Wheel Chocks
Aviation Wheel Chocks: Sizing & FAA Guide for Aircraft
Cojo
May 7, 2026
7 min read
An aviation wheel chock is a contoured wedge, typically aluminum or urethane, designed to fit against the curvature of an aircraft tire and to be placed and removed quickly by ground handlers using a rope handle. Aviation chocks differ from industrial chocks in three ways: the contour profile matches aircraft tire geometry, weight is minimized for ground-handler ergonomics (4 to 8 pounds typical), and bright anodized finishes (red or orange) maximize ramp visibility. The Federal Aviation Administration's Advisory Circular AC 00-34B, "Aircraft Ground Handling, Servicing, and Marshalling", is the canonical FAA reference for ground-handling practices including chock placement; individual operator policies and aircraft Pilot's Operating Handbooks set the binding chock procurement and use rules. Cojo serves industrial parking-products customers in the Hillsboro airport corridor; this guide is a topical reference for FBO operators and ground-handling crews.
Three design differences distinguish aviation chocks from industrial chocks. Each addresses an aviation-specific operational requirement.
Aviation chocks have a curved upper face that matches aircraft tire curvature. Aircraft tires have a more pronounced sidewall curvature than highway truck tires; a flat-faced industrial chock would contact only at the tread center and would not deliver the full grip that the contour-matched aviation chock provides. Contour-matched chocks are the de-facto procurement standard at FBOs and air-carrier ramp operations; the controlling specification comes from operator ground-handling manuals and aircraft manufacturer recommendations rather than a directly issued FAA chock-design rule.
Aviation ground handlers move chocks dozens of times per shift. A 25-pound industrial rubber chock is too heavy for that cycle frequency. Aluminum aviation chocks weigh 4 to 8 pounds; urethane aviation chocks weigh 8 to 14 pounds. The weight reduction is intentional ergonomics.
Most aviation chocks have a rope or webbing handle that lets the ground handler place and retrieve the chock without bending. The handle also provides a quick visual cue to confirm chock placement from a distance.
Chock use spans general aviation, business aviation, and air-carrier operations. AC 00-34B's ground-handling guidance applies broadly to operators who choose to follow it, while binding chock requirements for any specific aircraft come from the operator's General Operations Manual and the aircraft Pilot's Operating Handbook. Three aircraft size classes drive most aviation chock procurement:
Single-engine piston aircraft (Cessna 172, Piper Cherokee, Cirrus SR22) and light twins (Beechcraft Baron, Piper Seneca) use chocks at the main landing gear during long-term parking, refueling, and post-flight tie-down. Typical chock spec: 8-inch aluminum, rope-handle, 4 to 6 pounds per chock.
King Air, Citation Jet, and Pilatus PC-12 class aircraft use larger contoured chocks. Typical spec: 10 to 12-inch aluminum, rope-handle, 6 to 10 pounds per chock.
Boeing 737, Airbus A320, and similar narrow-body commercial aircraft use 12 to 15-inch aluminum or urethane chocks at the main landing gear. Wide-body commercial aircraft (B777, A330, A350) use 15-to-18-inch chocks, typically 4 chocks per main landing gear (one in front and one behind each tire of the dual-tire main gear). Total chock count for wide-body aircraft on parking pad: 8 chocks per aircraft.
There is no single FAA rule that universally mandates chocks for general aviation private use. The framework instead layers operator policy on top of aircraft manufacturer guidance. Most operator policies under 14 CFR Part 121 (commercial air carrier) and Part 135 (commuter and on-demand) specify chocks at every parked-engine-off use case. The FAA's careless-or-reckless operation rule at 14 CFR 91.13 can reach a chock-related incident if an aircraft is left unattended in a way that endangers life or property, but the rule itself is about operational conduct, not chock specifications. Three operational triggers virtually always require chocks:
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) — an independent industry trade association representing FBOs and aviation service businesses — publishes ground-handling and FBO best-practice guidance that recommends chocks at every parked use case as the operator-policy default.
The pair-of-chocks placement procedure applies. One chock in front and one behind each main landing gear tire. For wide-body aircraft with dual-tire main gear, four chocks per main gear (one in front and one behind each of the two tires).
Aviation-specific procedural rules:
Ground handlers approach the main landing gear from the front of the aircraft, never from under the wing. Wing-mounted equipment (fuel vents, antennas, hydraulic lines) creates injury risk during chock placement.
Chocks go in place after the engine is shut down and the parking brake is set. Some operator policies place chocks before engine-off if the aircraft will idle for refueling; the controlling rule is the operator's ground-handling procedure.
The rope handle should be visible from the cockpit window so the pilot can confirm chock placement before requesting taxi clearance.
Three materials dominate aviation chock procurement:
The dominant material for general aviation and commercial use. Bright red or orange anodized finish, weight 4 to 8 pounds for GA-class chocks, 12 to 18 pounds for commercial wide-body chocks. Service life 20 to 30 years. Cost $90 to $500 per chock depending on size.
Higher friction coefficient than aluminum (0.85 versus 0.5), heavier weight (8 to 14 pounds for GA-class). Used at FBOs where ground-handlers prefer the higher friction grip over the weight savings. Cost $80 to $350 per chock.
Legacy material at some smaller airports. Oak or maple, weight 8 to 14 pounds. Service life 5 to 10 years. Cost $30 to $80 per chock. Largely being replaced with aluminum or urethane.
Industry Baseline Range
| Spec | Per-Unit Range |
|---|---|
| Aluminum, GA-class (8-inch) | $90 to $200 |
| Aluminum, light jet class (10-12-inch) | $150 to $300 |
| Aluminum, commercial narrow-body (12-15-inch) | $250 to $450 |
| Aluminum, wide-body commercial (15-18-inch) | $350 to $600 |
| Urethane, GA-class | $80 to $180 |
| Urethane, commercial narrow-body | $150 to $350 |
| Wood (hardwood), GA-class | $30 to $80 |
Aluminum aviation chock pricing tracks the bauxite commodity market and has moved 12 to 20 percent year-over-year through 2025 and into 2026. Urethane pricing tracks petroleum markets and has been less volatile. Anodizing premium adds 15 to 25 percent over bare aluminum and is the standard aviation-spec finish for visibility.
Cojo serves industrial and commercial parking-products customers in the Hillsboro airport-corridor industrial zone. FBO operators and ground-handling crews at Hillsboro Airport (HIO) and Aurora State Airport (UAO) occasionally consult Cojo on apron and ramp parking-lot striping, ADA accessibility for FBO terminal common areas, and bollard installation at fuel-truck stations. Aviation chock procurement is operator-side; this guide is a topical reference rather than a Cojo product-line offering.
In April 2026 Cojo's lead estimator (NICET Level III) walked an FBO ramp at the Hillsboro airport corridor with the FBO operations manager to scope ADA accessibility upgrades for the visitor-parking lot. The chock knowledge came up in the broader conversation about FBO ramp-side equipment placement; the FBO operator handled chock procurement separately through their aviation-supply channel.
For Cojo's industrial and commercial parking-products services see our industrial wheel chocks buyer's guide for the dock-and-fleet-yard product class. FBO operators evaluating apron parking-lot striping, ADA accessibility, and bollard installation can request a custom quote.
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