Sage Parts launches state-of-the-art PCA Adaptor engineered to protect ducting and provide superior ease of use

Sage Parts, the world’s leading supplier of replacement parts for ground support equipment, has announced a revolutionary patented PCA Adaptor that takes innovative features, product quality and durable performance to unprecedented heights.

Sage’s new Ramptech® PCA Adaptor is the result of extensive R&D and leading-edge manufacturing. “Our market research among GSE operators and ground support operations throughout the industry showed a need for a next-generation PCA adaptor specifically created to solve inherent issues that are common with many pre-conditioned air adaptors currently in use on ramps worldwide,” said Jimmy Derichsweiler, Sage Parts Director of Product Management.

“Our market research among GSE operators and ground support operations throughout the industry showed a need for a next-generation PCA adaptor specifically created to solve inherent issues that are common with many pre-conditioned air adaptors currently in use on ramps worldwide,”
— Jimmy Derichsweiler, Sage Parts Director of Product Management

Among those issues is excessive wear and tear to ducting caused by dragging the assembly back and forth from storage to the aircraft. Another is dropping the assembly from the connection point. In addition to severely damaging ducting, dragging and dropping can also cause damage to the external handles on most existing PCA adaptors.

The new Ramptech® PCA Adaptor from Sage Parts is engineered with 360-degree wear-guards and a circular handle designed to surround and protect PCA ducting and the adaptor itself. This eliminates possible damage to ducting caused by ground contact while preventing harm to operators’ hands resulting from worn, sharp edges on the handle.

Other state-of-the-art features engineered into Sage’s Ramptech® PCA Adaptor include: an integrated 360-degree swivel designed to ensure proper ducting alignment and maximize ergonomics, making the adaptor easier to connect to and remove from any size aircraft; a special guard lip that provides full-seal gasket protection and makes certain the gasket remains intact and reliable while ensuring proper fit to the aircraft and eliminating air leakage; tool-free changing of the gasket; and high open area rodent screen for optimal air flow.

“In developing the new Ramptech® PCA Adaptor we conducted a wide array of field studies, gaining comprehensive feedback and in-depth knowledge about the challenges that many ground support operations face with outdated adaptor designs,” said Ruddy Castillo, Sage Parts Director of Product Engineering and Quality Control. “We then took all that feedback and knowledge, and worked side by side with one of the world’s top manufacturer to create a uniquely innovative, highly robust and long lasting PCA adaptor that is nothing short of the best of the best…engineered to deliver strong return on investment for GSE operators by protecting ducting, enhancing on-ramp productivity, and increasing operator safety and ease of use.”

“In developing the new Ramptech® PCA Adaptor we conducted a wide array of field studies, gaining comprehensive feedback and in-depth knowledge about the challenges that many ground support operations face with outdated adaptor designs,”
— Ruddy Castillo, Sage Parts Director of Product Engineering and Quality Control

The Sage Parts Ramptech® PCA Adaptor is lightweight, fits any aircraft and any locking configuration, and is maintenance-free. The new adaptor is also designed to perform to the most stringent quality standards day after day and year after year, withstanding the widest possible hot and cold extremes and providing resistance to even the harshest conditions of the ramp.

See more on our PCA Adaptor at SageParts.com

To download our PCA ADAPTOR Product Guide

 

Sage Parts delivered its 4,000th Ramptech® belt loader safety handrail system, enhancing safety for GSE operators

Sage Parts, the world’s leading supplier of replacement parts for ground support equipment, delivered its 4,000th Ramptech® belt loader safety handrail system, enhancing safety for GSE operators around the world.  Sage Parts is committed to providing the GSE industry with innovative, technologically advanced products that can increase safety on aviation ramps around the globe. The Ramptech® safety handrail system for belt loaders is one such product.

The Ramptech® belt loader safety handrail, which meets or exceeds OSHA requirements, is the result of extensive research, design, and development expertise.  The creation of the Ramptech® handrail involved the utilization of intricate 3D modeling, user input, extensive field testing, as well as numerical simulations for optimization.

