Here are some Frequently Asked Questions you should consider when comparing LEKTRO to competitors
Q. One competitor states that parts, especially batteries, must be purchased through LEKTRO. Is this accurate?
A. This is completely false. LEKTRO has gone through a great deal of effort to use as many off-the-shelf components as possible. It is true that we have worked with certain manufacturers to build a battery suited to produce a true 28-volt battery designed to provide aircraft ground power. Most aircraft require 28 volts in order to operate avionics or start the engines. The common DC battery comes in 6 or 12-volt configurations (6v, 12, 24, 36, etc.). Using these common battery voltages, it is not possible to achieve a true 28-volt, which the aircraft is designed to accept. LEKTRO desired to match the aircraft manufacturers' requirements for ground power, and so the 4v/6v GPU battery was born. By adding a 4-volt tap to an existing 6-volt battery, LEKTRO tugs are able to provide true 28-volt GPU, as the manufacturer requires. One competitor advertises their system as a “28-30v GPU." Place a voltmeter to the output of a competitor’s fully-charged GPU. We believe you will find the voltage closer to 32-volts. This is far higher than allowed by the aircraft manufacturers. Any customer can replace LEKTRO’s 4v/6v battery with a standard 6-volt battery if they don’t feel they need a true 28-volt power supply. However, most of our customers want to match the aircraft’s battery requirements, and appreciate that LEKTRO has taken the effort to source a true 28-volt GPU battery.
Q. So the competitor’s claim that their GPU is 28-30 volts is false?
A. That is correct. One competitor uses five 6-volt batteries with no 4-volt tap. So if you take the volts and times it by the battery quantity, it comes to 30 volts. And since each battery cell is actually 2.2 volts, their 28-30 volts is actually closer to 32 volts, definitely far more than most 28-volt systems will allow. Aircraft with a max voltage limiter cannot accept some competitors’ GPU. It is necessary to discharge the batteries to allow voltage to deteriorate below the 30-volt limit.
Q. Are there specific regulations which tow vehicles are required to meet, and if so, do LEKTRO vehicles meet these requirements?
A. Yes, there are requirements for all vehicles produced in the U.S. They must meet American National Standards Institute, Society of Automotive Engineers and Occupational Safety and Hazard Association requirements. LEKTRO produces its products to meet all of these standards. Our Serial Plates reference the standards to which we adhere.
Q. Do all of your competitors produce to these standards?
A. Some do and some do not. Examples of non-compliance are:
- Redundant braking: It is non-compliant to have a runaway/no-brake condition. One competitor does not have a back-up braking system and can experience a no-brake condition.
- Emergency Disconnect by Operator: All electric vehicles need a method to disconnect power to the battery within the operator’s reach in addition to a key switch. One competitor has no way to disconnect the power to the batteries within the operator’s reach. As a matter of fact, it has been reported that units have shorted out and entered into a runaway condition with no way for the operator to kill the power without opening up the battery compartment and cutting the wires, (while the unit was moving).
- One competitor’s model has a 2-speed gearbox to attain the torque required to tow up to a manufacturer’s stated limits. (It either has speed or torque, not both). Operators often simply leave the gearbox in “low” to change between hi and low. A manual adjustment at the differential is virtually impossible to achieve with an aircraft in the cradle. This two-speed gearbox has been known to slip out of gear while in motion, which places the unit in a free-rolling state with NO BRAKING WHATSOEVER.
- A recessed spinner knob on the steering wheel is required to meet OSHA regulations. One competitor does not recess the steering wheel spinner knob on any of its models.
Q. Aren’t non-compliance issues potential safety hazards?
A. LEKTRO believes they are, and each of these organizations (ANSI, SAE, and OSHA as listed in the question above) determined these conditions provide enough of a hazard to the American worker to have written standards specifically to prevent them.
Q. If these are required, why doesn’t your competitor build to them?
A. We do not know. We suggest you ask our competitors directly why they do not manufacture a product capable of meeting basic workplace safety standards.
Q. I currently own a competitor’s unit. Is there anything I can do?
A. You might demand the competitor retrofit your unit so that it adheres to ANSI, SAE and OSHA regulations at no charge. If they will not, you might contact your attorney to determine your rights.
Q. If I do need to do maintenance on my LEKTRO, how hard is it to work on and how difficult is it to get parts?
A. LEKTRO has purposefully designed our products to be very easy to maintain. Access to nearly every component can be achieved easily. In addition, we have produced a manual that has every component detailed so the customer can see how to take the component apart and put it back together. We do not just provide a list of parts as some competitors do. We also assign a LEKTRO part number so you can easily identify the part you need.
Q. In comparing your product to the competitors, LEKTRO appears to be built with far superior components, made of thicker steel and appears heavier-duty. Is this reality or just a perception?
A. This is very true. Although many LEKTRO customer uses can be referred to as light-duty application, all LEKTRO vehicles are built for heavy-duty work requirements. Although it may be overkill for a light application, it will be a benefit in the long run as the LEKTRO will require far less maintenance (Some competitor units require annual battery replacement versus 5 year average for LEKTRO.), which in turn reduces operating cost substantially. Also, because LEKTRO tugs have the reputation for being heavy-duty, their resale value is excellent. In fact, in some cases, owners sell their used LEKTRO tugs for more than they paid for them!
