A. Purpose
The side shifting model 269 LC cab assembly with Commuter service capability is designed to service a wide mix of aircraft including but not limited to:
1. Wide and narrow body aircraft including the A380
2. Regional aircraft: Canadair CRJ, ERJ with the plug door
3. Embraer 135 with a drop down door and non-collapsible handrails
B. Special Features
1. Articulating Cab Floor
2. Passenger Walkway
3. Aircraft Cable Protection
4. Passenger Safety Handrails
5. Safety Sensors
C. Drawing
1. An articulating cab floor (ACF) standard with all Model 269LC cabs.
Adjustment of the cab floor insures that the floor of the cab remains parallel with the floor of the aircraft.
The inherent design of the articulating cab floor exceeds the worse condition requirement of one/twelve (1:12) ADA requirement.
By using the cam roller method instead of the usual bearing and pin, the stress that may cause binding is eliminated.
2. The LC cab floor has a retractable center portion (passenger walkway) that will travel (11) inches out past the leading edge of bumper and will retracts back (7) inches behind the leading edge of the bumper.
This ramp allows for the elimination of portable ramps.
3. A flip up section is provided to protect the aircraft door cables.
4. Handrails that meet all OSHA requirements are used to provide for passenger safety.
These handrails must be used whenever servicing and aircraft with an extended passenger walkway.
5. Safety sensors to protect the aircraft.
Various safety sensors can be added to stop the boarding bridge from contacting the aircraft.
Refer to the passenger boarding bridge schematic to verify which sensors your bridge has.
A. The Side Shift Cab
Operation of the side shift cab is done after the aircraft has come to its fully parked position.
A two position push button is used to shift the cab to the left or right a distance of up to twelve inches (additional if needed) from center line of cab.
This push button is normally mounted on the left side of the passenger boarding bridge operators control console.
This cab movement allows the cab to be adjusted for a miss-parked aircraft or a misaligned passenger boarding bridge.
The entire system is designed to greatly reduce the time it takes to dock a passenger boarding bridge safely to an aircraft.
A reset touch button will bring the cab back to its center position once the aircraft has left the gate.
On a PLC controlled boarding bridge the touch button is normally placed on the lower right side of touch screens home screen.
B. Special Features
An additional push button is used to extend (up to11 inches)and retract (up to 7 inches) the center section (passenger ramp) of the cab floor.
C. The flip up aircraft cable protector
Another push button is used to control the flip up aircraft cable protector.
D. Docking to an aircraft
Actual docking procedures are the responsibility of the user.
The following are suggested procedures for the CRJ and ERJ commuter aircraft.
1. CRJ Commuter Aircraft
The sliding floor assembly of the commuter floor can be “retracted” seven inches to create a cavity for the fold down door.
The bridge can then be docked up close to the fuselage of the aircraft.
The user/operator must use the patented flip-up floor feature to protect the door cables of the CRJ aircraft.
Once the bridge is docked to the aircraft, the safety handrails can be extended and locked in place for passenger safety.
2. ERJ Commuter Aircraft
This same sliding floor assembly that had to be retracted for the CRJ aircraft can now be extended to service E RJ aircraft.
By extending the center floor assembly, the fixed portion of the cab floor will remain far enough away from the aircraft to avoid possible damage to the aircraft “speed sensor”.
Once the bridge is docked to the aircraft, the safety handrails can be extended and locked in place for passenger safety.
E. Electrical Operation
All electrical wiring for the articulating cab floor, the side shift cabs electrical actuators and the operational push buttons are wired directly to the passenger boarding bridge by the bridge manufacturer.
See the passenger boarding bridges electrical schematic for details.
F. Safety
1. The side shift cab should be operated only by properly trained operators.
2. Safety yellow and black rib rubber is butted up against the yellow hinges.
This insures that when the articulating cab floor is unleveled, the passengers will be aware and aid in preventing inadvertent stumbling.
3. The articulating cab floor is installed with its hinges upside and fully powder coated.
This allows the main part of the hinge to be below the floor to avoid a tripping hazard.
It also insures that passengers are aware of the hinges.
4. All safety handrails meet OSHA guidelines.
They are attached to either end of the cab floor to provide for passenger safety while boarding and disembarking from the aircraft.
The special extend-able handrails direct the passenger traffic and seal off any unintentional access of passengers
5. Proximity Sensors OPTIONAL
Proximity sensors are mounted on both ends and the center of the sliding panel floor.
These limit switches are adjusted to stop movement of the sliding floor panel one (1) inch from the aircraft and to disable forward movement of the bridge, cab rotate and side shift.
There is an over ride push button located on the control console.
The sliding floor panel can be extended out to fifteen (15) inches pass the fixed aircraft spacer and can be retracted back past the bumper three inches.
6. Safety Limits under cab spacer (bumper) are there to protect the passenger boarding bridge by not allowing the bridge to travel down and applying any pressure on the aircraft stairs.
This safety feature also protects the safety handrails.
When this limit is activated it over rides the auto level, raises the bridge and actives an audible alarm in the cab that would alert Airline and airport personnel of a problem.
A. Preventative
1. The drive actuators contain built- in limits and all rollers are American made and are sealed.
They require no greasing and can be easily changed out by airport maintenance personnel by simply removing a pin.
2. No maintenance is required on the cam roller articulating cab floor because the cam rollers are totally enclosed and sealed.
McGill sealed rollers is all we use, to eliminate failures and maintenance on this portion.
3. The side shifting feature greatly reduces the maintenance cost of the bridge because other operations (i.e. horizontal drive and steering) do not require as much use to align the bridge to the aircraft.
4. By side shifting only the front portion of PBB Cab, wear on all moving parts of PBB is reduced and the life of the PBB is thus prolonged.
B. Parts Replacement
If parts replacement is necessary, most parts can be purchased from the boarding bridge manufacturer or from a local supplier.
The model 269 LC side shift cab is installed and fully tested at the passenger boarding bridges manufacturers’ facility.
Please contact the manufacturer of your passenger boarding bridge for a complete electrical and mechanical list of the parts used.