What are the different types of aircraft maintenance ladders?

Thousands of maintenance tasks are performed every year to ensure flight safety. In order that passengers have a smooth flight, aircraft must be inspected and repaired regularly. As part of getting the optimal safety and better productivity for maintenance firms, the use of suited equipment for maintenance works is compulsory. Fortal Aeronautics Division markets high quality aircraft maintenance ladders designed for the aviation industry. This equipment avoids the risk of falls, improves working conditions, in a bid to have quality aircraft maintenance and guarantee safety for the crew and passengers. Fortal Aeronautics Division presents in this article the different types of aircraft maintenance ladders and their utility.

Why use an aircraft maintenance ladder?

To protect aircraft technicians

To perform inspections, repairs and maintenance tasks, on the planes and helicopters, technicians work regularly in height, sometimes up until the top of the plane vertical stabilizer. For these workers, these are dangerous working conditions. They could lead to accidents, especially falls. To prevent these accidents and potential falls, it is mandatory to use suitable equipment for these working conditions, as Fortal’s industrial ladders. Providing technicians’ teams with high quality equipment allows safety operations, without interruption.

Improve working conditions

Aircraft maintenance ladders and platforms are equipped with guardrails, non-slip steps, to improve workers’ safety. They also provide a better stability for them, during height maintenance works, to reduce the risk of falls. Their ergonomic features are designed to ensure workers’ safety, but also to limit their tiredness and to provide the best comfort. Good working conditions help retain staff. For workers, the possibility to perform tasks with a good stance reduces stiff muscles and the risk of injury in the long term. An ergonomic design improves team cooperation during complex interventions, especially when working at height. Suited equipment allows the completion of tasks with the best safety and the best efficiency, at the earliest convenience.

Respect applicable standards

At Fortal Aeronautics Division, we respect industrial and aeronautical safety regulations, that is why we market equipment in compliance with the NF EN 12 312-8 standard.
“This standard specifies the technical requirements to minimize the hazards listed in Clause 4 which can arise during the commissioning, the operation and the maintenance of maintenance or service stairs and platforms when used as intended, including misuse reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturer, when carried out in accordance with the specifications given by the manufacturer or his authorized representative. It also takes into account some requirements recognized as essential by authorities, aircraft and ground support equipment (GSE) manufacturers as well as airlines and handling agencies.”
Click here to see further details about the NF EN 12 312-8 standard.
Fortals follows the evolution of the rules, and offers its customers a safe sustainable solution. Following standards is not a legal limitation, but a way to instill a true safety culture.

Meet aircraft accessibility constraints

Maintenance tasks, preventive or corrective, in a base, apron or maintenance workshop, need secure access to reach all different areas in all types of aircraft, such as planes or helicopters. These areas could be hard and complex to reach. Our aircraft maintenance ladders abide by these constraints, and also permit :

quick interventions ;
a decrease of aircraft unavailability ;
a guarantee of quality maintenance tasks ;
an improvement in flight safety ;
a mitigation of cost tied to working accidents ;
a limitation of falls.

The different types of maintenance platforms and ladders

The aviation industry and aeronautical maintenance require equipment suited to many different possibilities of aircraft configuration, especially in height. They involve fast interventions on the apron, and heavier tasks in workshops. Therefore, the type of ladders depends on the working environment, the required safety level and the kind of intervention. Fortal Aeronautics Division markets a large array of ladders and platforms, to meet the aeronautical technicians’ needs. Each model is designed to access specific areas of an aircraft, as to an engine or a landing gear, or to perform specific tasks, such as de-icing a wing. Among our catalog, Fortal provides models that offer safety, ergonomics and sturdiness, to support aeronautical maintenance teams during their daily operations.

Towable runway stepladders

Our Towable runway Stepladders are designed to be moved easily on different working areas, because of their towing systems. These systems can be used by motor vehicles, as close as possible to the aircraft. This ingenious system allows a high time saver, and reduces the number of workers required to move a classic ladder. These towable runway stepladders are sturdy, and they have an impressive life-span despite intensive use.

