TMS® has won the contract with London’s Heathrow Airport to supply TPMS on the new Automatic People Movers (APM). The APMs operate from Terminal 5 at Heathrow. APMs smoothly transport passengers between locations as fully automated, guided rubber-tired vehicles.
By Terminal 5 Insider – Heathrow Terminal 5 – Automatic People Movers (APM), CC BY 2.0, Link
Given the importance of being able to move passengers around busy airports or cities consistently and reliably, the APMs need to have minimal downtime. The TMS® system takes tire pressure and temperature readings continuously, every 2.5 seconds. This happens both when the vehicle is moving, as well as stationary. Because there are no operators on the APM, this information is fed back to remote monitoring systems.
Passenger Safety and Cost Savings
Unquestionably passenger safety is the most important consideration for operators. The installation of our reliable TPMS ensures advance notice is given of any escalating tire situation. Subsequently this accurate real-time information allows operators to decide if a change in tire pressure needs urgent attention. If not, maintenance staff can schedule the work for a convenient time when the vehicle is not in service.
A reliable TPMS guarantees optimal tire pressure, diminishing tire wear and extending their lifespan. Consequently this enhances fuel efficiency as properly inflated tires operate more effectively.
This creates savings on tire costs, reduced vehicle downtime and improved productivity. It also improves passenger and vehicle safety. These are just some of the main reasons for selecting a TMS® tire pressure monitoring system.
Heathrow Airport is the UK’s largest airport and one of the top 5 busiest in the world. It handles over 500 flights a day and tens of millions of passengers a year. The APMs move air passengers between the main airport terminal and its satellite buildings and can move around 6,000 passengers per hour.
You can find out more about how our TPMS works here.