When you think of construction or installation in a crowded city, you may picture cranes towering over buildings or workers on scaffolding. But for projects that take place in tight or hard-to-reach spots, like reconstruction of an existing building or a rooftop HVAC replacement, helicopters can step in to do the heavy lifting. 

These aerial giants are often used to transport massive construction materials, like steel beams, HVAC units, and building parts straight to the job site. Helicopter lifting in urban environments offers a unique solution for overcoming challenges like limited ground access, narrow streets, or the sheer difficulty of transporting large items into dense cityscapes.

In this article, we’ll dive into some of the toughest obstacles urban contractors face–and how helicopters can provide crucial assistance–and explore best practices and safety protocols for precision lifting. 

Whether you're curious about how these operations happen behind the scenes or you’re looking for tips on how to make the process safer, you’ll discover why precision lifting in urban environments is not just possible, but safe and efficient as well.

Urban Construction Challenges

Urban construction comes with its own set of unique obstacles. From tight spaces with limited access points to navigating dense traffic and zoning restrictions, construction teams have to get creative to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Here are a few common urban construction hurdles you’ll need to consider before starting your project.

Safety Concerns

Working within tight spaces between existing buildings can be difficult and exacerbate the challenges of maneuvering bulky equipment and delivering materials to where they are needed. There may be an increased risk of accidents affecting both construction workers and pedestrians due to congestion in crowded areas and your proximity to busy streets. 

Community Disruption

It’s vital that you consider how you will minimize disruption to nearby residents and businesses during the construction process. You’ll need to devise a complex strategy for diverting pedestrian and vehicle traffic around your construction site (while still providing necessary access to buildings and parking lots).

You’ll also need to implement measures to minimize noise pollution, especially in residential areas. If you’re working in areas that house historic buildings, you’ll need to incorporate construction techniques that prevent wear and tear and other damage to these properties.

Utility Access and Relocation

Identifying and relocating existing utilities like water pipes, electrical cables, and sewer lines can be one of the most complicated and time-consuming challenges of urban construction. Your team will need to develop a comprehensive plan for managing and accommodating these utilities.

Zoning Permits and Restrictions

Urban development is complex, and city residents want to see their land put to good use. Zoning restrictions, which may apply based on building type, size, height, utility line location, and other features, are implemented to regulate land use and development.

They also exist to divide urban areas into specific zones, including business, residential, industrial, and mixed-use zones. You’ll need to navigate a complex permit process and obtain the required permissions from various government agencies.

Environmental Impact

Urban development projects can have a significant carbon footprint, so it’s important to consider the environmental impact of your operation. You will need to consider all environmental regulations in the city where your project takes place, and consider how you’ll meet requirements for managing waste disposal, recycling, and minimizing emissions.

How Aerial Cranes Combat Urban Construction Obstacles

The use of heavy-lift helicopters for construction projects, utility installations, disaster relief efforts, and heavy equipment transportation in urban environments can help you overcome several of these challenges. 

Increased Precision Equals Enhanced Safety

Helicopter lifting can be much safer than other methods, particularly in areas with tight spaces or complex logistics. Standard cranes can be difficult to maneuver and are more prone to accidents and costly mistakes on the ground. Helicopters offer increased agility and precision, which mitigates harm to property, pedestrians, and crews in dense urban areas. 

Helicopter crews are also extensively trained, and heavy-lift helicopter pilots have a deep understanding of the intricacies of aerial lifting and how to minimize the risks involved when placing heavy loads in compact areas.

Finally, helicopters are better equipped to brave the elements and handle threatening environmental conditions, such as high altitudes, high temperatures, and pressure increases.

Limited Community Disruption

The use of aerial cranes can also significantly limit noise pollution and other types of community disruption. While cranes require significant space for setup and operation and often cause disturbances to land, helicopters are capable of taking off from a small area without the need for roads and motor vehicles, clearing and grading, and inconveniences like street and sidewalk blockades and traffic congestion. 

