| A.1 |
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How much hangar space do I need for an Aero-Lift? |
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Your Aero-Lift will physically fit in any aircraft hangar
that has 13'6" of ceiling clearance for the vertical
column. Beyond that, it is really more a question of determining
the best way to configure the target aircraft in your hangar.
Part of the service that ARM Aerospace offers is a Free Hangar
Analysis. This tool allows us to combine the 3-views of your
specific aircraft, along with a plan view of your hangar,
in order to determine the optimal placement of your Aero-Lift
and aircraft. This ensures that everything fits in your hangar
perfectly. This Hangar Analysis results in a drawing depicting
the exact placement of all of the components of your Aero-Lift
solution, is free of charge and is available very quickly. |
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| A.2 |
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I am a Flight School/FBO/Paint Shop/Maintenance
Facility and I would like to use the Aero-Lift in my business.
What should I know about the Aero-Lift in these commercial applications? |
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Almost half of the Aero-Lift installed base is commercial
applications. All Aero-Lifts are designed for the demands of
commercial applications with duty cycles that are appropriate
for high volume applications. From Paint Shops requiring easy
access to the belly of the aircraft for preparation and painting;
to FBO's providing high density airplane hangaring solutions
for their customers; to Maintenance Facilities providing safe
and easy access to the gear and belly of the aircraft for Annuals;
to the Flight School looking to reduce Pre-Flight time by storing
more of their aircraft in their hangars; the Aero-Lift is a
valuable tool in creating a more efficient and safe work environment.
Another interesting opportunity for Commercial Aero-Lift
customers are the recent changes to the Tax Code in the form
of a dramatic increase in the Section 179 allowance. With
the passing of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation
Act of 2003 there are some beneficial provisions for the small-business
owner. The very best part of the new law for the small-business
owner is the enormous increase in the Section 179 provisions
for expensing furniture, fixtures, and equipment that you
purchase. Normally, these types of assets must be depreciated
over a number of years (generally five or seven years), so
your tax deduction takes a while to be fully realized. But
under the new provisions in the law for Section 179 expensing
(Internal Revenue Code Section 179 allows this expensing --
hence the name), you can now immediately deduct 100% of the
cost of most new and used personal property (not including
real estate) in the year that you place them into service.
This makes the immediate purchase of your Aero-Lift systems
more compelling than ever as you can offset this year's income
with 100% depreciation of your Aero-Lift system dramatically
reducing this year's tax burden. Please contact your tax professional,
or ARM Aerospace for additional information on this program
and its specific application. |
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| A.3 |
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What gross weight can the Aero-Lift support? |
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Your Aero-Lift was designed to safely and efficiently lift
an aircraft that weighs up to 2,500 lbs. When considering the
capacity of your Aero-Lift please remember to calculate the
Storage Weight of your aircraft, which is not the same as the
aircraft's Gross Weight. The best way to figure the Storage
Weight of your aircraft is to determine your aircraft's Empty
Weight and then add in the weight of the fuel that you typically
store in the aircraft. The Gross Weight of your aircraft typically
includes fuel, baggage and passengers, which you will not be
lifting. So remember, the Storage Weight calculation is your
Empty Weight plus your Fuel Weight. |
| Storage Weight = Empty Weight + (Fuel Gallons
x 6) |
|
Please refer to the ARM Aerospace web site page entitled
Aircraft Specs (http://www.armaerospace.com/ac_weight.html)
for a complete listing of GA aircraft with the Empty Weights
and Storage Weights. |
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| A.4 |
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How much does the Aero-Lift itself weigh? |
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Your Aero-Lift weighs approximately 2,700 lbs. Of course the
Aero-Lift consists of several components that make up this weight.
The single heaviest component is the vertical column that weighs
in at approximately 700 lbs. |
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| A.5 |
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What are the dimensions of the Aero-Lift? |
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The two legs that support the main vertical column, each of
which is approximately 16 feet in length, make up the footprint
of your Aero-Lift. These two legs form a perfect right angle
at the base of the vertical column. As far as the height of
your Aero-Lift is concerned, the top of the vertical column
is 13'6". Since the legs form a right angle at the base
of the vertical column, all of the space below your Aero-Lift
is blank floor space available for whatever use you require.
Please refer to the ARM Aerospace web site page entitled Product
Specs (http://www.armaerospace.com/product_specs.html)
for a dimensional drawing of your Aero-Lift.
Your Aero-Lift is also available with a Floor Mount Option
that allows the vertical column to be bolted directly to the
floor in your hangar. This approach provides all of the benefits
of the Aero-Lift with the footprint on your hangar floor being
less than 3 square feet. |
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| A.6 |
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Can the Aero-Lift be configured for both
tail-dragger and tricycle gear aircraft? |
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Your Aero-Lift was designed to accommodate all possible gear
configurations. Each new Aero-Lift ships to you configured
with your choice of either a nose-wheel or a tail-wheel configuration.
