Sunday, September 22, 2013

Why An Aircraft Ladder Is Essential

By Mia Kent


In a shrinking world today's modern airport is constantly active. There is a continual number of departures and arrivals. Yet as people wait for their flight not many will be wondering what it takes to operate a modern airport. Possibly a couple of suggestions might be air traffic control and radar, or even a good road network. It is possible that an aircraft ladder would not feature on these lists.

No matter how big or small the airport this item of ground equipment can be found at them all. They can be called upon to satisfy a multitude of tasks, and consequently they are highly adaptable. Due to the limited number of people who work on or around the flight line there are several considerations which need addressing with regards to the ground equipment. The prime one being portability, ideally a single person should be able to move it by themselves.

Take refueling operations for an example. As has already been pointed out there are always aeroplanes coming and going, and they can be of different makes and models. This means that their refueling point can be in a variety of places, and also at a range of heights. To cope with this the ground crews have to be able to reach these different access points.

Another thing which is always high on a manufacturer's specifications is that of safety. Consider the material which this piece has been constructed from, it is aluminium. The flight line crews can move this item around quite easily, without risk of injury as it is lightweight. Even though it is lightweight in nature the whole item needs to be able to withstand the rigors of daily usage.

So considering this same refueling operation, a fuel hose is a heavy bulky item, and it would not be ideal were the equipment that the maintainer used to gain access to the fueling point were to fall to pieces. Manufacturers estimate that the load is rated at approximately 300 lbs. There are also reinforcing straps and gussets associated with each step, these help to provide even greater stability and strength.

The treads on the steps are wide enough to ensure that safe footing is achieved comfortably. Not only that but they are of a perforated design, which serves two purposes. It helps to keep the overall weight down, but it also enables a safe foot hold in the event of inclement weather.

You'll also notice the wheels located on one side, these also the flight line crew to tilt the equipment and move it easily. These items come in a wide range of heights, but to the same high specifications. So be it six feet or twelve feet high there is a stable platform from which to work. Even if they were knocked over by other machinery there will be no chance of a spark due to the aluminium design.

Imagine that all of this thought has gone into the humble aircraft ladder. Just consider how much thought has also gone into the rest of the equipment which gets used at an airport each and everyday. The other equipment used will also serve multiple purposes, and incorporates servicing platforms and wing access steps.




About the Author:



No comments: