Revolutionary Airport Canopy Design

FPT Industries, a division of GKN Aerospace, is marketing a revolutionary new airport canopy to airports and bridge manufacturers. The flexible, modular design and construction of the new canopy means the customer can choose to purchase the complete canopy system (including both the frame and curtain) or the canopy curtain only. As the curtain is the element subject to most wear and tear during operational life, this gives the customer a highly practical and cost effective overhaul option.

The new design is also far more efficiently packaged than more traditional canopy systems. The complete FPT Industries system has 25% less shipping volume than comparable systems currently available on the market. This brings considerable reductions in transportation and storage costs.

John Pritchard, recently appointed Vice President Operations and Site Director at FPT Industries, comments: Having been a low volume independent supplier of airport canopies for many years, we have now entered the wider market with a product that we believe can make a claim to that overused word unique. We know our canopy offers the market many advantages in terms of cost and convenience and believe we are well positioned to expand our customer base with increased output in 2006.

FPT Industries specialises in the design and manufacture of aircraft and helicopter fuel cells, emergency flotation systems and specialist material ­applications such as airport canopies.

GKN Aerospace is the aerospace operation of GKN, one of the worlds largest engineering companies. The Company specializes in the supply of ­lightweight metallic and high performance ­composite structures, transparency systems and equipment, and engineering services to prime airframe manufacturers.