Furthermore, heavy-lift helicopters can reduce noise in dense urban areas by working overhead with quieter, more efficient engines, thereby creating less disruption to the surrounding environment.

Quicker Utility Identification

Identifying existing utilities can be difficult and time consuming. Did you know helicopters can help with this, too? Helicopter service companies can provide the aircraft and equipment necessary to perform thermal imaging to check for pipelines and other underground utility structures.

Smaller Carbon Footprint

Helicopters can also reduce the environmental impact of construction and other projects in urban areas by using cleaner, more efficient engines, whereas traditional ground cranes often rely on large diesel-powered machines. This helps cut down on emissions and minimizes the carbon footprint of construction and installation projects.

How Pilots Navigate City Restrictions

Helicopter pilots working on heavy-lift jobs in busy urban areas must be incredibly precise when navigating the strict rules implemented by cities as a means of ensuring airspace safety and minimizing disruptions (such as no-fly zones over certain buildings and residential areas). 

Pilots utilize special flight paths that are approved by aviation authorities, which may require them to fly at a specific altitude or along a designated route. They must also communicate with air traffic control throughout the flight to receive important updates on changes or potential conflicts, which ensures they remain aware of obstacles and other aircraft flying in the vicinity. 

In addition to following official airspace guidelines, helicopter pilots rely on careful planning. They may schedule certain heavy-lift operations, like transporting construction materials for skyscrapers, to take place early in the morning or late at night when air traffic is lighter and operations are less likely to impact city dwellers. This makes it easier to avoid congestion and reduces the risk of noise complaints from residents. 

Pilots also work closely with ground crews to coordinate the exact timing and location of lifts and ensure safety on the ground. Precision-lifting in urban environments requires a high level of skill, a team that is well-versed in external load operations and aerial lifting techniques, constant communication between all parties, and an advanced understanding of aviation rules and the city's unique challenges.

If you hire a heavy-lift helicopter service, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with a team experienced in performing complex heavy-lifting operations and tackling unique challenges and requirements. A company like Atlanta-based Helicopter Express can create a comprehensive solution tailored to your specific needs–one that takes into account important factors such as project scope, location, timeline, and budget.

Safety Protocols and Best Practices for Helicopter Lifting in Urban Environments

Here are the different aspects of helicopter lifting in crowded cities that you’ll need to incorporate into your strategy, as well as best practices and safety protocols to employ:

Lift Planning and Preparation

90% of helicopter lifting accidents occur during pickup or lay down, and many of these can be prevented with the right preparation. That’s why it’s vital that you take the following actions when planning for a lift:

• Mark Load Weights and Sizes: No matter how large or powerful, every heavy-lift helicopter has a maximum lifting capacity. Exceeding this limit is dangerous for aerial crews, ground crews, and pedestrians in urban areas. That’s why it’s critical that you know and mark weights and sizes of all cargo.
  
  
• Label Load Shapes and Orientations: Load shapes can impact in-flight handling. Tag all loads with their shape and orientation to match laydown locations and minimize risk.
  
  
• Remove Loose Material: Loose material such as sheeting and tarps presents a significant hazard to workers and helicopters. It can blow around and cause injury or damage the aircraft by being sucked into engine intakes.
  
  
• Establish a Rigging Plan: Each load requires you to select or design appropriate rigging devices and assemblies. You’ll also need to create detailed plans and inspect, record, and obtain certificates of testing for all rigging components and assemblies.
  
  
• Determine Lifting Equipment: You will need to select a lifting contractor and helicopter type based on capacity specifications and your unique project needs. A heavy-lift helicopter service like Helicopter Express will work with you to develop a comprehensive plan and select the ideal aircraft that meets your requirements. They’ll also help you determine your optimal load line, hook-up device and configuration, cable and sling lengths and type, and more.
  
  
• Prepare a Lifting Plan: Develop a lifting plan that encompasses load identification and lifting sequences. Plan the staging area layout and flight path to avoid flying over workers and any unstable materials that are unsecured and could blow around and cause a safety hazard.

