News in Brief

¦ AeroVironment Inc. announced that it has introduced a new, turnkey program for delivering the benefits of its PosiCharge™ solution to customers operating electric material handling fleets in multi-shift operations. The Total Power Solution (ToPS) includes a selection of services, such as customized charger and battery configurations, asset leasing, guaranteed service and maintenance, and asset disposal, all in a one-stop program. Instead of working with multiple entities for chargers, batteries and support services, customers can now make a single monthly payment and have a single point of contact for all their electric material handling motive energy needs.

¦ Fraport AG reported its traffic results from January. Recording some 3.5 million passengers, Frankfurt Airport experienced a 10.4 percent traffic drop year-on-year. Cargo throughput shrank by 23.5 percent to 124,208 metric tons of airfreight and airmail. Aircraft movements dropped by 7 percent to 35,448 takeoffs and landings compared to January 2008, due partly to precautionary measures by certain airlines to temporarily reduce their flight schedules. The majority-owned airports of the Fraport Group largely recorded stable development in passenger traffic during January 2009. In particular, the important foreign airports of Antalya (AYT) in Turkey and Lima (LIM) in Peru registered continuing passenger growth of 8.3 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively. Fraport’s two airports on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria changed positions during the usually slow winter period, with Burgas sliding by 35.5 percent and Varna surging ahead by 31.1 percent in January 2009.

¦ Advantech, an ePlatform service provider, announced its Compact Embedded Computer Chassis, the ARK-6000 Series, has had the honor of receiving two “2008 Innovative Products” awards, one at the China Industrial Control Website Annual Appraisal Ceremony, and the other at the China Automation Website Annual Appraisal. Featuring front I/O interfaces, a powerful embedded centralized platform, unique industrial design, and qualified thermal performance, the ARK-6000 Series was chosen for the outstanding usability that it presents to system integrators.

¦ During a speech before the National Aeronautic Association, Airports Council International– North America (ACI-NA) President Greg Principato announced the adoption of ambitious airport environmental goals to be achieved in the coming years. The goals included that ACI-NA member airports will strive to convert airport-owned and operated ground vehicles and GSE to low-emission vehicles with an industry-wide average goal of 50 percent of vehicle conversion by 2019. Also, half of ACI-NA member airports will strive to provide low emission vehicle support infrastructure by 2019.

¦ JLG Industries Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, has developed an online Learning Management System to deliver training for JLG customers. In addition to taking online courses, customers can also maintain their training history for both on-line and classroom courses. JLG currently has four courses available online: basic electric, basic hydraulic; warranty fundamentals (warranty policy), service bench (warranty system).

¦ Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), a wholly owned subsidiary of ECOtality Inc., a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies, announced the installation of 13 Minit-Charger fast-charge systems at Westchester County Airport. As Westchester County Airport transitions its ground support equipment from gasoline- and diesel-powered to pure electric-powered
systems, the 13 dual-port Minit-Charger systems will power the airport’s new fleet of 25 all-electric ground support vehicles that will cut noise and air pollution and substantially reduce fueling costs.Westchester County Airport funded the Minit-Charger installation without the use of any Westchester taxpayer funds through the primary assistance of the FAA Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) grant program and the New York State Department of Transportation Airport Services Bureau.

¦ AERO Specialties announced that it had completed a year-long towbar and head redesign project. The project introduced many new features to its line of business and regional aircraft heads and towbars, and the company said it was accomplished without significant price increases, or by sacrificing the interchangeability of its entire system with other manufacturers’. Improvements across the entire line of towbars and heads include: engraving the CE mark and part number directly into the product; bolstering potential stress-points on heads for heavier aircraft; adding additional safety decals and placards to all items; revising and bolstering operation manuals (available online); refining the manufacturing process for greater inventory control and constant in-stock status on all items.