Greater Orlando Airport Authority (GOAA) embarked on the design of its new South Terminal Complex Orlando International Airport (MCO) in 2015 and selected its BHS design-build (DB) Contractor in 2017. Work immediately commenced on the detailed design of a state-of-the art tote-based Individual Carrier System (ICS) BHS for the new South Terminal that added 16 gates, accommodating up to 20 aircraft and 10-12 million annual passengers. The BHS  includes approximately eight miles of conveyance throughout the new terminal, with 5,000 carriers each transporting an individual bag from inbound to arrivals, and from departure to outbound.  The system also includes an early bag storage (EBS) system with a capacity for 2,000 bags.

The new BHS increases the efficiency of the airport by increasing baggage capacity, reducing passenger wait times for bags, and enabling real-time system configuration to support operations.  The ICS with integrated RFID also enables the airport and tenant airlines to keep passengers informed about their bags’ whereabouts at any time.

As part of the BHS DB team, Studdiford Technical Solutions, LLC (STS) provided BHS subject matter expertise, design oversight, integration support and commissioning services for the new South Terminal. The system was the second ICS in the United States, bringing state-of-the-art technology to the forefront of new terminal development.  The scope of services included oversight of all BHS CBIS design for TSA compliance, TSA submittals preparation, and commissioning-related activities including pre-Integrated Site Acceptance Testing (ISAT) and Test Readiness Review (TRR) support. The BHS team also undertook an 18-month testing and commissioning phase to ensure that every single component of the system functioned flawlessly.