Q. If LEKTRO tugs are built so much better, why is the selling price nearly the same with some competitors?
A. LEKTRO feels it is more important to provide a quality product and adhere to government regulations than to use less expensive, inferior components and make a larger profit. LEKTRO also runs an extremely efficient manufacturing operation, with the savings passed along to our customers.
Q. LEKTRO places its battery pack in the center of the vehicle. One of your competitors has the batteries located in exterior side compartment. Doesn’t having them near the exterior of the vehicle make it easier to access for service and replacement?
A. Most definitely having the batteries in the exterior side compartment of the vehicle makes accessing easier, especially if you have to replace them annually like many competitor’s customers do. However, placing the batteries, which are somewhat fragile and expensive, near the exterior side wall, subjects them to damage caused by a side impact. LEKTRO’s placement of the batteries in the center of the vehicle protects the battery and ensures the battery needs replacement only when it wears out, not due to impact damage.
Q. One competitor builds their charger into the vehicle chassis. Isn’t this more convenient?
A. For smaller batteries, like a golf cart, chargers can be small enough to build into the chassis. However, the proper charger for larger batteries is too large to be correctly built-in to the vehicle, plus all larger chargers run on 220-480 volts AC. As an operator, you really do not want your tug to be exposed to 220-480 volts, which will also require the tug to be UL approved. In addition, the shock and vibration associated with airport ramps could subject the on-board charger to damage. LEKTRO believes having the charger located externally and stationary in the hangar will save considerable problems for the operator in the long run.
Q. How does LEKTRO’s Sales and Service team compare to the competitors?
A. Nearly every LEKTRO salesman/dealer has come from the FBO/airline or military segments of the industry, so each thoroughly understands your requirements as well as the mechanics involved with towing aircraft and servicing ground support equipment. LEKTRO salespeople and support staff understand your industry, unlike some competitors who use “order takers” or towbar salesmen who have never towed an aircraft.
Q. How long does LEKTRO support its products?
A. LEKTRO has been in business since 1945 and has been under one family ownership since the beginning. LEKTRO still supports products it built in 1945. If certain components become obsolete, LEKTRO sources other components that can be used as a replacement. Consequently, as long as you want to keep your LEKTRO in operation, we plan to be here to support it. This over 60-year dedication to our customers has enabled LEKTRO to survive under a single-family ownership from the beginning. Some of our competitors are already under their 3rd and 4th ownerships in a relatively short period of time.
Q. What type of Quality Assurance programs does LEKTRO have in place to ensure good quality and long-term support after the sale?
A. LEKTRO has unbelievable product documentation, which is as good if not better than that offered by some of the largest companies in the world. This is quite important when it comes time to support the product several years down the road. To have good records of what components were used, where they were purchased and when, enables support for years and years to come. Also, LEKTRO has Quality Control stations throughout the various production stages to ensure the maximum quality is achieved at all areas of the manufacturing process.
Q. Why should we buy a LEKTRO over a competitor’s product?
A. Some of our competitors claim to be as good or better while some boast they use “newer” technology. We know LEKTRO is better because we have made it our priority to listen to our customers. The FBOs, aircraft manufacturers, corporate operators, the military and regional airlines are among those customers who have put LEKTRO tugs through various field tests in all types of environments for over 60 years. Feedback from this diverse group of experts has allowed us to improve quality, reduce problems, and raise customer satisfaction while meeting and exceeding the required standards. LEKTRO manufactures its products to be the highest quality, best-designed GSE products available and has been compared to some of the best European and Asian companies for quality, workmanship and reliability. Although LEKTRO may not be the least expensive product on the market, when you compare value, nothing comes close to LEKTRO.
Q. The AP8600/EZ still uses a chain drive system while your larger units use offset or planetary gearboxes. Why is this? (One of your competitors uses this argument against you all the time).
A. LEKTRO has stayed with the chain drive system because it is the most efficient and provides the reduction we need to achieve speed and torque. Not only are gearboxes more expensive (you can order the AP8600/EZ with a gearbox if you so choose), they are inherently less efficient, so amp draw increases, decreasing run time. The AP8600/EZ’s chain couples the drive motor to the Dana 44 differential, while providing gearing reduction required for speed and torque. The only maintenance is an occasional lubrication, tightening and eventual replacement, which is quite inexpensive. In lieu of a chain, one competitor uses a two- speed lawn mower differential that requires a manual adjustment at the differential (Try to do this with an aircraft hooked up.) and cannot be adjusted “on the fly.” In low gear, you have torque to tow but no speed, so if you need to tow any distance, you are restricted to nearly a crawl pace, which most airport authorities will not allow while operating on taxiways or crossing runways. When in high gear, you have the speed but cannot tow because of lack of torque. The LEKTRO AP8600/EZ chain system coupled to the Dana 44 differential allows for both. LEKTRO’s drive system is not only efficient, it performs substantially better than the competitor’s “Direct Drive.”