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Heavyl i f t i ngi nt heci t y-wi t h hel i copt er s!
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Taki ngFli ghtSi mulati ontonew hei ghts
Hel i c opt erL ii ng i nt heCi t y
A Mi dwestHel i copt er sS58Ti ndownt ownChi cago
Mor eGl obalAvi at i onRes our c e ar t i cl esabouthel i copt er s
Const r uct i onHel i copt er s' sS61N pi cksupt hel i f t i ngl i ne
Ther ear emanydr amat i cusesf orhel i copt er s.Onet hati snotonl yexci t i ngt owat ch buti sal somor el i kel yt obeseenbyl ot sofpeopl ei st hel i f t i ngofequi pmentont o t her oofofbui l di ngsi naci t ycent r e.RobEdgcumber epor t sf r om Chi cago. Us i ng a hel i c opt ert ol i f tequi pmentand mat er i al mi ghts eem l i k e an ex pens i v e way t o do t he j ob c ompar edt oac r ane.I nc er t ai nc i r c ums t anc es ,t hat wi l lbet hec as e.Howev er ,i fy ouar eoper at i ngi na bus y ar ea,on a v er y hi gh l oc at i on orj us thav e mul t i pl el oads t o di f f er entl oc at i ons on a r oof ,a hel i c opt erc anac t ual l ymak eal otofs ens e. Chi c agoi sac i t yt hatwi t nes s esal otofhel i c opt er l i f t i ng. Ast hehomeoft hes k y s c r aper ,t her ear e pl ent yofbui l di ngst hatar et oohi ght oc ont empl at e t heus eofac r ane.Ev enont hel owerbui l di ngs ,i ti s of t enc heapert obr i ngi nahel i c opt er .L ar gec r anes ar eex pens i v et or entandt heyr equi r ec ar ef ul s etup. They hav et o be per manent l ys t af f ed and t ak i ng t hem apar ti sj us tass l ow. Al loft hi sr equi r esa s t r eett obepar t l yort ot al l yc l os edof fandt hec i t y c har gesal otofmoneyf ort hat . Ahel i c opt erl i f tc anbeac c ompl i s hedi nl es st hanan hourf ormos tj obsandt hec os tf r om t hec i t yf ort he br i efs t r eetc l os ur esi smuc hl ower .Cons equent l y ,i t t endst o be t he pr ef er r ed met hod. Ther e ar ea numberofc ompani est hatoper at ei nt hef i el dandi n Chi c agot hr eec ompani esar el i k el yt obec andi dat es . Whaty ouwantt ol i f twi l lbeabi gf ac t ori nwhoy ou hi r e.
Thevi ew oft heEr i cksonS64t hegr oundcr ew get s
Thr eehel i c opt ert y pesar er egul ar l yus edf orl i f t i ng c ont r ac t si nt he Chi c ago ar ea. Al lar e or i gi nal l y Si k or s k y pr oduc t s and t hey c ov erdi f f er entl i f t i ng c apac i t i es .TheS58Ti st heai r f r ameofc hoi c ef ora numberofoper at or sand t he l ar ge l oc aloper at or Mi dwes tHel i c opt erAi r way sc ur r ent l y hast hr ee of t hem.Theai r f r amec anl i f tanex t er nall oadofupt o 4, 500l bs .Mi dwes tk eepatl eas toneai r f r ameatt hei r Wi l l owbr ookheadquar t er sf orwor ki nt heChi c ago ar ea.Ot herai r f r ameswi l lbear oundt hec ount r yon ei t herl i f t i ngorf i r ef i ght i ngdut i es .
TheS61N dr opsdownf oranot herl oad
Nex ti ns i z ei st heS61N.Thi sc anl i f tupt o8, 000l bs .Ac r os sL ak eMi c hi ganf r om Chi c agoi sHowel lMI ,home ofCons t r uc t i onHel i c opt er s .Cons t r uc t i onhasac oupl eofS61Nsal ongwi t hs omeS58Tsands omes mal l er ai r f r ames .Chi c agoi sal i t t l ef arawayandt het r ans i tt i mesmeant heyar emor ec ompet i t i v ewheni tc omest o r equi r i ngt hel ar gerc apac i t yt heS61Nof f er s .Aswi t hMi dwes t ,Cons t r uc t i onpr ov i desf i r ef i ght i ngs er v i c esas wel lasl i f t i ng.
