Aerial crane
Encyclopedia
Helicopter
s used to lift heavy loads are called aerial cranes or skycranes. As aerial cranes, helicopters carry loads connected to long cables or slings in order to place heavy equipment when other methods are not available or economically feasible, or when the job must be accomplished in remote or inaccessible areas, such as the tops of tall buildings or the top of a hill or mountain, far from the nearest road. Helicopters were first used as aerial cranes in the 1950s, but it was not until the 1960s that the popularity of the use of skycranes in the construction
and other industries began to catch on. The most consistent use of helicopters as aerial cranes is in the logging
industry to lift large trees out of rugged terrain where vehicles aren't able to reach, or where environmental concerns prohibit the buildings of roads. These operations are referred to as longline because of the long, single sling line used to carry the load.
helicopters were the first, lightweight aerial cranes to be used in the early 1950s. Unfortunately, due to the helicopter's limited power, it was never capable of carrying more than just a few hundred pounds of cargo. In the 1960s, the Sikorsky S-58 replaced the Bell 47 because of its larger power margin. Even today, S-58s can be found carrying medium-size loads. The 1960s also brought the Bell 211 HueyTug, a specially produced commercial version of the UH-1C for lifting medium loads, and even the popular Bell 206
was used for light loads. But there continued to be a demand for aircraft able to lift even larger loads
Larger helicopters became commercially available after the Vietnam War
as helicopter manufacturers focused on selling commercial versions of their military aircraft. For instance, Boeing Vertol
Model 107
and Model 234
aircraft have been used to carry even heavier payloads than their lighter predecessors. But the heaviest loads required a pure aerial crane. The answer came from Sikorsky
's S-64 Skycrane. Originally produced for the military as the CH-54 Tarhe
for heavy lifting of downed aircraft and artillery pieces, the S-64 Skycrane was nothing more than just enough airframe to attach two powerful engines, the main and tail rotors and transmissions, a cockpit, and a cargo hook and winch system.
Skycranes were used in 1972 when the Chesapeake Bay Bridge connecting Maryland and the Eastern Shore was being built to bring concrete and other supplies to the construction site. In 1993, an Erickson aerial Skycrane, normally used for hauling lumber in Oregon, was used to remove the “Statue of Freedom” from the top of the Capitol dome in Washington, D.C. The statue was placed on the ground while it was being cleaned and restored before being gently returned to the top of the dome, once again with a Skycrane.
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s used to lift heavy loads are called aerial cranes or skycranes. As aerial cranes, helicopters carry loads connected to long cables or slings in order to place heavy equipment when other methods are not available or economically feasible, or when the job must be accomplished in remote or inaccessible areas, such as the tops of tall buildings or the top of a hill or mountain, far from the nearest road. Helicopters were first used as aerial cranes in the 1950s, but it was not until the 1960s that the popularity of the use of skycranes in the construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
and other industries began to catch on. The most consistent use of helicopters as aerial cranes is in the logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
industry to lift large trees out of rugged terrain where vehicles aren't able to reach, or where environmental concerns prohibit the buildings of roads. These operations are referred to as longline because of the long, single sling line used to carry the load.
History
Bell 47Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
helicopters were the first, lightweight aerial cranes to be used in the early 1950s. Unfortunately, due to the helicopter's limited power, it was never capable of carrying more than just a few hundred pounds of cargo. In the 1960s, the Sikorsky S-58 replaced the Bell 47 because of its larger power margin. Even today, S-58s can be found carrying medium-size loads. The 1960s also brought the Bell 211 HueyTug, a specially produced commercial version of the UH-1C for lifting medium loads, and even the popular Bell 206
Bell 206
The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
was used for light loads. But there continued to be a demand for aircraft able to lift even larger loads
Larger helicopters became commercially available after the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as helicopter manufacturers focused on selling commercial versions of their military aircraft. For instance, Boeing Vertol
Boeing Helicopters
Boeing Rotorcraft Systems is a US aircraft manufacturer, now part of Boeing Defense, Space & Security...
Model 107
CH-46 Sea Knight
The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem rotor transport helicopter, used by the United States Marine Corps to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment. Assault Support is its primary function, and the movement of supplies and...
and Model 234
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
aircraft have been used to carry even heavier payloads than their lighter predecessors. But the heaviest loads required a pure aerial crane. The answer came from Sikorsky
Sikorsky Aircraft
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
's S-64 Skycrane. Originally produced for the military as the CH-54 Tarhe
CH-54 Tarhe
|-See also:-External links:* *...
for heavy lifting of downed aircraft and artillery pieces, the S-64 Skycrane was nothing more than just enough airframe to attach two powerful engines, the main and tail rotors and transmissions, a cockpit, and a cargo hook and winch system.
