AIRPORT SECURITY BOOMS PROVIDE AN ADDED MEASURE OF PROTECTION FOR AIRCRAFT
The range of Bolina Airport Security Booms provide an added measure of protection for aircraft as shown by the deployment at London City Airport.
Amongst Bolina’s many products is our Airport Security Booms – a range of chain booms that have been designed to stop watercraft from getting too close to aprons and aircraft movements at airports and runways located close to water bodies.
Designed with safety and protection in mind, the booms can deter intruders or demonstrators by creating an exclusion zone behind a physical barrier. This gives authorities the time to respond to a threat when alerted by an alarm system.
These booms have been utilised on several projects, perhaps most notably at London City Airport from between 2003 and 2019, where a 250-metre-long boom was installed to provide protection for aircraft movements.
Located in the Royal Docks, it consists of a single 1,508-metre-long runway extending into the water. The platform allows four aircraft to taxi out onto the runway at any one time, but only one can be in position for take-off clearance, whilst the other three need to park in the hold and wait area before moving into position for take-off.
The installed booms preformed effectively as they came with several safety features, including having a generous freeboard to restrain craft, while also allowing airport safety boats continue to operate with ease behind the boom. In addition, all stressed components have been tested and certified before the boom has been dispatched, with no moving parts (such as swivels) being placed under stress.
Furthermore, a tried and tested through-chain system is installed to keep the booms in place. The booms are made of a high-quality polyethylene material on the outer skin and have a closed cell polyethylene foam filling for the interior of the tube, making them virtually unsinkable while being highly resistant to the damage caused by UV light. This is especially important in countries with a high amount of sunlight.
The tubes remain clear of the water and the floats cannot be submerged, which prevents craft from passing over the boom, while the sheer weight of the boom makes it very difficult to lift to allow craft to pass under. The design features of the booms reflect this sturdiness, with the floats 1000 diameters by 1250mm long, while the tube diameter is 114mm. The booms also come with a 400mm deep curtain equipped with ballast strips. The Bolina Airport Security Booms have a minimum break load of 40 tonnes.
Given the important function these booms serve, Bolina offers a range of optional extras to increase their effectiveness. These include lighting, signage, casualty lifelines and fixed grab handles. We can also install alarm systems and debris panels if the client requests them. Our teams are also available to offer supervision of assembly, installation and maintenance.
Following the successful deployment of the Airport Security Booms at London City Airport, we are now in consultive discussions with a number of projects around the world about providing heavy-duty floating security barriers.
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