Er i cksonS64scancar r yaf r amet ost abi l i sel ar gel oads,somet hi ngt hecompanydesi gnedi t sel f
F i n do u th o wyo u ra dc o u l da p p e a ri nI s s u e2
Wheny ouwants omeoner eal l yl ar gel i f t ed,t her ei s oneai r f r amet hati sl i k el yt obet hec hoi c e. Thati s t heS64Sk y c r ane. Or i gi nal l yaSi k or s k yai r f r ame, t he t y pe c er t i f i c at ei s now owned by Er i c k s on Ai r c r aneofBendOR.Er i c k s onoper at esanumberof ai r f r amesi t s el fbutal s opr oduc esai r f r amesf orot her c us t omer s . The S64 c an l i f tei t her 20, 000 or 25, 000l bs dependi ng upon t he s ubmodeland i s , t her ef or e,amor es pec i al i z edai r f r ame.Er i c k s onhas al s oadapt edi tf oranumberoft as k swi t has pec i al f i r ef i ght i ng c onf i gur at i on av ai l abl e. Unl i k e t he nor malf i r ef i ght i ngf i tofanunder s l ungbuc k et ,t he Er i c k s on c onf i gur at i on i sa s emi per manentt ank mount edt ot heai r f r amewi t has nor k elands c oopt o Above - The Eri ckson t eam br i ef t he gr ound cr ew a h e a d o f a l i f t c ol l ec t wat er ei t her i nt he hov er or at s peed r es pec t i v el y . Addi t i onal l y ,awat erc annon c an be mount edont hef r ontf us el agef oradi r ec t eds pr ay . Conduc t i ngal i f ti nt hec i t yr equi r esac er t ai namount ofpl anni ng.Thel oadst obel i f t edandt hel oc at i ons onwhi c ht heyar et obes etneedt obees t abl i s hed. Al s o,anyl oadst hatar ec omi ngdownaspar toft he j ob hav et o be c onf i r med. Wei ght sf ort he l oads hav et obedet er mi neds i nc et heor deroft hel i f t s maydependont hewei ghtt obel i f t edandt hef uel s t at eoft heai r c r af t . Get t i ng t hel oadsc or r ec tc an beabi g deal . The hel i c opt er has a l oad gauge bui l ti ns ot ak i ng any t hi ng ov er wei ghti snotgoi ng t o be t ol er at ed. Whi l ei tmi ghts eem s ur pr i s i ng,i ti snott hatunus ual t ohav eal oadr eadyt ol i f tt hati ss i gni f i c ant l yabov e t hewei ghtdec l ar ed.I fi ti st oomuc h,i tdoes n’ tgo up. Ofc our s e,wi t hmanyoft hes el oads ,s ec t i ons c anbet ak enoutt obr i ngt hem bac kunder wei ght . Wi t hahel i c opt erons t at i on,t hi smi ghtbepos s i bl e dur i ngt hel i f tormi ghtr equi r eas ec ondj ob. Thel oc at i on f ort hel oadst obes t agedhast obe pl annedal ongwi t ht her out eac r os swhi c ht hel oad wi l lbec ar r i ed,anydr op ar eai fl oadshav et o be r el eas ed i n an emer genc y and t he l oc at i on t he ai r c r af twi l lai mf ori fi thast ol andi nahur r y .Thes e r out esandl oc at i onswi l l det er mi newhats t r eet shav e t obec l os edandwhatr es t r i c t i onswi l lbepl ac edon l oc alr es i dent s . L oc all aw enf or c ement wi l lbe av ai l abl et oc ar r youts omeoft hi sbutt hehel i c opt er oper at orwi l lpr ov i deal otoft hepeopl enec es s ar yt o pol i c et hec l os ur el oc at i ons .Week endmor ni ngsar e apopul art i mef ort hec i t yc ent r el i f t ss i nc ec l os i ng t hes t r eet shast hel eas ti mpac tatt hes et i mes .L i f t s outoft hec i t yc ant ak epl ac eatanyt i me.
