January/February 2023 - 36

PRODUCT FOCUS: MAN LIF TS, PL ATFORMS & WORK STANDS
One WAAG Windshield Repair
Stand Can Serve Multiple
Narrow- or Wide-body Aircraft
By Rebecca Kanable
A
Moveable deck slats
allow for precise standto-plane
fitting and
keep employees safe.
WAAG
WAAG
36 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
ircraft maintenance stands aren't
typically " one size fits all. "
But, for about a year now, WAAG has
offered stands to access windshields
of either all narrow bodies or all wide
bodies. The Narrow-Body Windshield
Repair Stand (#60225) has a deck that
adjusts from 132 to 190 inches, while the Wide-Body
Windshield Repair Stand (#60223) has a deck that
adjusts from 163 inches to 220 inches. Both stands
have an overall footprint of 272 inches (length) by
144 inches (width). Adjustments are made using an
ergonomic lifting handle to raise or lower the deck
with little effort and no hydraulics, and the stands
have stops at 3-inch increments.
The counter-balanced deck adjusts to fit either
all narrow-body aircraft or all wide-body aircraft.
Adjustable deck slats that lock at 2-inch increments
allow precise fitting. Areas of the stand that may
touch the aircraft are lined using rubber guards to
prevent damage, including scratches.
Stephanie Brägger, WAAG sales/office manager,
says what inspired the design of the narrow- and
wide-body windshield repair stands was what has
inspired most of the company's products: demand
from ground handlers and aircraft maintenance
technicians. " In this case, we needed one stand to
fit multiple aircraft, " she says.
Before, WAAG had only a 13-foot (156-inch) fixed
height windshield replacement stand. Customers
used that stand or any stand that could reach, but
they weren't designed to do windshield repair safely.
" Safety is the No. 1 concern - especially when
reaching these heights, " Brägger says. " Employees
need to be able to safely work at a specific height
without making their 'own attempt' to reach or
access areas along the windshield. "
WAAG includes hooks that are welded on so
operators can " click in " their harnesses for added
safety. For an additional fee, fall protection grids
can be added to any stand, stairway or deck.
Prior to the narrow- and wide-body repair
stands, she says, " We also received feedback that
our competitors' stands were too bulky to move
around. " Subsequently, she says, " Both our narrow-body
and wide-body windshield stands are
easily positioned, maneuverable and safe for the
employee and the aircraft. "
WAAG, on its website says one person can operate
most stands, which have two main solid rubber
wheels (16 inches by 4 inches) with heavy-duty
axles and hubs, and two polyurethane-over-steel
wheels (8 inches by 2 inches) with precision bearings
and heavy-duty KPL swivels. A heavy-duty tow bar
comes standard on both stands.
With all WAAG stands, tubular wheel chocks
come standard in addition to single-action, leveractuated
plunge brakes. Pull back the lever and the
stand is locked in place.
Overall construction is heavy-duty steel.
Durability is further added through cross bracing.
Heavy wall 1.5-inch round steel tubing is mounted
to the stair rail in two places at the lower end. The
design creates a very sturdy stand, she says.
The stairs are OSHA-compliant forward ascent
and descent, and the steps are galvanized steel Grip
Strut with a safety yellow leading edge. On the deck
itself, Brägger says regular Grip Strut panels have
been replaced with Traction Tread panels, allowing
for a more comfortable surface to kneel, or lay or place
the windshield on during the replacement process.
In addition, Brägger says WAAG stands are preferred
because there's no fuel needed or battery cell
to maintain.
Stands are shipped in three pieces: upper body,
lower body and deck. Assembly takes about 2 hours.
WAAG also offers a complete line of stands for all
current aircraft.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January/February 2023
