Fall protection for the Boeing C-17

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The C17 Wingrip® Fall Protection System

The Latchways Wingrip System has been selected by Boeing as the method of fall protection for the C17.

• Wingripexceededtherequiredperformanceparameters in all test conditions.

• Wingripisatrulyversatilesystemallowing safe access to all areas of the aircraft.

• Wingripisquickandeasytoinstall.

• WingripisdesignedandmanufacturedbyLatchways, the world leader in the field of engineered fall protection.

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Wingripinuse

The performance criteria of the Wingrip system on the C17 are:

• Thehorizontallifelinesystem(HLL)iscertifiedforfallarresthoweverbestpracticedictatesthatitshouldbeusedasfallrestraint.

• Thesystemshouldbepositionedtoensurethatusersarenotexposedtoafallhazard.

• Thesystemcapacityisfourusers,twopeopleoneach of the twin cables.

• TheuniquedesignoftheWingripshuttleallowsyoutowalkthefulllengthofthewing/fuselage/horizontalstabiliserwithoutdisconnectingormanualintervention.

Edgeofblacklinesmarkedonwing.Designatedwalkingsurface.

95th percentile

Noslackinlanyard

Personnel are always restrained from

reachingfallhazard

Fallhazard Fallhazard

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The installation process

Theinstallationprocessforthesystemisquick and easy.

• Attachtheairornitrogensupplytothevacuummoduleandpositionitateithergroundleveloron the maintenance stand depending on which section of the aircraft needs to be accessed.

• Installthefirstendanchorpad,performvacuumcheck,thenusingtheflyingpadandtwinlanyard,usethe‘threepadloopmethod’(seeinstallationmanual)toinstallremainingintermediatesandendanchor,i.e.usetheflyingpadtoremainattachedto the aircraft at all times, leapfrogging the pads in thelinesystem.Performavacuumcheckoneach padasyougo.

• Connecttheturnbuckleandenergyabsorberto end anchor pads and insert cable into the intermediatepadbracket.

• Tensioneachcablewithturnbuckleuntildisc spinsfreely(indicatingthecorrecttensionhasbeenachieved).

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The Wingrip system on the wing

Fourworkerscanaccessallareasofthewing whenthetwinlinesystemisusedinconjunction withtheshuttleandworkpositioningrope.

The Wingrip system and the C17

LatchwayshaveworkedwithBoeingtoformulateanallencompassingsystemkitthatcoversthethreemainareas of maintenance on the C17:

• An80ftsystemforthemainwingsurface

• An80ftsystemforthetopofthefuselage

• A30ftsystemforthehorizontalstabiliser.

TheLatchwayspartnumberforthesystemis 15917-00andtheNSNreferenceis 4240-99-275-5283.Thiskitallowsanyone ofthethreeconfigurationstobesetupatatime.

20ft(typical)

Edgeofblacklinesmarkedonwing.Designatedwalkingsurface.

End anchor pad

Intermediatepad

Do not install anchor pads

on fairings

80ftcable

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The Wingrip system on the stabiliser

TheWingripsystemonthestabiliserisusedin a similar way to the wing system.

TheWingripsystemonthefuselage

Thefuselagesystemispositionedtoavoidkeyavionicscomponents.

End anchor pad

80ftcable

End anchor pad

Intermediatepad

Intermediatepad

30ftcable

Additionalintermediate pad requiredtoavoidcomposite fairing

Fuselagewalkingsurface Antennas Do not install anchor pads on composite fairings/fillets

Hatchaccess

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TheWingripflyingpadsystem

Thesingleortwinpadsystemallowsforquickand easy installation for temporary maintenance requirements.

Wingripassurance

• Latchwaysplc,themanufacturerofWingrip,buildsstrongworkingrelationshipswithitscustomers.

• Latchwaysprovidesacompleteservicepackage;from design, testing and certification of the Wingripsystemthroughtoinstallation/usertrainingandlong-termglobalserviceandsupport.

• TheWingripsystemisindependentlytestedandrated for fall arrest with a safety factor of two.

• TheWingripsystemisOSHA/ANSIand EN795compliant.CEcertificationandfull testreportsareavailable.

