Don’t See These Everywhere

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AdFun9507@reddit

They’re great! Jetway bus that raises right up to the plane door… no climbing stairs from the tarmac. Pity they have faded out of use.

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jizlobr@reddit

I’ve only seen it used for terminal to terminal transfer

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AdFun9507@reddit

I thought it was one of these. Sorry.

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fly_awayyy@reddit

The one in the pic doesn’t raise these are for inter terminal transport. The ones that raise have the domes that house the jack screws that lower and raise them.

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jdmb0y@reddit

Dulles and Montréal. They've been continuously maintained since the 60s.

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dnaleromj@reddit

Did not k own those were at Montreal too. Same machine?

I just want one for my daily driver.

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jdmb0y@reddit

They're two lanes wide and two stories tall lol

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Stroemwallen@reddit

12 yards long, 2 lanes wide, 65 tons of American Pride! 🇺🇸

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alfienoakes@reddit

I think they’re at the now under used Mirabelle. Definitely been on one years ago.

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ogunshay@reddit

*Mirabel doesn't have passenger traffic anymore. Or a terminal for that matter 😄

They were used there when it was operating, but the ones in use in Montreal are at YUL, and only used for a handful of positions. I took one for the first time (in 30+ years of flying in and out of YUL) a few months back - I'd buy that they're from the 60s!

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thembones40@reddit

YULs are different machines. The IAD ones just go between terminals. The YUL ones have lifts in them and are designed to work as bridges too. Board them first and they drive out to the plane.

IAD used to use the same ones but don’t anymore.

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backshell@reddit

Be careful of the Lambos in parking lots.

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dnaleromj@reddit

Would you even notice?
Mine would have monster truck tires on it.

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kielu@reddit

Didn't the ones from Montreal have two tall cones on the roof to hide the lifting mechanisms?

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Vast_Emergency@reddit

Stuttgart airport also has them but they're almost exclusively used for getting pax with low mobility on and off aircraft. I got shoved on one last year when travelling with a colleague in a wheelchair, they're quite small and only suitable for moving a few dozen people.

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Various-Blood-3902@reddit

You’re hung up on some vehicle from the 60s man!

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Aviator-Intelligence@reddit (OP)

The 60’s?!? That’s a little crazy. I can’t imagine finding parts for them would be very easy.

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fly_awayyy@reddit

Article out there. IADs are being overhauled and outfitted with new engines and powertrain to keep them In life.

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Paqza@reddit

Kinda crazy they aren't full EV. Seems like the perfect application for it.

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AshleyAshes1984@reddit

Always pays to have a few dwarves on staff, ready to forge out whatever original parts you need.

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mattyGOAT1996@reddit

The magic of Dulles Airport. Unfortunately the train is replacing those lunar modules

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No-Divide-1693@reddit

This feels illegal to scroll past.

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FartInGenDirection@reddit

I wish they'd have one day a year where they'd race these

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PeteinaPete@reddit

Most of them look more like food trucks so you probably wouldn’t recognize them as disabled people carriers but they are out there

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fly_awayyy@reddit

Food trucks lol? These things are massive and stand taller than RJs and weight more than them.

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jdmb0y@reddit

That's about a 72" tire.

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PeteinaPete@reddit

Food delivery truck to the aircraft.. look similar

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rocketrex504@reddit

Mexico City had them the last I saw but it’s been a while lol

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EarlGrayHot@reddit

Man Dulles suuucks

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Swagger897@reddit

Atlanta has one in the corner of F gates but I’ve literally never seen it move before.

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agamblin1@reddit

You only need to ride once to know you never want to ride again. Especially when the AC is out. IAD minus the international terminal needs a complete redo.

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getdownheavy@reddit

🩶

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chaseinger@reddit

the unholy bastard child of a jet bridge and an apron bus.

they're cool in a jetsons kinda way, but in reality slower than either its parents and a maintenance nightmare.

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Euro_Snob@reddit

Not fun for passengers either… the drivers at IAD can’t decide if they should drive super slow or take corners like race car drivers. (A bit unsettling when sitting at a triple decker level) 😅

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jasandliz@reddit

the first time experiencing this rare airport feature is a trip. i was saying wtf the entire time.

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GenitalPatton@reddit

Or slam into the terminal!

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TTTBeekman@reddit

You can still ride in them!

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jizlobr@reddit

Unfortunately

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Ordinary_Kyle@reddit

I hate flying home through dulles because of these

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Maximus13@reddit

I always hope I'll get to ride one of these in YUL, but so far no luck..

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langley10@reddit

You’ll ride one once… wonder why you were so excited about it and that’ll be that… they aren’t that amazing to ride, just glorified buses with up down stuff that can happen. I may experience they also reek of exhaust fumes.

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GuaranteeUnhappy3342@reddit

I thought it was interesting (I rode them a few times at IAD) but no strong positive or negative feelings about them. I think being delivered to the aircraft by them is better than a bus ride from a terminal to a remote terminal and then waiting to board in a somewhat large waiting room that is pretty dead is worse.

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Maximus13@reddit

Just a bucket list type of thing and considering they're not found everywhere, it's a unique experience

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MeMyselfAndYoMomma@reddit

I started with Delta in 1990. Dulles for years had no gates for us. We would park on the ramp near our little ops building and the people movers would come get us. Finally they built concourses we could park at. Walk down and get on a people mover! Finally they built a long walkway from the concourse to the terminal as I recall so you had a choice. At least they had a Starbucks.

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MacGibber@reddit

Is this YUL or IAD?

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Aviator-Intelligence@reddit (OP)

This is in Dulles.

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Admirable_Cry_3795@reddit

It’s been a while since I’ve been to IAD

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Zigzag0333@reddit

Would make an interesting camper conversion

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Bluishdoor76@reddit

Yeh the mobile lounges are pretty cool here at IAD, but are a pretty scary sight when you're sharing driving space with them.

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Velosprints@reddit

They are miserable, and I hope they all spontaneously blow up

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jizlobr@reddit

Thankfully

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DeadEndTimes@reddit

I hate them so much. Earlier this month only one was running when I flew into IAD. When I left a few days later out of D I took the train to C, walked through the PenFed corral and then hoof it all the way back.

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Texas_Kimchi@reddit

IAD has them! During the pandemic they loaded you onto them like cattle to take you to the COVID testing area.

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bravoaviation@reddit

Saw these coming into Montreal a few days ago!

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OkSatisfaction9850@reddit

Mars rovers here on earth

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zemelb@reddit

I know an IAD people mover when I see it lol

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rocketshipkiwi@reddit

I’ve been in one of those. They drive you to the plane and then lift you up to the door. They are well cool.

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go4long@reddit

I fly through Montreal regularly and see them there. Never been on/in one though.

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space_god_7191@reddit

IAD?

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Aviator-Intelligence@reddit (OP)

Yep, that’s where the picture is taken.

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HENMAN79@reddit

IAD

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Aviator-Intelligence@reddit (OP)

This is a photo I took on the ramp at Dulles.