Frequently Asked Questions

PlaneSkate is a purpose-built aircraft recovery system used by airports and military bases to move a disabled aircraft off an active runway in 17 minutes — without jacking the aircraft, removing the tire, or waiting for a contractor. It is manufactured by Disabled Aircraft Tools, LLC, in Buffalo, Minnesota.

Every PlaneSkate is engineered, assembled, and shipped from Buffalo, Minnesota. PlaneSkate is the operating brand of Disabled Aircraft Tools, LLC.

PlaneSkate was founded by Mike Wiskus — 2002 US National Aerobatic Champion, 2004 US Aerobatic Team member, and a pilot with more than 31,000 hours of flight time. Mike Danielson serves as Chief Operating Officer.

PlaneSkate units have been in field use at US airports since 2014, including at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

Three sizes. PlaneSkate 15K handles aircraft up to 15,000 lbs gross weight — general aviation, regional aircraft, military trainers. PlaneSkate 70K handles aircraft up to 70,000 lbs gross weight — large twin-engine piston, turboprops, and light, medium, and large corporate jets at county, regional, and major airports. PlaneSkate 100K handles aircraft up to 100,000 lbs gross weight — regional jets, narrow-body commercial, large military aircraft. All three clear a runway in 17 minutes with no jacks and no tire removal.

PlaneSkate covers three aircraft gross weight tiers: 15,000 lbs (PlaneSkate 15K, general aviation and military trainers), 70,000 lbs (PlaneSkate 70K, corporate jets and turboprops), and 100,000 lbs (PlaneSkate 100K, regional jets, narrow-body commercial airliners, large military aircraft, and warbirds).

Yes. The PlaneSkate 100K is engineered for aircraft up to 100,000 lbs gross weight, which covers regional jets and narrow-body commercial airliners (Boeing 737 family, Airbus A220, and Airbus A319/320 narrow-body classes within weight limits). For corporate jets up to 70,000 lbs the PlaneSkate 70K is the right fit. For specific airframe compatibility, contact PlaneSkate directly.

PlaneSkate is compatible with aircraft from single-engine piston through narrow-body commercial airliners and warbirds, up to the gross weight limit of the model in use — 15,000 lbs for the 15K, 70,000 lbs for the 70K, and 100,000 lbs for the 100K. All three models work with conventional and tricycle gear configurations.

The PlaneSkate 70K is sized for county, regional, and major airports that regularly handle corporate-class traffic — the largest twin-engine piston aircraft, turboprops, and light, medium, and large corporate jets. Choose it when your aircraft mix sits above the 15,000-lb limit of the 15K but below the regional-jet / narrow-body class covered by the 100K. The 70K has a lower 3-inch deck height to clear the largest and lowest-hanging landing gear doors common on corporate airframes, and supports up to 40,000 lbs per single landing gear with a 20% safety margin.

The PlaneSkate 70K handles aircraft up to 70,000 lbs gross weight — the largest twin-engine piston aircraft, turboprops, and light, medium, and large corporate jets. It is sized for the fleet mix at county, regional, and major airports that regularly service corporate-size aircraft. The unit measures 48" long × 45.5" wide × 11" tall with a 3-inch deck height for landing gear door clearance, and weighs 375 lbs.

The average disabled-aircraft incident closes a runway for approximately 17 hours when the conventional recovery process is used — calling a contractor, waiting for arrival, jacking the aircraft, removing the damaged tire, and then moving the aircraft. PlaneSkate clears the same runway in 17 minutes.

17 minutes from the box to a clear runway. No jacks. No tire removal. No contractor wait. The PlaneSkate is operated by the airport's own ground team, not a specialist.

PlaneSkate is operated by the airport's own ground operations team. No specialist contractor is required. The unit is delivered with training and operating documentation.

A standard PlaneSkate deployment is performed by a small ground crew — typically 2 to 3 operations personnel. Specific staffing requirements depend on the aircraft size and the recovery scenario.

Yes. All three PlaneSkate models — the 15K, the 70K, and the 100K — work on ice, snow, gravel, sand, dirt, grass, potholes, and runway surface cracks. The caster systems are designed for non-ideal recovery conditions, including surfaces where conventional recovery equipment fails.

When a plane blocks a runway, the airport must keep it closed to all aircraft until the disabled aircraft is moved. Conventional recovery — calling a contractor, waiting for arrival, jacking the aircraft, removing the tire — takes an average of 17 hours. Airports equipped with PlaneSkate clear the same runway in 17 minutes using their own ground operations team.

One disabled-aircraft incident at a mid-size airport typically costs $200,000 to $500,000 or more in delay, diversion, and ground operations costs. With the PlaneSkate 15K priced at $5,829, the 70K at $22,590, and the 100K at $59,327, the equipment pays for itself the first time it is used.

"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) / Metropolitan Airports Commission

Civilian airports and FBOs purchase PlaneSkate directly from Disabled Aircraft Tools, LLC. Military procurement is available through SAM.GOV, GSA Schedule, and DLA contracting channels. Contact PlaneSkate at planeskate.com/contact to begin a quote or demo.

The PlaneSkate 15K is $5,829. The PlaneSkate 70K is $22,590. The PlaneSkate 100K is $59,327. One disabled-aircraft incident at a mid-size airport typically costs $200,000 to $500,000 or more in delay, diversion, and ground operations costs — so the equipment pays for itself the first time it is used. See the 17-Hour Incident Calculator for your airport's numbers.

PlaneSkate equipment is engineered to meet FAA airport operations standards for ground support equipment. The system is in use at FAA Part 139 commercial-service airports.

Yes. PlaneSkate units are MIL-SPEC eligible and available through three federal contracting channels: SAM.GOV registration (Disabled Aircraft Tools, LLC), GSA Schedule, and DLA contracting. The military model uses the same physical hardware as the civilian 100K — the difference is in procurement paperwork, MIL-SPEC documentation, and training materials. The 70K is a civilian model and is not part of the standard military procurement lineup.

The PlaneSkate 100K is available through three federal contracting channels: SAM.GOV registration (Disabled Aircraft Tools, LLC), GSA Schedule, and DLA contracting. The military model uses the same physical hardware as the civilian 100K — the difference is in procurement paperwork, MIL-SPEC documentation, and training materials. A C-130 Extension Kit is available as an add-on to the 100K for heavy-lift transport recovery operations.