Aircraft access stepladders 4 to 18 steps

We market an array of aircraft access stepladders, ranging from 4 to 18 steps , in our catalog. All our equipment is perfectly suited to all different aircraft heights and sizes, regardless of their specificities. This kind of aircraft access stepladder is designed to safely reach all cargo and aircraft doors. Because of their specific features, such as their guardrails, reinforced stability, strong steel frames or their aluminum structures, safety for all users is guaranteed.

Height-adjustable runway stepladders

We also market a standard range of Height-adjustable runway stepladders. This kind of equipment has the same features as multipurpose runway and ground handling stepladders. In addition, it has the possibility to have a height-adjustment, with a hydraulic system. This particularity allows technicians a better adaptation to all different aircraft and their heights. They are easy to store and move because they also have a towable system. Ergonomics, the space can be optimised.

Why choose Fortal aircraft maintenance ladders?

Custom-made specialist in equipment aircraft manufacturing for the aeronautical sector. Fortal develops ladders and platforms for civilian and military aviation, for all types of aircraft and satellites. These equipment meet all needs, regardless if maintenance tasks are fast, such as a stop-over, or long, like in a case of heavy maintenance. Our products have specific features to meet all these needs :

Aluminium alloy structure, with high resistance against corrosion.
Robust galvanised steel frame which offers high stability during its use on the apron.
Since all pieces are standard manufactured, customer service is easier.
In compliance with NF EN 12 312-8 standard.
With the maximum safety conditions ensured by our specific equipment (guardrails, non-slip steps).
All our products are assembled with standard screws and bolts, entirely removable, allowing for easy disassembly for repairs or convenient storage.
Our range of technical ladders offers an impressive number of adaptation possibilities.
Endless possibilities for customization.

The importance of the suited equipment for the aeronautical technician

The aeronautical technician’s aim is to provide the perfect safety for all aircraft, to ensure smooth flight. He meets this mission by the accomplishment of a range of different tasks, such as preventive maintenance ( performing parts replacement and overhaul, in a bid to avoid failures) and corrective maintenance ( repairing aircraft after a failure). He has a key role in aeronautical safety, and his work is defined by international organizations and their rules such as FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency). He can be employed by manufacturers, aviation companies or specialized maintenance workshops. He could work on all different types of aircraft, and could perform helicopter maintenance or plane maintenance. His expertise, relying on technical publication, training and experience, is the last security to avoid incident or accident, perhaps serious. Because of this importance, providing high-quality equipment is the best way to allow the maintenance technician a means to fully accomplish his assignment and to have a better visibility of upcoming work.

Fortal maintenance ladders serving aeronautical safety

In the aeronautical sector, the safety of passengers and crew is the priority. To achieve this goal, and to avoid incidents and accidents, the safety of maintenance technicians is very important too. The maintenance technician’s role is to ensure the good condition of the aircraft, to repair it and to manage overhauls and inspections. To provide them with the best working conditions, nowadays, it is compulsory to use the best designed and suited equipment. Fortal meets these requirements by marketing aircraft ladders and maintenance platforms perfectly suited to improve working conditions. All our equipment guarantees smooth, efficient and quick interventions, directly on aircraft. They also reduce the accident risk due to working in height conditions. We market a large range fitting for all aircraft types, for some different environmental specificities, and an array of maintenance tasks. Our aircraft ladders are highly regarded in the aeronautical sector, for their quality and ergonomics. Furthermore, they respect safety rules and regulations, and they are in compliance with NF EN 12 312-8 standard. Fortal can also provide custom-made solutions, for all your specific exigencies, regardless of the kind of activities, such as helicopter maintenance or plane maintenance. At Fortal Aeronautics Division, we are the leader in improving your working conditions safely, we have the equipment you need !