Maintenance checks on aircraft are needed to ensure they remain safe to fly. This could be a short transit check between flights, or a more in-depth D check when the aircraft will be in a Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility for anything up to six weeks.
In these scenarios, working at height will always be an issue, so ensuring it is done safely by mitigating risks, will always be of paramount importance.
In providing aircraft maintenance engineers the right piece of access equipment from which to work safely, there is also the possibility to enhance these work areas to make sure they are as productive as possible. When evaluating maintenance checks that take thousands of hours, reducing the hours needed to undertake this work as safely as possible, not only saves time, but also money.
Having compressed air and electrical outlets directly on the aircraft access platforms (such as those on Planet Platforms’ Aircraft Maintenance Access Platforms), not only speeds up the working areas, it also helps to eliminate health and safety risks. These direct to platform supplies can be connected to the hanger outlets, removing the need for trailing cables and their associated trip hazards. In the aviation sector, compressed air tools are widely used because of their superior ability to control contamination. To ensure that Planet Platforms’ compressed air systems supply water, oil, and dirt-free air, they are equipped with eliminator filters.
The fitting of electrical take-off points, brings with it the possibility to introduce additional lighting to the work area in the form of LED lighting strips. The area under the wing of a large fixed-wing aircraft can have low luminosity levels and by raising these, it becomes easier to see and safer to carry out the work that needs completing.
At times it can be beneficial to work along an entire section of an aircraft, and other times, the work needs to be more focused and localised. Planet Platforms design aircraft maintenance systems that can be used as standalone units but have the facility to be combined to create a larger working area. There are several benefits in taking this approach:
1. Smaller sections are easier to manoeuvre requiring less personnel.
2. They help comply with manual handling regulations.
3. It reduces the risk of accidental aircraft damage, as sections can be positioned precisely.
Why not use a MEWP?
Mobile Elevating Work Platforms are used extensively within the aviation industry and have a valued and much needed role to play. Where speed is of the essence, they can be quickly deployed into service to complete the task in hand. When listening to customer feedback, there have been many instances where some have sought to phase out their use. Firstly, incidents of accidental aircraft damage are not uncommon when using a MEWP. They are designed to be driven whilst elevated so there is a risk of human error, if the operative chooses the wrong direction of travel whilst close to an aircraft, there can be costly outcomes. Secondly, They are not the most stable of work platforms and users experience a high degree of movement. Again, this brings the risk of swaying into an aircraft, but also the feeling of nausea during extended periods of work.
The importance of design
We at Planet Platforms place a high degree of importance in the design phase at the very start of every project. Listening to our customers is so important. Understanding what they are looking to achieve and what needs they have that we need to fulfil, is vital for us. This ensures that the outcome we provide, is the ultimate working platform for them. Utilising the most up to date Autodesk Inventor® software, we can transport them virtually onto their maintenance platforms at any staging point, before the project has left the design office. This level of detail and customer care is unrivalled, and we pride ourselves upon this.
If you’d like to find out more about our services, or have a potential requirement, please contact our team for a friendly, non-obligatory chat; we would love to help you.
