Lifting the world’s largest aircraft

Modulift's debut aircraft lifting system marked a new era in the commercial and military aerospace sectors when it launched back in 2007 for AMS Aircraft Recovery. When an aircraft fails it must be lifted – safely and efficiently – to get the runway open again and reduce airport disruption. With many incidents happening across the world each year, AMS Aircraft Recovery works with airport authorities, airlines, and military air forces worldwide to lift aeroplanes – including the Airbus A380, the largest aeroplane in the world – to keep the world’s runways open.

Having served the Worldwide Aviation Community with aircraft recovery solutions since 1988, AMS has become the leading supplier of Crash Damaged & Disabled Aircraft Recovery (CDDAR) equipment to the military and a trusted supplier to commercial airports and airlines around the world.

Approaching their seventeenth year of collaboration, AMS and Modulift are not resting on their laurels since the original equipment launched. As the aviation market has evolved, so have the lifting systems. Wider body planes such as the A350, A380, and B777 call for a different type of system to military aircraft.

In 2020 AMS Aircraft Recovery merged with AGE Logistics Corp, the leading supplier of Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery (CDDAR) equipment to the US military and the Air Forces of allies around the world. The United States Air Force integrated AMS equipment into their CDDAR training program; equipping their teams to respond to often precarious situations such as pulling a jet out of swampland or recovering a disabled aircraft due to a landing mishap or mechanical failure.

AMS have built their fleet around these ever-changing market needs, ensuring their lifting systems cater to different recovery scenarios, from burst tyres and runway excursions to nose and main gear failures. Sometimes on airport runways and sometimes in more unusual locations.

The revolutionary systems; Fuselage Lifting System and OWL© Over Wing Lift System centre around Modulift’s flagship product, the MOD© Spreader Beam. This modular, interchangeable product range is made up of struts, end units and drop links, all of which are utilised in the AMS fleet together with optional extras such as the clevis drop-link & delta plate and stepdown end unit.

AMS has taken this one step further and combined custom-built equipment into its offering. Bespoke hanging plates accommodate both narrow and wide body aircraft in the Fuselage Lifting System, and most recently a spreader beam for aircraft towing was added to the fleet.

Designed by Modulift’s in-house technical engineering team and manufactured at their state-of-the-art facility in the UK, the custom products meet airframe manufacturer ARM/ARDs and adhere to industry standards such as IATA guidelines. All Modulift products are designed in accordance with UK & Europe Compliance standards such as DNV and BS EN together with worldwide ISO 17096 certification. Having worked across the Aerospace, Defence and Oil & Gas sectors to name a few, Modulift understands the needs of these industries and the guidelines that need to be met by their end users.

Sarah Spivey, Managing Director at Modulift said “Our long-standing partnership with AMS Aircraft Recovery marks our commitment to bringing innovative lifting solutions to niche industries such as aerospace. Ensuring a safe lift is the backbone of everything we do here at Modulift, with our projects spanning many industry sectors such as Oil & Gas, Nuclear and Defence. Our team of in-house Technical Engineers work closely with our Projects and Manufacturing teams who are all under one roof. We are proud of our 17-year-long relationship with AMS Aircraft Recovery, which demonstrates our commitment to innovation, longevity and safety within the industry.”

Modulift's collaboration with AMS Aircraft Recovery Ltd marks a significant milestone in the aerospace industry, combining expertise, innovation, and cutting-edge technology to redefine aircraft recovery operations. Through the integration of Modulift's engineered lifting solutions and AMS Aircraft Recovery’s specialist knowledge; airports, airlines, and military air forces worldwide can expect enhanced safety, efficiency, and reliability in aircraft recovery operations.