aerial tip

The tip of the aerial ladder on a tractor drawn aerial sits directly in front of the tiller operator when bedded in its cradle. Aerial ladders routinely have scene lights, intercom systems, brackets, controls, etc. attached to the tip. These items can block or obstruct the view of the tiller operator when they are in the tiller cab trying to maneuver the trailer.

Trying to balance the need for lights and equipment at the end of the aerial while at the same time reducing the aerial tip profile can be challenging. It’s very important during the design phase to limit the amount of equipment that is placed on the tip of the aerial.

EXAMPLES

FIGURE A:

Notice how clean the aerial tip is and how good the Tiller sight lines are in this example. (Click to enlarge)

Click to enlarge (Pictures from the tiller cab do not always represent the most accurate view) — Click to enlarge *(Pictures from the tiller cab do not always represent the most accurate view)*

FIGURE B:

Using the same aerial as an example, look at the difference between the aerial tips. (Click to enlarge)

There is a lot of equipment on this aerial tip that could obstruct some of the tiller operator’s sight lines. (Click to enlarge)

These two pictures demonstrate how bigger scene lights on the tip of the aerial can create a potential obstacle for the tiller operator's view. (Click to enlarge)