Aircraft Airbag Recovery Equipment

Before you buy lifting bags, watch this recovery.

Pneumatic lifting bags are proven heavy-recovery equipment — and for a belly landing, they're the right call. But most disabled-aircraft incidents are flat tires and gear failures. For those, PlaneSkate clears the runway in 17 minutes with no lift plan, no crane, and no recovery crew.

17 hrs
Average closure without equipment
17 min
Runway clear with PlaneSkate
45 sec
Deployment, no lift plan
$200K+
Cost of one incident

Two different jobs. Two different tools.

This is an honest comparison. Airbag systems and PlaneSkate both recover disabled aircraft — they just recover different incidents.

 
Airbag lifting systems
PlaneSkate
Best for
Belly landings, collapsed gear, fuselage lifts
Flat tires and gear failures — the most common incidents
Method
Lift the aircraft on pneumatic bags
Roll it on its own gear — flat tire and all
Setup
Lift plan, staging, trained recovery crew
Deploys in under 45 seconds
Time to clear
Hours — often with contractor mobilization
17 minutes, average
Who runs it
Specialist recovery team
Your own ops or maintenance staff
Capacity
Very high — widebody-class lifts
Up to 100,000 lbs; 187,500 lbs with the C-130 Extension Kit

If your risk profile includes belly landings, own the bags — or know the contractor who has them. PlaneSkate doesn't replace airbag recovery. What it replaces is the 17-hour wait when a King Air blows a main on your only runway. See how it compares to conventional aircraft recovery dollies and flat tire dollies.

The roll-off option, in three sizes.

PlaneSkate 15K
Up to 15,000 lbs

Light twins through King Airs and light jets.

$6,995
View the 15K →
PlaneSkate 70K
Up to 70,000 lbs

The largest piston twins, turboprops, and medium corporate jets. Dual-main-gear ready.

$29,750
View the 70K →
PlaneSkate 100K
Up to 100,000 lbs

Regional commuter jets, heavy corporate jets, and military aircraft. 18,000 lb winch.

$72,450
View the 100K →

“The 100K PlaneSkate paid for itself the first time we used it. It is now an essential piece of equipment in our inventory.”

Joe Harris · Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)

See the roll-off before you price the lift.

One incident can cost $200,000 or more. The equipment that clears the common cases starts at $6,995 and deploys in under 45 seconds. Run your numbers, then see it work in person.

Or call 1-763-271-9393.