Nationwide Platforms Case Study Explores Lift Solutions for MROs

Key Takeaways: 

• LKM UK Engineering needed lifting machinery that could operate inside a hangar quietly, with no emissions and with safety innovations.
• Nationwide Platforms supplied six machines to perform MRO operations at LKM UK Engineering.
• The variety of machinery provided by Nationwide Platforms successfully offered solutions for several applications.

Nationwide Platforms (NWP) has recently provided working-at-height support for KLM UK Engineering, based at Norwich Airport. NWP has supplied six machines on a long-term basis to perform routine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations on commercial aircraft housed in KLM UK Engineering’s base maintenance hangars.

KLM UK Engineering is a UK-based market leader in aircraft maintenance and training. It is headquartered at Norwich and currently has six fully equipped heavy maintenance bays across three hangars at Norwich airport. The company offers comprehensive maintenance solutions for a range of aircraft types.

Nationwide Platforms’ powered access machinery has been in use on site since July 2024 and will remain there on a long-term hire basis.

The Challenge

The indoor environment of the hangar called for machinery that could operate in crowded, enclosed areas full of human personnel. These machines needed to be free of emissions, capable of quiet operation and equipped with safety innovations.

Aircraft call for unique powered access solutions, as they differ from ordinary powered access applications due to their parabolic or curved structure.

Conventional machinery can have trouble maneuvering around these structures, because the platform can struggle to get sufficiently close to the aircraft without knocking it and risking hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages. Nationwide Platforms therefore had to field a selection of machines that were tailored to working on planes while still prioritizing efficiency and safety. 

Finally, trying to reach the aircraft roof from within the MEWP basket can prove uniquely challenging. Often, powered access workers will sidestep this issue by using suction cup technology. However, this solution isn’t always possible.

Similarly, while some hangars have the option of attaching the operator to lanyards suspended from the ceiling, this isn’t currently available in one of the maintenance hangars. Nationwide Platforms therefore needed to offer a risk-mitigated solution to walking on the aircraft roof.  

The Solution

Nationwide Platforms has provided six machines from its aviation-specification fleet, featuring equipment that meets industry safety standards while maximizing efficiency.

Each machine has had handrail lagging fitted to its basket to avoid accidents and provide extra protection when working next to high-value assets. Supplementing this are NoNoc bumper doughnuts fitted to the baskets’ rail-edges, which prevent the machines from potentially damaging the aircraft by providing a buffer before contact is made.

With low age-profiles, these machines are all in excellent condition, which means the rate of malfunction and breakdown is lower than the industry standard. Nationwide Platforms’ Norwich depot also performs monthly preventative maintenance checks as part of the service, thereby increasing machine up-time rates.

To cover the full array of potential applications within the hangar, Nationwide Platforms has selected a range of working heights, safe working loads and machine widths. On site are three boom lifts—Genie’s Z60FE and S60FE and JLG’s 45EJS—as well as three SJ16 vertical mast lifts.

The Genie S60FE and Z60FE hybrid boom lifts both deliver all-electric and hybrid power modes. The machines can operate for more than a week on a single tank of fuel and complete a full day's shift on a single battery charge. As a telescopic or ‘straight-stick’ boom, the S60FE is ideal for direct, high-access tasks like exterior fuselage work.

In contrast, the Z60FE is an articulated boom, with a jib offering 135° rotation to allow up-and-over access around obstacles for precise positioning of workers. This makes the Z60FE particularly suited for areas like engines and wing assemblies, while the S60FE excels at straightforward, high-reach applications.

Together, these machines balance precision, maneuverability and height for diverse aviation maintenance needs.

Complementing the two 20-meter boom lifts is the smaller JLG 45EJS 15.72-meter electric boom lift. The machine's eco-friendly electric power system and compact, agile design allow for emission-free indoor tasks. 

With a 13.72m platform height and 360°swing capability, it provides access to aircraft exteriors, such as wings, fuselage and engine nacelles. Its non-marking tires and zero tail-swing minimize hangar floor damage and allow safe, close-proximity maneuvers around sensitive aircraft components.

The 230kg platform capacity accommodates up to two operators and their tools.

There are also three Skyjack SJ16 vertical mast lifts on site. As with the JLG boom lift, the Skyjack SJ16’s zero-emission electric power source ensures a clean working environment and its solid rubber, non-marking tyres prevent damage to hangar floors.

The vertical SJ16 has a narrow width of 0.77 meters and a stowed height of 1.79 meters, which allows for maneuvering close to aircraft.

For advanced safety, the machine is equipped with tilt alarm and motion alarm systems, while its onboard fault diagnostic system allows engineers to troubleshoot issues and perform repairs accurately and promptly. 

All three of the boom lifts on site have been equipped with Harness ON, Nationwide Platforms’ technology that stops a machine from functioning unless the operator is securely fastened in. 

To solve the challenge of walking on top of the aircraft from the machine basket, the three boom lifts have been equipped with Genie’s Fall Arrest bar. The Fall Arrest bar allows an operator to exit the machine platform and work outside of it while remaining attached via a 6-foot lanyard. 

Using the Fall Arrest bar, operators can safely work on top of the plane and reach otherwise inaccessible areas for maintenance. The machine can be positioned so it doesn’t risk touching or knocking the plane.

Head of Market Development for Aviation at Nationwide Platforms Matt Parfitt said, “We provide aviation-ready machinery for several big names in the aviation sector, which is a testament to how suitable our fleet is for these kinds of applications. Nationwide Platforms is an industry leader in this section of the powered access market, and we’re delighted to continue working with KLM UK Engineering.”