Chopper instead of crane

[TITTIES AND BEER]

Well my HVAC guy decided to set our RTUs with a chopper tomorrow, 16 units he said 90 minutes I said thats 1 every 5 minutes, I’m calling bullshit but we will see . 7 Am tomorrow old Walmart Victorville pictures to come .

 

[WYRD]

Well my HVAC guy decided to set our RTUs with a chopper tomorrow, 16 units he said 90 minutes I said thats 1 every 5 minutes, I’m calling bullshit but we will see . 7 Am tomorrow old Walmart Victorville pictures to come .

Seen it done no less than a hundred times. An experienced crew will knock it out in no time at all

 

[adam909]

done many of jobs with a chopper.. It does go quick but it will take longer then 5 mins per unit.. Enjoy the fun..

 

[was thatguy]

Not my field but I’ve watched them do it.
It goes pretty damn fast if everything is staged right.
Watched them do power lines too in parachute CO.
Not big ones, just plain wooden pole lines. Dude did like a mile in no time at all.
He’d make a lift, guys would attach it and pull tension and he’d already be at the next pole.
Like “boom boom boom” right down the line.

But the real crazies are the Christmas tree guys...holy shit.

 

[monkeyswrench]

It's some fun stuff to watch! Not cheap, but on a large building it goes quick. All the units are staged in one area, and the bird moves quick. Not like a crane, no multiple staging areas, no resetting the crane and no spool time. Grab and go.

 

[Hammer]

Done it a few times. It does go quick, but not that quick!


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[TITTIES AND BEER]

Ya we staged everything today got 2 water trucks ready , permits safety meeting Am

 

[viperized_jr]

I'm doing a chopper lift Saturday. If staged correctly they should be right around 3 min per unit. Make sure anything light is tied down.

 

[was thatguy]

Rule number one...”Don’t make the chopper wait...”

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Is it more cost effective for the chopper versus the crane versus time saved or is it an access issue with a crane from the ground? My son works for a copter company as a crew chief on a blackhawk, they are out of Redlands airport but do mainly fire stuff. Crazy money what the feds pay them to sit on standby up in Washington state right now, $9000 a day to sit on standby, $6000 an hour if they lift off for a fire.

 

[Wayn-o]

5 minutes a lift is long unless you are flying a hi rise. or heavy lifts. We did 145 lifts on a school in Irvine in under 4 hours. That included flying from one location in the front of the school and fuel stops in between. My guys are running between buildings to keep up and we pre rig as much if not all the equipment.

 

[was thatguy]

Is it more cost effective for the chopper versus the crane versus time saved or is it an access issue with a crane from the ground? My son works for a copter company as a crew chief on a blackhawk, they are out of Redlands airport but do mainly fire stuff. Crazy money what the feds pay them to sit on standby up in Washington state right now, $9000 a day to sit on standby, $6000 an hour if they lift off for a fire.

Gotta be both?
They sort of go hand in hand on a big building with multiple (dozens) of roof units.
A crane doesn’t alway get it where you need it either, so there’s more maneuvering units once on the roof.
A single unit or even a couple doesn’t make chopper sense I would think, but I watched them do a building in Texas (I pulled over to watch) with maybe 20 units and that dude set each one right on the money and had the next one up almost before the roof guys could get over to the next spot. No way a crane could ever even set one that fast, and I have worked with a lot of cranes.
The trick is have the slings on the next one before the chopper sets the one he has. Stay ahead of the chopper.

 

[Icky]

Is it more cost effective for the chopper versus the crane versus time saved or is it an access issue with a crane from the ground? My son works for a copter company as a crew chief on a blackhawk, they are out of Redlands airport but do mainly fire stuff. Crazy money what the feds pay them to sit on standby up in Washington state right now, $9000 a day to sit on standby, $6000 an hour if they lift off for a fire.

The crane might be more expensive, depending on how far it has to reach. Multiple trucks to get set up, moving to different locations to reach the next pick etc.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

We did a charter school in LA years ago when I worked for my dad. We averaged somewhere about 2:25 a unit. That was with a fuel stop.

