| The Ascendant aerial ladder features weight optimised design structure, high-strength steel as well as custom tubing |
Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation company, recently unveiled the Pierce® Ascendant™ heavy-duty aerial ladder, a highly-manoeuvrable 107-foot steel aerial device that rides on a single rear axle configuration. Available on a wide range of Pierce custom chassis, the Pierce Ascendant – with five patents pending – redefines the performance capabilities in the single rear axle category. The aerial was introduced at the 2015 Fire Departments Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“The innovative Pierce Ascendant heavy-duty aerial ladder sets a new performance benchmark in the single rear axle category.” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “The Pierce Ascendant rightfully takes its place as yet another game-changing Pierce technology to help firefighters respond with confidence and perform at a higher level.”
Weight optimised design structure
The Pierce Ascendant 107-foot aerial ladder features a weight optimised design structure, high-strength steel, custom tubing, and unique gusseting that place weight and mass only where required. The aerial delivers a full 107-foot vertical reach and a 100-foot horizontal reach with an operating range from -10º to +77º. Its 100-foot horizontal reach is an astounding 32-feet greater than a typical single rear axle aerial. The Pierce Ascendant is available on a wide range of Pierce custom chassis, including the Arrow XT™, Velocity®, Impel® and Enforcer™.
Built with 100,000 psi minimal yield strength steel support elements, the all-new design features a 1500 gpm tip flow, a 750 lb dry tip load capacity, a 35 mph wind rating, and a ¼-inch ice rating. The space-saving design allows for a capacity of 115 feet of ground ladders, 2,500-pounds of equipment, a 500-gallon water tank, and a pump of up to 2,000 gpm.
Protected by Pierce’s E-Coat corrosion protection system
The aerial pedestal is protected by Pierce’s exclusive E-Coat corrosion protection system (developed for Oshkosh defence vehicles) while a single set of H-style stabilisers and one rear downrigger provide support. A full complement of optional equipment is available, including LED rung lighting and breathing air at the tip.
“The ability to integrate a 107-foot heavy duty ladder with 100 feet of horizontal reach on a highly manoeuvrable, single rear axle configuration changes the market,” said Johnson. “Investing in new technologies to better serve the needs of firefighters is what defines us as a leader, and we’re extremely proud to showcase the Pierce Ascendant aerial ladder at FDIC.”