Reliable plastic-energy chains replace festoonings on passenger boarding bridges

Gangways, i.e. passenger boarding bridges at airports, make it easy to board larger aircraft in particular, which would otherwise be difficult to access via long flights of stairs. The gangways often have to bridge great lengths and heights. In this application, an airport in the US state of Utah, this resulted in a major challenge for the guidance of the cable for supplying the bridge control system and the aircraft. The guidance not only has to maintain a reliable supply, it also has to be just as flexible as the passenger boarding bridge itself. As part of the modernisation, the old cable routing with festoonings was to be replaced by a new system. The festoonings proved to be too unreliable, because in addition to the high flexibility of the gangway, which can be telescoped in and out, the solution was also subject to weather-related demands. Due to the necessary outdoor installation, the system is exposed to wind and weather at all times of the year.

JBT Aerotech, which was responsible for the realisation, opted for energy chain systems to ensure optimum cable routing. These were installed on the steel substructure of the passenger boarding bridges, where they are optimally accessible for installation and maintenance work. The special feature: Installing the e-chain® at a 90° angle saved a lot of space, so that the cable routing fits perfectly into the existing installation space under the gateway. The E4/4 series energy chains used are telescoped on top of each other when the gateway is retracted. They offer plenty of space for the various cables that lead to the sections of the passenger boarding bridge and to the aircraft, yet are compact enough for the application and at the same time robust and reliable. Also pleasing for both visual and logistical reasons: by dispensing with festoons, there are no more annoying cables hanging down from the gangway.