Mark,
Thanks for that, it was very informative and as you say the key to the
success of the operation is planning (we used helicopters for drop offs back
in my armed forces days). We surveyed and prepared a report on a large site
in the Northeast where the extraction is going to be very difficult (only a
minor road services the site and there are numerous low bridges which are
impassable by larger goods vehicles). The planting is along a steep gorge
within urban parkland. The key issue I imagine at present is the feasibility
of restricting access within the park whilst operations would be carried
out, but at this stage it worth considering as an option. Obviously where
possible we have advised to retain (where possible) monoliths for ecological
purposes, although there are certain areas of the park where this will not
be possible and removal will be the only option.
Regards
Richard Bryson
AllAboutTrees Ltd
Arboricultural & Ecological Consulting
Unit B10 Durham Dales Centre
Castle Gardens
Stanhope
Co Durham
DL13 2FJ
Phone 0191 3739494
01388 529200
Fax 01388 529200
www.allabouttrees.co.uk
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-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Page [mailto:mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.co.uk]
Sent: 28 April 2008 09:09
To: UK Tree Care
Subject: Re: Airlifting trees
Hi Richard,
I have no experience of shifting timber by helicopter, however a
colleague of mine once used one to shift some timber across an
impossible valley in Wales. It was (he said) cost effective.
I do however have other experience with them and the principles I
learned then are still pertinent.
The thing with a helicopter is that you only pay for the time it is in
the air. A positioning charge is payable for getting it on site also.
So your preparation prior to the helicopter day is absolutley vital.
When I was busy planting the flow country of Caithness and Sutherland in
the early 1980's we used helicopters to shift plants and materials. The
alternative was Muskeg or tractor/trailers. In fact the company I worked
for bought their own Hiller 3 seater with a lifting capacity of 500KG
We once employed two helicopters (with a lifting capacity of 750KG) at
the one time to shift out several miles of fencing material. They did it
in a day. However for several days our men were making up weighed
bundles of fence posts wire etc, and making a key of where they were to
be dropped. One man spent his time hooking on to the chopper and someone
on a Honda trike at the other end was marking where the bundle was to be
dropped. Muskegs, tractors would have taken weeks literally. I know a
Christmas tree contractor who uses them to extract Christmas trees.
So with timber I would suggest, fell it and convert to logs whose weight
is known to be within the capacity of the machine. (Allow it to dry out
for a few weeks, perhaps). Place on each log a non slip choker and hook
prior to the helicopter day, and make sure that the log (or parcel of
logs) will not be jammed on neighbours. Then on the day have one or two
men on the log site with a plan for the order of lifting, and the
ability to run around hooking on in the correct order, The helicopter
should not spend anytime in the air waiting fo a slow man or a tangle to
be undone.
PDG helicopters in Cumbernauld are used a great deal by the Forest
industry in Scotland for this sort of thing and would guide you through
it well.
Finally. A helicopter operation is not as expensive as you may initially
think. Often it is cheaper than the conventional solutions. But
preparation is key. Get that wrong and you could look really stupid.
Hope this helps
Kindest regards
Mark B Page
Chartered Forester
01361 810390
07775 817776
www.pageforestry.co.uk
mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.co.uk
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