Photo By Brian Collett | U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Alejandro Fontanez, 60th Aerial Port Squadron fleet...... read more read more
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TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - The 60th Aerial Port Squadron recently purchased a new conveyor system from Ramper Innovations, designed to improve U.S. Airmen’s cargo-loading efficiency and reduce physical strain. Tim Fulton, CEO and founder of Ramper Innovations, held training to familiarize Airmen with the system at Travis Air Force Base, California, March 13 and 15, 2025.
TISABAS, which stands for Tim Saves Backs, tackles common challenges faced by aerial port personnel, such as operating in confined spaces and lifting heavy cargo. The conveyor is loaded into the cargo hold of the aircraft via a belt loader, positioned and unfolded. Each section is powered by a motorized drive that moves items through the aircraft cargo hold.
“It operates like an accordion, folding out as you need it and folding back up when you’re done,” said Fulton. “Our slow speed moves one more bag than the manual method, and our fast speed moves ten more bags. It keeps everything flowing with less effort.”
Airmen participating in the training received instruction on how to deploy, operate and store the TISABAS system, as well as guidance on basic maintenance procedures to ensure long-term reliability.
For Fulton, the motivation behind the design was clear — support those doing physically demanding work. “When I started this project, my goal was simple,” said Fulton. “I wanted to create something that would save people’s backs and make their jobs safer and more efficient.”
One key advantage of TISABAS for Airmen is its ability to streamline cargo loading while reducing the risk of injury. This helps maintain force readiness and ensures personnel stay mission-capable with fewer days lost to preventable injuries. Additionally, faster and more efficient loading supports operational tempo by keeping aircraft on schedule and allowing Airmen to focus on other mission-critical tasks, ultimately enhancing overall mission success.
“Before this system, loading bags meant Airmen were constantly bending down in tight spaces and manually hauling up to 70-pound bags back and forth across the aircraft,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert J. Thompson, 60th APS fleet operations supervisor. “In the summer months, that confined space gets extremely hot, and we have to rotate Airmen out frequently to avoid heat exhaustion. With TISABAS, we’re skipping those steps, moving bags faster and safer. I estimate it triples our loading speed, which tightens our aircraft downtime windows and keeps missions moving.”
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2025 17:32 |
| Story ID: | 493941 |
| Location: | TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE , CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,812 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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