Customised solutions for jet blast protection, noise reduction and engine testing

VALIS Engineering is exhibiting at this year’s ACI Airport Exchange, where its key focus will be on sharing technical insights into jet blast protection, noise reduction and engine testing. Vasco Velez Grilo, CEO VALIS Engineering, spoke to Ross Falconer.

At this year’s ACI Airport Exchange, VALIS Engineering will present its latest projects and new products, such as its fibreglass Jet Blast Deflector. “We will also be available to discuss and assist visitors with technical insights into the issues pertaining to jet blast protection, noise reduction and engine testing, and explain how we customise each of our solutions to our clients’ needs,” says Vasco Velez Grilo, CEO VALIS Engineering. “Our main objective at the event will be to meet our customers and airport operators, as well as to discuss with them the main concerns regarding technical and long-term investment solutions. Our focus will be to demonstrate how our solutions can contribute to tackling the future challenges of ever-evolving airport infrastructure, and how they can be designed to adapt to the particularity of their airports.”

A new ground run-up enclosure, manufactured by VALIS Engineering, was recently installed at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.

A new ground run-up enclosure, manufactured by VALIS Engineering, was recently installed at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.

“The facility has been conceived to mitigate the noise impact of engine testing while preserving the exhaust fluid flow characteristics of aircraft engines up to class E, thereby reducing testing downtime,” Vasco Velez Grilo explains. “That is undoubtedly the main benefit, since test engines are normally restricted by certain time slots and the operational availability of taxiways in the airport. The sound barrier currently being installed will allow LATAM to perform engine run-ups of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft at any time of the day or night without having to wait for airport go-ahead, facilitating efficient maintenance operations.”

The main challenge with the project was the lead time, which had to take into account the transport constraints of shipment from Europe to Brazil.

“Design, fabrication and shipment were all completed in under five months, allowing the client to start the construction works before the rain started,” Vasco Velez Grilo comments. “The production phase was handled with rigorous planning and optimised production, overcoming the lead time challenge.”

The run-up enclosure is made of a Jet Blast Deflector that is 50m in length and 9m high (450sqm) and a 1,540sqm Sound Barrier. The whole logistics of the project were organised so that the 20 containers were shipped in the order of assembly, allowing for both an efficient works site management and shorter construction times.

At this year’s ACI Airport Exchange, VALIS Engineering will present its latest projects and new products.


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