Jewers Doors Helps Open New Wales Air Ambulance Heliport
Wales Air Ambulance has just installed an electrically operated multi-leaf sliding folding Osprey hangar door to their new purpose-built helicopter hangar at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. The new hangar is integral part of their new headquarters due to be completed later this year, and will be a fully operational airbase housing the South Wales helicopters as well as the charity’s administration centre.
Speed, ease of operation and security were the main factors for the design of the doors. Wales Air Ambulance service manager, Mark Winter commented, “Wales Air Ambulance provides one of the most advanced emergency services of its kind in Europe. When we receive an emergency call-out, the hangar doors must open quickly so the helicopter can be airborne with the minimum delay. Security is also an issue as the new hangar can house two expensive helicopters as well as state-of-the-art medical equipment.”
Manufactured and installed by Bedfordshire specialist Jewers Doors, the doors are electrically driven with each half operating independently. For speed of response, the doors open automatically on the single push of a button and are fully open in approximately 30 seconds. For reasons of safety, the doors can only be closed by a continuous push of the close button.
Jewers’ Director, Mark Jewers commented, “Doors of this size are a standard product from Jewers’ Phoenix range, and it was natural that the door be designed with two bi-parting sections with 8 leaves sliding and folding to each side of the opening. The beauty of the Osprey door is the way it slides across the opening and only folds as it reaches the sides, ultimately folding into a footprint no more than 1m2 behind each jamb which leaves the full 15-metre wide by 5.75-metre high opening clear for helicopter access. This means helicopters can be parked right up to the door without the risk of obstructing the doors during operation or damaging the aircraft. Integral security design features include automatic locking when closed and anti-lift top tracks.”
Winter added, “The new doors are one of the purpose-built features which will help Wales Air Ambulance complete its missions more efficiently. Our new base at Llanelli is Wales Air Ambulance’s first owned home and building it would not have been possible without the generous donations and support from the people of Wales. We receive no direct funding from the government, so we still have more fund raising to do to complete our new headquarters and to carry out our daily life-saving operations.”
Speed, ease of operation and security were the main factors for the design of the doors. Wales Air Ambulance service manager, Mark Winter commented, “Wales Air Ambulance provides one of the most advanced emergency services of its kind in Europe. When we receive an emergency call-out, the hangar doors must open quickly so the helicopter can be airborne with the minimum delay. Security is also an issue as the new hangar can house two expensive helicopters as well as state-of-the-art medical equipment.”
Manufactured and installed by Bedfordshire specialist Jewers Doors, the doors are electrically driven with each half operating independently. For speed of response, the doors open automatically on the single push of a button and are fully open in approximately 30 seconds. For reasons of safety, the doors can only be closed by a continuous push of the close button.
Jewers’ Director, Mark Jewers commented, “Doors of this size are a standard product from Jewers’ Phoenix range, and it was natural that the door be designed with two bi-parting sections with 8 leaves sliding and folding to each side of the opening. The beauty of the Osprey door is the way it slides across the opening and only folds as it reaches the sides, ultimately folding into a footprint no more than 1m2 behind each jamb which leaves the full 15-metre wide by 5.75-metre high opening clear for helicopter access. This means helicopters can be parked right up to the door without the risk of obstructing the doors during operation or damaging the aircraft. Integral security design features include automatic locking when closed and anti-lift top tracks.”
Winter added, “The new doors are one of the purpose-built features which will help Wales Air Ambulance complete its missions more efficiently. Our new base at Llanelli is Wales Air Ambulance’s first owned home and building it would not have been possible without the generous donations and support from the people of Wales. We receive no direct funding from the government, so we still have more fund raising to do to complete our new headquarters and to carry out our daily life-saving operations.”
