Aerial crane

Aerial crane

Infobox Aviation
name = Aerial crane



caption = A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane carrying a house

One of the most unusual commercial uses of helicopters is the aerial crane or "skycrane". As aerial cranes, helicopters carry loads connected to long cables or slings in order to place heavy equipment such as transmission towers and large air conditioning units on the tops of tall buildings or when an item must be raised up in a remote area, such as a radio tower raised on 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 popular 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.

History

Bell 47 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.

Companies

* Carson Helicopters, established 1963, operates Sikorsky S-61.
* Columbia Helicopters, established 1957, operates Boeing Vertol 107-II and Boeing 234.
* Croman Corporation, established 1976, operates Sikorsky S-61.
* Erickson Air-Crane, established 1971, operates the Erickson S-64 Aircrane.
* Evergreen Helicopters, Inc., established 1960, operates S-64 Skycrane and Sikorsky S-61.
* Heavy Lift Helicopters operating CH-54 Tarhe and CH-53 Sea Stallion.
* Swanson Group Aviation, formerly Superior Helicopter, established 1995 operates Kaman K-MAX and Aérospatiale Lama.

Purpose-designed aircraft

* CH-54 Tarhe
* Kaman K-MAX
* Kamov Ka-27K
* Mil Mi-10
* S-64 Skycrane

See also

* Helicopter

References

*

External links

* [http://www.ericksonaircrane.com/ Erickson Air-Crane]
* [http://www.evergreenaviation.com/EHI/index.html Evergreen Helicopters, Inc.]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Crane (machine) — A modern crawler type derrick crane with outriggers. The latticed boom is fitted with a jib. A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower material …   Wikipedia

  • Aerial shot — Aerial shots are usually done with a crane or with a camera attached to a special helicopter to view large landscapes. This sort of shot would be restricted to exterior locations. A good area to do this shot would be a scene that takes place on a …   Wikipedia

  • Aerial work platform — A tracked AWP at a building site. An aerial work platform, also known as an aerial device or elevating work platform, is a mechanical device used to provide temporary access for people or equipment to inaccessible areas, usually at height. There… …   Wikipedia

  • Aerial firefighting — Airtanker redirects here. For the British air to air refuelling project, see Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft. Part of a series on Wildland Firefighting Main articles …   Wikipedia

  • aerial shot —   a camera shot filmed in an exterior location from far overhead (from a bird s eye view), as from a helicopter (most common), blimp, balloon, plane, or kite; a variation on the crane shot; if the aerial shot is at the opening of a film, aka an… …   Glossary of cinematic terms

  • Aerial Shot — F/A/V An extremely high angle view of a subject usually taken from a crane or a high stationary camera position, but may also refer to a shot taken from an actual airplane or helicopter. (Production) …   Audio and video glossary

  • Aerial shot — PP A high angle shot taken from crane, a high stationary position or a helicopter or airplane …   Audio and video glossary

  • Simon Crane — (* 1960 in Twickenham, Middlesex, England) is a British stuntman, stunt co ordinator and second unit director.Crane was originally a law student, but not liking it, he dropped out after two years and worked as an acrobat in a circus for three… …   Wikipedia

  • Wattled Crane — Taxobox name = Wattled Crane status = VU | status system = IUCN3.1 image width = 240px regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Gruiformes familia = Gruidae genus = Bugeranus genus authority = Gloger, 1842 species = B.… …   Wikipedia

  • Erickson Air-Crane — Infobox Company company name = Erickson Air Crane Incorporated company vector company type = Helicopter manufacturer and operator genre = foundation = founder = location city = Central Point, Oregon location country = USA location = origins = key …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”