting solutions to many of the world's leading airports, representatives from around the globe have been welcomed to our head office in Warrington as part of a variety of different projects completed toward the end of 2010.

The success of both atg's Sonnis and SmartControl AGL control systems brought visitors from DHMI in Turkey, the Civil Aviation Authority in Libya as well as engineers from RAF Lakenheath, all of whom attended Factory Acceptance Tests as part of their respective projects. The FAT test is designed to prove the functionality of the system from both an operators and a maintenance point of view by simulating various real life scenarios as well as the physical checks of the suitable hardware. All three tests were fully completed with each project set to be installed and commissioned early in 2011. In addition to the SmartControl System designed by atg airports engineers, a combination of atg's Micro 100 and Micro 200 CCR's have also been installed at RAF Lakenheath by atg's installation team as part of airside redevelopment work.

USA Supply of Luminaires
UK Supply of Obstruction Lights
Germany Supply of Taxiway Guidance Signs
France Supply of Luminaires
UK Installation of Guard Lights
New Zealand Supply of AGL spares
Portugal Supply of Luminaires
India Supply of CCR's and Luminaires
Hong Kong Supply of Obstruction Lights
Malta Supply of AGL Spares
Portugal Supply of CCR's
Ireland Rewiring of runway lighting system
Nigeria Supply of Helipad Equipment
UK Supply of CCR's
Spain Supply of Luminaires

atg are currently taking bookings for a number of courses running throughout 2011, although you’ll have to register soon if you want to get onto one in the near future:

Module 1 - Civil AGL 7th - 11th February 2011
Module 11 - AGL Refresher 15th -17th February 2011

To book your place or for more information contact training@atgairports.com

In Memory: Julian Walker

It is with sincere regret that we must inform you that Julian Walker passed away on Sunday 2nd January. “The Duke” as we all knew him; joined atg airports in April 1997 but due to health problems left the company 5 years ago.

Fondly remembered by many still at the company, everyone who knew and worked with Julian recognised him as a polite, respectful and hard working individual always ready to help others in any way he could.

We wish to express our deepest sympathies to Julian's family and friends, and our thoughts and best wishes are with them at this difficult time.
 

atg continue to support MoD

atg airports' long standing relationship with the MoD is set to continue for years to come with the upgrade of all airfield ground lighting modular control systems at RAF bases around the world.

The existing Modular Control System (MCS) has been providing reliable and easy to use operations at RAF sites around the world for over 30 years. However, the limited availability of spare parts coupled with a lack of standardised developments between sites has led Defence Estates, those responsible for properties and land owned by the MoD, to subcontract a support contract to keep the existing system operational whilst rectifying these problems.

atg airports were successful in winning this contract, and since then, atg's MCS engineering team have been responsible for completing regular maintenance and fault finding work as well as providing 24 hour call out support to many sites including RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands.

With the intention of developing the existing system to help improve future maintenance work, the recommended "Mk.4" upgrade is to be implemented across all sites. By providing standardised systems throughout the MoD and incorporating new technologies into all operational aspects will ensure the MCS can be supported for many years to come.

Joe Palin, Project Engineer for atg airports with over 17 years experience of the MCS, welcomes the improvements to the existing system,

"Implementation of the Mk.4 upgrade will not only help to reduce maintenance costs and reduce the amount of failures, but will also ensure the MCS continues in service at our airbases for at least the next ten years."

Any further information regarding this article or the MCS support provided by atg can be obtained through Dave Jones, atg’s UK Sales Manager.

Age: 53

Position: UK Sales Manager

What does your role involve: Frequent customer contact and the coordination of all pre order activities.

Fire! – which one thing do you save? You don’t exist without plastic so i’d have to say my wallet

If you were given 6 months paid leave – what would you do? Chill out – probably a World Cruise and return 3 stone heavier

If you could meet anyone dead or alive who would it be? President Kennedy

And what would you say to them? Did you really think Krushchev would turn back?

What advice would you give to your 18 year old self? Believe in yourself and trust your instincts

Hobbies and Interests: Keeping Fit, reading

Describe yourself in 3 words: Determined, pushy, understanding

Who would play you in “The life story of Dave Jones” ? Mike Myers – not just because I look like Shrek
 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it ... actually DON'T!

Often the cause of much excitement and frivolity upon its arrival, the first glimpse of snow falling from the sky can transport many people back to a time of hastily constructed snowmen and the customary snowball fight. However, for the millions of passengers left stranded at airports across Europe and North America in December, the majority of their thoughts about seemingly innocent flakes were far from happy ones.

The scale of the disruption caused by the snow and ice during the final weeks of 2010 has raised serious questions, especially in the UK, with regard to the major airports affected and their ability to react to the wintery conditions.

But are the airports to blame?

In the UK, the previous 3 winters have been particularly difficult with significant snowfall and disruption; however the 7 years prior to this were all considered "mild" winters.

In the current financial climate, where seemingly all expenditures are coming under increasing scrutiny, if preparations had been made to cope with the conditions similar to those seen this winter, but they never materialised, would this be criticised for being "excessive" and a "waste of money?"

Could some of the airports have been better prepared? We'll have to wait and see, but...

How many chaotic winters should the airports endure before they invest significant time and money in solutions that could help reduce the disruption?

or

Are we "in the hands of the weather" and simply have to accept that we can't predict, or prepare for, what might happen because we just don't know?

Is it even possible to keep an airport the size of Heathrow or Charles de Gaulle open during the kind of weather seen last month?

What do you think?

Click here to enter the debate, we'll be sure to print the best responses in the next AirMail.
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atg airports ltd, Lowton Business Park, Newton Road, Lowton St Mary's, Warrington WA3 2AP
Tel: + 44 (0)1942 685555 Fax: + 44 (0)1942 685518 Email: marketing@atgairports.com
 
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