Had to use a chopper due to the foot print of the building. It would have taken a HUGE crane to get some of those larger units into the middle of the building. I think the chopper was about $2k less than it would have taken for a standard crane.

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[Wayn-o]

Schools are one of the best uses for a chopper. Lots of buildings with no access close, paper thin asphalt for playgrounds that get destroyed driving a crane over it. Malls are good use for choppers as well.

 

[DLC]

take some pics or even a video!


QUOTE="TITTIES AND BEER, post: 4175861, member: 160"]
Well my HVAC guy decided to set our RTUs with a chopper tomorrow, 16 units he said 90 minutes I said thats 1 every 5 minutes, I’m calling bullshit but we will see . 7 Am tomorrow old Walmart Victorville pictures to come .
[/QUOTE]

 

[outboard_256]

If the crew on ground is quick I could see it going in that time frame.

 

[CLdrinker]

Well my HVAC guy decided to set our RTUs with a chopper tomorrow, 16 units he said 90 minutes I said thats 1 every 5 minutes, I’m calling bullshit but we will see . 7 Am tomorrow old Walmart Victorville pictures to come .

Shit wish I had time to come watch.

 

[Javajoe]

Did a couple last month at a school. About 4 min each. Way cheaper and faster than a crane. Make sure your setting crew has straps on their hard hats.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Well my HVAC guy decided to set our RTUs with a chopper tomorrow, 16 units he said 90 minutes I said thats 1 every 5 minutes, I’m calling bullshit but we will see . 7 Am tomorrow old Walmart Victorville pictures to come .

Pretty common, we used to have Heli lifts for solar pallets on super tall buildings in HI, its cool to watch.

 

[riverroyal]

All in the prep. Better have a shit load of rigging and competent guys.
ive done a bunch of these.
best one was in a federal prison with armed guards on the roof to stop anyone from catching a ride

 

[Wayn-o]

These jobs take several minutes a lift. 52 floors up, through a hole in the roof, stacking 3 sections each.

 

[Kachina26]

Am I the only one that was trying to figure out how they were going to pull this off with a motorcycle? Swing shift worker up about 3 hours too early today. Ugh!

 

[bonesfab]

Am I the only one that was trying to figure out how they were going to pull this off with a motorcycle? Swing shift worker up about 3 hours too early today. Ugh!

Travis Pastrana was going to drop them as he jumped over.

 

[Nordie]

When I was working on IKEA in Vegas they used a chopper to set the units as well. I guess it's not all that uncommon. Watched a chopper set one of the rides on the stratosphere as well. Their staging area was right by a job I was on. Pretty cool to watch.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

One thing about a chopper versus most crane situations.... the lift company with a chopper will require the building to be completely empty during the lift because if something goes wrong during the lift, the chopper will immediately cut the load lose wherever they are at where as a normal crane cannot do so. At least the airlift companies I have dealt with (got #'s from a few different ones over the years) have all had that requirement.

 

[Spudsbud]

A few more pix ?
here

Hottub & a Helicopter

Streamwoodsports.com

zenfolio.page.link

Worked with Midwest Helicopters many times years ago.
This one ? A wealthy young surgeon wanted a hot tub on his hi rise patio !
Hot tub $8k
Helicopter lift $11k No permit to land eithrr !
Downtown Chicago. A few permits required !

 

[monkeyswrench]

A few more pix ?
here

Hottub & a Helicopter

Streamwoodsports.com

zenfolio.page.link

Worked with Midwest Helicopters many times years ago.
This one ? A wealthy young surgeon wanted a hot tub on his hi rise patio !
Hot tub $8k
Helicopter lift $11k No permit to land eithrr !
Downtown Chicago. A few permits required !

I can't find the article right now. Maybe 15-20 years ago I was working in Korea Town in LA. Being on roofs, you see some stuff, but this was...different.

We hear a chopper, big old thing comes lumbering overhead, and dips down behind some buildings. Then, it comes up, with a fiberglass pool! It had to be at least a 15x30. It goes up to the lid of the building across the way, maybe 20 story? Not a few minutes later, it heads back to the staging area. It returns with a good size palm tree, and repeated that a few times.

