Category Archives: News

Four year anniversary. Commute-A-Walk ® at Nagasaki Passenger Cruise Ship Seaport reaches milestone date.

This November East Island Aviation’s Commute-A-Walk ® retractable passenger walkway system reached a significant achievement in Japan. Our Commute-A-Walk ® installed in 2011 has just pasted four consecutive years of service without any downtime. The seaport operators have documented nearly 700 arrivals and departures of various size cruise ships from more than 6 different nations. The Nagasaki seaport has become a preferred point of landing for tourists coming to Japan throughout the Pacific rim region.

Prior to the Commute-A-Walk ® installation, passengers were subject to inclement weather conditions while waiting to clear Immigration. In addition, the seaport operators were challenged with trying to contain passengers on the pier until they cleared Customs. East Island’s retractable passenger walkway, Commute-A-Walk ® has dramatically reduced the staffing necessary to contain passengers and improved the overall arrival experience in Nagasaki. We applauded the seaport operators for taking such a bold step in passenger handling.

To learn more about East Island Aviation’s Commute-A-Walk ® system, or any other ground boarding equipment, please feel free to Contact Us.

For more information in Japan, please contact our Japanese agent, ARI.

New Narita Commute-A-Walk

narita-commute-a-walk-1 On April 7th The Narita Airport Authority (NAA) cut the ribbon on its latest terminal development project. Terminal 3 is now open for business and exclusively servicing Low Cost Carriers (LCC’s) for both domestic and international flights. Twelve new domestic and 7 new international destinations are now linked to Narita with service from Jetstar, Vanilla, Spring and Jeju just to name a few. The original concept was to have passengers traversing the live tarmac unprotected. However, in October 2014, that changed dramatically for the better. East Island Aviation’s exclusive sales and service provider in Japan (ARI) secured the contract to install 11 Commute-A-Walks™ at nine gates. Our retractable articulating patented walkways were manufactured and installed in record time to be fully operational for the grand opening. The financial impact in charges to the carriers is minimal but the benefits are unmatched. Passengers are now covered from the elements and secure from all hazardous apron activity. CAW walkways have been in service throughout Japan for over a decade but never to this magnitude in one facility. For more information please contact us directly.

For more information in Japan, please contact our Japanese agent, ARI.

Commute-A-Walk is a patented product and registered Trademark of East Island Aviation Services, Inc.

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East Island Aviation Launches B-717 Mobile Ground Boarding Ramp in Australia!

B-717 Mobile Ground Boarding Ramp East Island Aviation Services launches the B-717 Mobile Ground Boarding Ramp in Australia!

Oceania Aviation purchased the first B-717 Mobile Ground Boarding Ramp to service Qantaslink’s Boeing-717 aircraft flying in and out of Hobart in Tasmania. The ramp was assembled by our exclusive Australian service agent Airport Maintenance Services (AMS) B-717 Mobile Ground Boarding Equipment East Island Aviation based in Launceston. The ramp has been fitted with our Crown TR4500 3-wheel tug tractor which will reduce docking time nearly fivefold. Disabled wheel chair passengers will be able to board without the need for supplemental lifting devices. Oceania will be commissioning the ramp for service around the end of October.

For more information about the B-717 Mobile Ground Boarding Ramp, our Ground Boarding Equipment or other products, please Contact Us.

Contract Award: PC AIR Relocation United EWR

East Island Aviation Services was awarded the $1.3 million contract to relocate 22 preconditioned air units (PC AIR) from the terminal roof to the underside of the passenger boarding bridges. After the project is complete, United’s FM team will have unrestricted access for maintenance and repairs. Locating the units under the bridge from the roof of the terminal will alleviate the severe temperature drop associated with long runs to the aircraft.

For more information about PC AIRs, passenger boarding bridges, or any gate-side systems, Contact Us.

Q-400 Bridged Boarding in Canada!

Last week East Island Aviation Services’ Canadian agent, Robly Mechanical conducted fit-checks for one of our DASH-8 Passenger Gantries™ in Montreal. Multiple stakeholders from several departments were on hand to evaluate the fitment from the Aero Bridge to the Q-400.

The Gantry will be put into service for live trials in the coming weeks. Check our website for more updates and pictures. The East Island Aviation Services Passenger Gantry™ is the safest way to “bridge board” DASH-8/Q-400 aircraft. Risk of employee injury and aircraft is non-existent.

