COBRA Trailer & AL-KO VT bring aviation quality to the road
Wings in the wind and head in the clouds. Glider pilots make this dream come true time and again. But before you can enjoy complete freedom, the aircraft must first be transported to the launch site – safely and reliably on the road. Thanks to AL-KO VT and COBRA Trailer, this undertaking is child's play.
Facts on the cooperation of COBRA Trailer & AL-KO VT
- COBRA Trailer manufactures glider trailers for the global market.
- AL-KO VT produces customised components for COBRA Trailer, such as enlarged axle mounts, axles, and jockey wheels.
- With the MAMMUT manoeuvring system by AL-KO VT, gliders inside the trailer can be easily moved – a welcome aid with a possible permissible gross weight of 1,800 kg.
COBRA Trailer: innovative market leader for aeroplane transport trailers
Quality workmanship since 1980
A. Spindelberger Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH (COBRA Trailer), based in Edermünde-Grifte near Kassel, Germany, has been manufacturing transport trailers for gliders since 1980. The product range also includes trailers for the growing market of ultralight aircraft. The industry expert builds around 200 trailers a year. More than 11,000 COBRA trailers are in use worldwide, safely transporting aircraft from A to B. The main markets are Europe and the USA.
Unlike the classic steel chassis, COBRA Trailer uses a self-supporting geometry made from aluminium side panels and a sandwich floor. The internal fittings are in-house developments. The upper part of the trailer is produced as a lightweight version using aluminium or plastic. The latter are sometimes double-walled and therefore offer high thermal insulation. A COBRA Trailer can be thought of as a custom-fit transport box for a glider, onto which the axle mounts, towbar, jockey wheels, etc. are mounted directly.
Custom-fit trailers for gliders
Easy to drive with a standard driving licence thanks to lightweight design
The challenge in designing the trailers lies in the individuality of the aircraft. Depending on the aircraft type, the fuselage, wings and winglets with different spans all play a role in the trailer’s configuration. Also the winglets, which are upward-curving wingtips that reduce the aircraft’s aerodynamic drag. The necessary equipment alone can weigh up to 150 kilograms.
Solar panels for charging the aircraft batteries within the trailer are also being installed more frequently. The form and positioning of the components and equipment each have a significant impact on the centre of gravity of the trailer – and thus the positioning of the axle.
Manoeuvring systems or a cable winch inside the trailer also need to be considered. The trailers can reach lengths of up to twelve metres. Handling these combinations requires a certain >degree of sensitivity and experience.
Felix Hoffmann on COBRA Trailer's trailers
“Each trailer has a different axle position depending on the type of aircraft. On top of this, there are special customer requests. Our job is to design a trailer for our customers so that the aircraft and equipment can be transported safely,” explains Felix Hoffmann, authorised signatory and member of the management at COBRA Trailer.
Thanks to the lightweight construction without a steel chassis, the permissible gross weight of the most common trailer variants is between 1,000 and 1,800 kilograms, made up of the equipment (approx. 150 kg), the aircraft (200 kg to 750 kg, depending on type), and the trailer (450 kg to 900 kg, depending on type). This means the trailer combination can be driven to the airfield with a standard driving licence.
AL-KO VT on board
Flexible with non-standard requirements
The market leader for glider trailers also needs individually tailored parts for its bespoke approach. For this reason, AL-KO VT components have always been part of the package: custom-fit axle mounts, axles and jockey wheels – supplied for almost the entire history of COBRA Trailer since 1980.
“AL-KO manufactures custom-enlarged axle mounts for us. We need these to achieve the same stability in our trailers as conventional steel chassis, without using a typical steel frame. The jockey wheels are also made specifically for us, depending on requirements. AL-KO is highly flexible when it comes to delivering more than just standard components,” Hoffmann explains.
“We have a very long-standing and particularly good relationship with COBRA Trailer. The safe transport of valuable goods such as a glider often requires a high level of customisation,” says Joachim Götzl, regional sales manager for central Germany at AL-KO Vehicle Technology. “COBRA Trailer has mastered customisation and a perfect fit for 40 years. I am especially pleased that we have been part of this success story for so long,” Götzl adds.
AL-KO VT MAMMUT
Manoeuvring trailers made easy
The fully automatic MAMMUT manoeuvring system from AL-KO VT is also used in COBRA Trailers. This enables trailers to be manoeuvred and steered completely independently, even into the tightest spaces and around obstacles up to four centimetres high or gradients of up to 28 percent. This is particularly useful as the trailers are often used as storage for the aircraft and need to be moved fully into garages or parking spaces. With a possible permissible gross weight of up to 1,800 kilograms, any help is welcome.