Above-Al ar geai rcondi t i oni ngmodul ei sl ower edi nt o pl ace
Ti mi ngi sev er y t hi ngwhent hej obi sgoi ng.Hav i ng al loft hepi ec est obel i f t edi npl ac es ot hatt heyc an be pi c k ed att he r i ghtt i me i sv i t al ,asi shav i ng any t hi ng t hati sc omi ng down r eady . Get t i ng t he l i f t i ngs t r apsi npl ac eandhav i ngi ns t r uc t i onsr eady f orr et ur ni nganys t r apst hatwi l lbec y c l edbac ki nt o t hel i f ti sk ey .As ol i dbr i ef i ngt ot hec r ewsbot hon t hegr oundandont her oofhast obet ak enc ar eof . Theai mi st ohav eev er y t hi ngr eadys o,whent he s t r eet sar ec l os edandt hehel i c opt erar r i v esons een, ev er y t hi ngc ank i c ki nt oac t i ons t r ai ghtaway .Thi si s par t i c ul ar l yi mpor t anti nc i t yc ent r eoper at i onswher e t hehel i c opt erc annotl andandt hewhol eoper at i on c ommenc esonc ei ti sov er head. Thef i r s tpar toft hej obi nv ol v esget t i ngt hel i f t i ng l i neat t ac hed.I ft her ei sopens pac e,t hehel i c opt er wi l lbebr oughtt oal ow hov erandagr oundc r ew memberwi l l at t ac ht hel i net ot hel i f t i nghook .I ft hi s i snotpos s i bl e,t hel i nehast obeat t ac hedbef or e
depar t ur e and hel di nt he c abi n oft he hel i c opt er dur i ngt r ans i t .I twi l lt henbel ower edbyac r ewman onboar d when ov er t he s i t e. I nt hat c as e, a s ec ondar yl i nei sat t ac hedt hatwi l lal l ow t hel i f t i ng l i net obehaul edbac ki nt ot hec abi naf t ert hej obi s c ompl et e.I fat t ac hmenti spos s i bl eons i t e,t hel i ne wi l lbes i mi l ar l ydet ac hedatt heendoft hej ob. Suppor tc r ew wi l lbeonbot ht hegr oundandont he r oof .Theywi l ls uper v i s et hehook i ngupoft hel oads andt hepl ac ementont her oof .Thec ont r ac t ort hat hashi r edt hehel i c opt erwi l lpr ov i det hemaj or i t yof t hepeopl et oac t ual l yhandl et hel oads . Somes t af f wi l lhav es eenmul t i pl ehel i c opt eroper at i onsbutf or ot her si twi l lbe t hei rf i r s tex per i enc e ofwor k i ng underahel i c opt er .Thi sc anhav eas t r angeef f ec ton peopl e. Theyc angetf i x at edont hehel i c opt erand f or getwhatt heyar et her ef ororwhatt heywer e br i ef ed t o do. I n t hes e c i r c ums t anc es ,t he ex per i enc edc r ews uper v i s i ngc ans napt hem outofi t or ,i nr ar ec as es ,gett hem of ft hes i t eandoutoft he way .Saf et yi sac r i t i c ali s s ueandt hi si sal way st he f i r s tpr i or i t y .Thatal s omeansnot ak i ngpi c t ur eswi t h y ourc el lphonewhi l ey ouar eont hec r ew! Ri ght - Const r uct i on Hel i copt er sl i f t ed t he spi r ei nt o pl aceont heTr umpToweri nChi cago
Low hover i ngi st hepr ef er r edwayt opi ckupt hel i f t i ngl i ne
Manhandl i ng i s necessar yf or t he f i nalpl acementof l oads
Oncet hemat er i ali sl i f t edt ot her oof ,t hehel i copt ercan beusedasacr anet oposi t i oni ndi vi dualpi eces