For more information about our DASH-8 Passenger Boarding Gantry or other ground boarding equipment, please Contact Us.

New Product: EMB-175 Switchback Gantry

East Island Aviation Services is proud to present our new product: the EMB-175 Switchback Gantry.

In October of this year, American Eagle brought the EMB-175 to Miami Int’l Airport. The Regional Terminal is equipped with 15 of East Island Aviation’s Regional Boarding Ramps that were designed to service the EMB-145 and CR-J 700 & 900 fleet. With the arrival of the 175, American contracted once again with East Island Aviation to retrofit the RBR’s with a switchback Gantry that could interface the existing RBR’s with the new EMB-175. The Gantry attaches directly to the chassis and enables the RBR’s to service the larger EMB-175 while still having the capability to service the lower sill height aircraft when required.

Here are several YouTube videos showing the EMB-175 Switchback Gantry in action:

For more information about East Island Aviation Services’ EMB-175 Switchback Gantry, please Contact Us.

Click HERE to go back to the Ground Boarding Equipment page.

Perth Airport Authority installs the first Commute-A-Walk in Australia!

The Perth Airport Authority (PAPL) has recently installed its first retractable Commute-A-Walk passenger walkway at Terminal-2.

The forward thinking executive team lead by Rowan Chalmers is using the Commute-A-Walk to elevate the level of customer service for ground boarding operations in Perth Airport.

PAPL will trial the walkway over the next few months and consider installing several more walkways in the near future.

Commute-A-Walk’s were patented in 1996 and installed at over 1,000 gate locations worldwide in the last 18 years.

Click on the You Tube links below to see live footage of the CAW in action.

Contract Award: International Passenger Walkway

East Island Aviation was awarded a $500,000 contract to supply & install Commute-A-Walk passenger walkways in American Samoa at the Pago Pago International Airport. The walkway incorporates retractable articulating sections and fixed sections configured to service both front and rear doors simultaneously (see attached layout drawing). The walkway was commissioned this June. The walkway is used for Hawaiian Air’s weekly scheduled B-767 service to the island.

For more information go to our Ground Boarding Equipment page.

DASH-8 Gantry in Canada!

The Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) has recently purchased a DASH-8 Gantry for use by WestJet and other carriers flying the DASH-8 commonly known as the Q-400.

The DASH-8 Gantry was successfully fit-checked at Terminal 3. It will be relocated to the newly renovated terminal facility where WestJet will be operating many of the Q-400’s.

East Island’s exclusive sales & service agent in Canada, Robly Mechanical, handled all the import, assembly, set-up and fit-checks. We are proud to have Robly as our exclusive teaming partner in Canada.

: DASH-8 Gantry in Canada

Take a Tour of Our Factory and See Our Services

East Island Aviation has uploaded two new slide presentations to the website. This first presentation takes you one a tour of our manufacturing facility. See our factory in action building passenger ramps, walkways and gantries from initial fabrication to final assembly.

Welcome to our facility.

Pre-assembly area. Cutting machining, etc……

Assembly area # 1

Raw material pre-fabrication area

Laser Machines

Fabrication of Walkway structures

Powder Coating Building

Parts entering Powder Coating Oven

Parts waiting for Powder Coating

Walkway side panels waiting to be painted

Special Coating application

Assembly Jig

Passenger Gantry fit-checked to a mock-up DASH-8 aircraft silhouette

Build area # 1. Assembly jig and mock-up Boarding Ramp in the background

Canopy Hood in jig for final assembly

Q-Ramp in initial design stage

Q-Ramp being fitted with height adjustment device

Final mock-up of Q-Ramp

Assembly area # 2 …..Six Regional Boarding Ramps waiting for fitment of electronics & hydraulics

RBR’s being fitted with electronic control circuitry

RBR’s being fitted with Hydraulic Drive Systems

Final Assembly of Regional Boarding Ramps (RBR’s)

Six RBR’s ready to ship to Miami Int’l Airport

Assembly area # 3 – Mobile Boarding Ramp in development for ANA in Japan

Assembly area # 3 – Two Passenger Gantries in final inspection for Qantas Airlines

Passenger Walkway Transition Decks waiting to ship to Los Angeles Int’l Airport

Custom Stainless Steel Commute-A-Walk passenger walkway for Nagasaki seaport in Japan.

