Whats so great about an aerialscope?

[chtucker]

We are looking at 95/100 mid mount platforms... What makes an aerialscope so desirable?

[BVFD1983]

The box boom design is indestructable.

[chiefeng7]

I'll bite.... The stabilizers are beat by only E-One. The corner jacks go straight down, and the center outriggers pivot to the ground, requiring only space between one set of cars for a complete/normal setup in a tight borough like ours. Of course, with an E-One, the next part goes out the window... The platforms rated 1000 pound capacity is a joke. I have seen ours hold 2000 (actually very recently). The are VERY maneuverable while flowing water and are awesome firefighting tools. An Aerialscope is indestructable. You can push out windows with any aerial. You can take the entire wall with an Aerialscope. The platforms are amongst the most friendly to use to cut a roof hole there are - you dont have to leave the safety of the catwalk....

Unfortunately, Aerialscopes are expensive to buy new. Thats why we refurbed ours....

Jon

Edited to add: Recently somebody reffered to a Metz bucket as a shopping cart. I agree. The aerialscope is not that much bigger, but much more user friendly.

[NewJerseyFFII]

We are looking at 95/100 mid mount platforms... What makes an aerialscope so desirable?

The F.D.N.Y. has been using Mack/Aerialscopes since 1964 before the baker company started building them,they are one of the strongest towers ever to be built.The single joy stick control in the bucket is very easy to operate , the only draw back is the ladder design & the large price tag $$$$... If you purchase a scope you can have it remounted & refurbished over & over , you can't kill a " Aerialscope " !!!!....

[chtucker]

I know you looked into it.....How much? A new Sutphen 100 mid platform is 850-900k?

[Bones42]

I have seen ours hold 2000 (actually very recently).
Edited to add: Recently somebody reffered to a Metz bucket as a shopping cart. I agree. The aerialscope is not that much bigger, but much more user friendly.

I'd love to see how you fit that much weight in that little bucket.

[NewJerseyFFII]

I know you looked into it.....How much? A new Sutphen 100 mid platform is 850-900k?

A new 95' Aerialscope costs $ 950,000 - $ 975,000 last year , maybe more in 2006!!... A new E- One HP 95 midmount tower $ 850,000 , ALF 93' midmount $ 775,000 , KME 100' midmount $ 810,000.

[chtucker]

Does the aerialscope meet NFPA?

[dragonfyre]

A new 95' Aerialscope costs $ 950,000 - $ 975,000 last year , maybe more in 2006!!... A new E- One HP 95 midmount tower $ 850,000 , ALF 93' midmount $ 775,000 , KME 100' midmount $ 810,000.

You get what you pay for!

I have to agree with Jon (since we're in the same company) that it's hard to beat a scope. I was "driving" the scope recently at it's first big fire since the refurb. It still amazes me how you can move the nozzle in any direction without affecting the bucket.

I also used it a few years ago in another township's fire where after we knocked down the 2nd floor fire we grounded the scope and drove it right into the first floor through the front door NY style. I don't think there are too many other aerials that you can do that with.

The only downfall that I have seen is the recycling time for rescue. It's really not made to have civilians go down the escape ladder.

[RFDACM]

Does the aerialscope meet NFPA?

Yes. If you're reffering to the lack of a full ladder, its not a requirement of platform apparatus. Look at the snorkels, they don't even have the escape ladder. Mount Vernon NY just got their Scope last fall with no escape ladder. FDNY SOG's suggest rappelling before climbing down the escape ladder! When we bid our tower we told Scope to keep the ladder off to be a little more preice concious, it didn't help. We could've got a bare bones Aerialscope on a Seagrave chassis for about $850K. Instead we went witha well outfitted ALF for $775K. Its being built with a fall deliery expected.

[RFDACM]

Sorry double post.

[FWDbuff]

You get what you pay for!.

E-One and KME Towers come with their own mechanic, and they will pay the general contracting fees to build a 1 bedroom apartment for the mechanic onto your firehouse!

[chiefeng7]

I'd love to see how you fit that much weight in that little bucket.

You obviuosly don't use one do you? :-D

Seriously, it was during an aerial test with weights, not people. BUT it is not uncommon to see 6 firefighters pushed into there at over 200 apiece.... not quite 2 grand in people weight but it IS a lot....

At some point you have to ask yourself what the weakest link is... if you overload it TOO much, what is going to give? In case anybody's curious its the leveling cylinders for the bucket leveling system.... they operate on a maximum of 2200PSI (or so) and applied over about 24 square inches between the two cylinders.... you are looking at about 52,000 pound of counter-force against the bucket... with its unibody design that much weight would probably crinkle the buckets frame before anything would snap.... the pins that hold the cylinders in are VERY thick and the backets are large, thick, and welded....

Makes ya wonder about the couple times FDNY sheared the buckets right off... NOT good times.


Jon

[Bones42]

You obviuosly don't use one do you?

No, the ones in this area have been replaced with tower ladders. Something about being able to get guys (and victims) up and down from the bucket...

I always thought this "option" was a nice feature over the straight snorkle (aerialscope)...

[jfTL41]

From speaking with shops personnel, no FDNY buckets have been "ripped off" from being overloaded, they have been ripped off by collapsing parapits, but for the amount of use the amount of incidents has been miniscule.

As for some of the benefits of the Aerialscope the biggest benefit in my mind is the bucket itself, with the single joystick control large catwalk, and full opening doors (in both directions) clear of that stupid limbo bar that many mfgrs use on their buckets.