Flying anchor pad

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TheInventoryofComponentryunder15917-00andNSNreference4240-99-275-5283

VacuumModule 1

EndAnchorPad 2

IntermediatePad 4 (3forwing&4forfuselage)

FlyingAnchorPad 1

80ftHLLCableAssembly 2 (ForWing/Fuselage)

30ftHLLCableAssembly 2 (ForHorizontalStabiliser)

Line Tenser 2

50ftVacuumHose 1

20ftVacuumHose 6

HLLEnergyAbsorber 2

ShuttlewithShockAbsorber 4

Single Lanyard 4

Twin-Lanyard 1

Case 2

NitrogenCartAdaptor 1

Flying anchor padTheWingripflyingpadorsinglepadcanbeusedasasingle pointanchor(foroneperson) orforthesetuporremovalof the twin cable system. The padtakessecondstoreachfullvacuumsoisperfectforquickmaintenancetasks.

bar pressure

VacuummoduleThevacuummoduleispoweredby compressed air or nitrogen withnorequirementforelectricity and so is intrinsically safefor‘openfueltank’environments.Itgeneratesavacuumandmonitorstheincomingairpressureandthevacuumlevel.Ifthevacuumorairpressurelevelsdropbelowtheminimumawarningairhornsounds,howeverthepadwillremainsecurelyattachedfortwentyminutes.

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End anchor padTheendanchorpadusedinthe twin line system has to withstand the greatest loads. Itthereforehasalargersurfacearea than both the intermediate andflyinganchorpads(thesesmallerpadsarethesamesizebutwithdifferentattachments).

IntermediatepadAdistinctivebracketisattachedto the intermediate pad which allows the cables to be retained securelywhilstallowingtheshuttletopassthroughitwithouthavingtodisconnect.

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ShuttleTheshuttleconnectstotheWingrip cable and glides throughtheintermediatepadsavoidingthehazardofhavingto disconnect and reconnect at eachintermediate.Anenergyabsorber is attached to the shuttlewhichreducestheload totheoperativeincaseofafall.

Cable and spoolerThe stainless steel cable is coatedwhichremovesanymetal on metal contact with theaircraft.Itisswagedinto a threaded section so it can be connected to the system, the integrity of the swage being easilycheckedviaaswage slip indicator.

The cable spooler stores the cables neatly allowing simple deployment.

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Single lanyardTheWingriplanyardsareauniquedesignandshouldonlybeusedforconnectingtoWingripdevices.Theattachmentkarabinerisrubbercoatedeliminatinganymetalonmetalcontactwiththeaircraft.Thelanyardensurestheuseris‘restrained’bylengtheningorshorteningtheropeusingtherockerdevice.

Twin lanyardThe twin lanyard has two ropesenablingthe‘threepadloop’(seeinstallationmanual)method to be employed duringsetuporremovalofthe twin cable system. Similar to the single lanyard it has an adjustablerockerdeviceandarubbercoatedattachmenthookeliminatingmetalonmetal contact and any potential damage to the aircraft.

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VacuumhoseThevacuumhosesarebrightredtoaidvisibilityandarealsoanti-crushsoifcompressedinanywaytheflowofairisunaffected.Thehosesarefittedwithaparticularsealedhydraulicfittingsotheycannotbeconfusedwithcompressedair lines.

Energy absorberThe energy absorber is designedtoreducetheloadtotheendanchorduringafall.Theloadexperiencedwillbeless than half of the capability oftheendanchorgivingasafety factor of 2.

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TurnbuckleTheturnbuckleisusedtoputtensionintothecablesusingaleft and right hand thread.

Line tenserThelinetenserisusedinthecable system, spinning freely when the cables are correctly tensioned. This is important toensurethecabledeflection is controlled.

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T adaptorThe T adaptor is fitted to all pads in a line system allowing a spare attachment point for theflyingpadwhichisrequiredduringthesetupandremovalof the system.

CasesThe Wingrip cases are purposebuiltwithpressurereliefvalvesandcertifiedforair transport. The cases also protect the Wingrip systems whennotinuse.

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Whydoyouneedasystem?

Employersarebecomingincreasinglyvigilantinprotectingthoseemployeeswhoareexposedtothehazardsofworkingatheight.Theincreasingnumberofinjuriesandfatalitiesfromfallsareequallya concern of legislators.

• TherearetwomainsectionsoflegislationthatcoverEuropeandNorthAmericawhichare TheTemporaryWorkingatHeightDirectiveand OSHArespectively.

• Thelegislationcovers;wherefallprotectionisneeded, which systems are acceptable and who is responsible.

• EN795,OSHA29CFR1910.66AppendixC, SectionI,(c)(9)andANSIZ359-2007arekeypiecesoflegislationthatdirectlygoverntheperformanceoffallprotectionsystemsandshouldbe familiar to all those responsible for maintenance atheight(Latchwayscanprovidedetailedadviceonthelegislation).

• Whilstthebestwaytopreventanaccidentis toeliminateworkingatheightthisisrarelypossible/practical.

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Systemdevelopmentandtesting

Latchwaysworkswithallmajoraircraftmanufacturers.AnexampleofthisistherelationshipwithBoeing.OveraperiodoffiveyearsLatchwayshas—togetherwithBoeing—workedonanextensivedevelopmentand test programme.