Establishment of a Flight Plan

51% of helicopter lifting accidents occur in flight, and up to 70% of these accidents are

due to human error. Incorporating the following into your flight plan can help ensure a safe and smooth operation:

• Designate a staging area
• Establish a refuelling location
• Provide for fire watch and spills
• Determine your flight path (consider both weather and wind)
• Divide the job into lifting zones
• Plan your load lifting sequence
• Develop an alternate day plan

Risk Assessment

You (and/or your hired heavy-lift service company will need to perform a risk assessment to identify and evaluate all risks prior to the lift.

Potential risks include:

• Powerlines
• Nearby cranes
• Roofs, buildings, and other nearby structures
• Unsecured material in the staging or landing area
• Roof openings that present fall hazards
• Danger points in the load, lift, and land sequence (such as potential pinch or crush points)
• Weather-related hazards
• Public safety threats
  Following the risk assessment, you’ll need to eliminate or establish protections against all noted risks. 

This may involve:

• Cleaning up the site
• Removing loose or unsecured materials
• Securing temporary structures
• Providing fall prevention strategies

Safety Precautions

All ground crew members should take certain safety precautions, including:

• Personal Protective Equipment: This includes hard hats with secured chin straps, goggles, protective work gloves, and hearing protection
  
  
• Fall Protection: This includes guardrails, anchor or tie-off locations, and fall-arrest systems when necessary
  
  
• Distinctive and Appropriate Clothing: This refers to a vest, coveralls, and hard hat that are appropriate for the weather conditions and that are easily distinguishable from the aircraft 

Security Measures and Notifications

Finally, here are some best practices regarding security measures and dispersing vital communications:

• Notify all workers (and residents, if necessary) of when and where the lifts will occur
• Provide training regarding personal protective equipment, fall hazards, and safeguards
• Obtain all necessary zoning permits, licenses, and approvals
• Communicate with essential public safety officials, local authorities, and air traffic control
• Confirm that the aircraft has an up-to-date certificate of insurance coverage
• Prohibit access to all non-essential personnel
• Implement temporary road closures and traffic management as needed
• Establish clear radio communication between your pilots, ground crew, and air traffic control, with designated channels to avoid confusion
• Communicate designated emergency contacts
• Prepare and disperse an emergency plan in case of accidents, including emergency signals, exits, and escape routes for ground crew members
• Arrange for radio, hand signals, emergency signals, and warning signals
• Review and test all communication systems, including radios and warning air horns

Pre-Flight Briefing

After all training and inspections have been completed–but before beginning any precision lifting mission–you’ll need to hold a pre-flight briefing. Walk through your procedures and inspection checklists and ensure you’ve handled all of the steps outlined above.

While some of this work may seem redundant, this pre-flight briefing is essential for ensuring the safety of aerial crews, ground teams, and pedestrians in crowded cities. By reviewing flight paths, load details, potential hazards, and emergency procedures once more, your team and your hired heavy-lift helicopter service can work together seamlessly to reduce risks, avoid accidents, and run a smooth and safe operation in a busy, high-traffic area.

Helicopters: The Ideal Solution for Precision Lifting

Urban construction and city-based installation projects come with unique challenges, but heavy-lift helicopters offer a safe and efficient means of precision lifting. Skilled pilots and aerial crews are more than capable of lifting and placing large, heavy loads directly onto rooftops or tight spaces without the need for complicated infrastructure or road closures. This makes helicopters the perfect solution for busy urban environments.

While using helicopters for precision lifting offers many benefits, strict safety protocols must be followed to ensure crews and the public are protected. This includes secure load rigging, careful inspections, strategic flight planning to avoid obstacles, and clear communication with ground teams. 

It also means choosing a heavy-lift helicopter service with an elite team of pilots, a state-of-the-art fleet, deep expertise in external load operations and aerial lifting techniques, and uncompromising safety standards.

Contact Helicopter Express today to discuss your project, get a quote, and learn how we can get your job done on time and under budget. We’ll show you how helicopter lifting can not only make urban construction more efficient, but also safer and more sustainable.