HOUSTON, Texas — The highly anticipated announcement of the 2008 Hammonds Omni Directional Vehicle (ODV) Giveaway Sweepstakes is here: Western Aircraft of Boise, Idaho, is the grand prize winner of the ground support vehicle.
Carl Hammonds, president and founder of the Hammonds Companies, made the announcement this morning as the Aviation Industry Expo got underway. Hammonds is the innovator behind this ground support vehicle, and the company that sponsored the industry giveaway.
Ken Hawk, VP of FBO Services for Western Aircraft, is thrilled with the news.
“We were very familiar with the Hammonds ODV because of all the buzz it's created in the industry,” Hawk said. “We'd read about it and seen it at industry trade shows. To win this vehicle is really exciting for all of us.”
“The 2008 Go-ODV Give Away was conceived so that when industry seeks out their next ground support vehicle, they'll give serious consideration to the Hammonds Omni Directional Vehicle,” according to Carl Hammonds. “We're encouraging everyone to Go ODV!”
The Hammonds ODV is a state-of-the-art replacement for the standard aircraft tractor. From a functional standpoint, the Hammonds ODV was specially designed to turn on a dime, eliminating the need to look backwards while driving forwards. Overall, “no turning back” appears to represent the industry's enthusiasm in having a “better mousetrap” in airport ground support.
According to Hawk, he has two immediate priorities in putting the Hammonds ODV to use at his Boise facility.
“The first thing we're going to do is get our line staff trained on the unit, and Carl Hammonds himself is coming to do just that,” Hawk said. “Next? We're going to turn the ODV loose in our storage hangar where we keep our fleet of seven PC-12s.”
And that's the perfect utilization of the ODV, Hammonds said.
“The ODV allows the operator to move multiple ton aircraft into tight places, while turning on a dime,” adds Hammonds.
According to company officials, the ODV represents the first truly unique equipment engineering and design in the last fifty years, replacing standard tow and towbarless aircraft tugs. Its simple round design features the capability of rotating within the space it occupies and moving in any direction at infinitely variable speeds.
Aside from easing the job of moving aircraft, The Hammonds ODV provides added operator and aircraft safety by eliminating “over the shoulder” driving. In fact, it allows the operator full view in any direction.
