Watch this video online at https://youtu.be/M9x6W59ANn8
In this video you will watch and hear our customer showcasing the use of his new DJ Products Inc. Aircraft Caddy to move airplanes and helicopters. You will hear in his own words his experience with our product, customer support, and how easy the product is to use.
We’ve interviewed a recent customer to help give you insights as to why the DJ Products Inc. Aircraft Caddy is the best air tug on the market.
Q. What make & model of aircraft do you own and how were you moving it before the Aircraft Caddy?
A. An Augusta 109E – the helicopter is new to us, so we needed ground support that was appropriate.
Q. What didn’t you like about it how you were moving it?
A. The alternatives we considered were: 1) a tow-bar and tug which seemed cumbersome, 2) a radio-controlled wheel-tug, and 3) DJ Products Aircraft Caddy. The Aircraft Caddy seemed the most consistent with how we support other aircraft in the hangar.
Q. How did you find DJ Products Inc?
A. A fellow Augusta owner had an older model Aircraft Caddy and spoke highly about the utility.
Q. What was your experience in working with our sales rep on getting info, pricing and placing the order?
A. Our purchasing experience was seamless. We described our needs, and the company responded with a rational proposal.
Q. Was it easy to use and operate?
A. Describe experience in operating the unit? The Caddy works exactly as advertised. It is smooth, quiet, and more than capable of moving a 6500lb helicopter. Additionally, while we have several other larger tugs in the hangar, it is also occasionally useful to grab the Aircraft Caddy to move a Pilatus around.
Q. How has Sales Support been since receiving the unit?
A. Support has been wonderful. We had a defective tire that failed early in our ownership. The company overnight shipped an improved replacement, and we were back up and running quickly. This has been the only minor issue that required support.
Q. What do you feel is the biggest benefit of using the unit?
A. Cost savings? Injury savings? Efficiency? Safety? This is the perfect tug for an Augusta. It fits under the relatively low nose gear and clears the doors. The control position is far enough forward that an operator can see all the critical areas. It is a reasonable size and is not obtrusive – even when left attached to the helicopter.
Q. Would you recommend this tug to others?
A. This is an excellent product.
We invite you to visit our Aircraft Caddy page to review all our models models and read detailed specifications.
Moving aircraft in and out of hangar spaces presents a two-fold challenge. In addition to their large size, these vehicles are moved outdoors, where surfaces may be uneven or slippery from rain, snow and ice.
The Aircraft Caddy from DJ Products lets a single person move aircraft weighing up to 15,000 pounds. Find out how this battery-powered aircraft tug made a difference for one of our satisfied customers.
Our customer predominantly flies a Tradewinds Turbine A36, but also operates a Cessna Conquest 425. Originally, he was using a gas-powered tug, golf cart and four-wheeler to move his planes.
So how did that work out? As he explains, “The gas-powered tug was hard to start, slow and so heavy it was hard to move. The golf cart and four-wheeler required a higher skill level and we have had issues with hitting the hangar as the planes were put in.”
Some friends in Texas were also flying a Cessna Conquest 425, along with a Cessna Conquest 441. They tipped our customer off to the Aircraft Caddy, telling him they had been using one with great success.
Right from the start, our customer was pleased with how easy and efficient the ordering and receiving process was. “The unit was delivered right when it was promised and our Sales Engineer followed up to make sure everything was good.”
Our customer chose the same model being used by his friends in Texas, and he simply calls it “the best caddy we have ever used – simple, fast, and anyone could use it.” He makes a point of saying he has used the caddy on dry, wet and snow-packed surfaces, with excellent result at all times.
One of the benefits our customer discovered is our commitment to excellent service, as demonstrated by the numerous follow-up calls he’s received. In the biggest compliment we could receive, he has recommended our aircraft tug to other pilots at the airport, who have seen it in action.
How much easier would the Aircraft Caddy make your life? Call 800.686.2651 to learn more from our friendly and helpful Sales Engineers.
Could your LSA aircraft caddy soon be toting heavier planes? As the industry approaches its 15th birthday, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) and its partner the U.S. Ultralight Association (USUA) have been pushing to improve opportunities for the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) manufacturing industry and individuals who own and operate light sport aircraft. What’s on the agenda?
Four Core Goals
After 4-years of effort, LAMA narrowed down its long list of industry suggestions to four goals in efforts to advance the industry. These were presented to high-level Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) executives, and ALL will be included in the FAA’s upcoming regulation plans:
1. Allowing special Light-Sport Aircraft to perform aerial work in addition to towing and flight instruction.
2. Introducing the safety and performance benefits provided by single-lever adjustable propellers.
3. Permitting electric propulsion and instruction in aircraft designed for such motors.
4. Solving issues surrounding modern gyroplanes, in that they may only be built as kits, making commercial training impossible.
