Operation

Arup is a global firm of over 14,000 planners, designers, engineers and business consultants, operating from 88 offices in 33 countries. We have over 50 years’ experience in the aviation sector, gained through assignments at more than 100 airports worldwide. Significant recent commissions have included London airports, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Dublin, Istanbul, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, Mexico City, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Perth, Melbourne and Auckland. In all of our work we focus on helping our clients solve today’s complex issues while planning for the future. We seek creative operational and planning solutions that address the complex relationships between aircraft, passengers, baggage, ground transportation and cargo. We help optimise the capacity and value of existing assets, while assisting with the complex decisions of when and how to take the jump to redevelopment. The circular economy, sustainability, resilience and climate change are dominate factors in our solutions based engineering schemes within the airport environment and equally figure heavily in the surface access transport and cities based agendas. Our aviation team provides a leading edge, comprehensive range of planning, design leadership, program management, operations, project leadership and business consultancy services, including: Airport masterplanning services relating to airport wide (airside and landside) and terminal area planning, service level definition, definition/analysis of processes for passenger flow, ground support equipment, terminal logistics and simulation modelling. Recent projects include Copenhagen, Krakow, Queenstown, Auckland, Mexico City and Istanbul airport masterplanning. Facilities engineering and program management relating to new build and redevelopment works with airfield and terminal design projects such as Heathrow, New York, Dublin, Hong Kong, Perth. Specialist award winning airport systems advisory services (baggage systems, security, fire, lighting, cargo, information/digital systems, visualisation, auralisation and simulation tools etc ) including development of user requirements, operational processes and service levels and associated engineering / procurement management / commissioning, with recent projects at Manchester, Heathrow, Dubai and Hong Kong airports. Operations consultancy, such as operational readiness planning and program management including development of plan of operations, scheduling and management of resourcing, training and trials, management of stakeholder relations, and organisational transformation. Recent projects include Operational Readiness at Heathrow T2, Mumbai, New York and Perth. Corporate finance services associated with business plan development, technical due diligence on sale / acquisition and public-private partnerships such as Kansai and Itami privatisation vendor due diligence advisor. Our team employs a highly analytical approach to problem definition and solution development, based on an in-depth understanding of airport and airline operations and an appreciation of airports as commercial businesses and public assets. We deliver pragmatic solutions, directed to achieving projects that are fundable, buildable and minimise impact on operations.

Founded in 1998, Firstco are control and communication systems engineers, specialising in the transportation sector.  Working predominately in airports, railways and intermodal operations our clients include infrastructure owners, operators, engineering consultancies, construction contractors and systems solution providers. Our experience includes the technologies and solutions commonly grouped as Communications, Security, Operational and Control & Monitoring systems, and often referred to as IT, ICT, SAS or ELV systems.

Based in London, we now employ over 80 staff and work extensively across the UK. We have grown into an international consultancy and system integrator with projects in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and we are currently exploring expansion into Asia and America.

As systems engineers we work throughout the asset lifecycle; consulting, delivering and supporting the growing number of technologies used to automate operational people and process.

Working from strategy to operations, Firstco specify, design, deliver, commission, integrate, trial, transition, support and maintain systems. We also specialise in stakeholder, interface, requirements and assurance management which are an increasingly complex and critical part of any infrastructure programme.

By remaining product-independent, we can help our customers to select the right solutions then ensure that they are configured to achieve effective and efficient operations. Our Technical Innovation Group work with emerging technologies and solution/product suppliers to identify opportunities and business benefits for introducing new solutions into high integrity environments.

A modern airport will have more than 150 systems with constantly developing and converging technologies, which are critical to safety, security and operation. In the world of ‘big data’, airport operators require increasing interoperability to efficiently manage their sites, and their stakeholders, regulators and passengers expect and demand easy access to a greater level of real-time data. However, with increasing global security issues and the advent of cyber threats, the need for secure, robust and resilient solutions has never been greater.

As existing airports continue to expand and new airports are constructed, it is imperative that the technology systems are considered from the outset and delivered as an integral part of the overall programme. The prerequisites and interfaces with the architecture, civil engineering, baggage and M&E solutions must be managed throughout to avoid costly delays at the point when the project hands over into the live operational environment.

Firstco’s broad experience over all these technologies, and throughout the entire asset lifecycle allows for a Value Assured Engineering approach to oversee the end-to-end solution, engaging the right specialist contractors at the right time in the process, to ensure quality on-time, on-budget delivery.

