Disabled aircraft transport systems
A dolly with an inflatable airbag stack for placement beneath a portion of a disabled aircraft enables the aircraft to be raised and the subsequent transport of the aircraft without requiring cranes or heavy equipment. An adjustable height rigid support structure may be received by the dolly, the rigid support structure having an aircraft support platform that may be positioned on the top of the inflatable airbag stack such that as the airbag stack is raised, the aircraft support platform engages the disabled aircraft. The airbag stack may be deflated such that the weight of the aircraft is carried by the rigid support structure. The dolly's bed or another dolly in a recovery system may also receive a flat tire of a disabled aircraft. The dolly may receive a support platform extending between a pair of beams, the airbag stack seating on the platform.
1 . A dolly system for lifting an aircraft from underneath the aircraft, comprising:
a dolly comprising: a steel frame including a pair of side beams that are substantially parallel to each other and a platform extending between the pair of beams defining a lower bed region, and a plurality of castors attached to each of said pair of beams;
the dolly system further comprising a pneumatic lifting system comprising an inflatable vertically erectable airbag stack of one or more airbags;
the dolly system further comprising a platform removably placeable on the dolly, the platform having an upper plate portion that spans between the pair of side beams and spans most of a forward backward length of the pair of beams, the platform further comprising a plurality of legs that extend downwardly from the upper plate portion to seat on the lower bed region, and wherein the the inflatable vertically erectable airbag stack sits on an upper surface of the upper plate portion.
2 . The dolly system of claim 1 , wherein the platform has a pair of lateral margins positioned above the pair of side beams, the platform having a plurality of cutouts at each of the pair of lateral margins and further has a forward margin and rearward margin, the platform having a respective downwardly extending lip at each of the forward and rearward margins, and wherein the platform seats on each of the pair of side beams and wherein each of the plurality of legs are displaced inwardly from the lateral margins.
3 . A dolly system for lifting an aircraft from underneath the aircraft, comprising:
a dolly comprising: a steel frame including a pair of side beams that are substantially parallel to each other and a platform extending between the pair of beams defining a lower bed region, and a plurality of castors attached to each of said pair of beams;
the dolly system further comprising a pneumatic lifting system comprising an inflatable vertically erectable airbag stack of one or more airbags;
wherein the plurality of castors attached to each of said pair of beams comprise four castors on each beam with at least one of said four castors being a swivel castor, and wherein the plurality of castors define a rectangular footprint on a surface below the dolly of at least about 50 inches by 55 inches.
4 . The dolly system of claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of strap retainers at the dolly for receiving a plurality of airbag retaining straps, and wherein the inflatable vertically erectable airbag stack comprises a plurality of straps extending from an upper portion of the vertically erectable airbag stack when the airbag stack is erected.
5 . The dolly system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of straps are anchored to a plurality of support members that extend laterally outward from the pair of side beams.
6 . The dolly system of claim 3 , wherein each of the pair of beams comprises a plurality of receiving brackets for accepting an adjustable height rigid support structure, and the dolly further comprises an adjustable height rigid support structure.
7 . The dolly system of claim 6 , wherein the adjustable height rigid support structure further comprises a support platform for the top of the rigid support structure.
8 . The dolly system of claim 7 , wherein the support platform is attachable and detachable to a left and a right side of the rigid support structure and the support platform has a curvature for receiving a fuselage of the aircraft.
9 . A system for raising and towing a disabled aircraft stored together at an airport for rapid deployment during an emergency, the system comprising:
a first aircraft dolly having a tow bar;
vertically erectable airbag stack on the first aircraft dolly;
a compressor;
an air hose for connecting between the compressor and the airbag stack; and
an adjustable height rigid support structure attachable to the first aircraft dolly, wherein the adjustable height rigid support structure comprises at least four telescoping legs, the first aircraft dolly being configured to receive a lower portion of each of the at least four telescoping legs; and an aircraft support platform for the top of each of the at least four legs.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the aircraft support platform is arcuate for conformingly receiving a fuselage of a disabled aircraft.
11 . A kit for moving a disabled aircraft, the kit comprising:
a plurality of dollies, each dolly having a U-shaped steel framework and a lowered bed platform supported by the U-shaped framework, wherein a forward portion of the frame of one of the plurality of dollies has a winch and battery mounted thereon;
a plurality of towbars;
a pneumatic lifting system comprising an air bag stack placeable on one of the plurality of dollies, a compressor; and connecting hose; and
strapping for attachment to the disabled aircraft.
12 . The kit of claim 11 , further comprising a beam bridging support platform for placement on the beams of the one of the plurality of dollies, the beam bridging support platform having legs for engaging the lowered bed platform.
13 . The kit of claim 12 , wherein the airbag stack has a footprint of about 48 inches by 48 inches, plus or minus two inches, and seats upon the beam bridging support platform.
14 . The kit of claim 11 , further comprising a lifting plate that seats on top of the airbag stack.
15 . The kit of claim 11 , further comprising an adjustable height rigid support structure attachable to the one of the plurality of dollies, adjustable height rigid support structure that extends upwardly about the airbag stack.
16 . The kit of claim 11 , further comprising means for stabilizing the airbag stack when said is in an inflated state supporting the aircraft.
17 . The kit of claim 11 , further comprising a carriage with a curvature for placement at the top of the airbag stack.
18 . The kit of claim 11 , wherein the U-shaped framework of one of the plurality of dollies comprises two side beams and each of the two side beams four or more castors attached thereto.
19 . The kit of claim 18 , wherein each of the four or more castors comprises at least one swivel castor and at least one non swivel castor.
20 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first aircraft dolly has a framework with a pair of side beams, and each side beam has four or more castors attached thereto.