#Industry News
One Airport, Different Ground Power Solutions
Different aircraft stands require different approaches to ground power infrastructure
One airport can contain very different operating environments. A terminal gate, remote stand, cargo apron and MRO area may all require aircraft ground power, but the way that power is delivered can vary significantly.
For this reason, selecting a 400 Hz system is not simply a matter of choosing a frequency converter. The complete stand configuration needs to be considered, including how the aircraft is positioned, where the equipment can be installed, how cables are handled and what level of operational flexibility is required.
Different stands require different approaches
At terminal gates, bridge-mounted equipment can position 400 Hz power close to the aircraft while reducing the amount of equipment located on the apron.
For remote stands and operational areas where flexibility is essential, mobile 400 Hz units can be deployed where and when they are required.
PIT systems provide another approach by integrating aircraft services below apron level, allowing equipment to remain below the surface when it is not in use.
Other applications may require static equipment, 28 VDC supply or a combination of AC and DC aircraft power.
The appropriate configuration depends on several practical factors, including aircraft fleet, stand utilisation, available electrical infrastructure, installation space, cable length and the required operating profile.
Cable management is part of the system
Delivering aircraft power does not end at the converter.
Aircraft cables need to be positioned, stored and handled efficiently, particularly at high-utilisation stands. Cable management therefore forms an important part of the overall ground power configuration.
C.D.R Technology provides PBB-Coil and C-Coil solutions alongside its aircraft ground power equipment, allowing the power system and cable delivery method to be considered together.
This becomes particularly important when equipment location, aircraft connection points and available apron space create different requirements from one stand to another.
Engineering around the airport
C.D.R Technology develops ground power solutions for different airport applications rather than applying one equipment configuration to every project.
The portfolio includes static and mobile F-400 400 Hz frequency converters, bridge-mounted solutions, PIT systems, R-28 28 VDC units, combined AC/DC systems and cable management equipment.
Where a standard configuration does not match the application, equipment can be engineered around project-specific electrical, mechanical and installation requirements.
The same approach applies beyond commercial airport stands. FBO and MRO facilities may have very different aircraft types, operating processes and existing infrastructure, requiring equipment to be configured around their particular environment.
One portfolio, multiple configurations
Modern airport infrastructure increasingly requires flexibility. Even within the same airport, one stand may benefit from a mobile unit, another from a bridge-mounted installation and another from an integrated PIT solution.
The objective is therefore not to standardise every stand around the same equipment. It is to select and configure the equipment around the way each stand actually operates.
C.D.R Technology combines 400 Hz, 28 VDC, PIT, bridge-mounted and cable management solutions with in-house engineering to develop ground power systems around the requirements of each project.
