Kaunas Airport adds two Rosenbauer Panther vehicles to its fire rescue fleet
Kaunas Airport, which in the past years has been heavily expanding its infrastructure for MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) activities, has acquired two brand-new fire rescue vehicles. Similar models are in use at some of the world’s busiest airports.
The new vehicles have been purchased for all Lithuanian Airports as part of a fire rescue service modernisation programme. Collectively purchasing this machinery for all three airports allowed the airport operator to receive lower prices and better conditions.
According to Karolis Matulaitis, Head of Kaunas Airport, the vehicles were delivered brand-new from the factory in Austria and are now fully ready for service. Not only do these Rosenbauer Panther vehicles look extraordinary, they are also very powerful and equipped with the latest firefighting technology and safety kit. Similar or identical models of this vehicle are in use at some of the world’s largest and busiest airports, like Singapore, Dubai and London.
“Our newest vehicles somewhat look like a mix between a F-1 car and a spaceship. Despite their truck-category weight, these monsters can easily reach speeds of up to 100 km/h and offer easy, car-like manoeuvring. The fully digital driver’s display shows the most relevant information for the crew“, – states Mr. Matulaitis, Head of Kaunas Airport.
The new Rosenbauer Panthers will be housed at Kaunas Airport’s fire rescue station which was renovated earlier this year. The reconstruction was necessary in order to not only modernise the infrastructure, but also to relocate the vehicle driveway and give necessary space for further MRO development projects.
“Fire rescue vehicles must reach any point of the airport as directly as possible, without many turns. If an incident occurs, every second counts, so we want to be prepared“, – states Mr. Matulaitis.
According to the Head of Kaunas Airport, not only has the airport maintained and strengthened its positions in the MRO business market, it is also actively developing its fire rescue capabilities.
“All the infrastructure development projects we have been undertaking are important for both us and the air carriers currently operating, or which will be operating at Kaunas Airport. All our partners follow the highest safety standards, so we are not only obliged, but also seek to have the best technical capabilities to swiftly respond to a potential incident. Now Lithuanian Airports have probably the most modern fire rescue vehicles in the whole region“, – says Mr. Matulaitis
In the beginning of summer, the airport also expanded its apron by constructing a 15 000 square metre taxiway which will be used by aircraft to reach new aircraft painting hangars that are nearing the end of construction. The new taxiway can also be used as additional parking space for airplanes.
