may2022 - 32

Product Profile
PCA Hose
Extending
and Retracting
Made Easy
B GSE has begun manufacturing the
CoolJet Hose Retriever after researching
systems in Europe and working with
Aviation Technical Equipment Supplies.
By Rebecca Kanable
A
pre-conditioned air (PCA) hose can have its share
of problems. Considering 91 feet of hose weighs
about 1,000 pounds, it can be heavy. Hoses are
often unwieldy, may kink and get wet and dirty.
To address those problems, B GSE Group, whose core business
is system engineering and commissioning, started manufacturing
the CoolJet Hose Retriever, a pre-conditioned air
hose handling system.
The CoolJet Hose Retriever makes the process of extending
and retracting the hose easier and faster, increases hose
performance, and allows ground personnel to utilize just the
amount of PCA hose needed, limiting hose wear and tear.
To operate the system, B GSE president Bryan Bullerdick
says an operator presses a button on a remote, which is
mounted to the aircraft connector at the end of the hose,
while walking to or from the aircraft. This allows the user to
retract or extract the hose with little effort. The remote control
operates on a " dead-man " switch concept that requires a
continuous press of the button to maintain motion.
While other hose handling systems have reels and baskets,
the CoolJet does not. Therefore, there's no lifting or rolling of
the hose required.
Bullerdick says B GSE set out to focus on customer operational
challenges related to hose handling and lifespan. A
goal, he says, was to develop the easiest and fastest method
to extend and retract the PCA hose. The method chosen also
increases hose performance and ultimately assists customers
in their tactical need to condition the aircraft and their
strategic desire to turn off the auxiliary power unit (APU) and
diesel-powered ground support equipment, he says.
Before B GSE started manufacturing the CoolJet Hose
Retriever in the United States, the company researched hose
management systems, which have been popular in Europe
for about two decades. Bullerdick notes competition for the
best product has been robust with at least four competitive
offerings in that region. B GSE reached out to users of these
32 || Ground Support Worldwide || May 2022
B GSE organizes
its PCA units
and the hose
management
systems, both
single and dual
arrangements, to
provide additional
space under
the passenger
boarding bridge.
systems in Europe and in 2017-18
talked to the system manufacturers.
" Our due diligence in investigating
proven technology led us to the
ATES [Aviation Technical Equipment
Supplies] design with a 20-year
track record, " he says.
B GSE found customer reviews of the ATES SHR PCAir Hose
Retriever manufactured in Italy were favorable, with end-users
praising the durability, size, weight and flexibility of the
installation. In 2019 B GSE and ATES signed an agreement for
B GSE to own the rights to manufacture the hose handling
system in the Americas.
Bullerdick says key features of the system include a remote
wireless control panel, a backup local control panel, touchscreen
maintenance human-machine interface (HMI), adjustable
speed and a compact design that allows the unit to be
mounted under the passenger boarding bridge cab.
Installing the CoolJet Hose Retriever unit directly under the
cab of the passenger boarding bridge, according to Bullerdick,
is " an advantageous location relative to the aircraft connection
ports, an ideal location for the inlet from the PCAir unit
and the best arrangement to balance loads on the passenger
boarding bridge.
According to Bullerdick, CoolJet Hose Retriever units have
been integrated into passenger boarding bridges for two
may2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of may2022
