Qantas upgrades and protects its Brisbane business with a Megadoor vertical lifting fabric door from ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems

Qantas, which is based in Sydney and has its main hub at Sydney Airport, is the flag carrier airline of Australia. Yet due to fierce price competition in the international maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector, an increasing share of its aircraft maintenance has moved overseas. In light of this, Qantas decided to consolidate its Australian MRO operations in 2013. Qantas MRO resources in Victoria were to be relocated to Brisbane, where all heavy maintenance would now be performed. For this to happen, however, Hangar No. 2 at the Brisbane facility would need to be upgraded, which would include equipping it with a hangar door.

ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems provided

For the door of Hangar No. 2, Qantas chose a Megadoor vertical lifting fabric door from ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems. Measuring 110 m x 15.5 m, the door comprises five individual sections made of translucent PVC and is designed for wind loads as high as 3.5 kPa.

Because ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems was engaged directly by Qantas, the installation was carried out in tandem with the rest of the hangar upgrade. Suspending the door, with its weight of 70 metric tons, thus required a great deal of coordination with the main contractor’s structural engineers.

Proof of performance

The Megadoor solution on Hangar No. 2 is the second of its type for Qantas in Brisbane, and the fourth such door supplied to Qantas by ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems over the past 10 years. Behind the repeat business is a solid track record of quality, reliability and performance under high windload conditions.