Airport Crash Gates

[donnlass]

How do these gates atually work?

Are they designed to be crashed through in the event of an accident or are they automatically opened remotely?



Lots thanks:ok:

[terrain safe]

The fire vehicles will crash through the gates out of the airport to get to a crash site just off the airport. Do NOT park in front of it, they will not ask you to move, and 50 tonnes of fire engine will not notice your car disappear underneath it.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Usually the airport authority will unlock them prior to the arrival of the outside safety services.

[Suzeman]

Usually the airport authority will unlock them prior to the arrival of the outside safety services.

No they won't. terrain safe is entirely correct. Crash gates are to allow the airport RFFS to get out.

Outside safety services will report to the designated rendezvous point first and be deployed to the accident / incident inside the fence as required. There will only be one or two RVPs dependent on the airport layout and the message alerting outside services will inform them which one to go to. The RVPs could be at a crash gate in which case they would be manned pretty quickly, but most RVPs are at points that are already manned, quite often the fire station

However, there will be many more crash gates around the airfield.

[Jippie]

I know Schiphol actually has 3 RVPs. They are called UGS in dutch and are signposted everywhere around the airport.
Also see this link (in dutch) from the fire service: Brandweer Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (http://www.brandweerschiphol.nl/organisatie/ugs/uitgangstelling.html)

[Airbus Fan]

I find this subject very interesting but I do have one tiny question:

What is a Airport Crash Gate? :ooh: (I'm feeling really dumb right now...)

[neroliie]

I know Schiphol actually has 3 RVPs. They are called UGS in dutch and are signposted everywhere around the airport.
Also see this link (in dutch) from the fire service: Brandweer Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (http://www.brandweerschiphol.nl/organisatie/ugs/uitgangstelling.html)

I love how Dutch agencies just put a whackload of information out there :D

[donnlass]

AirbusFan these are Crash Gates (at Manchester)



Home - Manchester Airport Spotting (http://manchesterspotting.t83.net/#/safety-security/4533630133)

[donnlass]

Thanks everyone for your replies:ok::ok:

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I bow to Suzeman's better knowledge. However, Donnlass's link provides this little gem: "It may seem obvious but if someone forgets it may mean the emergency services cannot access the airfield if there's an emergency."

[TURIN]

I think the giveaway is the sign on the gate "GATES OPEN OUT". :ok:

[purplehelmet]

i used to work at a large chemical works,we had similar crash gates around the site for emergency vehicles,and if need's be a fire engine could drive straight through them,after all a small padlock aint gonna stop a 50 ton fire engine.
however it might struggle to barge down the steel girders that now form a barrier on the airside at man.
perhaps the airport fire crew's and local fire brigades carry a small key with them to open the padlock,or failing that some bolt cutter's.:E

[jackieofalltrades]

Additionally, the hinges on the gates are built such that they will break more readily when driven into by the airport's fire engine exiting in an emergency. The reason being that less momentum, and hence time, is lost when rushing to the scene of a crash outside the airport perimeter.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Interesting. During 31 years working at a major airport I knew of only one off-airport incident requiring the airport fire service to attend. On the other hand, emergencies requiring attendance by outside safety services were not unusual occurrences...

[Burnie5204]

Crash gate hinges are specifically designed to break on impact to allow the RFFS crash tenders out.

This is one of the reasons Airport crash tenders have the angled front end - to force the gate downwards under the truck.

[donnlass]

Additionally, the hinges on the gates are built such that they will break more readily when driven into by the airport's fire engine exiting in an emergency. The reason being that less momentum, and hence time, is lost when rushing to the scene of a crash outside the airport perimeter.


So are they not designed to allow emergency vehicles access onto the runway in case of an accident from outside the airport, only to allow them out of the airport in case an aircraft comes down outside the perimeter?

[Burnie5204]

It can be used for both.

However, in the event of an incident it is more critical for the Airport Crash Tenders to get to the incident site in a hurry as First Rescue Response with the appropriate fire-fighting media, specialist training and equipment for dealing with aircraft fires than for Local Authority who do not have the specialist aircraft fire fighting and rescue equipment or regular training in Aircraft fire and rescue techniques.

Speed is still of the essence for Local Authority however the primary function of the crash gates is to get the Airport Tenders to the site (as Local Authority Tenders are backup for Airport Tenders though LA Incident Command has primacy over Airport Incident Command)

[ZOOKER]

Some of the gates at EGCC have substantial barriers on the airside, presumably to keep ram-raiders out. Do these barriers rise automatically, or is a 'chap with a key' involved?

[jackieofalltrades]

So are they not designed to allow emergency vehicles access onto the runway in case of an accident from outside the airport, only to allow them out of the airport in case an aircraft comes down outside the perimeter?

They will open like a normal gate to let outside emergency services in, but, primarily it is to allow the airport's fire trucks out in a hurry.