Service Information

Helicopter Lifts

Helicopter lifts can compete with land-based cranes and are often significantly less expensive. Utilizing a helicopter can eliminate the setup and tear down costs of employing a conventional crane. The traditional problems of cranes not having enough boom to reach the top of a roof is quickly overcome with aerial construction.

Due to soft or swampy ground, steep mountain terrains or environmentally protected areas, helicopters are sometimes the only alternative to erect a communications tower or install an antenna.

Cost effective construction can be managed by using aerial cranes to lift construction materials, from concrete and tower sections to equipment buildings, instead of having to install expensive roads.

Most helicopter services will supply rigging and radio communications as well as concrete placement buckets. If you have never set a section by helicopter, be prepared for high levels of noise and rotorwash, depending upon the helicopter being used.

If your tower erection company has scheduled an aerial lift, don’t forget to take videos and photographs of the installation. Also, contact the local media for coverage.

Lift capabilities range from 2900 pounds for a Bell helicopter to more than 20,000 pounds for a Sikorsky.

Aerial installation costs are dependent upon the location and pick weights of your project. Some companies will base their pricing upon a positioning/deposition fee and a per lift cost. In urban areas you are sometimes restricted to the days and hours that you can do an aerial lift. You may also be required to close off surrounding streets and pay for municipal services. A recent lift in Destin, FL required the contractor to lift a mounting platform and radio equipment onto a rooftop. Using a crane was not allowed by the resort owner. The total time was approximately four hours for the helicopter service; the cost was $21,000.

We recommend that you contact our valued helicopter service companies for your site-specific aerial lifting requirements.