Stansted's red Panthers ready to pounce
The six wheel drive Panthers, the prototype of which starred as Sentinel Prime in the Hollywood blockbuster movie Transformers 3, replace the airport's 20-year-old Kronenburg vehicles.
Daren Barthram, Stansted Airport’s Fire Manager, said: “Modern airports need the capability to deal with the new generation of super jets, including the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8.The £4million investment in these five cutting-edge Rosenbauer fire appliances will help ensure the Stansted Airport Fire Service is equipped to deal with any incident at the airport for many years to come.”
The Rosenberg Panther is renowned as one of the most advanced airport fire vehicles in the world and technologically superior to any appliance Stansted has ever had before. Each truck boasts seven times more horse power than a family car, can carry 11,500 litres of water and 1,420 litres of foam and a Caterpillar Euro 5 engine that meets strict European environmental standards.
Capable of accelerating from 0-50mph in less than 28 seconds, the Panthers have a range of innovative specifications including rear-wheel steering, infrared cameras and an engine that starts automatically. Two vehicles in the new fleet also feature a unique extendable boom enabling fire-fighters to spray water and foam on high engine and double decker aircraft, such as the McDonnell Douglas MD11 and Airbus A380, using a joystick control from inside the vehicle cabin.
The Stansted Airport fire service, with its team of 76 dedicated fire-fighters, offers a world-class service in maintaining health and safety at the airport; protecting the millions of passengers that pass through every year and the thousands of staff who work on site.