Skycranes were used in 1972 when the Chesapeake Bay Bridge connecting Maryland and the Eastern Shore was being built to bring concrete and other supplies to the construction site. In 1993, an Erickson aerial Skycrane, normally used for hauling lumber in Oregon, was used to remove the “Statue of Freedom” from the top of the Capitol dome in Washington, D.C. The statue was placed on the ground while it was being cleaned and restored before being gently returned to the top of the dome, once again with a Skycrane.
Companies
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Construction Helicopters, Inc. established 1980, Sikorsky S-61N, S-58T, B206L4, UH-1B
- Carson HelicoptersCarson Helicopters-External links:*...
, established 1963, operates Sikorsky S-61Sikorsky S-61The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
. - Columbia HelicoptersColumbia HelicoptersColumbia Helicopters, Incorporated, or CHI, is an aircraft manufacturing and operator company based in Aurora, Oregon, United States. They are known for operating tandem rotor helicopters; in present times, exclusively the Boeing Vertol 107 and Boeing 234. These helicopters are used in...
, established 1957, operates Boeing Vertol 107-IICH-46 Sea KnightThe Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem rotor transport helicopter, used by the United States Marine Corps to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment. Assault Support is its primary function, and the movement of supplies and...
and Boeing 234CH-47 ChinookThe Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
. - Croman CorporationCroman CorporationCroman Corporation is a helicopter operating company based in White City, Oregon, United States. These helicopters are used in Heli-Logging, fire suppression, construction and many other activities...
, established 1976, operates Sikorsky S-61. - Erickson Air-CraneErickson Air-CraneErickson Air-Crane Incorporated is an aircraft manufacturing and operating company based in Central Point, Oregon, United States. They are known for producing the S-64 Aircrane helicopter, which is used in wildland fire suppression and other heavy-lift operations.Originally the Sikorsky S-64...
, established 1971, operates the Erickson S-64 Aircrane. - Evergreen Helicopters, Inc.Evergreen International AviationEvergreen International Aviation, Inc. is a global aviation services company based in McMinnville, Oregon. Founded as Evergreen Helicopters in 1960 by Delford M. Smith, Evergreen is primarily known for commercial helicopter operations in agricultural and forestry applications...
, established 1960, operates S-64 Skycrane and Sikorsky S-61. - Heavy Lift HelicoptersHeavy Lift HelicoptersHeavy Lift Helicopters, Inc was a helicopter operating company based in Apple Valley, California, United States. Heavy Lift operated a fleet of CH-54 Tarhe and CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters in aerial Lift Services and aerial firefighting. In addition Heavy Lift operated a FAA Repair Station out...
operating CH-54 TarheCH-54 Tarhe|-See also:-External links:* *...
and CH-53 Sea StallionCH-53 Sea StallionThe CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy-lift transport helicopters. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is also in service with Germany, Iran, Israel, and Mexico...
. - Swanson Group AviationSwanson Group AviationSwanson Group Aviation, or SGA, formerly Superior Helicopter, LLC, is a helicopter operating company based in Glendale, Oregon, United States. SGA operates a fleet of Kaman K-MAX and Aérospatiale Lama helicopters in Heli-Logging, aerial firefighting, construction and many other activities...
, formerly Superior Helicopter, established 1995 operates Kaman K-MAX and Aérospatiale LamaAérospatiale Lama|-See also:-External links:...
.
- CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- Canadian Air Crane, established 1991 and now part of Erickson Air Crane, EricksonErickson-Persons:*Arthur Erickson , Canadian architect*Bill Erickson , American NCAA and National Professional Basketball League player*Carl Erickson , American fashion and advertising illustrator...
S-64E and S-64F
- Canadian Air Crane, established 1991 and now part of Erickson Air Crane, Erickson
Purpose-designed aircraft
- Kaman K-MAX
- Kamov Ka-26
- Kamov Ka-32KKamov Ka-27|-See also:-External links:*...
- Kamov Ka-226Kamov Ka-226|- See also :- External links :* http://www.aviation.ru/Ka/#226* * http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/ka-226.php* http://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/ka226/...
- Mil Mi-10Mil Mi-10-See also:-References:Bibliography* Gordon, Yefim, Komissarov, Dmitriy and Komissarov, Sergey, Mil's Heavylift Helicopters; Mi-6/Mi-10/V-12/Mi-26, Red Star Volume 22, Midland Counties Publications, 2005-External links:*http://www.aviation.ru/Mi/#10...
- Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave
- Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe
- Sikorsky S-60Sikorsky S-60|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1997. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5....
- Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane