This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) covers handicapped passenger boarding devices used airside to transfer handicapped passengers between the terminal building and the aircraft. It provides an elevating platform to facilitate access to the aircraft; it does not cover devices for in-terminal or streetside transfers, wheelchairs for on-board aircraft or in-terminal usage, or aircraft boarding bridges. However, it should be recognized that for many handicapped passengers, a boarding chair is necessary for the lifting operation and movement to the passenger's seat inside the aircraft cabin. Such wheelchairs are widely used in larger aircraft, and the Federal Aviation Agency has developed a performance specification for a boarding chair for commuter aircraft.
