Sometimes it is possible to keep getting better! The Cygnus Aviation Expo this past week promised to be better than ever, and it was. Maybe it is a harbinger of better times for GSE – but the exhibits were plentiful with a lot of new technology and improvements.
Some that caught my attention:
- The latest in fuel truck design – which promises to be easier to maneuver and maintain – and is easy on the eyes (hey, who says fuel trucks have to be ugly?)
- Baggage carts and container dollies that have been redesigned to improve their durability and make maintenance easier and less expensive (I remember what a pain it was to replace casters on container dollies; today’s designs make the process so much simpler!)
- The latest in fill tires look like they’ll do the job – no more flats to fix.
What I was really blown away by – given my recent blog on training – was the large of amount, and variety, of training courses offered to attendees. Aside from technical training opportunities, there was supervisory and management skills training for ramp workers. Now that is something that is clearly needed – and so hard to find!
And, to top off the list of firsts for the Expo, SAE (The Society of Automotive Engineers, whose members design GSE) had a session for the first time with GSE operators. This gave GSE operators the opportunity to give direct feedback to the designers of their equipment. I even got to raise some of my pet peeves about equipment.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: We also unveiled our plans for a new format to next's show.]
