Patent ID: 8517301

Claim:
A ground maintenance assembly for an aircraft having at least a pitot tube located on opposed sides of a fuselage at an elevation above manual access and a front landing gear having a retracting linkage immobilized by insertion of a locking pin into a locking aperture thereon, said maintenance assembly comprising: a pair of pitot cover pole assemblies, each comprising a pitot tube cover for telescopic insertion over each pitot tube; an elastomeric body comprised of a matrix of fused milled rubber and heat resistant fiber, said body having a longitudinal bore; a tubular member of heat resistant woven material bonded to an inwardly facing surface of said bore with a silicone adhesive, said tubular member telescopically receiving said cover and being connected thereto; an elongated member having one end connected to said elastomeric body and a connecting member at another end; an expandable tether assembly having opposed elongated straps, each having a distal end connected to one of said connecting members of a pole assembly.