Every year at FDIC Pierce Manufacturing has an announcement about a new vehicle that they will be putting into production; this year was no different. On April 23rd, Pierce unveiled its new heavy duty aerial, The Ascendant.
So you say, what’s the big deal about a new ladder on the market? Well, for one thing, this new aerial is a 107-foot rearmount quint with a single rear axle. There have been many 75-foot quints on a single axle but not one over 100 feet. The aerial will be available on many if not all of the Pierce’s Chassis.
Pierce has five different patents pending on the new design as well. Another feature of this ladder is that it has a 100-foot reach, which is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The Pierce Ascendant 107-foot aerial ladder features a weight-optimized 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 -10 degrees to 77 degrees. 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 1,500-gpm tip flow, a 750-pound 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.
The aerial pedestal is protected by Pierce’s exclusive E-Coat corrosion protection system, while a single set of H-style stabilizers and one rear downrigger provide support. A full complement of optional equipment is available, including LED rung lighting and breathing air at the tip.
This new ladder will be able to operate in cities and towns that have tight streets and be highly maneuverable with its short wheelbase. Its H-style stabilizers will also allow for set up on tighter streets. The larger pump and tank as well as the additional ground ladders can make this an ideal ladder for bigger cities as well.
I think Pierce really went all out on this new design. It seems that aerial ladders have been getting bigger and bigger and more expensive as time goes on. The tandem rear axles have been the norm because of weight and braking issues in the past for all manufacturers. If the Pierce engineers have solved that problem with this new design of a heavy duty aerial with a single rear axle and the reach that is has, then this could be the aerial that many fire departments around the country could opt for.
I will definitely have my eye on this new vehicle to see how it does in the coming years.
