All too often when people are at an airport they watch the planes moving about on the ground. They look so big when compared to the person stood next to it loading the luggage. How many people notice things like the lights on the wingtips, or the tail, and every so often they stop working just like on your car. With your car everything is easy to get to from ground level, not so with a plane, they have to use an aircraft ladder.
Its a simple matter to notice that all of the various planes are different sizes and shapes. This means that those people working on them will have to be at varying levels to carry out their work. To assist them with this the designers has created platforms and steps which are adjustable, not only that there are also different designs for different tasks.
A routine operation such as refuelling is a good example. A platform utilized in this operation will have fuel hoses built into the design. The ground crew will site this platform beneath the plane's belly. The platform's height will then be altered. The platform's inbuilt fuel hose will be connected to the refuel point. The fuel tanker's hose will be connected to the other end, quite often to one side of the lower step.
It should be pointed out that these platforms are made from aluminium. This serves two main purposes, it is easy for people to move as it is lighter than steel. Also if anything is dropped on it no sparks will be created.
You will often notice a small lead trailing on the ground, this is a bonding lead. This will ensure that everything has the same earth level, and prevent any build up of static electricity. For those who have ever received an electric shock when getting out of a car, that was static electricity. You can now understand why this needs to be eliminated from refuelling operations.
The platform's chassis is on hard wearing rubber wheels. This helps make it very manoeuvrable in confined spaces. When the platform is correctly positioned the brakes can be engaged. On some designs there are also stabilizing legs, these can be screwed down into position. At the same time this is happening the wheel are also being lifted clear from the ground. This helps to make for a very stable work area.
This same platform can be used on many different varieties of plane due to its versatility. This platform can also be used for a variety of other roles too. As the working height of the platform can be adjusted this makes it ideal to change those light bulbs on the wingtips which were mentioned earlier.
This is just one form of aircraft ladder, and you have learnt how much thought has gone into the design of it. The overriding concern has been for safety, but also adaptability and versatility have been taken into account. So hopefully the next time you find yourself waiting at an airport you will be able to watch the ground operations with a little more understanding.
Its a simple matter to notice that all of the various planes are different sizes and shapes. This means that those people working on them will have to be at varying levels to carry out their work. To assist them with this the designers has created platforms and steps which are adjustable, not only that there are also different designs for different tasks.
A routine operation such as refuelling is a good example. A platform utilized in this operation will have fuel hoses built into the design. The ground crew will site this platform beneath the plane's belly. The platform's height will then be altered. The platform's inbuilt fuel hose will be connected to the refuel point. The fuel tanker's hose will be connected to the other end, quite often to one side of the lower step.
It should be pointed out that these platforms are made from aluminium. This serves two main purposes, it is easy for people to move as it is lighter than steel. Also if anything is dropped on it no sparks will be created.
You will often notice a small lead trailing on the ground, this is a bonding lead. This will ensure that everything has the same earth level, and prevent any build up of static electricity. For those who have ever received an electric shock when getting out of a car, that was static electricity. You can now understand why this needs to be eliminated from refuelling operations.
The platform's chassis is on hard wearing rubber wheels. This helps make it very manoeuvrable in confined spaces. When the platform is correctly positioned the brakes can be engaged. On some designs there are also stabilizing legs, these can be screwed down into position. At the same time this is happening the wheel are also being lifted clear from the ground. This helps to make for a very stable work area.
This same platform can be used on many different varieties of plane due to its versatility. This platform can also be used for a variety of other roles too. As the working height of the platform can be adjusted this makes it ideal to change those light bulbs on the wingtips which were mentioned earlier.
This is just one form of aircraft ladder, and you have learnt how much thought has gone into the design of it. The overriding concern has been for safety, but also adaptability and versatility have been taken into account. So hopefully the next time you find yourself waiting at an airport you will be able to watch the ground operations with a little more understanding.
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