Aircraft Jacks: How Can These Improve Your Ground Operations?

If you’re in the aviation industry, you’ll understand how important ground operations are since they’re the key to making sure planes are ready to fly and can save you and your business millions by allowing planes to stay in their prime condition for years. However one of the most powerful and useful tools in any arsenal is the aircraft jack, though it is complex and needs expertise to use. Keep reading to find out exactly how this tool can help your groundwork and where you can use it to make your life easier.

1. Increased safety

Planes are massive machines and weigh thousands of pounds on average, which means that they need incredibly specialised tools to be able to lift them, and that’s exactly the advantage that the best jacks on the market provide. They use systems like a hydraulic fluid pipeline through the body of the jack, or even a pneumatic press system if hydraulic fluid isn’t available, to generate enough force to be able to slowly and methodically lift the plane. With the right precautions, these hydraulic and pneumatic systems almost never fail, which makes the lifting process even safer. This means that any technicians working on the plane can do so safely without worrying about it getting destabilised or falling during the repair process. 

2. Simplified maintenance

Maintenance is one of the most important parts of owning and servicing an aircraft and is how the biggest companies are able to keep the same plane running for decades after they’ve bought it. However, regular flights, especially longer ones or ones with turbulence and bad weather, can damage the plane in multiple areas and multiple systems. This kind of generalised damage can normally be a pain to manage and undo, but with the help of the right jack, you’ll be able to easily get the plane in a position where multiple teams of technicians can work at once to service different parts of the plane at the same time.  

3. Makes routine inspections easier

Routine inspections are important in the aviation industry, with some government bodies even requiring this kind of maintenance to occur regularly for certifications. This can usually take some time, especially as many areas of the plane, like the underside, are not easy to access or visualise while the plane is on the ground. With a jack, however, the plane can be easily positioned in a place with more light and access to every part of the body, so technicians are able to check each system and ensure it’s in working order before a flight. Some jacks, like axle jacks, even specialise in this kind of task and help to make it as efficient as possible. 

4. Increases efficiency

In the world of business, time is money, and things are no different in aviation since airlines need to justify the millions they’ve spent on the purchase, maintenance, and refuelling of each commercial plane by making sure it’s in active rotation for as much time as possible, going on flights which earn revenue. However, downtime is increased whenever a plane develops a fault that needs to be corrected, and jacks, like those made by Tronair, are instrumental in making sure this downtime is as little as possible through their specialised work for certain repair jobs and the fact that they can get planes into the ideal working area incredibly fast.  

5. Allows gear swing tests

Gear swing tests are a complicated term in the aviation industry for something very simple: checking if the landing gear is extending and retracting properly. However, while this test is simple, it’s also incredibly important because the plane won’t be able to land safely without properly functioning landing gear, and flights would be unsuccessful. Luckily, jacks are able to lift the plane up and get them high up off the ground enough for engineers to be able to check the landing mechanisms, making sure they’re sturdy enough to work for the next flight.  

Conclusion

Ground operations have historically been the most important part of plane maintenance, as it’s when companies and management are able to take stock of all their planes and repair or replace the necessary parts. However, none of this is possible without the right transport and movement, and this is what aircraft jacks allow you to do. With them in your arsenal, you’ll be able to accurately and safely angle your aircraft wherever you need to, making sure you can access the right parts and perform repairs.