Aircraft Boarding Ramps - Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. In the late 90s, SkyWest, Horizon, America West and Comair came together to standardize the Regional Express Ramp/TurboWay.
Safety features were added, the width was increased to a 36" walking surface, and the length increased to 25 feet to reduce the slope on CRJ700s. Lightweight aluminum was also incorporated to reduce weight, thereby making the ramp easier to use.
Aircraft Boarding Ramps
As the regional world changed, so did the use of jet bridges. It became common practice to push air stairs up to the rotunda and bring the passengers down to the ramp. Wheelchairs presented a problem, though, as many airports do not have an elevator close to the gate.
Once again a customer, Donna Herron, project manager at Comair, came up with the solution by asking, "Can you make us a ramp for a jet bridge?" This idea has led to jet bridge ramps that split out to multiple gates, and ramps from terminal to ground level.
KCI provides several GSE ramp solutions including aircraft boarding and jet bridge to ground level transition ramps. We focus our solutions around our "all-in-one" boarding design and we make sure that the products we design are maintenance free in an effort to provide the industries most reliable performance.
Our designs have won us many new customers in the last few years and independent testing shows our products to be consistently as much as 60% more efficient in passenger embarking and disembarking times. KCI ramps have many features including "all pneumatic, industrial polyurethane filled" wheels, dead man style brake system and slip-resistant walking surface.
Our ramps come standard with wheel chocks, tow bar, 2 year warranty on manufacturing and material defects and on-site training. View our existing ramp solutions and additional optional features for these products here. The next evolution came with SkyWest's need to address stations where there are no pushback operations.
The wing-swing ramp was then developed, operating like a jet bridge but allowing the aircraft to drive in and out, with no pushback required. One of the latest challenges for the industry is ramp access to the ERJ170/175/190.
It's a regional aircraft, but has the legs of a mainline. Andy Alexander, senior staff analyst, and Bob Young, then senior staff representative, at United wanted a regional ramp that could go from a Dash 8 to an ERJ 190. Again, the industry called and the DAQ120-170 was created in 2007.
The previous version of this AC discussed only the passenger lift scenario and associated equipment. This document updates that effort and addresses the other methods and equipment used to board an aircraft, including passenger boarding bridges, ramps, lifts, and aircraft boarding chairs.
Contains the FAA's performance standards, specifications, and recommendations for the design, manufacture, testing and maintenance of equipment used in the boarding of airline passengers. The physical area covered in this AC is that which is bounded by the door of the passenger terminal area, on one end, to the door of the aircraft, on the other end.
Although this AC refers only to aircraft boarding (enplaning), all references apply equally to disembarking (deplaning) with the described procedures occurring in reverse order. Horizon became the first airline that made it a standard policy not to allow any passenger to use the stairs on a CRJ.
The result of this decision started a process with manufacturers to customize to the unique requirements of each carrier. With considerable help from Brad Wagner, ground support system manager, and Dave Korzep, manager ground support services, and others at Horizon, the ramp improved.
In 2003, the first switch-back ramp was developed for Alaska Airlines as a means to accommodate their commitment to the Special Olympics. Again the driving force was not a vendor, but a customer with a need, headed up by Pat Littlefield, regional manager at Alaska Airlines.
The ramp was developed and it started the process of replacing two pieces of GSE with one. You could now run a station without stairs and a lift. The ramps started out as a relatively simple idea.
The design was based on the cattle chute, something that probably relates to how we feel as passengers. The first prototype was developed as a straight 15-foot ramp reaching the door of the airplane from the ground with a 15- to 19-degree slope.
In the last 12 years, with the help of several safety- and cost-conscious airlines, the ramp has evolved into several different styles of varying sizes and complexities — all of which are custom built to fill the needs of each individual airline, airport or
airline-related customer. Each ramp is designed to reach the different airplane door heights at a desired slope ranging from 4 degrees to the maximum allowable slope of 19 degrees (FAA AC150/5220-21B). Every ramp is unique to its customer with custom colors, privacy screens and logos.
KCI provides several GSE ramp solutions including aircraft boarding and jet bridge to ground level transition ramps. We focus our solutions around our "all-in-one" boarding design and we make sure that the products we design are maintenance free in an effort to provide the industries most reliable performance.
Our designs have won us many new customers in the last few years and independent testing shows our products to be consistently as much as 60% more efficient in passenger embarking and disembarking times. In 2004, Troy Pearman, director GEM at SkyWest, took on the issue of hub operations and started the development of the swinging gate ramp (SGR).
The SGR is attached to the ground and operates like a jet bridge, only at 10 percent of the cost, according to Jim Boyd, vice president of customer service at SkyWest. SLC became the first hub to try this with 32 units.
Hoping for a two- to three-year return on investment, they were paid for in the first year, according to Boyd. KCI ramps have many features including "all pneumatic, industrial polyurethane filled" wheels, dead man style brake system and slip-resistant walking surface.
Our ramps come standard with wheel chocks, tow bar, 2 year warranty on manufacturing and material defects and on-site training. View our existing ramp solutions and additional optional features for these products here. In 1997, the FAA mandated new regulations requiring easier, more dignified access to commercial aircraft.
The passenger boarding ramp was designed as a solution to this. Not only do passengers with special needs benefit from this, but every passenger could also benefit from this innovation.
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