KLM UK Engineering at Norwich Airport

The Project

Nationwide Platforms has recently provided working-at-height support for KLM UK Engineering, based at Norwich Airport. The powered access company has supplied six machines on a long-term basis to perform routine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations on commercial aircraft, which are housed in KLM UK Engineering’s base maintenance hangars.

KLM UK Engineering, a subsidiary of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, is a UK-based market leader in aircraft maintenance and training. It is headquartered at Norwich, where it has operated for more than 50 years with a strong commitment to safety, quality, and efficiency. It currently has six fully equipped heavy maintenance bays across three hangars at Norwich airport, and it offers comprehensive maintenance solutions for a diverse range of aircraft types. 

Nationwide Platforms’ powered access machinery has been in use on site since July 2024 and will remain there on a long-term hire basis.

The Challenge

The indoor environment of the hangar called for machinery that could operate in crowded, enclosed areas full of human personnel. These machines needed to be free of emissions, capable of quiet operation, and equipped with the latest safety innovations.
 
As exceptionally valuable assets, aircraft call for unique powered access solutions. They differ from ordinary powered access applications in large part due to their parabolic or curved structure. Conventional machinery can have trouble manoeuvring around these structures, because the platform can struggle to get sufficiently close to the aircraft without knocking it and risking hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages. Nationwide Platforms therefore had to field a selection of machines that were tailored to working on planes while still prioritising efficiency and safety. 

Finally, trying to reach the aircraft roof from within the MEWP basket can prove uniquely challenging. Often, powered access workers will sidestep this issue by using suction cup technology. However, this solution isn’t always possible. Similarly, while some hangars have the option of attaching the operator to lanyards suspended from the ceiling, this isn’t currently available in one of the maintenance hangars. Nationwide Platforms therefore needed to offer an innovative and risk-mitigated solution to walking on the aircraft roof.  

The Solution

Nationwide Platforms has provided six machines from its aviation-specification fleet, featuring sector-leading equipment that meets industry safety standards while maximising efficiency. Each machine has had handrail lagging fitted to its basket to avoid accidents and provide extra protection when working next to high-value assets. Supplementing this are NoNoc™ bumper doughnuts fitted to the baskets’ rail-edges, which prevent the machines from potentially damaging the aircraft by providing a buffer before contact is made. 
 

With low age-profiles, these machines are also all in excellent condition, which means the rate of malfunction and breakdown is far lower than the industry standard. In addition, Nationwide Platforms’ Norwich depot performs monthly preventative maintenance checks as part of the service, thereby increasing machine up-time rates for maximum productivity.

To cover the full array of potential applications within the hangar, Nationwide Platforms has selected a versatile range of working heights, safe working loads and machine widths. On site are three boom lifts – Genie’s Z60FE and S60FE and JLG’s 45EJS – as well as three SJ16 vertical mast lifts.

The Genie S60FE and Z60FE hybrid boom lifts both deliver all-electric and hybrid power modes, making them ideal for both indoor hangar work and outdoor tarmac tasks. The machines can operate for more than a week on a single tank of fuel and complete a full day's shift on a single battery charge, resulting in optimum efficiency with low operational costs. As a telescopic or ‘straight-stick’ boom, the S60FE is ideal for direct, high-access tasks like exterior fuselage work. In contrast, the Z60FE is an articulated boom, with a jib offering 135° rotation to allow up-and-over access around obstacles for precise positioning of workers. This makes the Z60FE particularly suited for complex, confined areas like engines and wing assemblies, while the S60FE excels at straightforward, high-reach applications. Together, these machines provide a comprehensive solution, balancing precision, manoeuvrability, and height for diverse aviation maintenance needs.
 

Complementing the two 20m boom lifts is the smaller JLG 45EJS 15.72m electric boom lift. Thanks to its eco-friendly electric power system and compact, agile design, the machine is ideal for emission-free indoor tasks. With a 13.72m platform height and 360°swing capability, it provides efficient and flexible access to aircraft exteriors, such as wings, fuselage, and engine nacelles. Its non-marking tyres and zero tail-swing minimise hangar floor damage and allow safe, close-proximity manoeuvres around sensitive aircraft components. Additionally, the 230kg platform capacity accommodates up to two operators and their tools, enhancing productivity during maintenance tasks.

There are also three Skyjack SJ16 vertical mast lifts on site. As with the JLG boom lift, the Skyjack SJ16’s zero-emission electric power source ensures a clean working environment and its solid rubber, non-marking tyres prevent damage to hangar floors. However, where the JLG electric boom lift offers flexible up-and-over access, the vertical SJ16 maximises on compactness: it has a narrow width of 0.77 meters and a stowed height of 1.79 meters, which allows for manoeuvring close to aircraft. For advanced safety, the machine is equipped with tilt alarm and motion alarm systems, while its onboard fault diagnostic system allows engineers to troubleshoot issues and perform repairs accurately and promptly.

All three of the boom lifts on site have been equipped with Harness ON™, Nationwide Platforms’ intelligent technology that prevents a machine from functioning unless the operator is securely fastened in.

To solve the challenge of walking on top of the aircraft from the machine basket, the three boom lifts have been equipped with Genie’s innovative Fall Arrest bar. The Fall Arrest bar allows an operator to exit the machine platform and work outside of it while remaining attached via a 6ft lanyard. Using the Fall Arrest bar, operators can safely work on top of the plane and reach otherwise inaccessible areas for maintenance. The machine can be positioned so that it doesn’t risk touching or knocking the plane, eliminating the risk of expensive damages. This is KLM UK Engineering’s first use of this Fall Arrest technology.

Matt Parfitt, Head of Market Development for Aviation at Nationwide Platforms, said: “We provide aviation-ready machinery for several big names in the aviation sector, which is a testament to how suitable our fleet is for these kinds of applications. Nationwide Platforms is an industry leader in this section of the powered access market, and we’re delighted to continue working with KLM UK Engineering.”