New fire tender at Lydd

Multi-million-pound plans to develop London Ashford Airport, Lydd, continue to forge ahead with further investment in the airport’s rapidly expanding fire and rescue services.

A Javelin 6x6 foam tender, capable of handling all terrain on and around the airfield, is the latest vehicle to join the growing fleet of modern appliances. Just five months ago the airport invested in a second Carmichael Cobra 2, one of the most advanced firefighting machines ever made. Together, the three machines allow the airport to handle aircraft as large as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A319-320.

LAA is also continuing to invest heavily in staff. The airport’s fire crew has grown steadily from four to 11 full-time CAA certified firefighters in the past two years and now two trainees are being recruited to join the team.

Senior airport fire officer Paul Fisher said: “London Ashford Airport has quickly built a good reputation for quality staff training and excellent career opportunities and we’ve been inundated with applications for the new trainee posts.”

Investment in the fire and rescue service is the latest in an on-going programme of redevelopment aimed at transforming London Ashford Airport (Lydd) into a modern regional airport capable of handling up to two million passengers a year by 2014.

Around £20m has already been spent on resurfacing the runway, upgrading instrument landing systems, the creation of an aircraft parking apron covering a 13 acre site, a new air traffic control system and new VIP terminal, as well as new departure and arrival facilities for commercial traffic and establishing offices for Immigration and Customs.