I spotted this old rig over the 4 th while near the Frank Church Wilderness Area (largest in the lower 48). It had been repaired numerous times, but the welder sure laid down a pretty bead......but eventually it somehow ended up like this, wow! Mining related, it had a drag bucket (dragline not a crane I guess?) nearby, also patches over the patches over the years. The operator cab sure didn't look like anything I'd want to sit in all day, that seat doesn't look very comfortable at all. Looking at the worn steel foot pedals and the polished hand controls, I think this thing had a few hours on it.
I got the above HVAC done, and while on the jobsite the aerial view came in real handy, as expected. 3 setups, 95' the furthest.
Got a call at 9:07 from in town, a 30 minute drive away from my home compound, where I was at the time. A new Pet Smart store needed the HVAC set next week, and the contractor was setting up a time plus wondering if I could reach it. At 9:57 I sent this picture to him while circling overhead, some kind of new record for me. It can be real handy to have your own plane right at home and be in the hoisting business, apparently my local competition does not offer this aerial pre inspection service like I do. After getting the building length and width, I was able to tell the contractor that I could do the job and we good to go Monday. That unit in the middle back is going to be about 95' away, and what with the high walls of the building, I'll go ahead and jib up and should be able to hit it. The HVAC guys are "on my side", and will be prepared to hump it into place if need be. I may set up on that loading ramp on the left, short jacking the left side in order to fit in there. That'd knock 20' off the reach. I think I can do it all with two setups,
On the way there and back I took a pic and texted it to the builder minutes later of a big house I am working on, plus another job, a small castle (really). Plus eyeballed a new medical building going up (still framing walls, be a while before they need my services), and also noted several new homes going up I may or may not get the call for. Plus buzzed a farmer cutting hay that lets me land my plane on the same field, when the plane is on it's skis in the winter. A busy morning, but I'm not complaining. Any time I can fly and hustle up a little crane work is a good day!View attachment 171349
I got the above HVAC done, and while on the jobsite the aerial view came in real handy, as expected. 3 setups, 95' the furthest.