The airlifts I've been on were hvac units, and a few material loads for re-roofs. Being a bumpkin, I always loved jobs with crane loads or air lifts. In a way, it gave me a feeling of being on an important kind of job...not just another guy doing donkey work

 

[Bobby V]

In 86' I was working on a new Pennys warehouse in Buena Park. GC told us about the helicopter lift the next day and we couldn't be in the building for a hour or so. The guy I was working with was a veteran and took the whole day off. He said he would get flash backs from the war with low flying helicopters buzzing around.

 

[Mandelon]

I watched this old beast set a giant sign in Santa Monica many years ago. It was from the old TV show Riptide. I think it is still around, I read they used it during an episode of Road Kill recently.

 

[WTR&PWR]

Hose down the area…

 

[Hammer]

[IMG alt="Screaming Mimi" the star of 1984 TV show Rip Tide. Built in 1962, she now works pouring concrete and setting poles for power lines. Not bad for a 58 year old gal: WeirdWings"]https://i.redd.it/7ddpss9w1kz41.jpg[/IMG]

I watched this old beast set a giant sign in Santa Monica many years ago. It was from the old TV show Riptide. I think it is still around, I read they used it during an episode of Road Kill recently.

Screaming Mimi!


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[TITTIES AND BEER]

55 minutes in believable, 16 units wet it all down and go

 

[copterzach]

That’s pretty damn cool.


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[TITTIES AND BEER]

That’s pretty damn cool.


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1958 model the year I was born

 

[monkeyswrench]

That’s pretty damn cool.


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Texas Air Force may need a heavy lifter!
...don't think it would haul on your trailer well though

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

Texas Air Force may need a heavy lifter!
...don't think it would haul on your trailer well though

She can pick 5000 lbs , 68’ long and 60’ on blades they have 5 choppers . Chopper 6500 $ - 55 minutes, crane 12500 $ 12 hours , I love working with cranes but choppers are kool

 

[was thatguy]

So it came in well under 5 minutes per pick?

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

So it came in well under 5 minutes per pick?

I told the PM ground crew I call bullshit on this at 55 minutes I shook his hard and and apologized he just laughed at safety meeting they told all of us what to do if shit hit the fan and how to , get pilots out where safety gear is and Wait till shit stops spinning told roof top guys / ground guys what to do if they had to ditch ( hide behind metal ) I was 911 make the call and info , very kool

 

[was thatguy]

Never bet against a chopper.

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

Never bet against a chopper.

This chopper leaves Sunday to Oregon to fight fires 6 hour flight , he said who ever calls 1 st we roll 2 months

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

Never bet against a chopper.

Holy shit

 

[viperized_jr]

I'm guessing you were talking with Danny from Aris. He called me right after he finished your lift because I was still waiting on the insurance info. I got lucky that they didn't cancel our lift tomorrow.

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

I'm guessing you were talking with Danny from Aris. He called me right after he finished your lift because I was still waiting on the insurance info. I got lucky that they didn't cancel our lift tomorrow.

Who are you with ? Where is your lift ? That chopper leaves Sunday for Portland he said he has lifts AM , I sent all our / chopper info to my safety guy , these guys are flying state and FED nothing but professional

 

[viperized_jr]

Westland Mechanical, we have a lift in sun valley but we are the 2nd lift of the day for them.

 

[4Waters]

Never bet against a chopper.

Who's flying that thing, Maverick?

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

Never bet against a chopper.

That is the norm around here for transporting xmas trees. And used alot for logging also.

 

[Wayn-o]

Still in use - Summit Helicopter has her. This was LA Union Station. Go Pro mounted on hard hat so its a little wiggy.

I watched this old beast set a giant sign in Santa Monica many years ago. It was from the old TV show Riptide. I think it is still around, I read they used it during an episode of Road Kill recently.

 

[HBCraig]

55 minutes in believable, 16 units wet it all down and go View attachment 1026262 View attachment 1026263 View attachment 1026264 View attachment 1026265 View attachment 1026266 View attachment 1026267 View attachment 1026269 View attachment 1026270 View attachment 1026271 View attachment 1026272

Freaking awesome man. Awesome.

I still think you need to convince the big boss to buy a sizeable crane. I know a guy.