Production Manager

Martha Jercinovich

Throughout his 40-year career in corporate aviation, Daniel Stieger had seen too many instances where his company’s aircraft were placed in potentially dangerous situations, simply because the FBOs at remote destinations&nbsp; lacked a simple set of wheel chocks.
Because of these situations, his policy was to have each crew carry six chocks on the aircraft. The problem was that the rubber chocks were heavy and dirty, and they took up valuable luggage space. And they could easily catch under a loaded aircraft’s wheel and risk damage to the tire and landing gear.
After retiring, Stieger made it his goal to develop a wheel chock that was as modern as the aircraft it was meant to protect.
“The biggest misconception was assuming that any chock was ‘good enough.’ But they’re really not,” Stieger states. “Wooden chocks could slip out in the wind, and rubber chocks are too bulky. I wanted something lightweight, super-strong, foldable, and easy to use.”
The result is his line of 100% Swiss-made, forged aluminum ALPHACHOCKS.
“The folding feature was the game-changer; it brought simplicity and portability while allowing the ALPHACHOCKS to lock under the wheel and over the dead-center, so it never slips or gets stuck,” he explains. “There are other metal chocks out there, but nothing like ALPHACHOCKS.”
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

<h2>One size doesn’t need to fit all.</h2>
Another problem with legacy wooden or rubber chocks is that their generic dimensions meant they weren’t always up to the task of securely stabilizing every aircraft type.
Stieger eliminated that problem by designing ALPHACHOCKS in three sizes: the forged aluminum MINI for aircraft weighing up to 45,000 pounds MTOW, forged aluminum MID for aircraft up to 145,000 pounds MTOW, and the super-strong carbon fiber MAX for aircraft up to 780,000 pounds MTOW.
“The ALPHACHOCK MID is our flagship model,” he says. “It can secure any aircraft from single-engine turboprops to F-15s to Chinook helicopters to ultra-large-cabin business jets. It’s the most versatile foldable, aluminum chock in the business.”
While ALPHACHOCKS have been created to be more convenient and easier for business aircraft flight crews to use, Stieger says that they’re equally beneficial for aircraft handlers working at FBOs and MROs and even ACFT MFR like Pilatus chose to have 2 ALPHACHOCKS MID on all PC24 as standard equipment.
“Beyond just aircraft safety, their light weight (10 to 20 times lighter than rubber chocks) and ease of use make a big difference for people moving and securing aircraft on ramps and in hangars,” he explains. “They don’t have to risk injuries carrying or squatting down under aircraft with bulky, heavy chocks. ALPHACHOCKS are not just better for aircraft; they’re better for people, too.”

<h2>The Solution</h2>
» Lightweight, foldable, forged aluminum wheel chocks add safety and security to parked aircraft
» Designed for easy removal to eliminate possible landing gear damage due to “stuck” chocks
» Available in sizes to safely secure aircraft ranging from single-engine turboprops to 747s
alphachocks.com

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Chalk up another safety win for innovation. 

By eliminating all the problems associated with wooden or rubber wheel chocks, the forged-aluminum, foldable, and lightweight ALPHACHOCKS may well be one of the most significant innovations in improving aircraft ground handling safety since the invention of the FBO. 

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