Ground Support Blog

Appearances can be deceiving but from what I can see on my travels across the country, ground equipment in some stations is in a sorry state. It’s not just the rust on tugs and carts, or belt loaders with belts so frayed I could see the threads from the terminal. I’ve actually seen ramp personnel pulling baggage carts by hand while motorized tugs are pushed into corners, obviously out of order. What’s going on? Doesn’t anyone care that a frayed belt can cause injury to the baggage handler? Years ago I saw a guy lose a finger to a poorly maintained belt loader. And it can’t be good for their backs to be tugging loaded baggage carts.

I know the airlines are having a tough time financially. But can’t some of the baggage fees that passengers are now paying for the luxury of checking bags be used to pay for some basic equipment for ground personnel — like functioning tugs and belt loaders? In the end everyone pays for poorly maintained equipment, either through lost productivity or increased workers’ compensation claims — not to mention potential physical injury to hardworking men and women.

You’re in desperate need of new batteries, but there’s no money in the capital budget. What are you going to do?

Quite possibly you’ve already received some equipment from another station that closed. That may not be good news overall, but it’s not all bad either. You can take the best of the best and put the scrap aside. Or you possibly have fewer flights and you can essentially do the same thing.

Been there, done that? Then the next step is reconditioning your existing battery fleet. Through less than perfect charging and maintenance, harsh operating conditions, and just the normal aging process, batteries lose capacity. Some capacity loss is permanent, but some is recoverable. I recommend contacting your local battery shop to see how they can help.

An “acid adjustment” will be standard procedure. Over time, the acid in the electrolyte has crystallized on the surface of the plates (sulphation) or has ended up on the ramp. Restoring the specific gravity of the electrolyte to nameplate rating will dramatically improve performance. There are also several potions out there that claim magic powers, but you should check with the battery manufacturer before using them.

Another recommended procedure is “cannibalization.” This only works if you have an extra battery or several extras. Replace the worst cells from one battery with the best cells from another battery. Make one good battery out of two bad batteries, or maybe you can get 2 out of 3, or 3 out of 4. A word of caution: this works best with younger batteries with just a few bad cells. Labor expenses can escalate quickly and there’s no guarantee on the life of your “new” batteries.

No money for battery reconditioning? Good maintenance will slowly improve the quality of your battery fleet. Water properly and charge properly. The charging part can be challenging. For one reason or another, your batteries may not be reaching 100-percent state of charge every day. Cycle batteries through your own shop for a good equalize charge — maybe two equalize charges over two consecutive days. And clean the battery surface while you’re at it.

Happy New Year!