Hatch PIT Series Under-Apron Pit System

The Hatch PIT Series is a subsurface service delivery system installed flush with the apron pavement at aircraft stand positions. When an aircraft parks, the hatch cover opens and a counterweight-balanced cable or service arm rises to connect directly to the aircraft without any mobile ground support equipment needing to approach the nose — no GPU truck, no PCA hose reel cart. The result is a cleaner, less congested apron, reduced FOD exposure, and lower vehicle emissions and noise at the stand. The system is positioned as an apron infrastructure investment rather than loose GSE: it is installed once into a concrete or prefabricated steel underground chamber and then operates for the design life of the stand. CDR specifies a highly customisable utility set: 400 Hz AC and 28 V DC aircraft power supply are core, with options for preconditioned air, potable water, grey water, compressed air up to 10 bar, and data/network connections. This multi-service capability means a single excavation and hatch can replace the entire fleet of mobile service vehicles at a gate, which is a meaningful capital and operational trade-off analysis for any airport planning a new terminal or stand refurbishment. CDR states the system is designed to reduce apron vehicle traffic by up to 40 % and improve ramp safety — a significant claim for GCC mega-hub operators at DXB, DOH, and AUH where apron congestion at peak schedule drives both safety risk and turnaround delays. The hatch lid withstands aircraft wheel loads, and the electrical connections are specified for the high-humidity, high-temperature ambient conditions of Gulf aprons.