True. I guess you mean something like this

That does the same job, CL. The one you depict is wooden (nice) which I did look at but I didn't like those vulnerable hinging features. It struck me that when you have difficult stuff to take up or down they would get in the way and get damaged. Same with a safety rail which I left off. That wooden one is folding but you can see by the exact same one I purchased from ebay that it is telescopic. I paid less money to boot at £58 with just two ordinary hinges, so you obviously can't make your hatch out of chipboard as it could fall on your head one day hahaha? No ,it is now a pleasure to go up the loft and means I don't need to store a ladder nearby or constantly mark the wall propping it up. Of course you could use a stepladder, but that has its dangers. haifen says the our one looks flimsy but not at all; I am a big (no paunch mind) bloke and it doesn't grumble even with the odd corpse (who annoyed me in life) I need to manhandle-hahaha!

WOW we make ladders!