Air Mobility Battlelab’s HASK initiative combines cargo, passenger loaders

Published Jan. 19, 2007
By Tech. Sgt. Scott Sturkol
Air Mobility Warfare Center Public Affairs

FORT DIX, N.J. -- With a mission to make loading passengers and cargo easier, the Air Mobility Warfare Center's Air Mobility Battlelab came up with an innovative idea using existing technology -- the Halverson Air Stairs Kit, or HASK.

The HASK concept is a passenger stairs attachment kit designed to entirely replace the existing walk deck found on the right side of the Halverson 25,000-pound capable cargo loader, according to the project manager of the HASK initiative, Master Sgt. Rudy Cartagena, Air Mobility Battlelab.

"This is done with minimal changes for adaptation, so all functionality of the loader remains," Sergeant Cartagena said. "Height adjustments are controlled and provided by the loader. In the 'stairs' mode, the steps remain level regardless of height adjustments provided by the loader. In the 'cargo' mode with the stairs stowed, the steps close flat and work as a walk deck. At any time, the stairs can be removed and the original walk deck can be re-fitted. The HASK was built by FMC Airline Systems, who also builds the Halverson."

The idea of dual-use material handling equipment like the HASK to address the lack of passenger stairs at forward bases originated from former Air Force Chief of Staff (ret.) Gen. Ronald Fogleman.

"Often times, passenger stairs are not available during the first few weeks after the onset of deployed operations," Sergeant Cartagena said. "Cargo loaders will always be available because they're needed to download aircraft cargo. Modifying a loader with passenger stairs makes both cargo and passenger capabilities available simultaneously."

The idea with HASK, Sergeant Cartagena said, is to have it deploy with first responders in support of global contingencies, where cargo handling is needed.

"The idea of being able to handle both cargo and passengers with one piece of equipment, while not increasing the footprint, seems like a sure winner," he said. "All branches of the military that travel by air can potentially benefit from this technology. The concept may also provide a means of deploying personnel anywhere a commercial aircraft can land."

One concern against using a HASK-modified cargo loader brought forward by members of the Air Force air transportation career field is that it would take the loader away from its primary mission of handling cargo.

"However, feedback from the field indicates that when passenger stairs are not available at air travel hubs, the loaders are frequently used to download passengers," Sergeant Cartagena said. "So why not add passenger stairs to the loader to download passengers more safely?"

Sergeant Cartagena added dual-use equipment like the HASK-modified loaders can definitely play a role in military operations of the future with a high potential to improve passenger and cargo handling.

"Even if further field testing finds the HASK loader not to be ready for prime time, all the work and resources were not lost," Sergeant Cartagena said. "HASK might serve as the ground work for the future cargo and passenger handling concepts. Perhaps future generations of loaders will incorporate a lighter, fully automated version of the HASK concept."

The Air Mobility Battlelab's mission is to continuously explore and rapidly demonstrate innovative ideas that improve the ability of Mobility Air Forces to execute their core competencies.

Military or Department of Defense employees wishing to submit an idea to the battlelab can do so through its Web site: www.amwc.af.mil/ battlelab/index.asp. Vendors can also submit through the Fed Biz Operations Web site: www.fbo.gov.

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