HEAVY SLING-LOAD CARGO TRANSPORTATION BY HELICOPTER IN INDONESIA

Cargo transportation by helicopter in Indonesia should be recognized as an important industry. Transferring cargo by external sling load below a helicopter is a regular occurrence in the military but is also used frequently in civilian aviation.

Helicopters using a heavy sling load are the best and fastest way to deliver materials to a destination.

Sling load helicopters capable of handling the heavy-lifting are very efficient because they can transport loads to remote areas rough in terrain and have high altitudes as much of Indonesia does. A sling load operation is often the only way for a safe and dependable transport solution in these situations.

Equipped with cargo hooks to carry the materials to be transported, they can perform a wide variety of external load work.

Some of the most common external load operations include:

• Aerial Side-Trimming around power transmission lines and pipelines
• Agriculture (fence building, distributing hay bales, salt blocks, etc.)
• Construction work
• Electrical line work
• Fertilizer spreading
• Fire suppression with buckets
• Heli-logging
• Servicing oil rigs and stocking remote outposts with supplies

How much weight can a sling load helicopter lift?

Light utility helicopters can lift between 1,200 and 4,000 pounds. On the other end of the range, the M-26, the world’s largest heavy-lift helicopter, can transport up to 20 tons (44,000 lbs.) The cargo hook equipment affects the load capacity. For example, if a helicopter model is rated by the manufacturer as having a maximum cargo sling load capacity of 4,000 LB, but the cargo hook equipment is only rated for 3,000 LB, then the pilot can only carry loads weighing 3,000 LB or less.

Types of loads

External loads are divided into three categories:

1. High Density
2. Low Density
3. Aerodynamic

Each load has different characteristics in flight. The high-density load offers the best stability; the low density loads the least. The aerodynamic load will be unstable until some form of load-streamlining is done.

Sling load helicopter pilots

Sling load operations are one of the most technically difficult skills to master and require a high level of concentration. So, it is imperative that the pilot has the proper training and certifications. Many pilots for commercial sling-load jobs have had military experience. The training and the kind of missions they do during their service make them outstanding pilots for the Indonesian heavy sling-load cargo transportation industry.

Ground support services

It takes a team to undertake heavy sling-load cargo operations. Sling load helicopter operators are assisted by a ground crew to ensure the load is safely attached and are accurately placed in the designated area. Ground crew training and performance determine the success of a sling load mission.

Helicopter external loads carried differ across the respective industries and include, for example, timber and steel used for construction, antennas and oversize equipment such as air-conditioning units and remote site drilling equipment. All these varied uses require ground crews trained specifically for the type of mission.

Do the impossible

The combination of helicopters and professional pilot skills to hover with loads slung beneath allows you to reach the thousands of islands and inaccessible places throughout the archipelago, conduct offshore operations and much more.

Indonesia would not be the same without the heavy sling-load cargo transportation industry. The impact on economic development and wellbeing of its citizens is immeasurable. Keep that in mind when you need to do something that otherwise would be very difficult or impossible.