Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC, has expanded its Aviation Ground Support Equipment (GSE) fleet with new ultra-modern equipment to adjust to its expanding business activities as part of it’s effort to become the leading ground handling company in Africa.

These fleet according to an online statement signed by the Corporate Communications, Manager, SAHCO, Mrs.Vanessa Uansohia includes : Air Conditioning Units (ACU), Ground Power Units (GPU), Toilet Bowsers, Water Bowsers and Baggage Carts.

SAHCO, she said procured three units of Air Conditioning Units to provide airlines with air conditioning to the aircraft cabin while the aircraft is on ground.

She explained that two of the ACUs are manufactured to produce 50 pounds of pre-conditioned air per second for wide body aircraft and that the other is to produce 15 pounds of pre-conditioned air per second for narrow body aircraft.

Both ACUs were manufactured by Guinault, a reputable GSE manufacturer in France.

The ACUs Uansohia further  informed  are built to be environmentally friendly producing less or no carbon monoxide to the atmosphere because they are fitted with tier four engines, which is the latest technology in compliance with the strictest Emission of Particulate Matter (EPA) emission requirement for off- highway diesel engines.

Similarly, she said that the ACUs systems are fitted with a sim card that is used to monitor the activity of the equipment by both the manufacturer and the end user to curb misuse, abuse and diagnose malfunction.

Uansohia stated that in addition, the ACUs, three Ground Power Units (GPU) were procured to deliver alternative voltage supply for aircraft while on ground, adding that the fleet which was also manufactured by Guinault are two units of GPU equipped to produce 140 KVA of energy for wide body aircraft and one unit of GPU with the capacity of producing 90 KVA of energy for narrow body aircrafts.

She explained that these GPUs are also fitted with the tier four  engine to check carbon monoxide emission and sim cards for proper monitoring and capacity by both the manufacturer and end user.
Uansohia in the statement also disclosed that  SAHCO Plc also constructed three toilet and two water bowsers from locally sourced materials by its Engineering and Maintenance team.

The bowsers which are used to produce water and to eliminate waste from the aircraft, she hinted  are manufactured in line with European standards.

The tanks of both GSEs, the Manager said are built from galvanised steel to prevent rust and are both towable to check energy consumption and emission like the diesel powered GSEs.

Another GSE produced by SAHCO are Baggage Carts, which are built according to European standards.

The carts are also built to be roomy compared to their European counterparts to accommodate large volume of baggage, adding that they  have a peculiar feature of the capacity to be loaded sideways, this helps in reducing the turnaround time of flights.

“Another feature of the Baggage Cart is that it is built with stainless plates to prevent rusting, making it all weather to accommodate Nigerian terrain.

“These carts are fitted with hoods and canopies to protect passengers’ baggage from rain and the carts also have brakes and hooks installed to prevent accidents and slips,” Uansohia said.

SAHCO is a publicly listed aviation ground handling service provider that is present in all the commercially operated airports in Nigeria.
The airports are : Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Calabar, Ilorin, Enugu, Maiduguri, Gombe, Akure, Ibadan, Jos, Asaba, Benin, Bauchi, Uyo, Sokoto, Kaduna and Yola.

SAHCO is also involved in activities that includes passenger handling, ramp handling, cargo handling and warehousing, Aviation Security, VIP Lounge services amongst other aviation related services.