In addition, the FAA also agreed to look into increasing the gross weight of LSA.
Changes on the Horizon
Though LAMA is hopeful, it’s important to emphasize each of these items is on the FAA’s list for eventual rule making. Eventual being the operative word. Rulemaking could take 3-years and the time it takes for them to go into effect could be far longer, assuming no changes of course.
In the meantime, LAMA has proposed a plan to get the FAA the data they need to speed the process. This will also provide opportunities under controlled circumstances for pilots to gain more rapid access to these new opportunities.
Pushing for change? Improve maneuverability with an aircraft caddy from DJ Products today.
While the aircraft caddy from DJ Products offers superior performance across a variety of conditions, not every aspect of the aviation industry is that consistent. Each year brings innovations and challenges, and how you respond can profoundly affect your business.
What’s ahead for the next twelve months? Here’s a look at the trends expected to shape the aviation industry in 2019.
Air Traffic Will Double
In a trend that’s continued since the 1970s, air traffic is projected to double by 2035. Reasons behind this trend are twofold:
1. Emerging markets and urbanization cause a shift in economic power, resulting in more people traveling by air.
2. Privatization and deregulation combine to drive air travel costs down.
Major Capacity Shortages
The downside of more air traffic is that it’s not supported by the current infrastructure. Plans are underway to increase facilities, but all regions are still expected to have capacity shortages of up to 50 percent only five years from now.
Green Initiatives
The global agreement known as CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) hits a crucial deadline in 2020, at which time aviation emission levels are required to stabilize. By 2050, emissions must be reduced to approximately 50 percent of 2005 levels.
Focus on Punctuality
As a means of reducing congestion and increasing customer satisfaction, airlines are implementing new performance measures with an emphasis on scheduling.
Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM)
More than two dozen major European airports have implemented A-CDM to facilitate real-time information sharing.
Meet the Future with the Aircraft Caddy from DJ Products
As speed and efficiency become increasingly more important in the aviation industry, our aircraft caddy will help you keep pace. Contact us to learn more about our full line of aircraft tugs.
With winter underway, it’s important to make sure that your small aircraft is properly stored for the season. This helps reduce the risk of damage to it and ensures that your aircraft will be ready for you to use again when the weather improves. If you need to move your plane into storage or move it to a different area of your storage facility, keep in mind that an aircraft caddy makes this process go much easier.
Protect Against Rodents and Other Pests
Mice and other pests can make your airplane their home in winter if it provides them with shelter and warmth. When you put your plane into storage, make sure that it doesn’t give these pests any entry points. Cover or close up holes that rodents and other pests can use to get inside.
Fill the Fuel Tanks
Even if you won’t be using your plane in winter, you should still keep the fuel tanks filled up. Doing this lowers the amount of moisture in the tank, which reduces the risk of condensation building up.
Remove the Battery
Keeping the battery inside your plane means that it could end up being exposed to conditions that are too cold. Storing the battery in a location that keeps it safe from extreme cold can help prevent it from being damaged.
Do an Oil Change
Giving your airplane’s engine a fresh oil change, which will help to ensure that it runs smoothly when it starts up again. This will eliminate contaminants that may affect its performance.
If you’re looking to get an aircraft caddy for your small plane, please visit DJ Products. We have a fine selection of these products available. Contact Kari Koznick for more information on our aircraft products.
Carbon neutral air travel is on the horizon. Using groundbreaking ‘ionic wind’ technology, the world’s first-ever ‘solid state’ plane has successfully flown over 60 meters without the aid of moving parts or a propulsion system, lending credence to the potential for heavier-than-air flight without jets or propellers. Might it be paired up with your aircraft caddy in the not-too-distant future?
Space Age
Using a powerful electric field to generate charged nitrogen ions, and then expelling them from the back of the aircraft to generate thrust, this latest aircraft invention was inspired during MIT Aeronautics Professor Steven Barrett’s childhood. A big fan of Star Trek, Barrett envisioned a future with silently-flying aircraft, operating with no moving parts such as propellers, turbines, or jets.
Ahead of Its Time
Investigating the physics that might make such flights possible, he came across the concept of ionic wind, which was initially investigated in the 1920s. It didn’t make much of a splash at the time, with researchers concluding it wouldn’t work for airplanes.
However, Barrett wasn’t deterred. He and a team of graduates worked to improve their understanding of how it might be possible to produce ionic winds efficiently, and how those winds might be applicable to propelling an aircraft.