Thel oadc omesdownwi t ht agl i nesat t ac hedandt hec r ew hast ogr abt hes el i nest os t abi l i z et hel oadand gui dei tt ot hei nt endedl oc at i on.Thehel i c opt erc r ewc anac hi ev eaf ai rdegr eeofac c ur ac ybutwheni tc omes t oi nc hes ,t het eam ont her oofwi l lbet heonl ypeopl et hatc anens ur ei tgoesi nt her i ghtpl ac e.Tagl i nes andt henmanhandl i ngt hei t emsar et hewayt omak et hi shappen.Meanwhi l e,y oumus tal way sens ur et hat y ouar enotundert hel oadi nanyway .Whet hert hi si shav i ngahandbet weent hel oadandi t ss uppor tor s t andi ngunderi tasi tc omesup,t hi si sadanger ouss i t uat i onandhast obec ar ef ul l yav oi ded. TheChi cagoskyl i nepr ovi desabackdr opf oranot herMi dwestHel i copt er sl i f t
Thel i f t i ngl i nei sl ai doutr eadyt ogoasanopenr oofi susedf ort hepi ckup
Wi t hal l oft hes et hi ngsunder s t ood,i ti st henac as eofmov i ngeac h“ pi c k �asqui c k l yands moot hl yaspos s i bl e i nt opos i t i on. Thi si st hes amewhet heri ti samobi l ephoneant ennaf orahi gh r i s ebui l di ng oran ai r c ondi t i oni ngmodul ef orawar ehous e.Howev er ,s omet i mest hej obsc anbeal i t t l emor eunus ual .Rel oc at i ng l ar ges c ul pt ur esf r om apar k ,pl ac i ngagi antChr i s t masTr eeonani s l and,as s embl i ngas pi r eononeoft he hi ghes tbui l di ngsi nt hec ount r yorev enr epl ac i ngt hes t at ueont hedomeoft heUni t edSt at eCapi t olbui l di ng. Al loft hes ehav ebeendonebyhel i c opt er .
A Mi dwestHel i copt er scr ewmanhaul si nt hel i f t i ngl i ne atasi t ewher ei tcan' tbeat t achedl ocal l y
Const r uct i on Hel i copt er s'S61N cl i mbsup f oranot her l oad
Mi dwestHel i copt er spi ckanot herl oadf r om t hest r eet
Thel engt hoft hel i f t i ngl i nesi sappar entf r om beneat h t hi sS58T
Downwar dvi si bi l i t yi skeyandbubbl ewi ndowsenhance t hevi ew
I namongstt heconst r uct i onact i vi t i es,t hi sS61N i sat home
Tr ansi t i ngi nt ot hel i f t i ngl ocat i oni sver ydi f f er entf r om t hi sai r cr af t ' spastl i f easapassengercar r i eri nt heUK
Thi swi l lbet hec as ewi t ht heS58Tf l eetbef or et oo l ong.Theyar eol dert hant heS61Nf l eetandbl ade s uppl yi sl i mi t ed. Oper at or st endt ohoar ds uppl i es whent heyc anf i ndt hem butnoonei smak i ngnew bl adesf orS58ss ot het i mewi l l c omewhent heyc an nol ongerbeus ed.Att hatpoi nt ,t hes ear c hwi l lbe onf oras ui t abl er epl ac ementai r f r amet hathast he r i ghtc ombi nat i on ofl i f tc apac i t y ,r uggednes sand c ont r olt ounder t ak et hel i f t i ngj ob.
Thats i t uat i oni saf ewy ear sof ff ornow,howev er ,s o t hec ur r entf l eetofhel i c opt er swi l ls er v ef ors ome t i met oc ome. I fy ouf i ndy our s el fi nChi c agoear l y oneweek endmor ni ng,don’ tbes ur pr i s edt of i nda l ar gehel i c opt ernear by .
Li f t i ng bul ky l oadsnearhi gh obst r uct i onssuch ast hi s Fer r i swheelr equi r esl ot sofpl anni ng
The S64 i st he heavywei ghtki ng ofwest er nl i f t i ng hel i copt er s
Theaut horwoul dl i ket ot hank t het eamsat Mi dwest Hel i copt er s Ai r ways, Const r uct i on Hel i copt er s and Er i ckson Ai r cr ane f or t hei r cooper at i on i n phot ogr aphi ng t hei r oper at i ons.
Wan tt odi s cu s st h i sar t i cl e?
Si g nu pt ot h e HANGAR. t vf o rf r e ea n ddoj u stt h a t