Wheelchair loading device for aircraft

A lift for loading and unloading able persons and disabled persons in wheelchairs onto and off of a commuter aircraft, comprising in combination a base, platform, means mounted on the base for vertically moving said platform substantially perpendicularly, with respect to ground between positions adjacent the ground and a doorway of the commuter aircraft, and stairs;

• said platform including an apron mounted thereon and adapted to allow said able persons and disabled persons to be loaded from the platform onto the commuter aircraft, or unloaded from the commuter aircraft onto the platform, and further adapted to allow said able persons and disabled persons to be loaded from the ground to the platform, or unloaded from the platform to the ground;
• said stairs having an upper section mounted on or adjacent a side of the platform when the platform is between a first upper level of the platform and a second upper level of the platform but is not so mounted when the platform is below said first upper level, the stairs being extendible between the said first upper level and the said second upper level, and when the lift is in use, the stairs being substantially in parallel alignment with the fuselage of the commuter aircraft, whereby able persons may use such lift as stair access to or from the platform when the platform is adjacent the commuter aircraft doorway;
• said means mounted on the base comprising:
• a movable means supported by the base and engaging a platform support means, the platform support means engaging the platform;
• and a drive means engaging the movable means selectively to drive the movable means, whereby when the drive means is activated, the platform can be selectively raised or lowered.