Helitreck helicopters recently assisted a client with the installation of a delicate artwork sculpture on to the balcony of their Sydney Harbour home.
Helicopter Lifting Operation Summary
The client had purchased the artwork overseas, and had been trying for 3 years to have it installed at their home, but due to Covid and other access restrictions to the site, it had been a frustrating wait.
The property is located on shallow waterfront, so access by barge crane via the water wasn’t an option, and the street access was too far away to reach with a cost effective land based crane (which would also have meant closing the street for many hours). So our BK117 twin engine helicopter was the only suitable option.
An additional consideration when planning this job, was that the property was located inside controlled airspace, so permission was required from Air Traffic Control to conduct the lift between commercial airline operations at Sydney Airport. This required careful planning, prior notification to ATC, and patience while waiting for the small operational window that we were allowed so that the lift operation could be performed.
Helicopter Lifting Services Performed
A total of 1 helicopter crane lift was required
Lift 1 – 450kg – Glass sculpture artwork in a protective timber crate
Which Helicopter Utilised for the Job
The helicopter crane used for this lifting job was VH-FHB a Kawasaki BK 117 B2 Twin Engine Helicopter
Helicopter Loading and Lifting Location
The Artwork Sculpture was delivered to the property by flatbed truck with Hiab crane, and the helicopter was loaded on site in a park with council permission.
Provision Of Helitreck Staff
Two crewmen were provided by Helitreck.
– One crewman set up the sling and established the loads at the park.
– The other crewman was waiting at the installation location to safely land the load and unsling from the helicopter.
Communication
Two-way radios were used for communication between the Helitreck pilot and the riggers.
Mission Timeframe
Safety Briefing – 10.30am
Heli Crane Lift – 11.30am
Task Completed – 12:30pm
Duration – 2hrs
Special Thanks To
Steven from Sydney Heavy Lift & Transport for his assistance on the day.
Client Feedback…
”We have recently used Helitreck to transport a crated artwork to our property in the Sydney Eastern suburbs.
The process was complicated as it involved a pickup from a Council owned park, liaison with the truck delivering the crate to the park, co-ordination with Sydney airport control tower and landing the crate on a small terrace with trees in the vicinity.
There were so many things that could have prevented a successful outcome but it succeeded perfectly.
The service was superb and the personnel a delight to deal with: very flexible and very helpful in ensuring the load was not interfered with by curious onlookers.
I unhesitatingly recommend them.”
