12.11.2015

Virgin Valla

Airline Virgin Atlantic has taken delivery of a new 22 tonne Valla 1725 48ES pick & carry crane for aircraft maintenance work at its Gatwick Airport hub.

The crane has been supplied by UK Valla distributor Hird through Rushlift, the Doosan owned materials handling and ground support equipment supplier, which has the contract is to supply and maintain the airline’s equipment.

The battery powered crane has a lift height of 15.5 metres and a maximum radius of 13.5 metres and can pick & carry its maximum load. So far it has been used for a range of lifting tasks, but Virgin is also planning to use it to change engine reverse thrusters, aircraft nose cones, radar units, tail rudders and ailerons.

Virgin has also stipulated that the crane had enough capacity to change out complete engines. The task is currently carried out using the ‘bootstrap’ system, in which a winch and sling system lowers the engine into a stand. With this standard method the 6.5 tonne engines can be changed in 12 hours using up to six people with a good deal of hard work.

Virgin’s engineers believe that, the job could be completed in six hours with the crane, using no more than four people, and minimal manual handling.
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Virgin's new Valla 1725 48ES electric pick & carry crane

Hird’s sales manager Carl Cooper said: “We are delighted to have worked with Rushlift and Virgin Atlantic on what could be a ground-breaking project for passenger aircraft maintenance, and one which demonstrates the wide range of capabilities of Valla industrial cranes.”

Andy Currey, tooling and ground support equipment manager for Virgin added: “Working with Hird to develop the specification for this crane represents a major step forward in lifting applications. Lifting in aircraft maintenance environments is challenging, because of the high value consequences of failure, and the procedures and regulations put in place as a result".

“The bootstrap system is currently the industry standard for changing engines out,the only alternative is to use an overhead crane, which we have at our Heathrow hub, but which cannot be installed at Gatwick. Health and safety is our number one priority and it will help us complete this and other tasks with significantly less manual handling”.

“We are confident we can make a case with aircraft and engine manufacturers to allow us to use the crane to carry out engine changes. It will definitely be a world first and we will be leading the way in what I believe, will become an industry standard for changing engines”.

“As an electric crane it has zero emissions and is low noise, so is a green solution, which is good for our staff and the environment. The crane also allows us to complete many tasks faster, more easily, with greater confidence. We have only just taken delivery, so we’re only beginning to realise its full potential.”