FLEXIBLE OVER THE WING PASSENGER LOADING BRIDGE

摘要

Disclosed is a novel apparatus for moving passengers between an airport terminal building and a doorway of an aircraft located rearward of a wing of the aircraft. The inventive apparatus includes a passageway member pivotally anchored to one of the terminal building and a passenger loading bridge for servicing a front doorway of a same aircraft. The apparatus includes a telescopic passageway member that is pivotally mounted to the passageway member via a flexible connection. In use, the apparatus is cantilevered over the wi ng of an aircraft with the flexible connection substantially above a highest point along an upper surface of the aircraft wing. The flexible connection allows a cabin carried at an outboard end of t he telescopic passageway member to mate to the rear doorway of the aircraft, providing an open passageway between the rear doorway and the terminal building through which passengers deplane. Positioning the flexible connection above the high point of the wing approximately minimizes the inclination of each passageway member floor surface.