Due to the Aero-Lift's innovative design, the Aero-Lift can
also be configured to accommodate both a tail-wheel and nose-wheel
configuration simultaneously. Simply purchase the additional
gear option, at your convenience, now or later. This dual
configuration is particularly popular for our FBO and High
Density Hangaring customers who require high degrees of flexibility
when addressing a wide range of aircraft inventory. |
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| A.7 |
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Does the Aero-Lift need to be "attached"
to my hangar? |
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No, your Aero-Lift was designed to be a stand-alone piece
of Ground Handling Equipment that would be accepted in any
hangar environment. Think of your Aero-Lift as an appliance
such as an air compressor or refrigerator. From the design
of the electrical system (which plugs into any standard, three
prong, 15 AMP circuit) to the legs (which distribute the load
evenly and safely over your existing hangar floor), this unit
is completely free standing with no physical attachment to
your hangar whatsoever. This provides you with the utmost
in flexibility and portability of the Aero-Lift and makes
the Aero-Lift suitable for installation in even the most restrictive
hangaring environments. |
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| A.8 |
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Will my plane fit on the Aero-Lift? |
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Your Aero-Lift was designed to accommodate any aircraft that
has a Storage Weight of less than 2,500 lbs and a total gear
width of less than 12 feet. With this in mind your Aero-Lift
can safely and efficiently lift over 98% of all single engine,
piston driven GA aircraft. Beyond that, it is really more
a question of how your target aircraft will stack in your
hangar. Part of the service that ARM Aerospace offers is a
Free Hangar Analysis. This tool allows us to combine the 3-views
of your specific aircraft, along with a plan view of your
hangar, in order to determine the optimal placement of your
Aero-Lift and aircraft. This ensures that everything fits
in your hangar perfectly. This Hangar Analysis results in
a drawing depicting the exact placement of all of the components
of your Aero-Lift solution, is free of charge and is available
very quickly. |
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| A.9 |
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How is the Aero-Lift shipped to my hangar? |
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Your Aero-Lift is shipped to your hangar in a wooden container
that is 16' x 2' x 3' and weighs approximately 3,000 lbs.
It is typically shipped on a flat bed trailer and is trucked
right to your hangar door. Once your Aero-Lift has been manufactured,
the shipping time is 3 to 7 working days depending on the
area of the country where you are located. |
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| A.10 |
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Where can I purchase my Aero-Lift? |
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Your Aero-Lift can be purchased from your local Authorized
Aero-Lift Dealer. Or, if an Authorized Aero-Lift Dealer does
not service your local area, directly from ARM Aerospace.
The investment and support is exactly the same no matter where
you procure your new Aero-Lift. Simply contact ARM Aerospace
and we will make sure that the appropriate member of the ARM
Aerospace Team handles your inquiry promptly and professionally. |
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| A.11 |
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Was the Aero-Lift designed with earthquake
concerns in mind? |
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Your Aero-Lift was designed to meet the demanding specifications
of the California Uniform Building Code (UBC) with regard
to earthquake stability and safety. This engineering effort
ensures that the Aero-Lift is engineered to the highest quality,
structural and durability standards. If added protection is
required or desired, your Aero-Lift can be fitted with the
optional Seismic Isolation System that creates the absolute
safest and most robust earthquake readiness configuration. |
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| A.12 |
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What safety features are designed into the
Aero-Lift? |
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All of the structural elements of your Aero-Lift are designed
and assembled to exacting manufacturing specifications. The
Aero-Lift has been load tested to three and one half times
its stated capacity without catastrophic failure. As an example,
the drive screw that is used to raise your aircraft is rated
in excess of 70,000 lbs. The Aero-Lift drive system is designed
in such a manner that it is physically impossible for the
Aero-Lift to raise a load that exceeds its rated limits. In
addition, the use of the "drive nut, safety nut and screw"
lifting mechanism ensures that your lift is "infinitely
lockable" (wherever you stop the lift, it is locked in
that position) so no additional locking mechanisms are required.
Also, since your Aero-Lift utilizes this mechanical drive
nut and screw configuration, there are no component failure
scenarios such as broken hydraulic lines, etc. that can result
in unintended lowering of your aircraft. In short, there is
no safer design than the Aero-Lift for lifting and storing
your valuable aircraft. |
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| A.13 |
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What is the warranty of the
Aero-Lift? |
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Your Aero-Lift comes from the factory with a 1-year warranty
on all parts, structural as well as mechanical. In addition
your Aero-Lift was designed to be extremely functional without
being overly complex. Thus, your Aero-Lift will give you decades
of service with only minor preventative maintenance. |
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| A.14 |
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Will my insurance company have any issues
with my aircraft being stored on my Aero-Lift? |
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The "Not In Motion" portion of your aircraft insurance
policy makes no distinction between an aircraft resting on
the floor of the hangar or resting on any type of hoist. Therefore,
all of your coverages will apply. |
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| A.15 |
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What is the Foundation or Floor Mount Option and what is
required? |
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Many Aero-Lift owners who are building a hangar, or are able
to retrofit their current hangar, can opt to have the vertical
column of the Aero-Lift mounted directly to the floor of their
hangar rather than utilizing the supporting legs. This completely
optional configuration allows the most available clear floor
space in your hangar, as the legs are no longer required to
support the column.