Walkway sections waiting for “Q C” inspection before shipping

Custom Walkway for Delta Airlines “fully assembled” for inspection

Shipping wing of the factory

Toronto Passenger Walkway & 3 RBR’s “fully assembled” for inspection . Client: American Airlines

Custom Switch-back Gantry for American Airlines. Gantry will interface the new EMB-175 aircraft to Regional Boarding Ramps

Delta Airlines LaGuardia Airport 3rd level Bus Ramp “fully assembled” outside the factory for inspection by the client

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The second presentation will give you a better understanding of our full line of products and field services, in, and around the Terminal. See our highly skilled & experienced field service technicians as they install FIDS monitors, assemble three story terminal ramps, rig loading bridges and PC Air units just to name a few!

2nd Level Bust Ramp to US Customs Arrival Delta Airlines JFK

Passenger Bus Shelters under construction – Delta Airlines

US Customs Ramp & Shelters completed

Inside of passenger corridor

Bus Ramp and Shelter for Departure Gates Terminal 3 JFK

Domestic Arrival Ramps & Shelters Delta Bus Operation JFK

US Customs arrival, domestic arrival and domestic departure Ramps & Shelters. Delta Airlines Bus Operation JFK

Port Authority T-4 Bus Shelters

T-4 Bus Shelters

Terminal C/D Passenger Transfer Ramp completed. Delta Airlines LaGuardia Airport

Inside of Passenger Walkway

Gate # 19 , Terminal #2 JFK Bus Ramp

Installation of 500 FIDS monitors Terminal # 4 JFK

Replacement of old style tube FIDS with flat screen displays

Flat screen FIDS display wall near completion

Custom FIDS Tower and Flat Screen Display(s)

American Airlines Pilot Ready-Room FIDS installation

Custom FIDS Tower and monitor install with custom rear enclosures

JFK Control Tower: Consoles, Data & Comm, Electrical, and IT hardware installation

Control Tower completed JFK T-4

Kiosk millwork installation and IT equipment

Custom back-lite Ticket Counters – Newark Liberty Airport

Delta Airlines JFK Millwork and IT installation Arrivals Hall

Terminal #4 JFK Int’l Airport General Construction services

General Construction Products

General Construction Services – 14 complete bathroom renovations (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, carpentry, etc.)

Custom Ramps & Passenger walkway T-2 JFK, Delta Airlines

17 Gate Passenger Walkway Delta Airlines

Commute-A-Walk retractable passenger walkway – Matsuyama, Japan

Inside the Commute-A-Walk Passenger Walkway

Commute-A-Walk in use at Nagoya Airport in Osaka

Commute-A-Walk in Shizuoka Japan.

Commute-A-Walk Hard-Stand operation in Bermuda

Commute-A-Walk in Melbourne, Australia

Commute-A-Walk in double configuration

Commute-A-Walk for Rear Deplaning. United Airlines (LAX) , SAS (Stockholm, Sweden)

Regional Boarding Ramps: Boston Logan Airport

Regional Boarding Ramps in Northwest Arkansas Airport and Asheville Regional Airport

Regional Boarding Ramps with Pre-Condition Air & Ground Power

Regional Boarding Ramp docked to a DASH-8 / 400

Regional Boarding Ramps in winter operations Toronto Airport, Canada

Modular Wall panels to create a designated passenger corridor to Regional Boarding Ramps

DASH-8 Gantry in Fukushima , Japan for ANA

Passenger Gantry in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

1st generation Passenger Gantry in Atlanta

EMB-145 Jet Bridge Adapter

Mobile (drivable) Passenger Boarding Ramp Kagoshima, Japan

Mobile Passenger Boarding Ramp during a fit-check on a JAL DASH-8

QantasLink Q-Ramp in Sydney. Purpose built to be maneuvered by only one ground agent.

Ground Support Services PC Air Installation

General Airside services.

Passenger Boarding Bridge Services.

Aircraft Line Striping Services

Line Striping 74 Gates for United Airlines in Newark Liberty Airport

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Feel free to Contact Us for a more in-depth and comprehensive understanding of how East Island Aviation can help you improve you terminal environment and efficiency.

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