Blast Deflectors, Inc. (BDI) has completed the installation of its first jet blast deflector in Argentina at Ezeiza International Airport.
As airports across the world continue to expand, available ramp space is becoming a coveted commodity, especially in aircraft maintenance areas where jet blast velocities from an aircraft running at high power can exceed speeds of 225mph (362kph) for considerable distances behind the aircraft.
Due to these hazardous velocities, the existing engine check location and aircraft parking position at the Aerolineas Argentina maintenance facility were destined to become unusable due to the close proximity of the new hangar under construction at the facility.
The solution for Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 (the national airport authority) and Aerolineas Argentina was a BDI jet blast deflector aerodynamically designed to protect buildings, roadways and personnel from hazardous jet blast. The deflector installed at Ezeiza International Airport was BDI’s model U19-3, a deflector with a nominal height of 19ft (5.7m) and rated for high power engine operations of commercial aircraft up to the A380.
The 262ft (80m) section of blast deflector was installed to protect the new maintenance hangar during both the construction phase and the completed facility. The addition of this installation to the Aerolineas ramp provides a safe and convenient location for the operator to perform engine checks. The deflector will also reduce aircraft service times by eliminating the need to tug aircraft to the far end of the airfield for testing.
"Having to tug aircraft to remote locations can be a time consuming and a costly process requiring significant manpower and is complicated when crossing active runways at busy airports" says Alec Garcia, BDI’s manager of South American sales. The BDI deflector will reduce aircraft maintenance time and translates into cost savings over the long run.
For over 55 years, BDI’s innovative solutions has made the company a leading international supplier of jet blast deflector solutions. With the experience of thousands of completed projects around the world, BDI continues to incorporate new technology and offer updated designs. Other recent jet blast deflector projects completed by BDI completed by BDI in South America include a ground run-up enclosure in Bogotá’s and a jet blast deflector in Quito.