BAE Systems has joined forces with Quest
International UK of Cheadle, Cheshire to introduce the world’s
airlines to the AirManager, a new active air management system.
In addition to introducing AirManager onto its
own BAe 146/Avro RJ airliners, BAE Systems has signed an agreement
with Quest International UK to bring the benefits of AirManager technology to the wider aviation market.
Under this agreement BAE Systems will act as an authorised
distributor for worldwide sales to airlines of the AirManager
system for an initial period of five years.
Through
its Regional Aircraft business BAE Systems has not only engineered
and certificated the installation of AirManager onto its own
aircraft, but has also designed and certificated a Supplemental
Type Certificate (STC), for installation on the Boeing 757, with a
trial unit now being evaluated. Contracts for future STC designs
on other aircraft types will be determined by Quest International
UK in the light of market demand.
Sean McGovern,
Operations Director of BAE Systems’ Regional Aircraft business
said, “In embracing Quest International UK’s remarkable AirManager technology BAE Systems’ approach has been to raise the
bar to a new level. At a time when there is increasing concern
about the transmission of infections on aircraft, together with
the continued debate about the quality of air on board aircraft,
we are making available benchmark technology to the world’s
airlines to allow them to address the widest possible challenges
to cabin air quality.”
Quest International UK’s
AirManager system was developed in the late 1990s initially for
use in the health sector. Since then some 5000 units have been
supplied to hospitals, nurseries, veterinary premises, quarantine
centres and many other sectors.
The
internationally-patented AirManager uses a revolutionary
development – CCFT (Close Coupled Field Technology) - which is a
contained and safe electrical field that eliminates smells, and
breaks down and destroys airborne pathogens, contaminants and
toxins.
David Hallam, inventor of the technology
and Director of Quest International UK explained, “the main
strength of CCFT
is its ability to destroy a wide range of contaminants very
quickly. It achieves a single-pass kill rate of 99.999% of
bio-hazards and removing particles down to below 0.1 micron [a
micron is one millionth of a metre], which is equivalent to a
single particle of cigarette smoke. Our active air treatment
systems provide reduction of airborne contaminants to levels far
in excess of those achieved by conventional passive HEPA (High
Efficiency Particulate Arrest) filters. The AirManager system
maintains its superiority over other new technology air
purification systems by virtue of its broad spectrum of operation
– it is not just a point solution to a point problem.”
BAE Systems has undertaken a substantive four-year
scientific research evaluation through its Advanced Technology
Centre and supporting agencies to verify the technology and
investigate and ensure that it could be safely installed in
aircraft.
The research included tests on pyrolised engine oils,
hydraulic and de-icing fluids with startling results under
laboratory conditions. The AirManager destroyed the tiny amounts
of resulting Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in one pass by
breaking the compounds down into single harmless anatomical parts.
Sean McGovern said, “We have processed the AirManager through the full European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
verification and certification programme and cleared it for
application on our BAe 146 and Avro RJ regional jetliners. To
further evaluate the system, this year we have installed the
AirManager into the flight deck and cabin air systems of eight
aircraft with five European airlines.”
The service
evaluation, which is coming to an end, includes pre and post
installation cabin air measurement of VOCs, carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide, humidity and temperature.
“Our
customers are delighted with the AirManager system as it does
everything that Quest and ourselves said it would. In addition, we
have identified potential fuel burn savings, as the AirManager
system cleans the air allowing the air conditioning system to
operate more fully in ‘re-circ’ mode. We believe the fuel burn
savings are likely to at least cover the purchase cost of the
AirManager in the first year,” Mr McGovern added.
For the BAe 146/Avro
RJ two AirManager units will be required to provide full clean air
coverage at a cost comparable with using existing conventional
filters. Installation of the system is straightforward and can be
achieved in stages across several days as part of overnight line
maintenance activity. Replacement of the units will be carried out
at ‘C’ Check intervals when the unit is exchanged for a new one,
with the old unit being overhauled at a service centre. The system
cost should be no more than a new replacement passive filter unit
that is currently used in most aircraft.
For the
Boeing 757, a passenger variant of the aircraft would require five
AirManager units and a freighter aircraft one unit.
BAE Systems is marketing the AirManager to its BAe 146/Avro RJ
customer base and has placed initial orders with Quest
International UK for 25 ship sets. One of the trial airlines has
now ordered the AirManager for its Avro RJ fleet and BAE Systems’
own Corporate Air Travel executive shuttle operation has also
ordered the system.
The Asset Management and
Support businesses of BAE Systems Regional Aircraft will be
marketing the AirManager technology to airlines worldwide.
Paul Stirling, Executive Vice President Asset Management said, “BAE
Systems has a strong belief in AirManager and we will work hard to
generate airline interest and orders. We are working closely with
Quest International UK to determine the next STCs to be developed
and it is likely that our efforts will focus on the popular Airbus
A320 and Boeing 737 airliner families.”
Alex Parffitt, Principal Scientist, Emerging
Technology Group of BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre added,
“We increasingly see our role as fostering and nurturing the best
technology from many different sectors and particularly from SMEs
and academia. Our collaboration with Quest International UK is a
good example of technology brokering and illustrates how open BAE
Systems is to new and innovative ideas and products for the
benefit of all.”
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