Inspired
The battery-powered, nearly silent miniature prototype that resulted from their research led to the creation of a propulsion system with a thrust-to-power ratio comparable to that of conventional jet engines. Though the technology is in its infancy, the successful flight of the amazingly thin, light-weight aircraft could pave the way for highly-efficient, non-polluting air travel. Future tests will seek to scale-up the plane’s size and range.
Inspire a safer, more efficient future with an aircraft caddy from DJProducts. Contact account rep Kari Koznick today.
When you have a smaller aircraft, pulling or pushing it by the propeller might seem like an easy and convenient way to move it around. However, this manual handling can end up causing significant damage to your airplane. Find out why you should use an aircraft caddy for moving your plane around instead of moving it manually.
Damage Risks
Grabbing your airplane by the propeller and pulling or pushing it to where you need it to go can result in damage to the blades. For example, pulling or pushing the propeller’s tips can cause them to become bent, which affects their ability to work properly. Even when you have others to help you, it’s important to avoid manually handling your airplane by the propeller blades.
Using an aircraft caddy allows you to move your airplane smoothly without risking damage to any part of it. Keep in mind that damage to your propeller can make your aircraft unsafe to operate.
Injury Risks
Pushing or pulling an airplane manually can put you and others at risk of having injuries. From pulled muscles to more serious injuries, it’s important to avoid taking this risk when you need to move or reposition your airplane. Moving your airplane with a tug that’s designed to support its weight helps eliminate the risk of personal injuries.
Our tugs and caddies offer safer and more convenient ways to pull aircraft around or move them to a different location, whether you need one for a 4,000-pound airplane or one that can move up to 35,000 pounds.
If you’re looking for an aircraft caddy, please contact DJ Products. We carry a wide range of high-quality aircraft tugs to make it easier and safer for you to move your airplane.
Our battery-powered aircraft caddy lets workers safely maneuver small planes on the ground. Do drones pose a safety risk to small aircraft in flight?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seems to believe the answer is yes, and the agency is dragging its feet establishing permanent regulations for drones. Studies show that small aircraft and drones can actually safely share the skies.
Threat of Drone-Aircraft Collisions
With the FAA on high alert about drones in the airspace, they currently receive more than 100 reports per month concerning unmanned aircraft operating near manned aircraft. According to the Academy of Model Aeronautics, few of these incidents involve true risk to passengers.
In 2015, Bard College conducted a study about drones in close encounters with manned aircraft. The analysis of 921 reports showed that drones came within 200 feet of an aircraft in 158 cases, while only 28 pilots took evasive action.
Greater Risk: Drones or Birds?
With approximately 10 billion birds in the U.S., these flyers are far more likely than drones to be found in the air at any time. Using the assumption that drones are similar to birds in size and ability to evade aircraft, a pair of researchers from George Mason University estimated the likelihood of a serious drone-aircraft collision.
– Drones are likely to strike aircraft once per 374,000 hours of drone operation.
– One million two-kilogram drones in flight 24/7 would cause injury to an aircraft passenger once every 187 years.
Why Choose an Aircraft Caddy from DJ Products?
Our ergonomically designed aircraft caddy safely navigates small planes across snow or grass while negotiating the tightest hangar quarters. Use our handy online chat feature and let our friendly sales engineers help you find the right aircraft caddy for your applications.
The increased use of drones, especially for recreational purposes, has raised concerns when it comes to keeping airplanes safe. While your airplane is safe on the ground while being pulled by an aircraft caddy, what about after it takes off in the air? Fortunately, new rules have been enacted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to protect planes from drones. Find out more about the issue of drones and planes sharing the air space.
Regulations
The FAA issued 14 CFR part 107, which effectively prohibits drone owners from operating their devices in air space used by commercial planes. The FAA previously expressed concern in this 2014 article on drones, but the agency has since come up with definitive regulations. They are contained in Part 107, which became effective on August 29, 2016.
Collisions
When it comes to collisions with aircraft, there have not been any known incidents involving drones striking planes. In fact, airplanes are more likely to have trouble with birds that collide with them or get pulled into engines. Birds are in the air far more than drones, and they outnumber these devices by quite a bit.
Solutions
Solutions to lower the risk of drone and airplane collisions involve providing drone operators with more education about how to use their devices safely and FAA certification as Small Unmanned Aircraft System pilots. Technological solutions include apps that let drone operators know which areas to avoid, such as this map posted at drone manufacturer DJI (not related to DJ Products).
If you could use an aircraft caddy, please contact DJ Products. We carry high-quality powered aircraft tugs that can help keep ground crews and small plane owners safe while also saving you time and effort.
