Getting this right through flight testing is costly in terms of time and money. Airbus in conjunction with the Hyde Group have developed a test rig to overcome this.
Simulating the stress placed on landing gear when touching down and taking off on-board the Airbus A350-100 series of aircraft these rigs simulate existing aircrafts landing gear and can prevent and fault find on future assemblies.
However when the landing gear you are working on when conducting these tests is 6.3m above the cell floor safe access becomes a real issue. To help overcome this Planet and two of its partners designed, manufactured and installed a galvanised steel walkway that provides access to all areas of the test rig. With such a specialised piece of equipment the access equipment surrounding it had to be equal to the job.
By spurring off the outside of the rig’s steel work, support brackets hold up an open-grid walkway around the entire perimeter of the rig, as well as sections internal of the rig structure.
The open grid walkway was chosen specifically for its unique properties as items bigger than 20mm cannot pass through, thus protecting personnel working underneath. This walkway links to the upper floors of the building and control rooms enabling timely access. All gantries are finished with galvanised steel double handrails posts and toeboards.
Completing the project ahead of time and within budget Alex Gilmour thanked Planet on behalf of the Airbus team for their professionalism whilst on site.
