You've got to complete a towering project. One of the best ways to achieve your sky-high venture is by using an aerial crane.
An aerial crane, or sky crane, provides solutions and flexibility that a ground crane cannot match. With the flexibility and usefulness of an aerial crane, you can save time and money on various projects.
Maybe you need to transport construction material or freight, install an HVAC unit on a tall building, or work in treacherous terrain. Those difficult jobs are simply beyond the capabilities of a traditional crane. Helicopter crane companies excel in industries that require heavy lifting and specialized tasks.
Sometimes you find yourself bogged down with a problematic or hazardous mission that you can't take care of with a ground crane, you should consider the benefits of an aerial crane.
Does that sound familiar?
If so, we have the solutions you need. Contact us to discuss how our fleet provides the services you require for a successful project. We'll be happy to assist you with your deadlines and completing your job.
What is an aerial crane?
An aerial or sky crane is a helicopter used to lift heavy, unwieldy, or problematic loads. Helicopters carry these tricky loads connected to cables or slings and place bulky machinery or freight in places that ground cranes or traditional cranes cannot reach.
Occasionally, an aerial crane places equipment in remote or unreachable areas. These places include, but are not limited to:
- Environmentally protected areas that prohibit roads construction
- Rooftops of tall buildings
- Hilltops
- Mountaintops
- Locations far from the nearest road
Advantages of an aerial crane
The most significant advantage of an aerial crane is its flexibility. A helicopter crane can reach great heights, remote areas, and environmentally sensitive areas. The advantages manifest as saving time and money in many cases.
Height
While land cranes have their uses, they are limited by how high they reach. For instance, a typical tower crane extends 265 feet. They can be taller, but crews must spend time securing a crane to the building. That takes a lot of time, and time is money.
An aerial crane does have a height restriction. For example, a sky crane is ideal when you must accurately place equipment in the small spaces on the top of a building. A conventional crane would not have the height to reach over a building to place the equipment. In contrast, a helicopter crane service achieves a significant enough height to enable the pilot to have a clear line of sight.
That clear line of sight enables the pilot to lift or lower the heavy load into the right place. The accurate placement enables companies to deliver shipments even in the tightest conditions.
Some uses of an aerial crane's ability to fly high include:
- Replacing transmission towers
- Lowering antennas on buildings
- HVAC installation on buildings
- Mountaintop installation of communication towers
Remote areas
Delivering material to construction projects in remote sites is critical in safely and efficiently completing construction projects. Helicopters are the perfect vehicles to deliver materials to distant worksites.
Sometimes the terrain is inhospitable, and it would take an enormous amount of time to traverse the landscape with construction equipment. These areas may be hundreds of miles away from the closest roads.
Remote terrain presents unique challenges, and a helicopter crane service offers a unique solution for those challenges. An aerial crane is ideal for delivering the raw materials, supplies, and heavy equipment your construction project requires.
Other areas may be wilderness or environmentally sensitive. Those areas may prohibit the use of land vehicles, and that would make traditional cranes unfeasible. Even with the restriction, the job still needs to be done. The precision of a helicopter crane service can help you complete the job while having minimal impact on the wilderness or the environment.
Save time and money
Sometimes, land cranes are not the right tool for the job, and a helicopter is the only choice. That's not bad; it's good because a helicopter can save time and money.
It saves time because virtually no setup is required as opposed to a land crane, which requires hours and sometimes days to set up before it is operational. In addition to the time needed to set up, a crane requires an entire crew to keep it functioning. Staffing a whole team involves money.
Tower cranes usually are expensive and require time, labor, and money to be moved from spot to spot. Also, they are costly to maintain, operate, and install.
A helicopter crane typically requires a pilot, ground crew, and a flight plan, depending on the project's complexity. There is no need to spend money on a contract with a tower crane crew to maintain the immovable object.
Instead, you get the flexibility to choose your material's pickup and delivery time and how you want it transported. Often, helicopter crane services provide cheaper and faster alternatives to traditional land-based crane services.
How much can a helicopter crane lift?
The helicopter crane service you need depends on the parameters of your project. Aerial cranes are versatile and can perform various tasks ranging from aerial surveys to material transport. Their ability and flexibility make sky cranes the superior choice for your projects.
Keep in mind an aerial crane is not meant to build an actual building. Still, it can assist in completing the project with its specialized utility. There is a range of helicopters with different lifting capabilities:
- Light helicopters lift between 1,200 and 4,000 pounds
- Medium and heavy lift helicopters lift between 5,000 and 44,000 pounds.
- A typical aerial crane project will require a helicopter to lift between 2,000 and 6,000 pounds.
The bottom line
An aerial or sky crane is a helicopter used for specialized lifts. Its utility and ability to reach high buildings, remote terrain and tight spaces make it a flexible and cost-effective solution for moving materials required to complete various projects.
While an aerial crane is not appropriate for all projects, it outshines traditional cranes where speed, maneuverability, and savings are essential.
The primary advantages of using an aerial crane include its ability to:
- Fly high and complete projects traditional cranes cannot
- Reach remote, inhospitable, or environmentally protected terrain
- Time and money savings compared to traditional cranes
Are you ready to rent an aerial crane for your construction project?
Helicopter Express is here for you when you're ready to save time and money. We own and operate one of the most diverse and powerful fleets of utility helicopters in the United States.
Our fleet includes 24 helicopters selected for:
- Merits
- Safety
- Performance
They are ready to provide you with the precise aircraft you need for your diverse range of construction or commercial needs.
Our experienced and skilled pilots handle our elite fleet with safety and efficiency. If you're ready to learn more about how our pilots and helicopters can help you with your project, please fill out our contact form, and we'll get in touch.
Check out our other blog posts to learn more about the sky-high services provided by our fleet: