Skyjack's first articulated boom

Buyers will have to wait until the second quarter of 2009 for Skyjack's new SJ 46AJ and SJ 51AJ (Europe only) articulated booms.

Notable features of the new machines include the use of axle-based four-wheel drive system; oscillating axle; selectable differential lock for the rear axle from the basket; and 360 degree continuous rotation of the turret.

Both the 46 and the 51 will be powered by a Deutz three-cylinder engine (with Perkins as an option), while GM duel fuel engines will be standard in North America.

Charlie Patterson, managing director of Skyjack UK, told Access International that the design of the double boom riser section "allows for true perpendicular movement." The booms, like other Skyjack products, use "simple and robust" analogue controls. Maximum outreach on the 46 model is 25 feet (7.6 m), increasing to 31 ft (9.4 m) on the 51 version.

Skyjack also showed off a concept vertical mast boom, marking a return to the vertical mast sector that the company exited over five years ago. The concept machine at APEX - shown to gain feedback from customers - was the 16 ft (4.9 m) platform height SJ16.

The platform, which uses a mast boom design, has a slide out deck that was operated electronically at APEX but will be manual, winch driven in the final version. One advantage of this, said Skyjack director of product manager Steven England, is that it can be slid out at ground level, giving easy access to the controls at the base without the need for a slide out trays.

The drive system has also been located at the other end of the base from the mast. The additional space at this end has allowed Skyjack to minimise the height of the base, with a 17 in (0.43 m) step height into the platform.

Mr England said the target weight of the model was 820 kg, with a smaller, 12 ft (3.6 m) SJ12 model also in development. Both will have 227 kg cage capacities - two person in the case of the SJ12, one man for the SJ16.

Skyjack said a production timetable would be determined after feedback from the show had been considered.