ARM Aerospace will provide you with blueprints and engineering
diagrams for the foundation option. The structure that supports
the column is basically a rebar cage, inside a horizontal
concrete channel in the floor of the hangar that is roughly
2 feet deep, 3 feet wide and 12 feet long. The rebar cage
and channel runs from the base of the column out 12 feet,
at an angle, approximately to the CG of the aircraft, i.e.
middle of the lift platform.
The Aero-Lift is attached to the floor with a special base
plate that uses J-receiver style bolt-ins (basically a large
piece of rebar with a receiving nut) that is encased in the
concrete and sits flush with the concrete floor of the hangar.
There are 10 bolts to mount the base. The base plate is approximately
14" x 18". The column bolts to this base plate using
the same boltholes as the standard legs, 5 bolts in each side.
This allows the lift to be reconfigured to accept the standard
legs at a later time. |
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| A.16 |
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How high will the Aero-Lift raise my aircraft? |
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Your Aero-Lift will raise the gear of your aircraft 10 feet
above the hangar floor and will provide a full 10 feet of
tail clearance for the lower aircraft. |
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| A.17 |
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How long will it take me to assemble my Aero-Lift? |
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The Aero-Lift can be assembled in approximately 2 man-hours.
This does not include uncrating and reading the Installation
Manual. It is preferable to have an installation team of 2
people available for the assembly of your Aero-Lift. Some
parts are awkward and heavy and are more easily and safely
handled with more than one person. |
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| A.18 |
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Is special equipment required to receive
the Aero-Lift, and particularly to raise the vertical column? |
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The preferred method for removing the crate from the truck
is a forklift. We recommend that the crate is then set very
near where you will set the vertical column. The crate is packed
so that the vertical column is tilted straight out of the box
into position using a come-a-long, chain hoist, block and tackle
or the forklift itself. Once the vertical column is tilted into
position the rest of the components (legs, cross beam, motor,
etc.) literally "bolt-on" to the vertical column.
The legs are approximately 16 feet long and weigh approximately
150 lbs. The vertical column is 13'6" and weighs approximately
700 lbs. and is equipped with a top lifting point.
ARM Aerospace recognizes that the lift is a heavy piece of
equipment and that most hangar owners do not have large technical
lifting equipment. Therefore, tremendous effort and engineering
has gone into the packaging and design of your Aero-Lift to
ensure that the assembly at your hangar is as straightforward
and timely as possible. |
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| A.19 |
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What tools and/or equipment are needed to
assemble my Aero-Lift? |
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Your Aero-Lift is completely pre-assembled and tested at
our manufacturing facility, leaving only a few components
to be bolted together to make your Aero-Lift operational.
The assembly of these components can be accomplished with
simple hand tools. A list of the specific hand tools required
is outlined in the Assembly and Maintenance Manual. |
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| A.20 |
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What options do I have if I don't want to
install the Aero-Lift myself? |
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In many cases ARM Aerospace, or your local Aero-Lift Distributor
can arrange for the professional, turnkey installation of
your new Aero-Lift for an additional installation fee. |
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| A.21 |
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What type of electrical service do I need
at my hangar to power the Aero-Lift? |
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Your Aero-Lift and its drive motor are designed to plug into
any standard wall socket with a three-prong plug. The Aero-Lift
is no different than any other tool or appliance that you
may already have at your hangar, i.e. air compressor, refrigerator,
table saw, etc. Technically the motor is 115V single phase
reversible that draws 7 amps continuous and 11.7 amps at startup
and full stall. The motor meets the following code requirements:
Class I / Division II Airspace Requirements (18" / 5'
rule). |
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| A.22 |
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Once my Aero-Lift is completely assembled,
how difficult is it to adjust its position in my hangar? |
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Your Aero-Lift weighs approximately 2,700 lbs when fully
assembled. So, placement in the correct position during your
initial installation is critical. Once the Aero-Lift is installed,
if you need to relocate or adjust the position of the Aero-Lift,
a substantial amount of disassembly and reassembly is required.
However, ARM Aerospace realizes that there are often situations
where the position of your Aero-Lift needs to be adjusted
in your hangar. To make the Aero-Lift as flexible as possible,
ARM Aerospace offers a Castering Option for your Aero-Lift
that allows you to raise the fully assembled Aero-Lift easily
and quickly onto three casters so one person can roll it around
your hangar. The Castering Option is extremely popular as
it allows for adjustments in the position of the lift during,
and after, the final assembly process is complete. |
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| A.23 |
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I think the Aero-Lift is right for me, how
do I move forward? |
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Please contact
your ARM Sales Representative at 520-886-7329
or info@armaerospace.com
to receive a complimentary Hangar Analysis and a comprehensive
quote for the Aero-Lift and accessories that are right for you. |
