An apparatus for use in boarding a person onto a seat of an aircraft or vehicle, or lowering a person into a pool, which includes a ramp, a top mount, a bottom mount, a carriage assembly, and a mechanism for moving the carriage assembly. The ramp has a first end and a second end. The top mount is removably attached to the first end and has a mounting panel and base support. The mounting panel is pivotally connected to the base support and configured to be locked in a pivoted position. The bottom mount is removably attached to the second end. The carriage assembly is removably mountable on to the ramp. The hoist assembly is configured to move the carriage assembly up and down the ramp.