Boom lift height and outreach calculator
Boom lift outreach and platform height needed: platform_height_needed = task_height - about 6 ft; outreach_needed >= horizontal distance to the work (outreach = horizontal reach maximum). Enter your numbers below; the formula and its source are shown under the result.
On the spec sheet, compare platform height and horizontal outreach, and check the unrestricted platform capacity covers the people and tools.
The formulas
platform_height_needed = task_height - about 6 ft; outreach_needed >= horizontal distance to the work (outreach = horizontal reach maximum)
Genie: outreach is also known as horizontal reach maximum and should not be confused (or combined) with the up-and-over capability of articulating booms; maximum work height is about six feet higher than platform height; only the unrestricted platform capacity is the rated load limit at maximum reach.
Worked example: Our arithmetic: work at 46 ft, 30 ft out from where the machine can stand -> platform height at least 40 ft and outreach at least 30 ft.
[src]working_height ≈ platform_height + about 6 ft
Genie AerialPros glossary; confirms the convention.
Worked example: n/a
[src]Estimate only. The capacity on the machine's data plate is the legal limit; never exceed it.
Sources
- Common MEWP Terms (Genie AerialPros) (retrieved November 4, 2026)