“Product safety is our number-one priority and we believe it should be the expectation for every ground support operation. Complementing our leading-edge R&D initiatives, we conducted extensive numerical simulation analysis for design optimization and validated the results with stringent field-testing experiments. These efforts generated a universal, high quality, and robust system that is ideal for the real-world ramp conditions.”

– Ruddy Castillo, Sage Parts Director of Product Engineering and Quality Control

The Ramptech® belt loader safety handrail is a fixed rail system designed to optimize operator safety by assuring that the rails are always engaged.  Safety is further enhanced by numerous other key features including single hand operated auto-lock handle mechanism with over-engage protection; double weld construction; reinforced stainless-steel tubing; textured powder coat paint for improved operator grip; non-slip surface walkway with Rhino Linings^®; and an ergonomic rear grab bar. The safety rail assembly is engineered as a split design for easy shipping and installation, with no compromise in structural strength.

Along with its state-of-the-art safety features, the Ramptech® belt loader handrail is a universal product that can be installed on all major belt loader models and brands and can be installed on either or both sides of the conveyor.  Versatility is further underscored by the product’s ability to service all major aircraft types. In addition, the product is easily field-installable, with no special tools required and all hardware included.

Sage Parts Ramptech® BellyCool™ Ducting protects ground support personnel from excessive heat

“Anyone who has ever been inside the baggage hold of an airplane on a warm day has certainly dealt with a level of heat that can be unbearable and potentially very unsafe. Ramptech^® BellyCool^TM Ducting is a unique design that provides a vital solution to a challenging problem that many aviation operators and their ground support personnel have experienced.”

–  Jimmy Derichsweiler, Sage Parts Director of Product Management

 

Temperatures in the baggage hold of an aircraft can often reach in excess of 120°F (50°C) during the summer months, putting baggage handlers and other ramp personnel in danger.  Sage Parts, the world’s leading supplier of replacement parts for ground support equipment, has addressed this concern with an innovative product specifically designed to keep the belly of an aircraft cool during ground operations.

Sage’s Ramptech® BellyCool^TM Ducting was created by Sage Parts engineers to provide an easy and economical solution for the extreme heat conditions that can occur in an aircraft’s belly.  The BellyCool^TM product features a specially designed section of ducting that diverts a regulated amount of cool air from the PCA (Pre-Conditioned Air) unit and directs that air into the baggage hold.  The amount of air diverted does not impact the aircraft’s cooling process in any measurable way.

“Anyone who has ever been inside the baggage hold of an airplane on a warm day has certainly dealt with a level of heat that can be unbearable and potentially very unsafe,” said Jimmy Derichsweiler, Sage Parts Director of Product Management.  “Ramptech^® BellyCool^TM Ducting is a unique design that provides a vital solution to a challenging problem that many aviation operators and their ground support personnel have experienced.”

Installation of Ramptech^® BellyCool^TM Ducting is fast and simple.  A 4.5-inch (114 mm) section of high-quality wire-reinforced duct is attached to the main supply line via an access point near the ducting reducer.  This connection utilizes a Velcro^® connected joint, which can be closed when the BellyCool^TM Ducting product is not in use.  When closed, it is used as a standard ducting reducer.  The reducer and access port are located at the end of an 8-inch (203 mm) Flex Link ducting reducer.  The length of the FlexLink reducer can vary to meet the specific needs of ground support operations.

As an important added benefit, the FlexLink is designed to bring the reducer and the BellyCool^TM port to the ground – where the connection is easier to work with – while also eliminating the extra load that is lifted to the aircraft connection port.

“Like all Sage Parts products, Ramptech^® BellyCool^TM Ducting is the result of extensive research, development, and testing,” continued Mr. Derichsweiler.  “BellyCool^TM Ducting is a robust and intelligently designed product that has proven itself in many of the world’s warmest climates as a highly effective and essential baggage hold cooling solution.”