Firstco have worked at London Heathrow Airport for 20 years and have been involved throughout the major airport development programmes and in day-to-day operations.

Development programmes include:

•       Terminal 2 and Eastern Campus – Information and Control Systems (ICS)

-       ICS Design Leadership – strategy, scope, requirements, concept

-       ICS Scheme Design – Master Systems Integrator

-       DMI (Design, Manage, Integrate) – ICS technical assurance through delivery

•       Terminal 5

-       T5 Rail & Tunnels Guidance Team – design & commissioning leadership

-       T5 Rail & Tunnels Comms and Controls – design, delivery and integration

-       Airside Road Tunnel – control systems design and project management

-       Energy Centre and Control Tower – commissioning management

•       Heathrow Express

-       Station systems, original design and build, into operation

-       Extension of systems to Terminal 5 subsurface station and tunnels      -    Support and maintenance for 15 years

Engineering and operational solutions include:

Firstco are framework suppliers for SCADA across the airport

•       HEART – utilities control and monitoring

•       Heathrow Pods – automated people movers

•       APOC – airport centralised command and control facility

•       FAMS – centralised fire alarm monitoring across all terminals

•       Campus-wide metering and energy management

•       Baggage Handling Systems (BHS)

Support and maintenance of Heathrow’s systems, including:

•       Heathrow Rail

•       Heathrow Pods

•       FAMS

EMS

In addition to our work at London Heathrow Airport, Firstco have worked on UK aviation projects including:

•       Gatwick Airport – North Terminal redevelopment, Pier 3 expansion options, airfield utilities control & monitoring

•       Manchester Airports Group – London Stansted Airport Tracked Transit System (TTS) / Automated People Mover (APM) control system, utilities monitoring

•       Birmingham Airport – Airport Operation Systems specifications

Middle East airports including:

•       UAE – Dubai International, Dubai World Central and Abu Dhabi International

•       Oman – Muscat International and Salalah airports

•       Qatar – New Doha International Airport

•       Saudi Arabia – Jeddah, Madinah and Riyadh airports

•      Other GCC – Kuwait and Bahrain airports

Saffron Star International Ltd is an Aviation Fuel Management Consultancy operated by experienced aviation fuel professionals, all of whom are from major oil company backgrounds/travel industry, where senior executive positions were held.

Services include:

Technical audit and compliance

Training

Commercial support

Fuel and equipment procurement for airlines and airport facilities

Organizational capability

Technical support to companies bidding for UN and government contracts

Wood is a global leader in the delivery of project, engineering and technical services to energy and industrial markets. We operate in more than 60 countries, employing around 60,000 people, with revenues of over $11 billion. We provide performance-driven solutions throughout the asset life cycle, from concept to decommissioning across a broad range of industrial markets including upstream, midstream and downstream oil & gas, chemicals, transport, power & process, clean energy, mining, nuclear and general industrial sectors. We strive to be the best technical services company to work with, work for and invest in.

For over 50 years we have served the needs of airports and aviation clients across the United Kingdom, the Americas and around the world by creatively addressing engineering and environmental challenges. We have the combination of knowledge, resources and skills to deliver cost-effective, efficient and environmentally sensitive solutions.

Wood’s professionals are experienced in resolving airport related issues including related to multidisciplinary planning; environmental services; masterplanning; engineering and design; and construction and construction management services.

We have supported public sector and private industry clients at major international gateways, domestic hubs, regional/municipal airports, and military aviation installations worldwide by providing services including:

Masterplanning

Airside and landside design and engineering services

Construction management and engineering

Contracts development and administration

Regulatory compliance and permitting

Environmental Impact Assessment

Air quality, noise and vibration studies

Archaeology and cultural heritage surveys

Architecture, structural, MEP and fire protection

Natural resource, noise and water quality assessments

Sustainability

Facility asset management

Fuel/de-icing facilities development

Geotechnical and seismic engineering

Materials testing and structural steel inspection

Pavement management and rehabilitation

Project and program management

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

Stormwater management and pollution prevention

Key airports with whom we work regularly include: Heathrow, Bristol, Manston, Cambridge and Leeds Bradford in the UK; LAX, Dallas Fort Worth, JFK, Hartsfield Jackson, Chicago O’Hare in North America.  Globally we have worked significantly with airport clients in East Africa, Eastern Europe and South America.