• Allsystemshavebeentestedinwetanddryconditionssimulatingdifferentfreefallheightsfromvariouspositionsonthesystem.

• Arangeofdistancesfromthecentre/edgeof the wing were tested.

• Thesystemsweretestedbeyondthestandardsdetailedinthelegislation.Theresultsshowedthatthesystemwascapableofwithstanding‘extremeconditions’.Forexampleafreefalldistanceof14.4ftandanextremeweightof564lbs(droppedsequentially)werewellwithinthe systems capability.

220lbs

220lbs

220lbs

330lbs

282lbs

282lbs

4.9

ft (1

.5 m

)

9.1

ft (2

.77 m

)

10.6

ft (3

.23 m

)

14.4

ft (4

.4 m

)

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Key benefits of the Wingrip system

• Systemisratedfor4people.

• Wingripisanengineeredsystemwithallcomponentshavingasafetyfactoroftwo,thesystem being rated for fall arrest as well as fall restraintonbothwetanddrysurfaces.

• Wingripsystemsaresuitableforbothheavyandlightmaintenance,insideoroutsidethehangerandwillcoverallsectionsoftheaircraft.

• Themodulecreatesthevacuumwithinthepads byusingcompressedair/nitrogenandiscompletelynon-electricalthereforesuitablefor useinan‘openfueltanksenvironment’.

• AWingripsystemisquickandeasytoinstall andprovidesacosteffectivealternativeto mobiledocking.

• TheLatchwaysshuttlegiveshandsfree movementalongthefullcablelength.

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Multi-usersystem

• Thesystemconsistsoftwoendanchorpads with intermediates between them.

• Theintermediatepadsareplacedat20ftintervals.

• Twocables(coatedtopreventanymetalonmetalcontact)arestrungbetweenthepads.

• Fourworkerscanconnecttothesystem.

WINGRIPWINGRIP WINGRIP

WINGRIP

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Singleusersystem

AsingleWingripvacuumanchorpadprovidesfallprotectiononwings,fuselageorstabilisers.

• Thesinglepadisparticularlysuitedtolinemaintenanceandothershorttermtemporarywork.

• Thesystemisquickandeasytoinstall.

• Canbesuppliedwithasmallre-chargeable gasbottlemakingitcompletelyportable.

• Theadjustableworkpositioningropecreatesasafeworkingradiusof10ft.

• Wherenecessary,twovacuumpadscanbeusedtotriangulateandfixtheworkersposition.

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Latchways—TheWorldLeaderinEngineered Fall Protection

• Latchwaysisaninternationalpubliccompanydesigning,manufacturingandmarketingarangeoffallprotectionsystemstoavarietyofindustriesaroundtheworld.

• Latchwayshasdesignedsystemsforarangeofindustries—telecoms,utilities,industry,constructionandaerospace.Applicationsincludetransmission towers, wind farms, roofing systems, cranerailsandtelecomsmasts.Infactanywherethere is danger of a fall.

• Latchwaysoffersaworldwidedesign,serviceandmaintenancepackage.

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Wingrip—thesystemofchoice fortheaircraftindustry

• AirbusspecifyWingripastheonlytoolonallaircrafttypes forworkingatheightasdetailedintheirmaintenancemanuals.DuringproductionatAirbus,Wingripistheonly toolusedonA300,A380,A340,A330,A318,19,20,21andalsoontheA400M.

• BoeingextensivelyuseWingripduringproductionoftheDreamlineraswellasotheraircrafttypes.BoeingAOGteamsexclusivelyuseWingripontheirfleetincludingB737,B767,B777, B747.

• LockheedMartinhaveaspecificsystemwhichtheyuse fortheF-117NighthawkandLockheedalsousethesystemduringproductionoftheC-130.

• TheRoyalAirForceuseWingripfordifferentaircrafttypesincludingTristar,Nimrod,VC-10,andC-130.OthermilitaryorganisationsthatusethesystemincludetheUSAF,RAAF,ArmeeD’Lair,SpanishAirForce,DanishAirForceandtheGermanAirForce.Worldwidewehavesystemsonmanymilitaryaircraft,someofwhicharetheC5,B52,P3, Tornado and Casa 295.

• AlargenumberofcommercialairlinesandMROsuse thesystem,includingLufthansa,BA,Qantas,SingaporeAirlines,KLM,AmericanAirlines,AirFrance,Emirates, QatarandDelta.

Wingrip contact details

Outside Americas

Tim Fletcher WingripSalesManager Latchways plc Tel:+44(0)1380732764 Email:tim.fletcher@latchways.com www.latchways.com

Americas

Carl Cooper FlexibleLifelineSystemsInc Tel:(206)718-3764 Email:carl.cooper@flexiblelifeline.com www.flexiblelifeline.com

WingripisaregisteredtrademarkofLatchwaysplc.