|
|
|
|
Yellowknife BBE ramps up! Watching over the BBE Yellowknife ramp is like peering into a well-oiled machine. Ground crew members are at attention and ready to action their pre-assigned task. Baggage bins and cargo are waiting. Stairs for passengers are ready. Jet fuel is en route. And, as the aircraft arrives, it’s lights, camera, action! “Communication is key,” said Rodney Noseworthy, BBE Yellowknife Operations Manager. “We make sure everyone is aware of what is going on and who is responsible for what.” On any given day, the BBE Yellowknife ramp handles anywhere from eight to 20 aircraft and can safely accommodate two 737s, a Dash 7 and a Dash 8 – all at one time. Flight controllers carefully pre-plan how aircraft will be marshalled, where they will be parked and BBE ground staff members are each assigned a vital role in the successful forwarding of passengers, baggage and cargo. The BBE ramp at the Yellowknife airport has been meeting the logistical needs of many mining and exploration clients for the past 20 years, without incident. Noseworthy attributes BBE’s exemplary safety record to their COR certification, pre-planning protocols and staff safety briefings. “When an aircraft arrives on a busy day we tow it in, rather than having it come in under power. We also ensure we have the required space between the wing tips of each aircraft we are marshalling and we have wing walkers stationed with them for added safety,” said Noseworthy. “In everything we do, safety is key. We don’t want any injuries and we don’t want to damage any aircraft. It comes down to the pre-planning. We have a meeting beforehand so everyone knows what is expected of them.” The warehouses, infrastructure and branch locations that BBE has built over their 34 years in operation backs the logistics behind the BBE Yellowknife ramp. For example, some mine sites do not have an airstrip long enough to accommodate a Boeing 737 aircraft. This requires the passengers and baggage to arrive at BBE Yellowknife by jet and then transfer onto smaller aircraft. To facilitate the smooth transfer on the Yellowknife ramp between the aircraft, the BBE Edmonton branch will ensure each jet passenger and their baggage are weighed at time of check-in and assign them to the aircraft they are going to connect to when they arrive in Yellowknife to fly the rest of their way to their final destination. “Transport Canada regulations require that everyone’s baggage travels on the same aircraft as the passenger, so we make sure the bags are colour-coded, loaded correctly and all documentation matched,” said Noseworthy. “Our manifests are pre-built, staff briefed, ground equipment staged and everything is organized in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient connection.”
|
|
|
|
